Rovos Rail Dining Car
About Rovos Rail
Rowan Vos is a man of considerable drive, vision and tenacity, for he has single-handedly created a dream to of owning and managing a luxury vintage railway experience, that today, is renowned as one of the most luxurious and picturesque rail journey’s in the world: Rovos Rail. From humble beginnings in the 1980’s when Rowan purchased his first carriage, today, Rovos Rail not only schedules various routes around South Africa, but also as far as Victoria Falls, Dar-Es-Salaam and Cairo. One of the many highlights includes boarding and disembarking at the privately owned, historic, rather colonial railway station at Capital Park, Pretoria. It also possesses a small and fascinating railway museum of South African railways. A typical Rovos Rail schedule and route is as follows:
Day 1 – depart Pretoria at 15h00, gourmet dinner aboard the train followed by overnight on train. Evening dinners are formal dress; dinner jacket or jacket and tie for men, and for ladies a cocktail or evening dress (B/fast 07h00-10h00, lunch at 13h00, high tea at 16h00, dinner at 19h30)
Day 2 – train arrives at 09h45 for a stop at Kimberley, the largest man-made hole in the world, where a guided tour of the diamond mine and the museum take place before boarding again at 12h30 for lunch. The journey continues via De Aar and Beaufort West before arriving at Matjiesfontein the following morning
Day 3 – at 08h15 enjoy a guided tour of the unique and historic hamlet of Matjiesfontein before re-boarding the train at 10h30 for the final journey to ape Town via Touws River and Worcester, arriving at Cape Town station at 18h00
Life on board Rovos Rail is a truly wonderful experience of bye-gone era. The original dining car was built in the 1800’s and at the rear of the train is an observation car in which you can sit in the open back of the train admiring the passing landscapes. the train travels at a slow 60km/hour which allows passengers to really slow down, relax, and soak up some gorgeous African scenery. there is no television, no radios, and the use of mobiles and lap-tops are confined to the travellers own private cabin or suite.
Rovos Rail View
Rovos Rail lounge
Accommodation on board Rovos Rail
A choice of three levels of comfort are offered: the Pullman Cabin, a 7sq.meter finely wood paneled cabin with fold out bed at night, converting to a sofa by day, with an en suite shower, loo and basin, and mini bar. A Deluxe Suite, 11 sq.meters with twin or double beds, a lounge area, and an en suite bathroom with shower, basin and loo. the Royal Suite is a 16 sq.meter cabin, which is beautifully furnished with lounge and full en suite bathroom with a Victorian bath. These suites also have their own air-conditioning.
Fine Dining
Each meal is gourmet experience in itself, and pride is taken by the Chef in show-casing traditional and local cuisine, with the freshest ingredients, accompanied by the Cape’s finest wines.
Rovos Rail Suite
Rovos Rail Suite
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