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The Rovos Rail
Location: Ever-changing!
No of Rooms: Rovos Rail: 36 suites.
One Stop Reason To Go: For the old-school charm of taking an opulent train across the incredible wilderness of southern Africa.
The Blue Train has an aura of mystique about it. Kings and presidents have traveled on this magnificent moving five-star hotel and its very name has become synonymous with the ultimate in luxury and personal service.
The routes of The Blue Train – both scheduled and chartered – take guests through some of the most breathtaking countryside to be found anywhere in the world. The route between Pretoria and Cape Town is a 27-hour journey of 1,600 kilometres, through some of the most diverse and spectacular scenery offered by the African sub-continent. Southbound, en route to Cape Town there is a stopover and excursion in Kimberley, where guests can take a step back in time to the days of the diamond rush.
On the Northbound journey, the train leaves Cape Town early morning and arrives in Pretoria in time for high tea the following day. It stops at Matjiesfontein for an off-the-train excursion where guests are invited for a glass of sherry at the bar. The Victorian buildings and original nineteenth century London lampposts impart to the traveler, the uncanny sense of entering a colonial time warp – an oasis suspended in a different ages.
Guests are reminded that they must be at the station an hour before the departure time.
The journeys themselves are naturally breath taking but so too is the service and attention to detail during guests’ stays on The Blue Train. As the ever-changing scenery flashes past the windows, guests can savour exquisite meals freshly prepared on board by top chefs.
The suites on The Blue Train live up to its reputation for magnificence and splendour. The finest bed linen, marble tiles and gold fittings in the bathrooms and sheer opulence all ensure that guests will never forget the time they spend on The Blue Train.
Rovos Rail
Rovos Rail is to take a trip on the most luxurious train in the world. The romantic vacation through the heart of Southern Africa will begin or end at the headquarters of this private railway company, Capital Park Station and Locomotive Yard situated outside Pretoria. Rovos Rail offers two beautifully rebuilt Classic trains, which may be hauled by steam, diesel or electric locomotives at various stages of the journey, each carrying a maximum of 72 passengers who are accommodated in the most spacious and luxurious train suites in the world. The use of traditional furnishings and period décor ensure an atmosphere of elegance and grandeur in the Dining, Lounge and Observation cars.
In a series of train journeys lasting from 24 hours to a fortnight, the Pride of Africa links some of Africa’s greatest destinations from Cape Town, at the tip of Africa, to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania; from scenic splendours as diverse as the game reserves of Mpumalanga to the Victoria Falls; from the desert landscapes in Namibia and the stark beauty of the Karoo, to the lush cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal and the magnificent Garden Route along the Cape south coast.
The epitome of luxury with handsome wood panelling and period Edwardian features, the air-conditioned suites accommodate two people offering the option of twin or spacious double beds. In the en-suite bathrooms, original fittings combine with the modern technology of hot showers, hair dryers and shaver plugs.
The Royal Suites, each of which takes up half a carriage, are spacious and elegant, measuring 16 sq metres x 172 sq feet in size. Each has its own private lounge area and full bathroom with Victorian bath and separate shower. The Deluxe Suites also accommodate two passengers in either twin or double beds and have a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower, whilst the Pullman Suites are equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat during the day with a conversion to double or twin beds for the evening, and also have an en-suite bathroom with shower.
The very spacious suites offer passengers the opportunity to travel in privacy, comfort and luxury, with fittings and facilities that are of the highest standard. All are equipped with a writing surface and a personal safe for valuables. There is also a bar fridge filled with beverages of the passengers’ choice and room service is available 24 hours a day.
A trip on either the Rovos Rail or The Blue Train is a romantic must for anyone visiting Africa.
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