Rovos Rail: an unforgettable adventure in South Africa
On many occasions the great projects, those that, curiously, become part of history, were born from a desire. Of a dream to fulfill. Like everything, the recipe can always take a pinch of luck and a touch of risk, usually coupled with a large dose of effort and work. That, of course.
And those were precisely the ingredients that gave birth, in 1989, to ** Rovos Rail **, the South African railway company that, today, has the most luxurious and exclusive trains in the world.
Trains with which to travel, on eight different routes, much of the South Africa. A story of ups and downs, of good and bad times, which has ended with the happiest ending of all: this 2019 they have completed 30 years of history.
The train passing through Namibia
THE ORIGIN OF THE STORY
The ringleader of all this adventure is Rohan Vos, South African and lover of everything that sounds 'mechanical'. Rohan, married to Anthea and father of four, was running a car parts business when he found himself, as fate would have it, buying his first train car at auction back in 1985.
Knowing hardly anything about the world of the railway – much less, in the field of tourism – this became almost an obsession, and what initially emerged as a “why not” to the idea of building your own train- caravan for family getaways, would eventually become a business that, despite the many headaches, has now become the most important benchmark in the world of luxury trains.
Tanzania, green paradise
And it is that after that first wagon, many more came. The high costs involved in reforming and putting that project into operation soon led to the idea of selling tickets. In fact, it was the South African Railways itself that proposed this twist to its history.
Rohan Vos then turned to the design of those trains that, designed for the enjoyment of his own family, had to have all kinds of details to ensure maximum comfort. So that traveling in it was like feeling in his own house.
And he achieved his goal. Wow, he didn't! Because if Rovos Rail has become what it is today, it has been largely thanks to to the meticulous work invested in every detail of its trains.
The elegance and care put into every inch of each wagon is maximum, to the point where, When it comes to quality, it's hard – if not impossible – to beat them.
luxury on rails
ITS TRAINS, AUTHENTIC WORKS OF ART
And what makes traveling on a Rovos train so special? Not only the fascinating routes to travel, which we will tell you about shortly. is that so you just need to set foot inside any of its five trains –this 2019 one more will be added to the project– to feel like traveling to past times. To feel the authentic excellence, largely achieved by the service, focused from the first second on the enjoyment of the guests.
On the trains, the decoration is inspired by a bygone era: Mahogany floors and walls, Colonial-style furnishings, and Edwardian-era details they complete the common spaces and suites.
All this designed exclusively for Rovos and devised largely by Anthea herself, responsible for taking care of this part of the business. And it is that Rovos is not only the history of its trains, it is also the story of a whole family.
Travelers to the train!
Wi-Fi connection is non-existent and the use of laptops or mobile phones is only allowed in the privacy of the private compartments. There are also no televisions or radios.
in Rovo, the most important and main thing is the connection with oneself and with the environment, either with the train itself, with fellow travelers, or with nature that, as if it were a movie, is seen on the other side of the windows.
Victoria Falls, one of the most impressive landscapes
Each train has the same common spaces, from a couple of small lounges in which to dedicate oneself to the art of contemplating life passing by, to an elegant dining room in which porcelain crockery serves dishes from a 5-star cuisine.
The highest-ranking compartments measure 16 square meters and have toilets. Victorian style.
Smoking area, souvenir shop and a small terrace-viewpoint that occupies the last part of the train, These are just a few more details that make up this treasure on rails.
Rovos Rail was born in 1989 and this 2019 inaugurates a new line
AND OF THE ROUTES, WHAT?
**Rovos Rail currently has eight different journeys throughout southern Africa** ranging between 48 hours and 15 days of travel.
the route between Praetorship , where the private Rovos train station is located – which serves as the company's switchboard – and Durban It is one of the most acclaimed. As well as the one that leads **from the base to Cape Town**.
30 years of history and a dream come true
However, the dream of every traveler goes further: the route linking Cape Town with Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania – traversing South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and its Victoria Falls, Namibia, and Tanzania – is so fascinating it might seem unreal.
And if we take into account that the trains reach a maximum speed of 40 kilometers per hour , the experience becomes even more engaging.
Between George and Buffalosjagsrivier
Even so, there is more: in July 2019 a new train line will open, 'Trail of Two Oceans', that will unite, for the first time in history, the two oceans that bathe the continent: the route will start in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and end in Lobito, Angola.
Rovos Rail trains, powered by diesel or electric locomotives, host a maximum of 72 people on each of their expeditions , which are housed in 36 rooms divided into three different categories: Royal Suites, Deluxe Suites and Pullman Suites.
Rovos Rail, or how to discover Africa on rails and in luxury
The secret of success? Perhaps it would be difficult to stay with just one, although what is clear is that hard work, commitment to an idea and the strength of a whole family dedicated body and soul for 30 years to make his father's great dream come true, he is largely to blame.
Today the three daughters of Rohan and Anthea, Tiffany, Brenda and Bianca They are as involved in the project as their parents were in their day.
And the same goes for most of the employees, many of whom have been in the family business for more than 20 years – some, even from its beginnings.
In short, a whole life dedicated to a company that, without a doubt, will always be part of the railway history of Africa.
A trip to past times