Rovos Rail South Africa Safari Experience

A hobby restorer with a handful of restored coaches quietly conjured the golden age of rail travel back to life.

South African businessman Rohan Vos had been collecting and restoring vintage railway coaches since the early 1980s. In 1989, he turned his private hobby into a commercial venture, launching Rovos Rail with its inaugural journey from Pretoria's main station to the Eastern Transvaal. The initial consist was modest: a handful of restored coaches carrying just a few dozen passengers. But the ambition was clear from the start. Vos wanted to recreate the golden age of rail travel, with five-course dinners, proper linen, and no televisions.

Three nights by rail, a river crossing into Zimbabwe, and the spray of Victoria Falls as your arrival greeting.

Two years after launch, Rovos Rail extended its reach beyond South Africa's borders with a route from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. The three-night journey crosses the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe, passing through Bulawayo before arriving within sight of the spray from the Falls. It remains one of the most popular itineraries, combining the train experience with one of the natural wonders of the world.

A derelict Pretoria railway yard became Rovos Rail's private nerve centre, where the journey begins on the platform, glass in hand.

Rovos Rail secured the lease on Capital Park Station in Pretoria and set about transforming the abandoned railway yard into a private departure lounge and workshop. Over the following years it became the operational heart of Rovos Rail, housing the company's fleet of vintage locomotives and coaches. Guests are welcomed with drinks on the platform before boarding, setting the tone for the journey ahead.

Six thousand kilometres, five rail networks, and a single train threading Cape Town to Dar es Salaam; the logistics alone are a feat.

Rovos Rail introduced its most ambitious route: a 15-day journey covering roughly 6,100 kilometres from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The train traverses South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and climbing through the Great Rift Valley. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest train journeys on earth. The route includes stops at Victoria Falls, a game drive in a private reserve, and a crossing of the Selous Game Reserve. Logistically, it is a feat of coordination across five national rail networks, each with different gauges, regulations, and infrastructure.

Sixteen square metres, a Victorian bath and your own balcony; Rovos Rail redefined what a train carriage could be.

Rovos Rail unveiled its Royal Suites, the most spacious accommodation on any train in the world. Each suite occupies half a carriage, roughly 16 square metres, and includes a full-size Victorian bath, a lounge area, and a private observation balcony. The suites were created from restored 1940s-era coaches, with Rohan Vos personally overseeing the woodwork and fittings.

Seventy lovingly rescued carriages and passengers from over a hundred countries; not bad for a dream that began with just a handful of coaches.

By its 20th anniversary, Rovos Rail had grown from a handful of coaches to a fleet of over 70 meticulously restored carriages and several working steam locomotives. The company had carried tens of thousands of passengers from more than 100 countries. Rohan Vos's workshop at Capital Park continued to acquire and restore derelict rolling stock, with some coaches dating back to the 1920s.

Nine days from Pretoria to Namibia's Atlantic coast, through ghost towns and the Sossusvlei dunes; few routes earn the word remote so honestly.

Rovos Rail launched a nine-day journey from Pretoria to Walvis Bay on Namibia's Atlantic coast, passing through the Kalahari and Namib deserts. The route includes stops at the Sossusvlei dunes and the ghost town of Kolmanskop. It marked a further expansion of the network into some of southern Africa's most remote and visually striking terrain.

Thirty years on, Rohan Vos still personally oversees everything from the locomotives to the lunch menu.

Three decades after its first departure, Rovos Rail celebrated its 30th anniversary. The operation remained entirely family-owned, with Rohan Vos still personally involved in every aspect from locomotive maintenance to menu planning. The train had earned a reputation as one of the world's finest travel experiences, consistently ranked alongside the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and Japan's Seven Stars.

Routes sold out months ahead; the hiatus had only sharpened the appetite.

After the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic, which halted operations for much of 2020 and 2021, Rovos Rail returned to full service. The enforced pause had been used productively: Vos and his team continued restoring coaches and overhauling locomotives at Capital Park. Demand surged on reopening, with the Pretoria to Cape Town and Victoria Falls routes selling out months in advance.

A locomotive built in 1938 still earns its keep, hauling 72 guests across southern Africa in just 36 suites.

Rovos Rail now operates multiple routes across southern Africa, including journeys to Durban, the Garden Route, and seasonal golf and safari itineraries. The train carries a maximum of 72 guests in 36 suites, maintaining the intimate scale that has defined the experience since 1989. Rohan Vos's collection of working steam locomotives, including a Class 19D built in 1938, continues to haul the train on selected sections of track.