Tayo Adelaja
Rohan Vos, the founder and owner of the most luxurious train in the world welcomes the Nigerians and Ghanaians contingents with Hlani Pitso, the South Africa Tourism Regional Manager for West Africa, Mohammed Kwajaffa, the Trade Relations Manager, West Africa for South Africa Tourism and delectable Thobi Duma, the South Africa Airways Country Manager in Nigeria aboard Rovos Rail with this words, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome you aboard the Pride of Africa, one needs to be aboard the train to feel it and knows that truly it is the pride of Africa”.
Vos humorously read out the lengthy rules of enjoying the most luxurious train in the world. “This train is meant for absolute relaxation, hence no Wi-Fi on board and the use of mobile phone is strictly prohibited in the public areas and hopefully we will get to Pretoria sometime tomorrow.”
At the train station, the contingents were greeted by well-dressed hostesses with glasses of champagne and orange juice. As all the passengers checked-in to their various cabins, the train began its journey. A hostess is assigned to two cabins to cater for all the needs of the travellers just by the dial of the in-cabin phone.
One of the hostess, Nthabizeng Zwane with broad smile said, “Our joy is seeing our clients satisfied at the end of the journey with the longing to come back for another ride on our Pride of Africa.”
The cabin can best be described as 5 star accommodation on wheels with mini king-size bed and expansive duvet; a mini bar; a kit that includes body amenities and a dosage of pain relief drug in case of injuries. The well-lit cabin also got electricity power sockets, air conditioning and travellers are offered complimentary shoe shining service.
As part of the cabin is a private bathroom and toilet that is fitted with a modern hand-held shower, surplus luxurious bath soaps, gels and a simple hand-pull device to heat the bathroom in the event of cold.
There are three categories of cabins; the first is the Royal Suites, each of which take up half a carriage, are spacious and elegant measuring, 16 sq metres in size. Each has its own private lounge area and full bathroom with Victorian bath and separate shower. Depicting the epitome of luxury, it comes with handsome wood panelling and period Edwardian features. The air-conditioned suites accommodate two people offering the option of side-by-side 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.
Next is the Deluxe Suites which is 10 sq metres/118 sq feet accommodate two passengers in either twin or double beds and have a lounge area and en-suite bathroom with shower. The wood-panelled rebuilt sleeper coaches, remodelled which have been remodeled and refurbished to mint condition, offer every modern convenience and comfort.
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The last is the Pullman Suites, 7 sq metres/76 sq feet are equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat during the day with a conversion to double or twin beds for the evening. These suites also have an en-suite bathroom complete with a shower. These bathrooms also feature original period fittings combine with the modern technology of hot showers, hair dryers and shaver plugs.
Rovos Rail caters for various categories of travellers and budget ranges by operating a wide range of packages comprising of 3-day Pretoria – Cape Town starting from USD1,700; 4 days Pretoria – Victoria falls, Zimbabwe package starting from USD2,000; 3 days Pretoria – Durban package starting from USD1,600; 9 days Golf safari starting from USD4,300; 9 days Pretoria – Namibia package starting from USD5,400; 15 days Cape Town – Da res Salam starting from USD11,850 and a host of other special tailor made packages for its esteemed customers.
At about two hours into the train ride, the gong rang for lunch which featured a three course sumptuous Mediterranean meals that was served while viewing the scenic and spectacular vast green lands that makes up a country side landscape that defies description.
Nthabizeng, the smiling and affable hostess of the Guinea fowl cabin smartly freshened up my cabin with new beddings and new supply of drinks to the bar while I was busy with lunch.
We had a two hour stop near Howick, small town in the Kwazulu-Natal Province famous for being the place where the late Nelson Mandela was captured in August 1962. All the train passengers had a tour of the Nelson Mandela capture site museum and a first- hand experience of the amazing Nelson Mandela steel sculpture. 50 steel column construction with each steel column commemorating one year of the 50 years of his capture; a sculpture which required our taking some step backwards to have a proper and complete view of the great Mandela himself. Our next stop is the Bonnie Ntshalintshali museum where pottery is simply an art form.
Back on the train, another toll from gong at exactly 7pm indicated that it was time for dinner which was a formal affair with the passengers required to dress formally. After an exquisite dinner, it was time to sleep and once again I discovered that the hostess had freshen up the cabin. With a new electric duvet to combat the cold, a coffee and tea making machine alongside a bottle of champagne was enough to set the ball rolling for a very sound and pleasant night sleep. The balcony and lounge carriage of the Rovos Rail provided another interesting setting to unwind and relax. Smokers were also not forgotten as they were provided with an exclusive smokers’ lounge on the trip.
Next day, after breakfast and lunch, Rovos Rail train trip finally ended at its private station in Pretoria with our train interestingly being pulled into the station by a locomotive engine built in 1893, described by Rohan Vos ‘as the oldest operating locomotive in the world’.
First published in May 2015 edition of Inside Watch Africa Vol 3 No 7
