Safari by train? In South Africa, Rovos Rail, the luxury train that doubles as a safari lodge on wheels, is possible. This rolling safari experience combines the convenience of city-to-city transport with the romance of old-time train travel. And then there are the game drives, the cultural excursions, and the satisfaction of enjoying an extraordinary African adventure.

Rovos Rail dining carriage.

Although Rovos Rail offers several itineraries within and beyond South Africa, a taste of the Rovos Rail experience can be experienced on a three-day, two-night journey between Durban in the province of KwaZulu-Natal and Pretoria in Gauteng. Rovos Rail’s compartments come in various sizes, their polished wood walls conveying a sophisticated air of comfort and exclusivity. Most surprisingly, the Rovos Rail compartments have relatively large bathrooms, comparable to bathrooms in city apartments on the land, complete with full showers.

The first stop on the Durban to Pretoria route is one of South Africa’s most unusual craft workshops. Ardmore Ceramics has an abundance of animals, but they are made of clay and painted in vivid colours. Not at all a stereotypical tourist shopping stop for the masses, Ardmore Ceramics in the Midlands above Durban has long been recognised as the country’s most acclaimed producer of ceramic art.

Rovos Rail is an elegant way to dine on the move.

There are no cheap trinkets here; prices for more elaborate items can reach tens of thousands of dollars, but devoted clients are happy to pay for the uniqueness and high quality of the one-of-a-kind pieces.  Although not generally included as a Rovos Rail excursion, just a short distance from Ardmore Ceramics in Howick is the Nelson Mandela Capture Site, where a beautiful and very moving outdoor work of art complements the visitor centre explaining the arrest of the man who was later to become a national hero and international icon.

The second day of the journey brings the main event with not one but two game drives in two different private reserves.  The private reserves are private so management can restrict the number of visitors at any time.  When Rovos Rail passengers arrive, there are no other reserve visitors.  This alone is exceptional; images of safari vehicles packed with tourists too close to the animals are all over the internet as more and more people seek to interact with nature, ironically disrupting the nature they come to see.

At Spioenkop Lodge, only a few vehicles for Rovos Rail passengers are on the 11,000-acre reserve.  The cars head off in different directions so that there is only one vehicle at a time in a given reserve area.  The absence of apex feline predators in the reserve does not detract from the awe inspired by the animals that inhabit the land.  Giraffes, elephants, rhinoceroses, and water buffalo all count among the largest, but even tiny insects different from what are known at home can be interesting.

Rovos Rail cabin interior.

After lunch at Spioenkop, the second game drive takes place in Nambiti Reserve, a parcel of over 20,000 acres with diverse ecosystems, including savanna grassland and undulating hills.  Some passengers opt for a presentation on the tumultuous colonial history of the region instead of a second game drive in the assumption that one game drive is just like another.  Not true.  A different landscape with different vegetation provides a different experience from the morning drive at Spioenkop.

Arrival in Pretoria is more of an occasion than the departure from Durban.  Unlike in Durban, where the train departs from the city’s main station, Rovos Rail maintains its private railway station in Pretoria in a quiet location that seems worlds away from the urban hubbub beyond the gates.  A small museum at the station is a nice touch to enhance appreciation of the Rovos Rail experience.

Of course, the staff will have already arranged onward transfers to the airport or hotels upon request; the very reliable Ulysses Tours can provide transfers to hotels, airports, and safari lodges for those wanting even more animal interaction.

Written by: Robert La Bua – Global Travel Connoisseur

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