Category : Fleet

African Trilogy on board the Shongololo Express

No Comment Feb 8,2022 Fleet

On the 9th of February this year, a group of adventurous travellers will board our Shongololo Express train for the maiden voyage of African Trilogy. It’s always exciting when we launch a new route and this trip was a labour of love from beginning to end. African Trilogy on board the Shongololo Express is set to be a marvellous 15-day sojourn that will engage with all our guests’ imaginations and curiosities.

The train departs from Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria making its way to the famed Kruger Park for a safari experience. The Shongololo Express then travels to the Kingdom of eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) before making its way to Northern Zululand for a game drive in the Hluhluwe wildlife reserve and a tour of the city of Durban and its tropical botanical gardens. Saying goodbye to Kwa Zulu Natal, the train traverses the Valley of a Thousand Hills and the breathtaking Drakensberg Mountains to the 1870s mining village of Kimberley. Passengers are then transported to a different world with the dry and arid Karoo, through Upington and onto the Fish River Canyon. Once in the Kalahari desert, guests visit Garas Park before they board a light aircraft for Sossussvlei where they will overnight at a lodge surrounded by the imposing dunes of the Namib-Naukluft Park. Back on board, the train meanders to Windhoek and then into the game-rich Etosha National Park for another overnight stay before journey’s end in Walvis Bay.

Rovos Rail purchased the Shongololo Express in 2016 and spent the following year renovating, refurbishing and breathing new life not only into the coaches but also the itineraries. We first wrote about the procurement of our new train in 2016 and since then have operated the 12-day Southern Cross and Dune Express itineraries as well as the 15-day Good Hope trip. To be able to include an additional 15-day adventure, the African Trilogy, is a real accomplishment and we believe this new journey will provide guests with a true cross-section of some of Southern Africa’s most varied scenery.

We hope to welcome you on board one day soon and share in many memorable experiences with you.

reservations@shongololo.com | +27 (0) 12 315 8242

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Long Live the Shongololo Express!

No Comment Aug 19,2016 Fleet, Our Team, Workshops

It’s been a busy, sometimes overwhelming but very exciting week here at Rovos Rail headquarters. As some of you may know we purchased the three-star Shongololo Express train in January of this year and for the past few months the train has undergone quite a substantial renovation. On Tuesday, 16th August, we walked Gauteng-based tour operators and travel agents through our brand new spruced up train and celebrated with a few bottles of bubbly afterwards!

In true Rovos fashion, the timeline for the renovation was tight but our incredible team pulled off miracles. The brief was to gut all existing bathrooms so that new shower and bathroom floors could be laid down, wooden shower door frames were built with better shower heads, new loos have been installed as well as bathroom cabinets, hair-dryers and some cabins received new sinks! Our plumbing team also worked hard at improving the water pressure in each cabin.

The layout of the Gold cabins was overhauled to allow for more space and there are now twin, double and fixed double options. The more spacious Emerald cabins have also been tweaked to allow for more space and all rooms have been fitted with new wood-panelling, linen, day covers, curtains, paintings, carpets, towels and the Shongololo Express now comes with full amenities kits too.

To be able to walk some of our biggest supporters through our lovely new train was a privilege and our team felt a wonderful sense of accomplishment.

The ‘new’ Shongo departed for a 15-day Good Hope Golf trip yesterday and we feel confident that all guests on board will feel comfortable in their new digs!

Long live the Shongololo Express!

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Rovos Rail Shongololo Express

Rovos Rail Purchases Shongololo Express

1 Comment Feb 16,2016 Fleet, Media, Our Team

Early in January of 2016 Rovos Rail purchased the Shongololo Express train of 19 coaches and agreed to employ all the personnel.

“Operating a three-star train had always been at the back of my mind. When I learned that the Shongololo Express was on offer the timing seemed serendipitous and so an opportunity not to be missed”, says Rohan Vos, owner and CEO of the Rovos Rail Group, of the purchase.

The train has been repainted in green and cream and an additional dining car plus an observation car have been added. The accommodation of six Emerald suites (± 10sqm) and 30 Gold cabins (± 7sqm) will remain as is.

The three itineraries, Southern Cross – Pretoria to Victoria Falls (12 days), Dune Express – Pretoria to Swakopmund (12 days), Good-Hope – Pretoria to Cape Town (15 days); have been rebuilt with more stationary time at night and less road time spent on the excursions.

Golf has been introduced to the Good-Hope trip, renamed Good-Hope Golf, with courses such as the Arabella Golf Estate, Ernie Els Oubaai, Fancourt, Champagne Sports Resort, Durban Country Club, Zimbali, Royal Swazi and Leopard Creek being available to guests.

All journeys are available in reverse and, as before, guests can purchase optional extras that include visits to cultural, historical or heritage sites and overnight stays at safari lodges. The rates do not include most lunches, beverages and laundry.

“A three-star product offering will be different for us and I’m sure there will be a few initial teething problems but we’ve been doing this for 28 years so I think we will be able to manage this exciting new adventure”, comments Rohan.

For further information please contact shonogololo@rovos.co.za, call + 27 (0) 12 315 8203 or visit www.shongololo.com. Any media enquiries to brenda@rovos.co.za / + 27 (0) 82 961 9433.

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