The observation car seats ±32 passengers. With its open-air balcony, big picture windows, bar, sofas and booths, it has great mingling areas or quiet corners to while away the days. On most days, afternoon tea is served at 16:30 in the lounge and observation cars while bar service is from ±07:00-01:00.
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The lounge car seats ±26 passengers. With its big picture windows, sofas and wingbacks, it has great mingling areas or quiet corners to while away the days. On most days, afternoon tea is served at 16:30 in the lounge and observation cars while bar service is from ±07:00-01:00. On some of our long journeys, we have an onboard historian who hosts lectures in the lounge car. At one end of the carriage there is a small gift shop, which is a smart, subtly-lit glass affair selling bespoke memorabilia.
The dining cars seat ±42 passengers each. Dependent on the number of passengers on a journey, the train is setup with one or two dining cars. They are made up of two-seaters and four-seaters where guests eat together or individually. Meals are served in one sitting only. Breakfast: 07:00-10:00 • Lunch: 13:00 • Formal Dinner: 19:30. All meals are served at these times unless otherwise stated in the itinerary. Hot breakfast items are made to order while lunch and dinner are four-course meals complemented by fine South African wines. Our bar menu is comprehensive although special items such as French Champagne would need to be requested in advance.
The Club Car area was created by demolishing the end suite in a Deluxe carriage. This was done specifically to host the smokers on the train in a public area and also as an overflow facility adjoining the Observation Car. With a glass passage wall, guests can comfortably watch the scenery on both sides of the train.
There is a small gift shop on the train in the lounge car and at Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria. The collection of bespoke merchandise and timeless mementos have been specially procured and produced for Rovos Rail. Anthea Vos: “We have always striven to have a home-away-from-home atmosphere on the train and to this end have eschewed any form of commercialism. As a result, it was many years before we succumbed to guests’ repeated requests for Rovos memorabilia. I have endeavoured to keep the gift shop as an all South African affair, thereby supporting local designers and artisans.”
“On an early Dar es Salaam trip we had two delightful ladies from Australia, Dawn and Annike, who travelled everywhere accompanied by teddies collected the world over. At their suggestion, the Rovos collection of limited-edition teddies slowly evolved when, in 1998, I met Bev Duncan who had a small barrow in the V&A Waterfront full of her handmade teddies. Thus we started a 17-year friendship with Bev painstakingly producing 19 collections (50 to a set) of customised, handmade Rovos teddies and 600 kiddies bears. Sadly we lost Bev to cancer in April 2015.” Read more >
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