IMAGES: ROVOS RAIL; THE BLUE TRAIN


SOUTH AFRICA


GREAT TRAIN JOURNEYS


Riding the rails across South Africa can make for an unforgettable adventure — here are three highlights


THE BLUE TRAIN Long considered one of the world’s top luxury rail experiences, The Blue Train trundles in regal fashion between Cape Town and Pretoria (or vice versa), its sapphire carriages making the 994-mile journey over three days and two nights. The service has been running in some form for a century, and kings, rock stars and Nelson Mandela himself have all walked its carpeted corridors. It’s not cheap, but tickets include butler service, high tea, fine food and drink, goose- down bedding and, in some suites, full-size bathtubs. The scenery is no less of a draw — from the vast bushland of the Karoo to the rugged peaks of the Hex River Mountains. From 32,435 ZAR (£1,360) per person. bluetrain.co.za


SHOSHOLOZA MEYL This well-priced sleeper train network is waking up after a long doze. Its longstanding services connected major cities around South Africa until operations were derailed by the pandemic. The scenic Johannesburg to Cape Town route returned in 2023, taking 26 to 30 hours each way. The trains offer economy (seated) or tourist class, the latter with two- and four-berth sleeping compartments and shared hot showers. There’s also a dining car on board from which to appreciate the sweeping landscapes over a local tipple. The rolling winelands around Cape Town are a highlight. Johannesburg to Cape Town from 690 ZAR (£29) per person. shosholozameyl.co.za


ROVOS RAIL Rovos Rail has a broad selection of five-star, luxury train journeys around southern Africa. They include the two-night Durban Safari, which runs between Pretoria and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province. A highlight of the itinerary are the two game drives, in the private reserve of Nambiti Conservancy, home to the Big Five, and in Spionkop Reserve at the foot of the Drakensberg mountains. Spionkop was also the site of a battle during the Second Boer War, and a historian helps bring the story to life for passengers. There’s an air of vintage luxury on board, with comfortable suites, fine china and an observation car with open-air balcony. Durban Safari from R31,200 (£1,305) per person. rovos.com BL


From top: A deluxe double suite on a Rovos Rail train; a chef plating crayfish on The Blue Train


MARCH 2024 83


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