Step aboard Rovos Rail, and you immediately feel transported to a different age of travel. Known as the “Pride of Africa,” the train was founded in 1989 by Rohan Vos and has since become a symbol of elegance and nostalgia. Each carriage has been lovingly restored to its original 1920s and 1930s splendour, with polished wooden panels, antique details, and brass fixtures creating a warm, old-world atmosphere.
Suites range from Pullman to the spacious Royal Suite, complete with a Victorian-style bathtub, offering comfort rarely seen on trains. Dining is a highlight of the experience, with multi-course meals paired with fine South African wines and a formal dress code that preserves the sense of occasion. Travelling on Rovos Rail is not simply about getting from one destination to another — it is about reviving the art of slow, sophisticated travel.
Routes Across a Continent
Rovos Rail offers a range of itineraries, each carefully designed to showcase Southern Africa’s immense variety. The Pretoria to Cape Town route is a classic, taking three days to cross the Highveld, the arid Karoo, and the majestic Hex River Mountains before rolling into Cape Town. The Victoria Falls journey carries passengers north through Zimbabwe, ending at the breathtaking waterfalls that mark one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. For those seeking grand adventure, the Cape Town to Dar es Salaam route spans several countries, traversing deserts, game reserves, and bustling African cities over 15 days. Each route blends dramatic scenery with well-chosen stops: from diamond mines in Kimberley to safari reserves in KwaZulu-Natal, ensuring that every day offers a new story to tell.
A Region of Contrasts
What makes Rovos Rail truly special is the diversity of regions it passes through. The semi-desert Karoo stretches endlessly, offering views of rugged plains under an enormous sky. Historical towns like Matjiesfontein, a preserved Victorian settlement, feel like time capsules from colonial history. In contrast, Zimbabwe’s landscapes around Bulawayo reveal savannahs dotted with wildlife, while the Drakensberg Mountains offer jagged peaks cloaked in mist and legend.
Some routes include excursions to the lush Garden Route, with its coastal forests, lagoons, and charming seaside towns. Together, these regions capture the essence of Southern Africa: a land where history, culture, and nature overlap in striking harmony.
Golf Safaris on Rails
Gary Player Country Club / Lost City Golf Course
The journey often begins at Sun City, where golfers can test themselves on the legendary Gary Player Country Club, one of the most challenging courses in South Africa and host of the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge. Its length, tight fairways, and demanding greens ensure that even experienced players are pushed to their limits. An alternative at the same resort is the Lost City Golf Course, designed by Gary Player as well, which is famous for its desert-style layout and its most unusual feature — live crocodiles that inhabit the water hazard at the 13th hole. Both courses showcase the innovation and drama that Sun City brings to the golfing world.
Champagne Sports Resort
Set in the dramatic Drakensberg Mountains, Champagne Sports Resort offers golf with a backdrop unlike any other. The course blends seamlessly into the surrounding foothills, with rolling fairways that rise and fall in rhythm with the landscape. Views of jagged peaks accompany nearly every hole, and the thin mountain air can add surprising distance to tee shots. It’s not only a challenging course but also one of the most scenic stops on Rovos Rail’s Golf Safari, where players often pause mid-round simply to soak in the panorama.
Durban Country Club
The coastal city of Durban provides another highlight with the historic Durban Country Club, consistently ranked among the best courses in South Africa and even in the world. Established in 1922, the course is known for its dramatic dunes, tight fairways, and elevated tees that overlook the Indian Ocean. The sub-tropical climate ensures lush conditions year-round, while swirling coastal winds test a golfer’s precision. Durban Country Club is steeped in history, having hosted more South African Open Championships than any other course, making it a must-play for anyone seeking both challenge and heritage.
Royal Swazi Spa Country Club
Crossing into the mountainous kingdom of Eswatini, golfers experience the unique charm of the Royal Swazi Spa Country Club. This course is set within a verdant valley, framed by peaks that create a tranquil and secluded atmosphere. Known for its tree-lined fairways and gently undulating layout, the course provides a more forgiving yet still engaging challenge. The cool mountain air and slower pace make it a refreshing contrast to some of the more demanding courses on the journey, offering players a balance of relaxation and competition.
Highland Gate Golf & Trout Estate
Back in South Africa, the itinerary may include the Highland Gate Golf & Trout Estate, a modern course designed by Ernie Els. Perched on high ground near Dullstroom, the course weaves dramatically through valleys, cliffs, and ridges, with elevation changes that create both breathtaking views and technical challenges. Golfers must contend with slopes, strategic bunkering, and the natural elements, while enjoying one of the most visually spectacular layouts in the country. This is mountain golf at its finest — rugged, raw, and immensely rewarding.
Leopard Creek Country Club
Perhaps the crown jewel of the Rovos Rail Golf Safari is Leopard Creek Country Club, located on the edge of Kruger National Park. Designed by Gary Player, the course is famous not only for its immaculate design but also for its setting — wildlife roams freely nearby, and from the 13th green players can look out over the Crocodile River into the game reserve. It is ranked as one of the best courses in Africa, combining pristine fairways with unforgettable encounters with nature. Playing Leopard Creek is more than just a round of golf; it’s an immersion in Africa’s wilderness where golf and safari meet.
Beyond the Fairways
One of the great strengths of the Golf Safari is that it appeals not only to golfers but to their companions as well. While players head to the course, non-golfers are treated to their own curated adventures.
Options include guided safaris in world-famous reserves, cultural visits to rural villages, historical tours of colonial towns, or simply relaxing on board with afternoon tea as the scenery rolls past. In this way, Rovos Rail creates an experience where every traveller, whether a golfer or not, finds something unforgettable. By the evening, the whole group is reunited on the train for elegant dinners, sharing stories of birdies, wildlife sightings, and new discoveries.
The Onboard Experience
Life aboard Rovos Rail is designed to flow at a gentle rhythm. Mornings begin with breakfast in the dining car, followed by time in the lounge or observation car, where large windows frame the changing African landscapes. Afternoons bring tea service, quiet reading, or conversations with fellow passengers.
Dinners are multi-course feasts that often stretch long into the evening, with South African wines enhancing the culinary journey. Importantly, the absence of Wi-Fi across most of the journey encourages disconnection from the digital world and deeper engagement with the travel experience itself. The train becomes a haven of reflection, luxury, and camaraderie.
Why Rovos Rail Matters to Golf Travellers
Rovos Rail is more than a train — it is a gateway to understanding Southern Africa. For golfers, it eliminates the hassle of moving between destinations, allowing seamless access to championship courses in multiple regions.
For couples or groups with mixed interests, it offers balance: while some play golf, others immerse themselves in culture and wildlife. For all travellers, it provides a rare chance to slow down and savour Africa’s landscapes in a style few experiences can match. In blending golf, luxury, history, and wilderness, Rovos Rail delivers not just a journey, but a story — one you will carry long after the final stop.
