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For many of us , traveling through the diverse and dynamic landscape of Southern Africa on a luxurious train is a once-in-a-lifetime , bucket-list trip . Since its foundation in 1989 , Rovos Rail ( Rovos ) has earned a strong global reputation for exactly that – world-class , luxury travel experiences via bespoke train journeys that highlight the best the continent has to offer .
From a three-night meander to see Victoria Falls , one of the natural wonders of the world , to a spectacular 15-night adventure from Cape Town to Dar es Salaam , Rovos links some of the greatest destinations with a variety of off-train excursions . Not to mention that passengers travel aboard beautifully rebuilt trains with vintage , wood-paneled coaches , hauled by locomotives that are increasingly powered by electric amid demand for sustainable travel .
Guests can sit back and relax as some of the most varied scenery in the world unfolds beyond the windows . With discreet and friendly service , top cuisine , and a selection of South Africa ’ s finest wines , every aspect of a journey with Rovos is centered around the passenger experience , which draws upon the elegance and high romance era of travel and exploration .
Full steam ahead
Behind Rovos ’ timeless passenger offering is a unique story of a family determined to succeed in showing the world the beauty of South Africa , and now nine other African countries . As Rovos prepares to celebrate its 35th anniversary in April 2024 , Tiffany Vos- Thane , COO at Rovos , joins us to discuss how her father , Rohan Vos , built a company from
... they look and sound beautiful with an allure , beauty , grace , and glamor that immediately captures your attention ...
the ground up while raising a family in and around the business with his wife , Anthea .
“ My father had always been fascinated by mechanical engineering ; pretty much anything with an engine was of interest to him ,” Tiffany opens . “ He successfully ran an auto spare parts business from the age of 18 right up until he founded Rovos . During that time , he was introduced to a steam society and got to know everything about steam locomotives , as at the time , trains were still being hauled by steam locomotion .
“ Steam trains are some of the most magnificent machines ; they look and sound beautiful with an allure , beauty , grace , and glamor that immediately captures your attention , regardless of how much you care for trains . As my father got more involved in the society , he realized his dream to take his family around South Africa by train to explore the country ’ s beauty .
“ However , he quickly understood that he wouldn ’ t be able to afford to do so on existing rail networks . My father is one of those people who constantly needs a project and combined with his interest in trains and passion for mechanics , he eventually made the decision to build his own train and sell tickets for excursions .
“ Of course , looking back , he made an incredibly fortuitous decision , but the early days were really tough , as it was pre-Nelson Mandela when South Africa wasn ’ t even on the map as a tourist destination ,” she reflects . “ Despite the circumstances , he started out with one small train traveling between Pretoria and Kruger and it took five years or so for there to be any traction at all , by which time my parents had reinvested all profits and were close to bankruptcy .”
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