96 hrs on Worlds Best Luxury Sleeper Train - Rovos Rail Royal Suite

today i'm taking the world's most exclusive sleeper train for 96 hours across an entire country i'm staying in the best compartment a royal suite which takes up half a carriage complete with a king-sized bed champagne-filled minibar and ensuite bathroom yes you see correctly that's a bath on a train this is the famous rovos rail join me for four days as i live on board with fine dining in the restaurants relaxing on the viewing deck propping up the bar with new friends all writing postcards in the lounge let's go check in to the self-proclaimed world's most luxurious train mid-afternoon in south africa's sunny cape town hello there and welcome back to the channel where we're beginning our journey here on rovos rail so without any more to say let's go inside check in and go and sort out for manatees check-in formalities are dealt with at the rovos rail cape town offices complete with classical live music and most importantly champagne as i enjoy a cold glass of bubbles my bags are whisked off to the train whilst my carry-on is tagged up i have to complete some paperwork whilst the other passengers slowly begin to arrive in a short while we're warmly welcomed by bianca a member of the vos family whose father rohan founded this special train back in 1986. the experience so far feels intimate welcoming and personal a far cry from many of these luxury cruise trains time to head over to the station because of course this building is actually located just opposite the station and now we've got to head over and get on board [Music] oh a side note if you instead depart from pretoria rovos owns a private station complete with steam train to carry you on the first few miles of your trip though today we'll be relying on south africa's finest transnet locos to pull our luxury train along and wow what a train at that it's already evident that the attention to detail is well astounding even more so is this incredible cape town backdrop as we begin to file onto the train one by one as noted i'm in the royal section where only two suites feature in each carriage what did i say about the attention to detail eh wow um it's another one of those moments where i'm a little bit lost for words [Music] after a general announcement welcoming everyone on board we're off and so begins our grand voyage across south africa naturally my curiosity has got the better of me these windows actually fully open i've never seen that on a train before of course i'm not complaining one bit and we'll take full advantage of the beautiful views as we depart cape town and may need to watch out for that palm tree though [Music] [Applause] a few minutes later so we've been going for literally 10 minutes and we've stopped because apparently they're going to change the loco well i make it the ideal time to show you around my royal suite aptly named drakensberg fyi that translates to dragon mountains so the royal suite is huge just over 16 meters squared and it can be set up in either this king bed setting or as a twin let's get perhaps the most satisfying light switches on and take a look around the king-sized bed is in the day use setting and will be turned down when i go for dinner the seating area is spacious with comfy armchairs to sink into there are also a whole host of goodies here on my table such as these botanical toiletries there's also an info book full of all the various features of the train as well as meal times etc usually there's also a list of all the passengers names which is brilliant for someone like i with a brain like a sieve now trust me i've sniffed out the mini bar now here's the cool thing is basically you can request to fill it with whatever you want so me being a fan of diet coke as you know on the channel i can get it filled with that and get it filled with champagne oh and like everything on this train it's all included in the price of your ticket other things to note is the ample overhead storage for your bags and of course the much needed air conditioning the warm kind of course at this time of the year with that the sun begins to set as we head further north which can only of the mean one dining car can take 42 people at a time that is a gong that they walk i come down the corridor with to let you know that dinner is pretty much ready now most people i'm sure would take quite their time getting changed but me i'm in a bit of a rush so yeah let's let's get changed [Music] and there we go much better however there is something missing of course because well i'm required to wear a tie a tie like this i think that's going to be the one [Music] so basically you put this outside your room when you want to be made up true to rowan vos's aim to create a feeling of a bygone era you can also use this procedure for do not disturb and room service love it as we head to dinner it's time for a quick word from today's video sponsor better help now let's talk a little bit about your mental health and therapy now i know there's always going to be a bit of a stigma attached to talking about therapy just like an airplane or train requires maintenance to keep it moving sometimes we need a bit of maintenance to keep us going too better help is customized online therapy that works through video calls phone calls and even live chat so you don't even have to see someone face to face if you don't want to you just go to the website and fill in a questionnaire so they can match you with the right therapist within 48 hours they'll match you with a therapist and you can start booking your video calls your phone calls and even secure live chat where you can speak to them 24 7. it's all completely secure and confidential between you and your therapist now i've been using my therapist to help me through some of the negative thoughts and emotions that i've had and try replacing them with more positive ones it's not easy and it's taken me some time to get my head around it but i think i'm starting to get a much more positive outlook on life as a result more than 2 million people have already taken charge on their mental health with better help and you can join them on the link on the screen betterhelp.com forward slash track that's betterhelp.com track and you'll get 10 off your first month of better help as you'll have heard on the tannoy there are two dining cars and we'll be taking the first one this evening with millie sadly back home in england it's a table for one for me today let's take a look at that menu then my word aside from being super impressive do you see what i see crocodile well that's certainly a first there's a wine paired to each course which is a lovely touch though i'll be taking it easy this evening i will note that the south african chenin blanc is delicious fresh bread is served alongside with the most artistically prepared butter and certainly rivalling the orient express saffron variety i need not worry about being alone this evening though as i'm next to this lovely couple from new zealand who are both fantastic company okay the moment has come it's time to try crocodile [Music] well i can confirm it's delicious not even sure where i can get this back home but i'd certainly try it again shortly thereafter my mane arrives dark breast with potato dolphin noir and a port wine jew it's clear already this is a fine dining experience i continue on to my cheese course of kuwaito garden herb cheese complemented with a melon preserve and of course if this is not enough my dessert arrives a frozen blueberry cheesecake phenomenal oh and finally i closed off with a glass of towny port with my new friends all in all very indulgent and i'm for sure not going to bed hungry [Music] well that was lovely i have to say out of all of the trips i've been on in recent times this is one of the best for meeting people and having a lovely chat i've had a really really lovely dinner but anyway what i've been kind of excited to show you is what's over here my bed has been fully transformed into a nighttime paradise fluffy white pillows and rich egyptian cotton sheets and next to my bed is tomorrow's weather forecast and there's also a map of our first stop what's more i have a gift this ostrich level wallet which is a lovely and thoughtful touch let's get changed then i'm feeling pretty tired now oh and of course there are fluffy dressing gowns provided a few minutes later just want to reference that a matter of days ago i was jumping it across europe from london to istanbul on that crazy video you maybe have seen [Music] yeah things have definitely changed for the better we'll take a proper look around the ensuite bathroom in the morning but first let's get my teeth brushed i can feel my eyelids getting ever heavier [Music] of course as anticipated the bed is phenomenal and without doubt the most comfortable i've tried on board a train before nightl the next day right well good morning um i'm probably up now i think it's time to go and have a shower before we go and explore this town that we've arrived in let's go take a look at my ensuite then unlike anything you've ever seen on a train before well hello welcome to my bathroom which you've probably seen in the background if you want to brush my teeth last night so we're of course interested in the shower just down here is the bath don't worry i'll be uh making a fool of myself in there later first of all a refreshing morning shower [Music] well there really is nothing quite like showering on a train at the best of times when it's like a five-star hotel it's certainly going to ruin rail travel for me forever with my teams on it's time to head out and explore this new and mysterious town [Music] welcome to matches fontine around 195 miles from cape town and it's got quite a relevant history to me being that i'm british founded by a scotsman in the 1800s oh yes so this is james douglas logan he ended up buying much of the land around this area and even opened up a restaurant for the railway passing through town today matches fontine is more of a time capsule and there's something that's really caught my eye so whilst i was most confused here as to why there's a london bus in the middle of south africa i've since found out why it turns out in the 1960s cape town imported lots of these buses for their public transport this one here was the last of which in service and is now looked after by the local transport museum right so you join me at the very back of the train and this is something we're going to have a look at a bit later on today the observation deck anyway i'm freezing let's head back inside get some warm breakfast inside us and go and experience what we have on this adventure today over on our way to johannesburg [Music] it's only when you start walking down the train you realize how huge this operation is in fact revolves rail owned over 70 of these carriages operated on a variety of trips across africa [Music] breakfast is served in the other dining car which you'll note is quite different in style and character to where we had dinner last night of course brachy is also a fine affair however thankfully for me there is no dress code per se so what i've worn outside is permissible this morning so what's on the menu well it's most impressive offering quite the array of healthy and hearty options to start the day i think my strategy of looking around first and then having breakfast has paid off for the whole room to myself so i don't distract anyone when i'm filming also it's quite cool to experience this room it really does have those like orient express vibes but it's just a completely different experience i'm impressed to find rovos serving proper coffee my cappuccino has been made to perfection with just the right kick of much-needed caffeine to combat that ever-present jet lag of mine so what did i order only the most sumptuous looking crispy bacon scrambled eggs and sausage of course simply delicious okay i have an idea you know i mentioned the outside observation deck just now how about we go and enjoy a morning coffee out there and watch the world go by [Music] whoops thankfully no coffee was harmed or spilled in the making of this film so on with the show [Music] well you can't really get much more civilised than this can you fresh cappuccino outside observation deck on a beautiful sunny south african morning i mean this is certainly my favorite part of the train it's a little bit more dramatic when you're going because of course you've got the wind to contend with and the noise of the rails but it's absolute bliss now question i often get is what's the smoking situation on trains well for the most part it's totally banned however on rovos there is a smoking lounge saying this it is the only place on the train where you're permitted to do so at this point we're notified there's going to be a delay to our departure and this is due to something called load shedding and it happens all over south africa where the power supply is switched off in alternating hours throughout the day given that our loco requires electricity to run we must wait until it's switched back on so therefore i've decided the best thing to pass the time is for yet more food yes it's lunchtime so what does lunch look like on rovers rail well in form of a four-part indulgence with paired wines of course or if you're trek trendy a delicious cold dc at this moment we're notified that we finally have power again and we're going to be back on our way with the atmosphere just that little more upbeat with the anticipation of new scenery and the hope of spotting some flamingos up ahead let's tuck into my lunch to start i have the caramelized pear salad with toasted walnuts and drizzled honey it's delicate sweet and immensely satisfying hot on its tail we have the greek salad stuffed chicken thighs served with hasselback potatoes absolutely phenomenal you certainly won't be going hungry on this train for sure the countryside slowly starts to change as we begin to head deeper into the great kuru desert which was once a huge inland sea my cheese course arrives consisting of rock fort on a toasted baguette with a freshly made salad and yes would you believe it there's still one more course to go orange charlotte which was cool citrusy and bursting with flavor wow i think that's been done for a few hours now let's waddle back to my room i think i need to lie down after that incredible food well welcome back to my room it's been refreshed yet again it's like magic i have to say that the service overall so far has been impeccable and i am super impressed i tell you what i'm also super impressed with there are provided goggles for you to look out the window with mind you i'm a seasoned pro at this and i've made my own arrangements [Music] well all this food and excitement is making me sleepy so i think it's time for an afternoon nap because well why not [Music] so we're stuck to one of the many signal points or perhaps there's a delay further up the line but um the reality is of this sort of travel is it doesn't matter you're indulging in an experience people often ask me you know well why would someone not fly this distance but the reality is is that's not the point it's to relax it's to unwind is to forget the distractions of modern day life about 10 minutes pass and the freight train has finally cleared our router head now we're back on the move again and the sun is beginning to lower i make it gnt a clock so let's hot-foot it all the way back to the tail sorry as usual a shameless snow piercer reference join me as we head through the dining car and down the many corridors all the way to the bar now i'm respectful of the privacy of the other guests on board so here's what the lounge and bar area look like when it's empty an eclectic mix of comfy armchairs and rich leather sofas but wait there's something that's caught my eye that's right binoculars though i may need to take that lens cap off as you can imagine it's a lovely place to hang out and make new friends which brings me on to the most pertinent matter at hand are gin and tonic let's take this through to the observation deck [Music] isn't this perhaps the most special setting for an evening drink hurtling through the african wilderness on a luxury train i get chatting to several of my newfound friends and naturally the one g t turns into about three as the sun gently sets on the horizon [Music] so it is that time again it is time for more food it's time for dinner of course now i saw a few people last night not wearing ties i know it was a strict rule but rules are made to be broken right [Music] the question on your lips must be what exotic dish tonight sorry mate after settling onto my usual table i get chatting to a lovely american couple over a glass of delicious chardonnay as i said making new friends on rovos is just part of the experience first up is a south african favourite smoked snook baked into a delicious tart complemented with fresh leaves next up our ostrich friend so what do i make to it well like the croc i'm converted it's sensational similar to beef but resembles a gamey meat like venison well it's been a long day of relaxing and eating so why not turn in for the night after brushing my teeth in my stunning victorian ensuite i'm embraced by the super comfy royal suite bed that's even got an electric blanket in tow tonight anyway nigel will talk the all-important costs in the morning [Music] well good morning i have to say unfortunately i didn't sleep that well last night and this is because the train was moving throughout the night at quite a rate due to our lengthy stop at matches fontine yesterday morning because of that pesky load shedding we had quite the ground to make up in order to arrive at our next stop today of kimberley you know what i have a brainwave my ensuite happens to host the remedy to soothing my lack of sleep [Music] i've remembered something we've got we've got something to supplement this and i think you're gonna like it [Music] now due to feeling pretty tired out i elected not to go on the excursion this morning sometimes you just have to take five for yourself and i feel a lot better for doing so for reference kimberly is a mining town where diamonds were discovered back in 1866. this led to a diamond rush in the 1870s resulting in the famous big hole thanks to my leisurely morning i'm having a late brunch which the staff kindly arranged for me as i said the service is what sets robots apart the staff tailoring the experience to a passenger's individual preferences seamlessly and professionally my brunch was exactly what i needed toasted fluffy bread beautifully smoked bacon egg and cheese [Music] needless to say my plate was totally clear okay it's time to talk cost there's no denying it this is not a cheap trip however you're paying for the luxury and quality what i will say though is when you peg this against the competition it does work out at a competitive price point the orient express for example costs five and a half thousand pounds for a historic room or for what i experienced the price is hiked to an eye-watering 17 and a half thousand pounds for the 28-hour journey from london to venice comparatively rover's rail prices out at 53k for a pullman cabin based on two sharing or alternatively 79k for a deluxe suite or what i booked the royal suite at 106k my trip was organized seamlessly by my friend jarvis who runs the luxurytraveler.com i paid just the same as anyone else but got a single traveler discount because i'm traveling on my own meaning i paid 79.5 k rand if you're interested in booking something similar do go and check out his website where he'll be happy to help taylor a luxury trip for you as morning merges into the afternoon we continue our journey north as we edge ever closer to johannesburg as we speak in the open lounges if you can please come through and join us or something to eat well afternoon tea of course has to be done and what a lovely venue welcome to the onboard lounge car which we've not really looked at in any detail so far filled with comfy chairs with snacks dotted about it's the perfect chill-out carriage to while away the afternoon spinning tea and reading a book or in my case writing postcards it's a tradition i've had for the last few months since i was on the orient express and it gives me great pleasure to write to my loved ones back home i help myself to some delicious homemade chocolate brownies whilst them served a freshly made cappuccino what a lovely end to a relaxing day [Music] but tonight we have the grand finale dinner and i've got quite a surprise for you it's now time for me to go and get my my already teased about attire on um the bow ties coming up tonight let's see what it's like well i bet you thought you'd never see the day with me in a bow tie on the channel [Music] right i'm hideously late but bow tie at the ready let's go have some dinner [Music] so what's on tonight's menu then not quite as exotic as previous evenings but i'm excited to see lamb on the menu a personal favorite of mine let's start with the seared scallops these were divine real melt in your mouth stuff after a short interval my mane arrives a beautifully presented lamb dish complete with sauteed potatoes glazed carrots and a red wine reduction my american friends and i agree this is up there as our favorite dish on board to close i opt for the dark chocolate fondant another personal favorite yes i may need to be rolled off this train from the amount of food i've consumed but it's been absolutely outstanding from start to finish right so seeing as it's the last night i think we're gonna have to go and check out the bar for a couple of cocktails maybe a gin and tonic let's go prop that ball up i start off with a pink gin and tonic whilst the others file in to join me i had such a lovely last evening chatting all things travel with my new south african friends austin and georgie [Music] finally and after admittedly a few too many g t's i swear it's the train rocking and not me it's time to head to bed [Music] i awake far more fresh than the previous day yes we've traveled throughout the night again but my sleep was pretty much uninterrupted it's sadly time to pack up my suitcase as we're around an hour outside maeten which will be the final stop of our trip [Music] [Music] with that we arrive into our terminus station it's time to get out and leave the wonderful reverse rail behind me [Music] well there we have it welcome to just outside of johannesburg where we have arrived after four days on the rails i hope you've enjoyed coming along with me on this luxurious adventure across south africa do let me know as always what you think down in the comments below and i'll catch you all again next week

Channel: Trek Trendy

Views: 2,820,235

Keywords: luxury sleeper train, rovos rail, worlds most luxurious train, sleeper train, overnight train, luxury train travel, rovos rail train, first class train

Id: tVF87B9Ba0c

Length: 27min 4sec (1624 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 31 2022