Rovos Rail – The Most Luxurious Train in the World

Pretoria | South Africa

Recapture the romance of a bygone era when travellers experienced the magic and mystery of Africa in a relaxed and elegant fashion. The classic wood-panelled coaches are the epitome of luxury with period Edwardian features combining with modern technology. The 24-hour service is discreet and friendly with an enthusiastic team of chefs ensuring guests’ every need is catered for. There is an accent on fresh local ingredients and traditional dishes are a speciality. Every morning there is a full breakfast with dishes cooked to order. Meals are served in one sitting only and are complemented by South Africa’s finest wines. For days on the train dress is smart casual while evening attire is more formal. In maintaining the atmosphere there are no radios or television sets on board and the use of technology that has the ability to disturb other guests is confined to the privacy of suites.

Lost City Golf Club – 18 holes par 72 (6549 yards)

Gauteng | South Africa

After the completion of the Gary Player Country Club golf course, the popularity of the Sun City Resort and its many attractions demanded that another golf course be built. Again, Gary Player was commissioned to design the course, his challenge being to create a very different golfing experience. The course defies being bracketed into any particular genre having touches of mountain, desert and even African parkland in its make-up with wide fairways, a series of lakes that separates the ninth with the finishing hole and covers more than 100 hectares with 28 000 square metres of water features. Here the golfer can choose to tackle the course from its championship tees, the standard markers or forward tees. Even playing the shortest route presents a great test as the approaches to the greens – clad in bent grass and protected by bunkers – demand careful judgment.

Champagne Sports Resort – 18 holes, par 72 (6694 yards)

Durban | South Africa

Located in the beautiful Drakensberg area, this course has to be rated as one of the most scenically memorable golf layouts in South Africa. Designed by Hugh Baiocchi and Kevin Curren, it successfully blends the natural attributes of the terrain and the surrounding beauty with the modern demands of a quality course. It undulates up and around the contours of a valley that nestles under the dominant peaks of Champagne and Cathkin Peaks and incorporates several holes with blind tee shots. Professional and novice alike will appreciate the 84 well-appointed bunkers that line the fairways and greens. The quality of the greens is accredited to Trevor Livesey whose passion remains unabated. Though the drama of the mighty mountains dominates the eye, the course also enjoys gentle vistas where the lower hills create a kaleidoscope of colour blessed with trees, rivers and dams to add even more of a challenge

Durban Country Club – 18 holes par 72 (6016 yards)

Durban | South Africa

Built by George Waterman and fellow professional golfer Laurie Waters, the Durban Country Club was established in 1922 and has a proud history. The difficulties these men faced were immense as all earth-moving had to be done manually, giant sand dunes were flattened and dense bush and trees chopped down and carted away. Renowned for its classic Cape Dutch architecture, lush vegetation, undulating fairways, sand dunes and beautiful setting overlooking the Indian Ocean, the club has been the venue of choice for many an important celebration in its rich history. Signature Hole: 3rd – par 5- 468m A tee shot from the highest point on the course into a valley below, completely exposing the drive to the ocean gusts. Trees on the right of the straightaway hole need to be avoided as well as the large fairway bunker on the landing area to the left.

Royal Swazi  – 18 holes par 72 (6714/6312 yards)

Swaziland | South Africa

This spectacular championship course is one of the most scenic locations found in the world. Opened in 1966, it has been laid out on the slopes of the Lebombo Range that curves gently down into the valley. The first nine holes are comparatively level but the second nine fully exploits the mountainous terrain. Challenging features include lakes, gullies thick with vegetation, out-of-bound areas running close to fairways, swirling breezes, clusters of magnificent trees and indigenous plants and wickedly sited bunkers – one is so steep it requires steps to facilitate access

Leopard Creek Golf Course – 18 holes par 72 (6728 yards)

Malelane  | South Africa

Innovative architectural and landscaping techniques ensure that the Leopard Creek golf course and living areas are naturally protected from animals, while lakes and small streams have been diverted through the development to create scenic vistas and interesting golf strategies. Golfing hazards take on a new dimension at Leopard Creek, for much of the water is home to the magnificent creatures for which the river is named, crocodiles. Extensive use has been made of water features and sightings of crocodile, hippo, antelope, buffalo and elephant are commonplace, on the course or in the Kruger Park bordering the course. The 505 meter par-five 13th is one of Leopard Creek’s most memorable holes. Here the green is right on the edge of the Crocodile river but 32 meters above the level of the water, offering magnificent views up the river and into the Kruger Park. Gary Player is especially proud of the par-five 18th with its island green and the par-four 9th with its peninsula green jutting out of the same body of water.

Itinerary

Day 1:
Depart Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria and travel to Rustenburg for overnight stop. Day at leisure on the train.

Day 2:
Morning tee off at Lost City .

Day 3:
All meals enjoyed on board en route to Estcourt via Ladysmith. Day at leisure on the train.

Day 4:
Morning tee off at Champagne Sports Resort.

Day 5:
Morning tee off at Durban Country Club.

Day 6:
Morning game drive in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

Day 7:
Morning tee off at the Royal Swazi Sun.

Day 8:
Morning tee off at Leopard Creek.

Day 9:
Arrive at journey’s end at Rovos Rail Station.