Rovos Rail - The Great Train Race Tribute - Pretoria to Heidelberg return, 2 nights from R23 300 pps

Join us on board as we tribute the 1930s Bentley vs Le Train Bleu Race with our two-night steam-hauled journey between Pretoria and Heidelberg. We salute this maverick event with a convoy of vintage cars and motorcycles, our thundering steam locomotive and daring enthusiasts in their planes overhead. The event also includes stalls, live music, a miniature steam tractor and a jumping castle.

In 1930, Bentley racing driver Woolf Barnato wagered a bet that he could easily beat the famous Le Train Bleu to Calais at the wheel of his own Speed Six Bentley. At 17h45 on 13 March 1930, as the train left Cannes, Barnato and his companion set off. The duo arrived in Calais so far ahead of the train that Barnato sought to put the challenge to bed by making it all the way to London before the train pulled into Calais. They crossed the English Channel on a packet steamer, completed another 100km or so and, to loud applause, Barnato parked outside the Conservative Club in St James Street at exactly 15h20pm - four minutes before the train arrived at Calais Station.

Two nights' accommodation in a Pullman Gold Suite onboard the Rovos Rail All meals and beverages onboard Red-carpet reception at Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria Station tour Secure parking for guest vehicles Entrance fee Excursion in Heidelberg including canapés and beverages in the RVR tent Limited laundry services

** Book by 25 August 2025. Valid for SA residents only. Excludes flights, transfers, travel insurance, meals and drinks not specified, gratuities, and anything of a personal nature not mentioned above. Prices start from the advertised price and are based on a per-person rate, sharing a double room, unless otherwise stated. Advanced purchases, peak season surcharges, block-out periods and minimum stay conditions may apply. Prices are subject to change due to airfare increases, currency fluctuations, and availability. Terms and Conditions apply.