We pulled up to the train well after dark on a Tuesday, dusty, tired and sunburned, but happy. The reason we were late: A two-ton elephant – who was out for an evening stroll on the main road out of the game reserve – had blocked our exit for a good 20 minutes. This was but one of the highlights of the afternoon’s Nambiti excursion, a three-hour game drive in which we also saw giraffes loping through the grass within meters of our Jeep, lions lounging on a distant hillside, and a family of hippos frolicking in a mud pool.

This sort of thrilling off-train activity followed by a warm onboard reception is typical of Rovos Rail, one of the most luxe train experiences in the world.

Click here to read the article on AFKTravel.com.