Namibia by Private Train - 2022

Day 1 London to Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Fly by scheduled indirect flight.

Day 2 Walvis Bay to Swakopmund.

Arrive in Walvis Bay in the early afternoon and transfer to our hotel, the Hotel Swakopmund. Swakopmund, Namibia’s seaside resort on the west coast, is a place of singular charm. It resembles a small Bavarian village nestling between the desert and the sea and enjoys a restful and relaxing atmosphere. The source of Swakopmund’s continental vibe is the graceful Art Nouveau buildings dating back to the turn of the previous century. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and meet this evening for our welcome dinner.

Accommodation & Dining: Swakopmund Hotel. Built in and around the old German Station Building, this modern hotel features an outdoor pool and health club. The rooms are bright and spacious and feature en-suite bathroom, individual air-conditioning, television & complimentary Wi-Fi. (D)

Day 3 Embark Shongololo Express, Walvis Bay to Otjiwarongo.

After breakfast we transfer to Walvis Bay Station to embark the Shongololo Express for a mid-morning departure for Otjiwarongo, our overnight stop. Settle into your cabin and enjoy lunch and dinner on board.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Etosha National Park.

This morning we transfer to Mokuti Etosha Lodge, close to the border of the Etosha National Park. The park offers excellent game viewing in one of Africa’s most accessible venues. Zebra and springbok are scattered across the endless horizon while the many waterholes attract endangered black rhino, lion, elephant and large numbers of antelope. Enjoy game viewing activities in the park and overnight at the lodge.

Accommodation & Dining: Mokuti Etosha Lodge offers restaurants, two outdoor pools, a spa and gym. All 106 spacious rooms have a private bathroom and mosquito door and are decorated with Namibian crafts and rich fabrics. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Etosha National Park to Kranzberg.

An early morning game drive gives us another chance to observe wild animals close up. We return to our train which departs for Kranzberg.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Windhoek.

Today we arrive in Windhoek situated in Namibia’s central highlands, an attractive city surrounded by clusters of hills and the impressive Auas and Eros Mountains. Our city tour starts with a visit to the TransNamib Transport Museum. The museum is situated in the Windhoek Railway Station and was built from 1912 to 1913. In front of the building is the narrow gauge locomotive (vintage 1900), which used to operate between Swakopmund and Windhoek. The Independence Memorial Museum at the Alte Feste Castle offers a range of displays, including the Social History Gallery and the Independence Display. Both give an insight into Namibia’s complex history. At the top of Robert Mugabe Avenue is the Christuskirche or Evangelical Lutheran Church, one of the city’s most striking landmarks built from local sandstone and completed in 1910. Romanesque, neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles influenced its design and Kaiser Wilhelm II donated its stained glass windows. Our last visit is the Namibia Craft Centre in the old Breweries Building. The train departs for Mariental in the afternoon.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Sossusvlei & Sesriem Canyon.

This morning we transfer to the Namib-Naukluft Park. Visit the Sesriem Canyon, shaped over millions of years by the Tsauchab River, it is one of the few places in the area that holds water all year round. The early Afrikaans explorers named the canyon after the fact that they had to use six (ses) leather straps (riem) tied together to create a rope long enough to lower water buckets into the canyon below.

Accommodation & Dining: Desert Quiver Camp and Desert Camp uniquely combine modern accommodation with comfort and style and are conveniently located a mere five kilometres from the entrance gate to Sossusvlei. The uniquely designed accommodation units have spacious air-conditioned bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms and patio. Facilities at the main building include a bar, a swimming pool and two communal bomaareas. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Sossusvlei & Namib- Naukluft Park.

This morning we visit Dune 45 and Deadvlei. The dunes of the Namib Desert were created by sand carried by the wind from the coast of Namibia. The sand here is five million years old and is red in colour due to its iron-oxide content. As the lighting changes with the time of day, so does the appearance of the dunes’ characteristic colour, allowing for interesting photographs at any time. The wind in the Sossusvlei area blows from all directions and the dunes here are known as “star dunes” because the winds cause the sand to form a star shape with multiple arms. We will have lunch at a lodge followed by a scenic drive through the Namib-Naukluft Park. The train departs for Keetmanshoop in the late afternoon.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 9 Keetmanshoop, Garas Park & Quiver Tree Forest.

This morning we take a tour of Keetmanshoop, the capital of southern Namibia. We visit Garas Park where we will see the unique quiver trees and the interesting rock formations. The prehistoric quiver tree is not really a tree, rather a plant of the genus aloe, as evident from its scientific name, and one of the few species of aloe that reaches tree proportions, it can grow seven to nine metres high.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 10 Kolmanskop & Luderitz.

Our full day tour begins with a stop at the ghost town of Kolmanskop where the first diamonds were found in Namibia in 1908. From here we visit the harbour town of Luderitz which lies at the end of the currently decommissioned railway line to Keetmanshoop. Luderitz is known for its museum, colonial architecture and wildlife including seals, penguins and flamingos.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 11 Fish River Canyon.

This morning we visit the Fish River Canyon. The Fish River rises in the centre of the country, before flowing south into the Orange River, on Namibia’s border with South Africa. In between, it has formed the great Fish River Canyon - the largest canyon in the southern hemisphere, and only second to Arizona’s Grand Canyon in terms of size. The vast rocky landscape breaks up into a series of spectacular cliffs, formed by the Fish River as it meanders between boulders over half a kilometre below. Our train departs at midday for Ariamsvlei and Nakop for border formalities.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 12 Upington, South Africa.

This morning we take a tour of Upington beginning with a drive past the Donkey Memorial, which honours the life of the working donkey, and the railway on the Orange River. We arrive at the Bezalel Wine & Brandy Cellar for a tour and tasting after which, we return to the train and continue towards De Aar.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 13 Kimberley.

Our tour today takes us to Kimberley, capital of the Northern Cape, which is well known for the discovery of diamonds which led to its establishment in 1893. Highlights of the day include a visit to the Big Hole Diamond Mine Museum, the William Humphreys Art Gallery and the McGregor House Museum.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B,L D)

Day 14 Pretoria to London.

After breakfast we arrive at Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria where we disembark. We stop for lunch and take a city tour of Pretoria before we transfer to Johannesburg Airport for our return scheduled flight to London.

Dining: (B, L)

Day 15 London.

Arrive Today.

Day 1 London to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Fly by scheduled flight.

Day 2 Pretoria.

Arrive into Johannesburg this morning and transfer to the Sheraton Pretoria Hotel for an overnight stay. This afternoon we take a tour of Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa and visit the Union Buildings designed by the famous colonial English architect, Sir Herbert Baker. We return to the hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner this evening.

Accommodation & Dining: Located opposite the Union Buildings, the five-star Sheraton Pretoria Hotel is elegantly designed and the facilities include an outdoor swimming pool and a health club. The 175 lavish guestrooms all feature cable TV and a marble bathroom with luxury amenities. (L, D)

Day 3 Embark Shongololo Express.

Enjoy a morning at leisure. This afternoon we transfer to the Rovos Rail station at Capital Park in Pretoria which, once a bustling hub of steam locomotion in the old Transvaal is now the headquarters for Rovos Rail. We will have the opportunity to tour this gracious, colonial-style railway station and the ever-expanding railway museum. The eyes of rail enthusiasts will be drawn to the vast carriage and locomotive sheds where teams of dedicated personnel keep the rolling stock in perfect order. We embark the Shongololo Express and depart the Gauteng region and pass the Highveld. Enjoy dinner on board and a relaxing evening in the barwagon.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, D)

Day 4 Kimberley.

This morning we will reach the historical train station of Kimberley, the city of diamonds. At the end of the 19th century, the town experienced a diamond rush, from which the diamond empire of De Beers emerged. On arrival, view the famous Big Hole, once the largest diamond mine in the world and visit the lovingly restored original buildings of Kimberley’s Belle Epoque.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Upington.

Morning tour of Upington which the railway reaches by means of a bridge 1067 metres long, the second longest bridge in South Africa. Sir Thomas Upington, attorney general of the Cape, was the man principally responsible for liquidating the business activities of the Orange River pirates and capturing their leader, Klaas Lucas. When the desperadoes were finally chased away in 1884, the town was founded on the banks of the Orange River and named Upington in honour of Sir Thomas. Thanks to the Orange River, the region was predestined for winegrowing and we will enjoy a tasting at Bezalel Wine & Brandy Estate. Return to the train at lunch time and continue in the direction of Namibia.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Fish River Canyon, Namibia.

Arrive in Holoog this morning for our visit to the Fish River Canyon, second only to the Grand Canyon in Arizona in geological importance. Eroded over many millennia, the canyon is the second largest natural gorge in Africa, 161 kilometres long, 549 metres deep and, in some places, 27 kilometres wide. Enjoy the stunning views and the opportunity to take a short walk along the canyon’s edge. We return to the train and depart for Aus.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Kolmanskop & Luderitz.

Today’s tour begins with a bus ride to the ghost town of Kolmanskop, where the first diamonds were found in Namibia in 1908. From here, the harbour town of Luderitz is a short journey through the Sperrgebiet (the “Restricted Diamond Area”). After crossing the historical Luderitz peninsula, we will reach Diaz Point, set against the backdrop of the dramatic Atlantic waves.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Keetmanshoop & Quiver Tree Forest.

This morning we visit Garas Park where we will see the unique quiver trees and the interesting rock formations. The quiver tree is not really a tree, rather a plant of the genus aloe, as evident from its scientific name, and one of the few species of aloe that reaches tree proportions, it can grow seven to nine metres high.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 9 Sossusvlei & Sesriem Canyon.

This morning we transfer to a Sossusvlei lodge. We visit the Sesriem Canyon, shaped over millions of years by the Tsauchab River, it is one of the few places in the area that holds water all year round. The early Afrikaans explorers named the canyon after the fact that they had to use six (ses) leather straps (riem) tied together to create a rope long enough to lower water buckets into the canyon below. Overnight at our lodge.

Accommodation & Dining: Desert Quiver Camp and Desert Camp uniquely combine modern accommodation with comfort and style and are conveniently located a mere five kilometres from the entrance gate to Sossusvlei. The uniquely designed accommodation units have spacious air-conditioned bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms and patio. Facilities at the main building include a bar, a swimming pool and two communal boma-areas. (B, L, D)

Day 10 Sossusvlei & Namib- Naukluft Park.

The dunes of the Namib Desert were created by sand carried by the wind from the coast of Namibia. The sand here is five million years old and is red in colour due to its iron-oxide content. As the lighting changes with the time of day, so does the appearance of the dunes’ characteristic colour, allowing for interesting photographs at any time. The wind in the Sossusvlei area blows from all directions and the dunes here are known as “star dunes” because the winds cause the sand to form a star shape with multiple arms. Early morning is the best time to see these giant dunes and we take a scenic drive through the Namib-Naukluft Park before we return to our train.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 11 Windhoek.

Enjoy a morning tour of Windhoek. Situated in Namibia’s central highlands, Windhoek is an attractive city surrounded by clusters of hills and the impressive Auas and Eros Mountains. Our city tour starts with a visit to the TransNamib Transport Museum, situated in the Windhoek Railway Station it was built from 1912 to 1913. In front of the building is the narrow gauge locomotive (vintage 1900), which used to operate between Swakopmund and Windhoek. At the top of Robert Mugabe Avenue is the Christuskirche or Evangelical Lutheran Church which we will drive past, one of the city’s most striking landmarks which was built from local sandstone and completed in 1910. Romanesque, neo-Gothic and Art Nouveau styles influenced its design and Kaiser Wilhelm II donated its stained glass windows.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 12 Etosha National Park.

After breakfast we transfer to Mokuti Etosha Lodge in Etosha National Park for an overnight stay. The park offers excellent game viewing in one of Africa’s most accessible venues. Zebra and springbok are scattered across the endless horizon while the many waterholes attract endangered black rhino, lion, elephant and large numbers of antelope. The Etosha Pan, an extremely flat salt pan, lies at the heart of the National Park. This shimmering “great white place”, as its name says, is the largest salt pan in Africa and with herds of wild animals passing through is an unforgettable experience. We take an afternoon game drive and return to our lodge for dinner and an overnight stay.

Accommodation & Dining: Mokuti Etosha Lodge offers restaurants, two outdoor pools, a spa and gym. All 106 spacious rooms have a private bathroom and mosquito door and are decorated with Namibian crafts and rich fabrics. (B, L, D)

Day 13 Etosha National Park.

This morning we take an early morning game drive followed by breakfast. Afternoon departure for Kranzberg.

Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)

Day 14 Walvis Bay for Swakompund.

We arrive at Walvis Bay and, after breakfast, bid our train farewell and transfer to the Swakopmund Hotel for an overnight stay. This afternoon we will enjoy a tour of the city and, in the evening, we will have a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. Accommodation & Dining: Swakopmund Hotel. Built in and around the old German Station Building, this modern hotel features an outdoor pool and health club. The rooms are bright and spacious and feature en-suite bathroom, individual air-conditioning, television & complimentary Wi-Fi. (D)

Day 15 Walvis Bay to London.

After a morning at leisure we transfer to the airport for our return scheduled indirect flight to London. Dining: (B)

Day 16 London.

Arrive today.