Itinerary - 11 Night Luxury Holiday by Rail

Day 1

Arrival in Namibia

After clearing customs and immigration at Windhoek Airport you will be met by one of the tour guides and transferred to a wildlife lodge located close to Windhoek. Enjoy the wildlife as you unwind from your flight to Namibia.

Day 2

Departure on board the Desert Express

Today you will be transferred from your wildlife lodge to Windhoek’s historic railway station where you will board your home for the next few days – the Desert Express. On departure the train heads south through the Auas Hills. An introductory lecture is given about the journey and more generally about Namibia. The large picture windows of your compartment offer an ideal way to relax and watch the scenery slide by.

Day 3

Namibia's barren south – Fish River Canyon

Today you start to get a taste of the country as the train stops at the isolated station of Holoog from where you drive through semi desert landscapes to the second biggest canyon on earth - the gorge of the Fish River Canyon. The immense scale of the canyon is best enjoyed by walking along the canyon’s edge and peering over the side of the 500 meter deep gash in the landscape. The gorge stretches an immense 160 kilometres and its sheer magnitude makes its one of the wonders of Southern Africa. After returning to the train you head northwards through the Kalahari Desert. There is short trip to the Quiver Tree Forest reached from the desert village of Keetmanshoop where you will have time for a short excursion.

Day 4

From Marien Valley to the Namib Desert

This morning you arrive at the town of Mariental where you disembark for a 2 night stop in the Namib Desert at the Sossusvlei Lodge. The lodge is reached after a 4 hour ride through the moonscape of the desert during which a brunch is served in the small settlement of Maltahöhe. Pack enough hand luggage to last your two nights off the train. Your other baggage remains securely onboard. The lodge is an oasis where you get to feel the full extent of the isolation of the Namib Desert. This is especially noticeable at night as there are no towns around to pollute the skies so you can enjoy an amazing display of stars - the Southern Cross is especially visible.

Day 5

The Highest Dunes in the World

The highlight of today is exploring the world’s highest sand dunes in the Sossusvlei area. These immense brick-red mountains include Dune 45 which stands at over 150 metres high. The dune‘s colour is a consequence of a high percentage of iron in the sand and subsequent oxidation processes. The area is further explored by open top four-wheel drive vehicles as you are really getting out into the middle of nowhere en-route to Sossusvlei itself which is a clay pan, of roughly elliptical shape, covered in a crust of salt-rich sand which only fills with water from the Tsauchab River in good rain years.

You continue on to the Sesriem Canyon, a natural canyon carved by the waters of the river Tsauchab in sedimentary rock for about a kilometre long and up to 30 meters deep and at some points is only 2 meters wide. You may be lucky and see wildlife taking water in the canyon. A late lunch is served back at the lodge after which you can explore the local area on foot or take to the skies with a flight over the desert landscape, payable locally.

Day 6

Walvis Bay and Swakopmund

Leaving the lodge there is a fascinating five hour bus drive along the gravel roads of the Namibian desert en-route to the Atlantic Ocean. Stops are made at the bizarre rock formations of the Gaub-Pass and the Kuiseb Canyon. The scenery changes from the desert to Namib, a rocky soil with occasional sand dunes, including the Ayers Rock of the Namib Desert – the Vogelfederberg. The coast come into view and you stop at the harbour village of Walvis Bay which, until 1994 was a South African enclave. After a brief stop you will drive to Swakopmund, a very Germanic town with distinctive architecture and way of life. This coastal town is best explored on foot before you re-board the Desert Express which is waiting for you at the railway station. The train remains in the station overnight.

Day 7

The Matterhorn of Namibia – the Spitzkoppe

An early start from Swakopmund sees the train travel eastwards back to the inland plateau. En-route you pass through desolate gravel plains. After breakfast the train stops for an excursion to the 1700m high Spitzkoppe, known as the Matterhorn of Africa and visible from miles around. There is an opportunity to see 2000 - 4000 year old prehistoric rock paintings at Bushman’s Paradise. After returning to the train you head north towards the town of Otjiwarongo. On board the train there is a lecture about the San, the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. After which there is biltong tasting and an opportunity to relax on the train.

Day 8

Etosha National Park

Today after crossing the Otavi Highlands you reach the creatively named station KM72 where you disembark the train and are transferred to the Kempinski Mokuti Lodge for 2 nights. Your time in Etosha is devoted to wildlife. In fact, wild animals wander through the lodge - no dangerous ones though! A visit to the Etosha Salt Pan is a highlight of the trip with its herds of various animals. Elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes are all to be seen amongst the vast variety of wildlife.

Day 9

On Safari

An early morning start for an extensive game drive in the park to see the wildlife starting its day at the water holes, you may be lucky and catch a glimpse of a rare black rhino. Returning to the lodge you have the option of enjoying the facilities, including the water hole at the lodge where animals come to drink, including giraffes and elephants, or you can take an afternoon game drive.

Day 10

Crossing the Damaraland

This morning there is a final opportunity for a game drive with a bus which has a great advantage of excellent views over the watering holes. Later in the afternoon you leave the park and re-board the train where a lecture about the history of Namibia will be given.

Day 11

Windhoek

As dawn breaks you have the opportunity of seeing game from the train as you approach Windhoek, as the line travels through private game farms. Sometimes springbok and ostriches can be seen. On arrival at Windhoek station you say farewell to the train crew and head for your centrally located hotel for an overnight stay. A tour of Windhoek is offered. In the evening there is a farewell dinner at one of the capital’s top restaurants.

Day 12

Farewell to Africa

After breakfast, transfers are offered to Windhoek’s airport.