Rovos Rail in Namibia | Namibia | Etosha

This journey takes you from the savannahs of the Highveld to the Desert landscape of the Namibian coast. Visit Kimberley, centre of one of the world's most famous diamond rushes. Continue through the stark vistas of the Northern Cape to the Fish River Canyon and then across the Kalahari Desert to Windhoek. After a city tour and game drive, continue to Tsumeb and the famour Etosha National Park. Finally the train winds its way to Swakopmund set between the dunes of the Namib Desert and the roaring Atlantic Ocean. An unforgettable end to a remarkable journey.

Meals	Fully Inclusive
Accommodation	Twin or Queen air-conditioned suites with en suite facilities
Departure Dates	7 May 2008 from Pretoria to Swakopmund, 14 May 2008 from Swakopmund to Pretoria
Transport	Luxury Train
Price Includes	Meals and accommodation as shown in text, all entrance fees for off train excursions
Price Excludes	International flights, visas, items of a personal nature, meals not specified
Minimum Number	1
Climate	Desert climate with hot summers and warm winters
Best time to go	May
Health Requirements	None
Combines well with	Other Namibian itineraries
Other Ideas	Combine with a few nights in the Namib Desert with road transfers or charter flights available from Swakopmund.
Notes	Daily flights London to Johannesburg with SAA or BA from £499 including taxes

Day 1 : Depart Pretoria
Depart Pretoria in the late afternoon at approx 3.30pm and travel overnight through the Highveld savannah.

Day 2 : Tour of Kimberley
Arrive in Kimberley at approx 10am and enjoy a tour of the Big Hole and the surrounding city. Kimberley was the centre of a massive diamond rush in the 1870's and the newly renovated museum incorporates a Diamond museum and an interesting display of historical memorablia. Continue in the afternoon through the arid Northern Cape Karoo landscape, which is part of the central spine of Africa. The edge of the escarpment is always more dramatic on the east side of the train. The train passes through the table grape area of Upington on the Orange River and continues towards the Namibian border.

Day 3 : Fish River Canyon
In the early morning you pass through the Namibian border and continue to the Holoog Siding from where you visit the spectacular Fish River Canyon, second only in size and splendour to the Grand Canyon. This natural gorge is 160km long, 550m deep and in some places 27km wide. It is an awe-inspiring sight. The canyon is surrounded by the Kalahari desert. After lunch at the Canon Lodge you continue north through the Kalahari Desert.

Day 4 : Windhoek
This morning you arrive in the pleasant capital city of Namibia, Windhoek. You first visit the station museum before enjoying a city tour. As you walk the city streets, the different dress of passers-by gives a clue to the origins of each person. Lunch is at nearby Okapuka Ranch and is followed by an afternoon game drive. In the early evening the train heads north towards Etosha National Park.

Day 5 : Etosha National Park
This morning you arrive at Tsumeb and are transferred by road to Mokuti Lodge for lunch followed by an afternoon game drive into the Etosha National Park. Etosha lies to the north, one of the finest game parks in Southern Africa. It encloses a vast saltpan that becomes an immense, shallow lake in rainy periods, attracting great numbers of flamingos and other water birds. The open plains are home to tens of thousands of animals with large herds of springbok, gemsbok, zebra, wildebeest, elephant and, of course, the predators - particularly cheetah and lion. The diminutive Damara dik-dik is one of the rarer but delightful sightings. You stay overnight at Mokuti lodge enjoying an evocative boma dinner.

Day 6 : Etosha and time at leisure on the train
This morning you enjoy an early morning game drive into Etosha again and then return to Tseumeb to rejoin the train as it begins its journey southwards. There's time to relax on the train and enjoy the views from the observation car or perhaps a siesta in your supremely comfortable suite.

Day 7 : Arrive Swakopmund
You arrive in Swakopmund in the late morning. Swakopmund has a distinctive continental atmosphere and many picturesque reminders of the German colonial era, deliciously incongruous in the midst of the Namib Desert! The town provides a welcome resting place where you can stroll along the beach, enjoy superb seafood or admire the High German architecture. There?s plenty to do and see such as the Seal Colony at Cape Cross, the flamingos at Walvis Bay or the Welwitschia ?forest?. Visit the surreal landscape of the ?Moon Mountains?, an area of deep chasms and interesting geological features, or perhaps try some sand-boarding, quad-biking or riding a camel into the desert.

Contact us for more information or book your trip by clicking on the appropriate button below. One of our consultants will gladly help you with any questions you may have.