We are delighted to have once again chartered the Shongololo Express private train from our associates at Rovos Rail to bring you these spectacular journeys exploring the amazing landscapes and rugged grandeur of Namibia, a country of compelling beauty, abundant sunshine and seemingly endless space. Our train winds its way through stunning vistas to the desert and mountainous landscapes of Namibia, with stops along the way to view some remarkable scenery and diverse wildlife. The beauty and the colours of Namibia truly need to be seen to be believed and are brought right to the compartment doors of our comfortable rolling hotel, while enjoying the excellent service for which Rovos Rail is renowned. We will spend nights off the train in the Namib Desert and at Etosha National Park in stylish lodges and enjoy adventurous game drives.
Highlights of our journey are numerous and include Fish River Canyon, Africa’s largest canyon, wildlife rich Etosha National Park, one of Southern Africa’s finest and most important reserves, the rugged Atlantic coast and Swakopmund which is located on the Skeleton Coast and an excellent example of German colonial architecture. However, for many the ultimate highlight will be the sand dunes at Sossusvlei for which Namibia is so renowned. Sossusvlei lies in the heart of the Namib Desert and is home to the world’s tallest sand dunes, some of which tower over 300 metres high. Watching the changing mood and colours at sunrise is a spectacular experience.
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Shongololo Express
The Shongololo Express, as a rolling hotel, offers sleeping compartments in two categories, two air-conditioned dining cars, a bar car and an observation car. The tempting three course dinners are served in a single sitting. The bar car, open around the clock, is ideal for relaxing over a cocktail or a glass of South African wine and is a popular spot for reading. Complimentary tea and coffee are available on board at all times.
15th to 29th March 2023 Itinerary
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 the Strand Hotel. 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: Strand Hotel, Swakopmund. Set on the Mole, a historic and iconic site surrounded by Ocean on three sides, the Strand Hotel features an outdoor pool, gym health spa and multiple dining options. The rooms are bright and spacious and feature en-suite bathroom with shower, individual air-conditioning, satellite television, Wi-Fi, mini-bar and tea/coffee making facilities. (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.
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. This is one of the city’s most striking landmarks and 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. 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.
After breakfast we transfer to the Namib-Naukluft Park. Here we see the Sesriem Canyon, shaped over millions of years by the Tsauchab River, it is one of the few places in that 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 & Sossusvlei Lodge 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 8 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, which means that the type of the dunes here are known as “star dunes” because the winds cause the sand to form a star shape with multiple arms. After visiting Dune 45 and Deadvlei we will have lunch at a lodge followed by a scenic drive through the Namib- Naukluft Park. We re-join the train and depart 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. We re-board our train for midday and depart for Aus.
Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)
Day 10 Kolmanskop and 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. We depart in the evening for Holoog.
Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L,D)
Day 11 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. Its size is impressive: 161 kilometres long, up to 27 kilometres wide and almost 550 metres at its deepest. 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 the return scheduled flight to London.
Dining: (B, L)
Day 15 London. Arrive today.
9th to 24th May 2023 Itinerary
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. An afternoon tour of the administrative capital of South Africa will visit the Union Buildings designed by the famous colonial English architect, Sir Herbert Baker. Completed in 1913, it now houses the offices of the President and Ministers and the buildings overlook the city towards the once fortified hills to the south. A grand bronze statue of “Oom Paul (Kruger)”, the patriarch president of the ZAR or old Transvaal Republic, surrounded by his Boer fighters, dominates Church Square at the centre of the city. Before leaving the capital behind we visit the Voortrekker Monument which commemorates the Great Trek of the 1830s. 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 guest rooms all feature cable TV and a marble bathroom with luxury amenities. (L, D)
Day 3 Embark Shongololo Express.
Enjoy a morning at leisure before 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 bar-wagon.
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 real diamond rush, from which the diamond empire of De Beers emerged, led today by the Oppenheimers and founded by Cecil Rhodes. 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.
Today there will be a 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 and 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. Back on board we continue our journey north.
Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)
Day 8 Keetmanshoop & Quiver Tree Forest.
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.
After breakfast we transfer to the Namib-Naukluft Park where we see 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. Continue to our lodge for an overnight stay.
Accommodation & Dining: Desert Quiver Camp & Sossusvlei Lodge 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 which means that the type of the dunes here are known as “star dunes”. This is 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.
Situated in Namibia’s central highlands, Windhoek is an attractive city surrounded by clusters of hills and the impressive Auas and Eros Mountains. The city tour of Windhoek 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. At the top of Robert Mugabe Avenue is the Christuskirche or Evangelical Lutheran Church which we will drive past, this is one of the city’s most striking landmarks and 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 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 to Kranzberg.
An early morning game drive provides another opportunity to observe wild animals close up. We return to our train which departs for Kranzberg.
Accommodation & Dining: Shongololo Express. (B, L, D)
Day 14 Walvis Bay & Swakopmund.
We arrive at Walvis Bay and, after breakfast, bid our train farewell and transfer to the Strand Hotel for an overnight stay. Swakopmund, Namibia’s seaside resort on the west coast resembles a small Bavarian village nestling between the desert and the sea and enjoys a restful and relaxing atmosphere. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and meet this evening for our farewell dinner.
Accommodation & Dining: Strand Hotel, Swakopmund. Set on the Mole, a historic and iconic site surrounded by Ocean on three sides, the Strand Hotel features an outdoor pool, gym health spa and multiple dining options. The rooms are bright and spacious and feature en-suite bathroom with shower, individual air-conditioning, satellite television, Wi-Fi, mini-bar and tea/coffee making facilities. (B, D)
Day 15 Swakopmund to London.
After breakfast we will transfer to Walvis Bay for the scheduled indirect flight to London.
Dining: (B)
Day 16 London.
Arrive today.
Dates and Prices
15th to 29th March 2023 Itinerary
Prices per person based on double occupancy15 to 29 March 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Price | |
Gold Cabin | £7195 | |
Emerald Cabin | Fully Booked | |
Gold Cabin for sole use | Fully Booked |
9th to 24th May 2023 Itinerary
9 to 24 May 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Category | Price | |
Gold Cabin | Fully Booked | |
Emerald Cabin | Fully Booked | |
Gold Cabin for sole use | Fully Booked |
Tour Reference Code: LANAMIBIA3
Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel • Nine nights aboard the Shongololo Express • Overnight accommodation in Pretoria (May departure only), Sossusvlei, Etosha National Park & Swakopmund • Meals as indicated (B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner) • House beer, wine & soft drinks with included meals • All drinks on the Shongololo Express (excluding premium brands) • Limited laundry service on the Shongololo Express • Excursions • Noble Caledonia Tour Manager • Local guides • Onboard Train Manager • Gratuities • Transfers • Airport taxes.
Not Included: Travel insurance.
Shongololo Express
The Shongololo Express, as a rolling hotel, offers sleeping compartments in two categories, two air-conditioned dining cars, a bar car and an observation car. The tempting three course dinners are served in a single sitting. The bar car, open around the clock, is ideal for relaxing over a cocktail or a glass of South African wine and is a popular spot for reading. Complimentary tea and coffee are available on board at all times.
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Book with Confidence
Speak to one of our advisors on 020 7752 0000