Jewel of the Desert: Cape Town to Windhoek

Your journey begins in a destination that has drawn adventurers to Africa for centuries. Few places can rival Cape Town’s spectacular setting, nestled between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean. You discover everything this multicultural melting pot has to offer during a fun and informative city tour. Later you take a pleasant stroll on the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront or ascend Table Mountain via its iconic cable car, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (on request), to enjoy stunning views. You finish off the day by joining your fellow travelers on an excursion to Signal Hill and enjoying a special welcome dinner.

Accommodation: The Commodore Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Dinner

Your journey through Southern Africa truly begins as you board your private train, the African Explorer. Your friendly crew welcomes you aboard, and you discover the incomparable ease of rail travel as the African Explorer whisks you through green valleys and the dramatic tunnels of the Hex River Mountains. You stop in the small railroad town of Matjiesfontein to soak up its colonial flair, including the charming Victorian-era Lord Milner Hotel, where Cecil Rhodes and Edgar Wallace used to stay.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today you enjoy a day of once-in-a-lifetime views from the comfort of your private train. As gorgeous landscapes pass by your windows, informative and entertaining lectures reveal local customs, culture and history that most travelers miss.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visits to Upington and Augrabies Falls National Park are on the schedule for today. As you stand before the world-famous Augrabies Falls, your senses come alive with their thunderous roar and refreshing spray—a truly invigorating wonder of the world! As the early evening sets in, your private train takes you further north.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Welcome to Namibia—a land of color and texture, with landscapes almost too staggering to take in all at once. You marvel at its sweeping landscapes of deep, ancient ochre and its huge, aquamarine sky. In the distance, silhouettes of animals shimmer beneath the hot sun.

You arrive at Holoog Station and take a scenic bus tour to discover the awe-inspiring Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in Africa. If you wish, you can take a short walk along the canyon’s edge. Before sundown, there is time for a quick excursion to the Quiver Tree Forest. Later you enjoy a biltong (traditional beef jerky) tasting.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, you arrive at Aus Station, from which you head out to Kolmanskop. In 1908, diamonds were discovered in Kolmanskop, attracting money and miners in droves. But today it’s a ghost town with abandoned buildings filled knee-deep with sand for you to explore. Later you take a quick bus trip through the so-called Sperrgebiet (German for “restricted area”), a diamond mining area that is now a national park. The bus takes you to Lüderitz, a historic port town situated on the Atlantic coastline across from the famous Diaz Point. Back on board at Aus station, your private train continues on its journey south.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning, you arrive in Mariental, from where you take a scenic bus ride to your lodge. Via the Tsaris Pass, unpaved roads lead you to the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Your lodge is a quiet oasis in the midst of the wilderness—the perfect place for stargazing. If you feel like taking in the sights from the sky, a panoramic aerial tour over this breathtaking landscape is available upon request.

Accommodation: Namib Desert Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you take in the otherworldly beauty of the Namib Desert and have the opportunity to stand atop the biggest sand dunes in the world—immense, sculptural sand waves as dramatic and vast as the ocean. You’ve seen them in photographs, but nothing compares to real life. An excursion in open-top vehicles takes you to the famous Sossusvlei salt pan. Later, as the sun begins to set, you have the chance to join a desert safari. The natural beauty you see here is simply unforgettable.

Accommodation: Namib Desert Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you head back to the coast, this time to Walvis Bay (aka Whale Bay), a deepwater port city named for its historical abundance of southern right whales. Your tour guide advises you to look out for them as well as pink flamingos strutting along Walvis Bay Lagoon. Later you continue your journey via air-conditioned bus to the coastal city of Swakopmund, famous for its unique examples of German colonial architecture. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a stroll on the promenade or a slice of Black Forest cake in Café Anton before heading back to your train.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

You begin your day with a hearty breakfast, after which you continue your exploration of the Namib Desert. Today you arrive at Usakos, from where you head to the Spitzkoppe—known as Namibia’s Matterhorn—and marvel at its immense, granite peak. The ancient rock paintings you see here speak to the fascination this famous landmark has long held for humankind. Later, you return to your private train, stopping in the evening to enjoy a braai—a traditional African barbecue—alongside your train, beneath a fabulously starry sky.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The seemingly endless, shimmering white plain you stand on is the largest salt flat in Africa—the Etosha Pan. With the mineral crust crunching underfoot and the horizon going on forever, it’s easy to understand why this was named the Great White Place. You watch as elephants, giraffes and countless other wild animals congregate near watering holes while crossing the entire park by bus. If you’re lucky, you might even see the rare black rhino before sunset.

Accommodation: Mokuti Lodge (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is a safari day, and you jump into a jeep in the golden light of the morning. You set out in search of feathered, furry and fanged creatures in their natural habitats.

Accommodation: Onboard the African Explorer Private Train
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning’s unique train route is a veritable safari. Your private train passes through game farms where giraffe, antelope and ostrich are often visible from your window. Soon, you arrive in the Namibian capital Windhoek, where you embark on a fun and informative city tour. Among the major sights of the day are the Christ Church—which combines neo-Gothic design with local African sandstone—and the Namibian parliament building, also known as the Tintenpalast (German for “Ink Palace”). Later in the day, you visit the township of Katutura and a local market, before heading back to relax at your hotel. That evening, you enjoy a special dinner in celebration of your exceptional journey and to say farewell to your fellow travelers.

Accommodation: AVANI Windhoek Hotel (or similar)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

After your last delicious breakfast in Africa, you get the shuttle to the airport for your flight home. Looking back on your rail adventure, you smile, remembering the amazing sights you’ve seen, feeling that you’ve become a true African explorer.

Meals included: Breakfast