Search

No longer offered

Vacations By Rail has withdrawn this trip from sale. We keep the page for reference and comparison. Live alternatives are under Similar journeys below.

Vacations By Rail · Independent rail tour

Rovos Rail Cape Town to Walvis Bay

Luxury rail journey from Cape Town through Namibian deserts to Walvis Bay

Illustration of Rovos Rail Cape Town to Walvis Bay

Vacations By Rail operates this 16-day independent rail journey aboard Rovos Rail, one of the world's most luxurious trains. You depart Cape Town with 3 free days to explore the city before boarding Rovos Rail on Day 4 for an 11-night passage to Swakopmund, Namibia. The route crosses the Karoo, passes Fish River Canyon (the southern hemisphere's largest), stops at the ghost town of Kolmanskop and colonial Lüderitz, visits the Quiver Trees of Garas Park, and includes a light-aircraft excursion to the red star dunes of Sossusvlei and a 2-day wildlife safari in Etosha National Park in the Kalahari Basin. You sleep aboard the train in restored wood-paneled Pullman Suites on 11 nights and in 4 and 5-star hotels on 4 nights. All rail, coach and internal air transfers, accommodation and most meals are included. This is a self-guided itinerary with optional Cape Town excursions available for an extra charge; international flights are not included.

What to know before you look closer

  • The package price does not include international flights; airfare home is booked separately
  • Only one departure is listed: November 2026
  • Accommodation in Cape Town offers a choice between two 5-star hotels; the final assignment depends on availability

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Cape Town

    Arriving in Cape Town

    Transferred from the airport to your chosen hotel, either in the heart of the city or close to the Twelve Apostles Mountain Range, on a B&B basis. A guided drive past the Parliament Buildings, City Hall, the Slave Lodge, the Company Gardens and the Bo-Kaap to Table Mountain.

  2. Day 2overnight: Cape Town

    Getting to know Cape Town

    A free day in Cape Town to visit Table Mountain, Lion's Head, Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens or the V&A Waterfront, or choose an optional excursion such as the Winelands Tour or Cape Point Tour.

  3. Day 3overnight: Cape Town

    Exploring Cape Town

    A second free day in Cape Town for museums, art galleries, Greenmarket Square or Long Street market, or a supplementary optional excursion such as the Walk to Freedom Tour, Peninsula cruise or Safari day trip.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Rovos Rail

    An included transfer takes you to Cape Town station to board Rovos Rail, which departs at 10:00am. Lunch is served in the dining cars through the winelands of the Western Cape, with afternoon tea and a themed evening dinner.

    Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  5. Day 5railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Matjiesfontein

    During breakfast the train arrives in Matjiesfontein, a Victorian-era village with the Lord Milner hotel and a museum of vintage cars and railway carriages, before continuing through the Karoo. Lunch and dinner are served in the formal dining cars.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  6. Day 6railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Upington and the Orange River

    The train pulls into Upington. Disembark after lunch for a walking tour, then join a sundowner cruise on the Orange River. Dinner is served back on board.

    Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  7. Day 7railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Fish River Canyon

    After breakfast, the train travels along the Kalahari Basin. Have lunch onboard, then disembark in the early afternoon at Fish River Canyon, the largest in the southern hemisphere, before returning to the train for dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  8. Day 8railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Kolmanskop & Lüderitz

    An early breakfast before the train arrives at the ghost town of Kolmanskop, followed by lunch in the colonial town of Lüderitz, where you can visit the museum, historical buildings and harbor. The train continues to Keetmanshoop until after dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  9. Day 9railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Keetmanshoop & Garas Park

    Alight the train at Keetmanshoop to visit the Quiver Trees of Garas Park. Return to the train before lunch, continuing to Mariental, with dinner served en route to Rehoboth.

    Meals: Lunch, Dinner

  10. Day 10railovernight: Sossusvlei Lodge

    Overnight in the Sossusvlei dunes

    Step off the train after breakfast for a transfer to the airstrip and a one-hour light aircraft flight to Sossusvlei. After lunch and an afternoon at leisure, a desert drive is followed by an outdoor bush dinner and an overnight stay at Sossusvlei Lodge.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  11. Day 11railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Sossusvlei & Windhoek

    An early desert drive with breakfast served outdoors, then a one-hour light aircraft flight to Windhoek for lunch at the Windhoek Country Club and an afternoon city tour including the Trans-Namib Transport Museum and Independence Memorial Museum. Return to the train in the evening for dinner.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  12. Day 12railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Cheetah Conservation Project

    Step off the train near Ojiwarongo to visit a cheetah conservation project and meet the Ambassador Cheetahs. Lunch is served back onboard en route to Tsumeb, with dinner as the train departs from Otavi.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  13. Day 13overnight: Etosha Lodge

    Etosha National Park

    Transfer to Etosha Lodge for lunch and check-in, then an afternoon wildlife safari into Etosha National Park to see zebra, wildebeest, antelope, elephants, lions, leopards and giraffes. Overnight at the lodge.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  14. Day 14railovernight: Rovos Rail

    Safari in the Etosha National Park

    An early breakfast and a morning drive into Etosha National Park, before checking out and transferring to the train at Tsumeb Station for lunch. Dinner is served as the train travels southwest toward the Atlantic.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  15. Day 15railovernight: Strand Hotel, Swakopmund

    Crossing the Namib Desert to Walvis Bay

    A leisurely final breakfast onboard as the train crosses the Namib Desert and reaches Walvis Bay around midday. Transfer to your hotel in the coastal town of Swakopmund for the night.

    Meals: Breakfast

  16. Day 16

    Tour conclusion

    Free time to explore before a transfer from your hotel to Walvis Bay airport to begin your overnight flight home.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 4Board Rovos Rail in Cape Town at 10 a.m. for a lunch service as the train travels through the Western Cape winelands
  • Day 7Disembark at Fish River Canyon, the largest canyon in the southern hemisphere, for an afternoon visit before returning to the train
  • Day 8Visit the ghost town of Kolmanskop and the colonial harbor town of Lüderitz with its museums and historical buildings
  • Day 10Fly by light aircraft to Sossusvlei to spend the night among the star-shaped red dunes of the Namib desert
  • Day 13Safari into Etosha National Park to view zebra, wildebeest, antelope, elephants, lions, leopards and giraffes

Included

  • 4 nights 4 & 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • 11 nights on board the Rovos Rail in a Pullman Suite

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance
  • Flights

Questions travellers ask

Is all train travel included?
Yes. The package includes 11 nights aboard Rovos Rail in a Pullman Suite, plus all rail, coach and internal air transfers. International flights home are not included.
Is this trip guided or independent?
Independent. Vacations By Rail provides a well-planned itinerary, but you travel on your own. Days 2 and 3 in Cape Town are free, with optional paid excursions available.
Which hotels are included?
A choice of two 5-star hotels in Cape Town (3 nights each), plus Sossusvlei Lodge (1 night), Etosha Lodge (1 night) and Strand Hotel in Swakopmund (1 night).
What meals are included?
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served aboard Rovos Rail on Days 4 through 9 and Days 11 and 14. Day 10 includes breakfast, lunch and bush dinner at Sossusvlei Lodge. Day 15 includes breakfast aboard the train. Other meals are not included.
How much walking is involved?
Moderate. Walking tours are offered in Upington, Lüderitz and Windhoek. You will also do desert drives and wildlife safaris in Etosha National Park. Most travel is by train, coach or air.
When does this trip run?
A November 2026 departure is listed at USD 15,025 per person. Confirm current departures with Vacations By Rail before booking.

Similar journeys