Desert Express - Five stars train

Desert Express was designed and built in Namibia and has been winding through our beautiful country since 3 April 1998.

Burnt amber upholstery, rich golden-red woods and animal motifs are just a few ways to tastefully echo the landscape through which you travel. Desert Express consists of nine coaches, which are permanently linked via a draw bar. This train is highly modern, featuring all the convenience and luxury a traveler could ask for.

Namibia’s unique rail experience offers an overnight weekend get-away from Windhoek to our coastal towns –Swakopmund and Walvis Bay. The Desert Express also offers a seven-day tour from Windhoek to Swakopmund, Etosha and back to Windhoek on selected dates. The tour includes: onboard accommodation, elegant dining and an excursion through Namibia’s magnificent landscape.

The Desert Express offers the following:

Sleeper compartments

24 compartments in total
One compartment sleeps two adults and one child
En-suite shower, toilet and wash basin
Air-conditioned
Cabins convert into a lounge by day and bedroom by night
A small safe is available for valuables

Spitzkoppe Lounge

Full bar services
Air-conditioned
Plush leather couches
Gift shop

Welwitschia Restaurant

Three-course meal
Exquisite wine list
Special dietary requirements (by prior arrangement)

Conference facilities

Accommodates up to 40 people in the conference layout
Accommodates up to 60 people in cinema layout
Projector and screen
DVD and VCR facilities
Five-CD shuttle
Sound system
Four TV monitors

Additional services

Excursions en-route
Desert Express can be booked as a charter train
Curios are available on-board
Separate accounts are available
Vehicles can be loaded on board and offloaded at your destination (by prior arrangement)

Windhoek –Swakopmund Schedule:
Fridays
Winter (Summer)
Check in at Windhoek station. 11:30 (12:30)
Depart. 12:00 (13:00)
Game drive at Oropoko. 15:30 (16:30)
Dinner. 19:00 (19:00)
Overnight at a secure siding.
Breakfast. 07:00 (07:00)
Dune excursion. 08:00 (08:00)
Arrive Swakopmund Saturdays 10:00 (10:00)
Winter time April—September
Dinner 19:00 & 21:00 if two sittings are required

Winter: April - September
Swakopmund—Windhoek Schedule:
Saturdays: Winter & Summer
Check in Swakopmund station. 14:30
Depart 15:00
Late afternoon sundowner.
Dinner. 19:00
Overnight at a siding.
Breakfast. 07:00
Lion feed at Okapuka 08:00
Arrive Windhoek Sundays 10:30

Smoking on The Desert Express is only allowed in demarcated areas.
Please note that passengers are responsible for own transfers to and from the train.

LAY-OUT OF DESERT EXPRESS
Rhino: Power car and storage
Meerkat: 6 compartments - Accommodation coach
Springbok: 6 compartments - Accommodation coach
Oryx: 6 compartments - Accommodation coach
Kokerboom: 6 compartments - Accommodation coach
Spitzkoppe: Lounge and Bar
Welwitschia: Restaurant
Stardune: Bistro Bar
Starview: Function / conference venue

Rates include dinner, bed, breakfast, tax and excursions. Drinks on-board, lunch, gratuities and souvenirs are for the passenger’s own account.
(Please take note: Minimum age for travel on Desert Express is 4 years. Exclusive coach available for children 4 - 10 years).
Important: Kindly take note that schedules & timings are subject to change without notice. Desert Express since its inception, has and will continue to amend various aspects of the product, to afford, you, our esteemed passenger "the best possible unique rail experience".
Desert Express is a multi-functional facility and can be utilized for any special function, product launch, seminar, team-building session and the like.
Desert Express is a full member of the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN).
SMOKING: Only in the smokers' lounge, which is in the bar area but nowhere else. There are two sections: a smokers and non-smokers.
The rest of the train, especially the restaurant and the compartments are NO SMOKING ZONES.

Car transportation: on request.

7 Day Swakopmund & Etosha Holiday: discontinued

Day 1
14:30 Depart from Windhoek (No lunch) Biltong stop at Okahandja. Dinner & overnight on the train. Train stationary for the night at Kranzberg.
Day 2.
Arrive Walvis Bay. Transfer to yacht club for a dolphin cruise. On the cruise you can make physical contact with the seals. Visit pelican point where you will get close with a colony of Cape fur seals. Have lunch onboard of the cruise and after lunch it’s back to the yacht club and then proceeds by bus to visit the salt pan, and the lagoon where you might see plenty of flamingos and afterwards a visit to dune 7 and then back to Swakopmund. Dinner, overnight & breakfast on the train.
Day 3.
Sightseeing tour around Swakopmund and to the Welwitschia and the moon landscapes with a pick nick lunch in the Desert Depart after lunch depart for Otjiwarongo for overnight on the train.
Day 4.
Depart by bus to Etosha southern gate at Okaukuejo. Check in, lunch, rest and afternoon game drive. Evening can be spent at the spectacular water hole.
Day 5.
After breakfast you will travel to Halali on a slow game drive where you will check in enjoy lunch and rest. Go on afternoon game drive and after dinner you can spend the evening at the water hole.
Day 6.
After breakfast you will go on game drive towards the Namutoni Gate where you will exit. Transfer to the train and depart for Windhoek. Dinner & overnight on train at Otjiwarongo.
Day 7.
Depart for Windhoek with breakfast and lunch on the train.
Visit craft market in Okahandja.
Arrive Windhoek at 14:00.

Reservations are only accepted in writing: by fax or via e-mail.
Final availability confirmation: in writing: by fax or via e-mail.