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Windhoek to Swakopmund Aboard The Desert Express ~ Luxury Train Travel Across Namibia

Windhoek to Swakopmund Aboard The Desert Express ~ Luxury Train Travel Across Namibia

Old May 30, 2004, 8:07 pm
  #1  
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Windhoek to Swakopmund Aboard The Desert Express ~ Luxury Train Travel Across Namibia

“Where the heck is Swakopmund?!”

“How do you pronounce it?!”

"Why would you want to go there?"

So many questions! And, as is becoming a trend in my most recent reports, I suspect a bit of geographical clarification may be required before we can continue.

Both Windhoek and Swakopmund are in Namibia, the country once known as South West Africa. Namibia is located just north of South Africa and west of Botswana. Off the west coast, the South Atlantic Ocean provides stark contrast to an arid landscape dominated by the vast Namib Desert. Given its dry climate and desert terrain, it’s hardly surprising that Namibia is also one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa with a population of only 1.7 million

Windhoek is the capitol of Namibia. Located in the south central part of the country, it is home to 225,000 people. The downtown is clean and modern looking, with broad well lit boulevards and a handful of tall, shiny buildings.

Swakopmund (pronounced Swah-cop-moond) is located almost 300 km to the west of Windhoek, on the coast of the South Atlantic Ocean. It is the closest thing Namibia’s got to a resort destination on a coastline described by many early explorers with terms like “inhospitable” and “desolate”.

So - What am I doing here when I could have been relaxing on a beach in Polynesia or hanging out in Quito? Aside from having a lifelong attraction to exploring these off the beaten track destinations, I am also here for a train ride. Not just any train ride, mind you, but a luxury rail experience via Namibia’s own Desert Express.

When it comes to luxurious train travel in Africa, most people immediately think of South Africa’s Blue Train. Indeed, the Blue Train has been a standard bearer for rail borne luxury not just in Africa but world wide. It is arguably the finest rail experience on the planet – the other being the Venice-Simplon Orient Express. Luxury comes at a steep price however, and a trip on the Blue Train – even a short one – is unfortunately beyond my limited means.

Thankfully, there are a number of other luxury trains operating in Africa with perhaps the most affordable of them being Namibia’s Desert Express. Operating a twice weekly schedule between Windhoek and Swakopmund, a distance of only 385 kilometers, the Desert Express offers affordable luxury for only $350.00 USD one way. To be sure, the journey is a short one. The entire trip takes only twenty hours. Still, that’s more than enough time to get a decent taste of the good life while relaxing in an air conditioned suite, enjoying an ice cold beer or cocktail in the beautifully appointed lounge car or dining on fine cuisine - including African game specialties - in the attractive dining car.

I stumbled across the Desert Express quite by accident while exploring transportation options between Windhoek and Walvis Bay, Namibia’s main port city located just 100km south of Swakopmund. Namib-Rail, the state run railroad, operates a train on this route. While looking for schedules on its website, I came across a link to the Desert Express. “Namibia’s Luxury Rail Experience” read the header. Hmm… I had no idea any luxury trains existed in Namibia. I immediately looked into it and within ten minutes was sending off an email requesting availability and prices. Four days later, I’d arranged payment and was in possession of a faxed certificate confirming my place on the April 23rd departure from Windhoek.

Last edited by Seat 2A; Sep 15, 2014 at 2:14 pm
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Old May 30, 2004, 8:09 pm
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Getting to Windhoek was convenient and affordable, though hardly luxurious. InterCape Mainliner offered a direct bus from Cape Town that cost only $63.00. The 1,000 mile journey would take only twenty hours. By comparison, a one way ticket on Air Namibia or South African Airways would have cost over $300.00.

Busses in South Africa – at least those operated by any of the three major companies – are really quite nice. Compared to America’s Greyhound Bus Lines, they are unquestionably superior. While the seating on my bus was about as comfortable as one could expect on any bus, I did not expect the complimentary tea and coffee service offered every four or five hours by our friendly bus attendant. Also shown were two or three movies which I ignored since the television screen was so far forward that I couldn’t make out much detail. Every three or four hours we would make a 10-15 minute rest stop, so keeping well fed and watered was not a problem. As for spending twenty hours on a bus, I had no problem with it. I read a lot, listened to my music and otherwise slept.

Arrival in Windhoek was at 5:25am. There was no bus terminal that I could see. We were simply dropped off in a big empty downtown parking lot. Some passengers were met by family or friends while others piled into one of the two waiting taxis. Also waiting were vans from two of the local hostels. Since the Desert Express wouldn’t depart until 3:00 that afternoon, I decided to get a day rate at one of the hostels. In this way I’d have a safe spot to leave my pack as well as a good place to grab a shower and a bite to eat.

The driver from Chameleon Backpackers seemed bright eyed and personable, so I went with him. Joining me were two guys from Holland. The Chameleon was a really nice hostel with excellent accommodations and facilities, including a large swimming pool and a nice shady thatched roof cabana bar at poolside. There was also a real Bull Terrier named “Spanky”. I’d seen pictures of these dogs, but had never before seen the real thing live and up close. Thankfully, he was a friendly and affectionate creature. After a couple of cranium rubs and a prolonged nasal massage, we were friends for life.

At 1:00pm, I got a ride to the train station. This was a free service from the hostel since walking around Windhoek with bags of any type – even in the middle of the day - was not considered safe.

DESERT EXPRESS PICTURES ARE LOCATED HERE

The Windhoek train station is a distinctive two story building painted white with green trim and a nice green peaked roof. It looked like a fine place from which to begin a First Class rail journey!




Windhoek Railroad Station


The Desert Express check in area was located in its own separate room off to the side of the main lobby. A security guard stood a casual watch at the entrance. The two ladies working behind the desk welcomed me by name as if I were a regular patron of the train. They were extremely cordial and efficient, tagging my backpack and handing me an attractive ticket wallet and boarding card. I was assigned to “Oryx” car, Suite 2. My pack would be delivered directly to my suite and would be awaiting me upon boarding.

I hadn’t had any lunch yet and since there was still over an hour until departure time, I decided to head up the street and see what was available. The station offered no food services short of a vending machine that sold a variety of junk foods and sodas, so I asked the agents if there were any restaurants or take away places nearby. They indicated that there were a couple of places just up the street from the station but cautioned that I shouldn’t walk up there with my daypack. “Really? Even two blocks from this station?”, I asked. They both nodded emphatically and suggested I leave my pack with them. They would check it and have it waiting in my suite when I boarded. Fair enough.

No doubt some people, after hearing such a warning, would not care to even leave the station. In my life I’ve spent a fair bit of time on both sides of the tracks and so did not feel particularly threatened walking around without my pack. It’s kind of like hiking in Denali Park. Sure, there are plenty of grizzly bears out there, but you can get by just fine so long as you don’t do or bring anything with you that would attract them. For example, perishable, aromatic foods are a definite no-no. In the human jungle, a daypack or shopping bag can be every bit as attractive to the criminal element as raw meat is to a carnivore. Behavior and body language also come into play. Dressing in brightly colored and/or expensive clothes, wearing jewelry or a camera, or walking about as if unsure about your surroundings or destination will draw attention to you just as surely as if you’d blown a whistle and shouted “Hey! Look at me! I’m a geek who’s just ripe for the picking!”

Some cities are relatively safe in all areas day or night. Others have areas that are safe during the day but not so safe at night. Still others are unsafe any time of day. It always pays to get the local opinion regardless.

The best advice I can give for walking about in questionable neighborhoods during the daylight hours is to try to blend in as much as possible. Obviously, there’s nothing I can do about being white in a non-white environment, but in terms off dress and body language, I dress down and I walk like I belong. That is to say I walk like I’m comfortable and know where I’m going. As for dress, my standard t-shirt and jeans arouses little attention. Also, never carry any more money or anything else with you than you’re willing to lose. I discreetly buried my wallet in my daypack, handed it over to the agents and headed on into town.

As such, I sauntered unimpeded about three blocks up from the station to a small area of shops and bars where I found a take away place selling sandwiches and sausages. Since everything appeared to be refrigerated, I bought a chicken sandwich, a bag of chips and a big bottle of water before heading back to the station.

By the time I’d returned, the Desert Express was sitting in the station. The baggage handlers were busy getting baggage aboard while other employees attended to the bar and dining car. I headed out onto the platform to have a look at the train.




The Desert Express awaits departure from Windhoek



Reflections

Last edited by Seat 2A; Sep 15, 2014 at 12:41 pm
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Old May 30, 2004, 8:12 pm
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The Desert Express was designed and built in Namibia. A brochure I picked up in the station indicated that it took 250,000 man hours over 18 months to construct. Old coaches from the South African Railways were completely stripped and rebuilt. Wherever possible, Namibian products, skills and materials were used. The end result is impressive both inside and out.

The entire train consists of nine cars and one engine. The cars are painted creamy white offset by an attractive ochre and blue livery with a gray roof. The colors of the Namibian desert. Most of the cars bear names of Namibian wildlife or geographical features. Following is the line up behind the single engine:

Rhino: Power car and storage
Starview: Bistro Bar
Stardune: Function/Conference venue
Welwitschia: Restaurant
Spitzkoppe: Lounge and Bar
Meerkat: Sleeper
Springbok: Sleeper
Oryx: Sleeper
Kokerboom: Sleeper

This is a fixed consist, regardless of the trip. That is to say that there are no other cars. Since the Desert Express does not operate a daily schedule, there is no need for more than a single train. By comparison, there were five separate California Zephyrs built in order to accommodate the daily service along the two day journey between Chicago and San Francisco.

Boarding was called at 2:30pm. Although I’ve generally never been in a big hurry to board an airplane so I can sit down and/or get out of the way of one hundred or more fellow passengers, I wasted no time heading out onto the platform and stepping aboard my car. As I mentioned earlier, the cars are all named with the name painted prominently above the windows in the middle of the car. My car, Oryx, was named after a type of African antelope. At the door to greet me was Michelle, a pretty Namibian girl with lively eyes and a nice smile. She welcomed me warmly and directed me down the carpeted hallway to my room.




My car and the Desert Express logo



The doorway to my suite has an oryx etched into the glass


As a single traveler, I’d expected something like a nice roomette. Instead, I was thrilled to discover that each sleeper consisted of six suites. There are no single roomette type accommodations on the Desert Express. Single travelers get the same big suite that a couple traveling together would get. I’d seen a couple of them through their glass doors as I walked down the corridor. Each of the suites reflected the name of the coach it was located in with an etched drawing of the animal or bird on the glass door. Very nice. Now, was this train air conditioned? It sure was hot in the hallway!

Locating my suite, I turned the key which had been left in the door and . . . Wow! What a magnificent room! Decorated in tan, beige and brown earth tones, the suite featured a large daytime sitting area with two nicely padded chairs along one wall facing a single chair on the other wall. Between them, below the large window, was a small wooden table. Above the window was a large sand painting of an oryx. Rich golden-red native wood used on the walls complimented the room beautifully. The ensuite bathroom was cleverly designed to make maximum use of minimum space. It featured a complete shower, a large sink that swiveled out of the way of either the shower or the toilet, a large mirror, electric outlets and a hairdryer on request. Amenities such as body wash/shampoo, body lotion, shoe buff and a mending kit were provided in a small kit. Add to this a wall mounted telephone to order room service, a safe for valuables and plenty of reading lights and I’d have to say that this was by far the nicest train compartment I had ever been in, much less seen! And – it was blissfully air conditioned! A thermostat on the wall indicated the temperature had been set at 15 C.




The Desert Express Suite



The Desert Express Suite



The Desert Express Suite


My backpack and daypack had been neatly placed in one corner. After sitting down in one of the cushioned chairs and taking a brief and enjoyable stock of my present lot in life, I retrieved my camera from my daypack and headed back out onto the platform to take some pictures of the train and the station. A few of my fellow passengers were doing the same while others chatted amiably with friends and acquaintances who were either traveling with them or seeing them off. The load was light for today’s run out to the coast - only about half the train was booked.

Stepping back onboard the train, I wandered up to check out the bar and restaurant cars. The bar car was named “Spitzkoppe” after one of Namibia’s more impressive looking peaks. At one end was an attractive wrap around bar that featured a full bar service including a number of exotic sounding cocktails. There were separate smoking and non-smoking sections with low coach and chair seating areas offset by nice looking wooden cocktail tables. On one of these tables was a unique chess table where I was told that the black and white squares had been made from the sand of the Namib Desert. Finally, two or three coffee table books about Namibia and Namibian wildlife had been strategically placed throughout the lounge. Nature videos, reading material and board games were also available. Very nice. I took a couple of pictures and moved on to the dining car. Better to get these pictures now than to disturb people with the camera’s flash once we were underway.




The Desert Express Spitzkoppe Bar



The Desert Express Spitzkoppe Bar


The Welwitschia Restaurant, located adjacent to the Spitzkoppe Lounge, offered spacious seating for thirty via five rows of tables seating four on one side and two on the other. Since the Desert Express was designed to carry only about fifty passengers, the thirty seat restaurant car was more than sufficient to enable everyone to eat in only two sittings. The overhead lights in the car highlighted sandblasted glass panels depicting animal footprints while stylish glass enclosed candles graced each table.




The Desert Express Welwitschia Restaurant



The Desert Express Welwitschia Restaurant



Welwitschia Restaurant Table Setting


Back in the Spitzkoppe Lounge, a number of people had gathered for complimentary welcome aboard cocktails and beer. I was happy to see beer offered since I’m not much of a cocktail drinker. Although this would have been a good time to get acquainted with some of my fellow passengers, it appeared that I was the only North American and native English speaker aboard. Alas, my reasonable Spanish and minimal Navaho skills were of no use to me here. German and Afrikaans were the language of the day so I maintained a demure countenance and quaffed my deliciously chilled pint of Windhoek Lager while taking it all in from the corner of the bar. On each table were platters of hors d’oeuvres with biltong, sausage, crackers, chips and a delicious mustard based dip to munch upon. For those of you unfamiliar with southern African cuisine, biltong is a type of jerky made from who knows what kind of beast. I tried some. Like jerky, I had to chew hard and snap my head back to get it down. I decided to stick with the sausage, crackers and chips after just one try.

A sudden jolt indicated that we were underway. There were no whistles, bells or dramatic announcements. I glanced at my watch and noted with some satisfaction that one, I was onboard, and two, that our departure was right on time.

After about ten minutes, our Director of Onboard Services introduced herself and began to orient us as to the services available onboard the train as well as the dinner and breakfast times. The Stardune car, which served primarily as a private conference car, would not be open. However, the Starview Bistro would be open after the second dinner seating. This car featured glass panels in the roof that allowed one to better view the stars above. Interestingly, drinks would only be available in the Spitzkoppe Lounge though we’d be welcome to take them up to the Starview Bistro.

She went on to explain about a couple of side trips which I’ll detail later in this report. We were wished a pleasant journey and I requested another pint of beer. This time I had to pay for it, though. $10.00 Namibian. Relax! That’s about $1.40 US! I chatted briefly with the bartender, a nice kid from Windhoek who spoke flawless English. He’d been working on the Desert Express for about half a year but soon would be returning to college to complete his studies in engineering. Not a bad job between semesters!

Our journey initially took us north out of Windhoek. We cleared the city suburbs quickly and soon were traveling through desert scrub and mountains that reminded me a lot of the landscape to the north and west of Phoenix. Since the area I refer to, which includes Cave Creek and Carefree is all built up now, that would be Phoenix in the 1950s.




The scenery north of Windhoek



The scenery north of Windhoek


The train rolled along at a very leisurely pace. That’s a nice way of saying that although our destination of Swakopmund was only 381 km (about 230 miles) away, it would take us 19 hours to get there. Mind you, nobody was complaining because all of us were on this train for the experience far more so than the mere transport. Indeed, I would have happy had this trip taken two or three days.

If you divide 19 hours into 381 kilometers, you get an average speed of 20 km or 12 miles per hour. That would be ridiculously slow, so it’s worth noting that not all of the trip is spent in motion. Besides making two stops for off train activities, we’d also be parking on a siding between 11:00pm and 5:00am.

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Old May 30, 2004, 8:14 pm
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The first stop was at the Okapuka Game Ranch, located about an hour and a half out of Windhoek. There we boarded this gigantic Mercedes flatbed truck. The back of the truck had been designed to seat about thirty people under a flat wooden roof. Windows were of course open air with canvas rolled up along the sides for when it rained. There was even a small kitchen area onboard complete with gas burners for hot meals!




Our Flatbed Transport


The primary purpose of this stop was to watch some lions feeding. The ranch had three lions on the property – one male and two females. The male was said to be one of the oldest and arguably the largest male lion in Namibia, weighing over 500 pounds. Unfortunately, all of these lions were confined within a walled in enclosure – essentially little more than a nice pen much like you’d find in a zoo. Viewing was through a small eight inch wide slit that ran about twenty feet through the middle of a stone wall.

As we were disembarking from the big flatbed, I could hear the lions roaring and snarling. Just prior to our arrival, one of the ranch hands had thrown them a single antelope leg and there was apparently some disagreement amongst the lions as to which one of them should get primary possession of the leg. By the time I’d bellied up to the slit, the younger female was gnawing on the leg while the big male paced about twenty feet away, no doubt lamenting the good old days when he could have sent that young upstart mewling away with just one mighty roar! Eventually, he and the older female lay down together and posed for some really nice pictures. It was almost as if these lions were photogenic and knew it. They really made a very nice looking couple. Meanwhile, the one with the antelope leg had her back to us most of the time and continued eating while seemingly oblivious to our presence.




A good looking couple


Overall, I wasn’t too impressed. I could just as easily watch a lion being fed at most any zoo in North America. Okay, I suppose the alternative would be hanging out on the train drinking beer, but it all seemed so staged. Ah well, the price for this trip did not also include a safari so I won’t complain to vigorously.

After about fifteen minutes of watching the lions, we clambered back aboard our transport and headed over to the Okapuka Game Ranch’s main lodge for free beer and soda. Hard alcohol would cost you but everything else was free. All you could drink, too. I’d already had three beers so I limited myself to just one more and chatted with a couple of ladies from Johannesburg who I’d sat next to on our trip out to see the lion feed. One of them had a couple of thousand dollars worth of camera equipment with her, including a beautiful Nikon digital camera with a 28-80 lens that practically had me drooling. They were just traveling out to Swakopmund for the weekend, having flown in from Johannesburg just that morning. While in Swakopmund, they’d be staying at the Hansa Hotel – widely regarded as the finest hotel in town. By contrast, I was staying at the Villa Weiss, regarded amongst some as one of the finest backpacker places in town.

Economically speaking, I sensed that there was a substantial difference between my lot in life and that of my fellow passengers, most of whom were also ten to twenty years older than me. To be sure, at $350.00 for a one day journey, the Desert Express would not appeal to many backpackers. Indeed, were it not for the generous compensation I received after having accepted a bump from a British Airways flight two months earlier, my presence aboard this train would be only in my dreams.

Before we headed back to the train, I took a couple of moments to look around the lodge’s main building. It was an impressive property, with a huge open air lounge and bar under an immense thatched roof supported by huge trees. The dining room was glassed in and offered beautiful views of the park like grounds and nearby mountains. The menu featured all types of game animals at very affordable prices by American or European standards. We’re talking springbok or zebra for about $16.00 USD. Finally, I asked the front desk clerk how much a night here would cost. $900.00 Namibian was the reply. Eeegads! That’s about $130.00 per night – actually very affordable by most game lodge standards, but a tad rich for my wallet. Perhaps if BA might see fit to bump me on my next flight . . .

As we arrived back at the train, the sun was low in the sky and the air had finally started to cool a bit. The golden orange sun lent a warm glow to the train’s exterior and I paused for a quick photo before climbing aboard.




Late afternoon departure from Okapuka


There were two sittings for dinner and I was told that given our light load and the fact that I was a single traveler, I could come in at any time. First however, I returned to my suite for a quick shower and a change of clothes.




Bathroom - Shower combination


Train showers can be hit or miss affairs – some don’t have much hot water, others don’t have much pressure. The shower in my suite had an abundance of both! After drying off with the luxuriant cotton towel, I adjusted the room thermostat up a couple of degrees and sank back into one of the lounge chairs to watch the Namibian countryside roll by. Reclined half naked in my own private climate controlled room on a luxurious train while rolling through the hinterlands of an exotic country, I mused that this really is quite the good life. And… there was still a five course dinner to look forward to!

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Old May 30, 2004, 8:18 pm
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At about 8:00pm, I headed up to the dining car. Although there was no set dress code per se, given the ambience of a luxurious train experience, I felt I should dress in my finest duds. By backpacker’s standards, this amounted to a pair of black Levi 501s and a blue button down Oxford shirt. My best shoes were some low cut semi-hiking boots. They looked better than my everyday dusty but comfortable old running shoes.

In the Welwitschia dining car, I was greeted by the hostess, Sholana, and shown to my own table. By contrast, on Amtrak and ViaRail I’d have been seated at any table that had an open seat. Forced communality, I’d call it. The majority of the passengers on this train were traveling in their own groups, however. Though I’m sure many of them spoke English, it was not their preferred language. Add to this the fact that I was the only single traveler on board and it not only made sense but was actually preferable to have my own table.

Water was poured and a bread roll was placed on my bread plate. The menu was presented in a nice leather binder and I was given a couple of minutes to peruse its contents:


WELWITSCHIA RESTAURANT


STARTER

Fresh Oysters on Coarse Salt

Served with lemon and Tabasco Sauce

Biltong Soup
Served with bread sticks

Watermelon and Spansek Salad
Presented on a bed of crisp lettuce garnished with Feta cheese

MAIN COURSE

Steamed Chicken Breast with Honey Mustard Sauce

Served with sauted Potatoes

Ostrich Medallions with Green Figs and Port Sauce
Garnished with deep-fried leeks and served with sauted potatoes

Seafood Potjie
Served with savoury rice

Vegetable Lasagna

All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables

DESSERT

Cheese Platter
Hot Mud Pudding
Swiss Roll served with fresh cream
Assorted Fruit Kebab



Wow – To an omnivore like me, everything looked good! I’ve only recently come to enjoy oysters, so I definitely wanted a plate of those. I was informed that I could have either soup or salad, but not both. Hmm… okay then, make it the soup. Although I wasn’t that keen on the biltong I’d had earlier in the lounge car, I just had a feeling that the soup might be worth a try. For my entre, I wanted to try the ostrich since that certainly wasn’t something I could expect to find on many North American menus. Alas, I was informed that the ostrich had never been loaded in Windhoek and had been replaced by an Oryx Fillet. That’ll be fine, I replied. One won’t find those in North America either!

Given the standard I’ve set with my other reports, I was tempted to take pictures but I didn’t want to disturb the other diners with the flashes. On airplanes, the overhead lights provide more than enough light for a good photo. The lighting in this dining car consisted of dimmed side wall lighting coupled with candles on the tables. The overall ambience was very nice indeed.

As for the food, it was excellent! The presentations were very impressive as well. My oysters, all six of them, were artfully arranged in the center of a plate surrounded by plenty of crushed rock salt. A separate tray of three different types of Tabasco sauce was presented on the side. The Biltong soup was far and away the best soup I’ve had in a long while! It was creamy and flavorful with plenty of finely shredded biltong to add to the flavor, not to mention texture. Delicious! As for the Oryx Fillet, it tasted very much like beef but with a slightly richer flavor. Nutty, perhaps? It was served with a piquant sauce which was itself superb but even without the sauce the meat had an excellent texture and flavor. Highly recommended!

I passed on the cheese offering but did try the Swiss Roll with cream and orange slices. Sinfully decadent!

Afterwards, I retired to the Spitzkoppe Lounge for a final Windhoek Lager. This beer is crafted using only organic ingredients and is really quite crisp and tasty.




Lounge life



Sunset vista as seen while rolling across the Namib Desert



Sunset vista as seen while rolling across the Namib Desert


I was briefly tempted to go and check out the Starview Bistro but after such a long day which started with my 5:00am arrival in Windhoek and had included with more than a few beers, I was feeling ready for bed.

I arrived back at Oryx car, Suite 2 to find that my bed had already been lowered and made up. The bed folded down from the wall and was a good three feet wide and about six and a half feet long. It included a soft and fluffy duvet, two pillows and a large chocolate mint. Even the towel from my earlier shower had been replaced and a fresh bottle of water had been placed at my bedside table.

I’d like to rent this room for a month!




Comfortable bed on the Desert Express


I’ve always enjoyed sleeping on a train. The muted clickity clack and the gentle motion of the train car is very conducive to a good sleep for me. To avoid arriving in Swakopmund at 3:00am, the Desert Express pulls off on a siding for the night at about 11:00pm. It resumes the journey at about 5:00am. Since I’d turned my bedside lamp off at just after 10:30pm, I still got to enjoy the sounds and sensations of the rails and was asleep moments later.

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Old May 30, 2004, 8:20 pm
  #6  
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I awoke at about 7:00am. Out my window, desert scrub and mountains had been replaced by desert sand and mountainous sand dunes shrouded in fog. Although sunshine would have been preferable, I thought the dunes looked really neat through the fog. I quickly showered and dressed, then headed up to the dining car for breakfast.




Desert Dunes in clearing fog


The breakfast service was different from dinner in that one of the larger four top tables had been converted to a buffet that featured a variety of cheeses, crackers, meats, breads, fruit (honeydew melon and grapes), cereals, muesli, yogurt and juices. Although there was no printed menu, a variety of basic egg dishes, including a full English Breakfast were also offered.

I helped myself to some fruit and a glass of orange juice, then ordered the full English Breakfast. No doubt the sensible choice would have been some yogurt and muesli, but I like to take full advantage of the meal service on both planes and trains. This is especially true at breakfast where I always order the more extravagant meal. My breakfast included two fried eggs, boerewor sausages and bacon, mushrooms, cucumbers, a grilled tomato and a bread basket. This left me with plenty of energy for the next activity which commenced shortly after breakfast.

We were only about 15 kilometers from Swakopmund when we stopped out in the middle of the desert. We weren’t even on a siding, so I hoped no other trains were coming! The reason for this stop was to allow anyone who was up for it to hike out to and climb some big sand dunes. Our Director of Onboard Services led the charge. About half of the passengers assembled outside the train for the trek across the sands. We were told that the cooler morning temperatures and fog were a good thing because it meant we were unlikely to encounter any scorpions or sidewinders. Even so, we were cautioned to watch for them and then off we went.







Desert Dunes hike



Desert Dunes hike


I was surprised at how far we ventured from the train. I’d guess we hiked a good mile into the desert before we started climbing up what looked to be the biggest dune. Climbing sand dunes is a lot harder than climbing mountains. The sand sinks under your feet and doesn’t offer good support, thus it requires a lot more effort. Six of our group decided to turn back before reaching the top. The dune we were climbing was well over two hundred feet high and once we’d reached the top the view was pretty cool, even in the fog which was slowly lifting. Our guide explained that had this been a clear morning, we would have been able to easily see the Atlantic Ocean. As it was, we could just barely make out our train sitting way down below us out in the distance.

Although we’d climbed the dune along its ridge, the best way to come down a big sand dune is to pretend that you’re skiing between some big moguls. I just hopped a zig zag path down through the sand, which was way more fun than climbing up.

Back on board the Desert Express, my room had been converted back to a daytime lounge. I finished packing, then headed up to the Spitzkoppe Lounge to settle my bar tab and leave a gratuity for the staff. Gratuities were of course at the discretion of the guests, but I was surprised to see how little most people appeared to be leaving. A medium sized jar had been placed on the bar and it held mostly ten and twenty dollar notes. $10.00 Namibian or South African equals about $1.40 US. Given that we were tipping for all the staff, from the car attendants to the bar tender to the dining room staff, I was surprised that most folks hadn’t left a bit more. Since tipping about 10-15% in restaurants is the norm in South Africa, $100.00 seemed a more appropriate amount and I particularly thanked my car attendant Michelle for the timely and excellent job she had done in readying my suite for both day and night use.

We rolled into Swakopmund at 10:00am, right on time. Unlike Windhoek, there was no grand train station. In fact, there wasn’t any station at all. The train eased up alongside a raised platform and we were dropped off there. The platform was in a sandy lot off a dusty side road on the outskirts of town. A couple of vans awaited to transport us to our various hotels. This was certainly a most ignoble ending to an otherwise excellent rail excursion. Hopefully a nicer station in Swakopmund will be built soon.

Otherwise, this was an excellent train trip. Although I would not place the Desert Express in the same company as the Blue Train or the Orient Express, at $350.00 USD for a twenty hour journey it offers affordable luxury and very good food and service well worth the price tag. Certainly, amongst African luxury trains, it is the most affordable. (See links below.) For those of you that aren’t in too much of a hurry and enjoy a good train trip, I certainly recommend the Desert Express!

AFRICAN LUXURY TRAIN LINKS

Desert Express

Blue Train

Rovos Rail

Shongololo Express

Last edited by Seat 2A; Sep 15, 2014 at 2:07 pm
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Old May 30, 2004, 11:59 pm
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Another great report and nice pictures too! The Desert Express interior, especially the bathroom, sure looked pretty plush.
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Old May 31, 2004, 2:23 am
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Great report (and photos), Seat 2A, and one that brings back happy memories - of all the countries I visited in my 6 month ramble from the Cape to Nairobi, Namibia was my favourite. We got around in a beat up old VW Jetta, on arrow-straight roads through martian moonscapes... but I can certainly see the appeal of admiring that landscape from a leather armchair while sipping a well-chilled Windhoek lager. Which, incidentally, I discovered the other day in a Sydney off-license - any Sydneysiders out there who are pining for Windhoek should head to Kemeny's on Bondi Road. (Great wine selection, too!)

I'm sorry to read that downtown Windhoek is now considered unsafe. One thing I found so refreshing about Namibia, in contrast to South Africa, was that I never felt unsafe anywhere, and there didn't seem to be the underlying edge of tension and aggression that one often felt simmering below the surface in South African cities.
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Old May 31, 2004, 8:21 am
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An entertaining, detailed, informative and well written report, as always. Most enjoyable.


Originally Posted by Seat 2A
The male was said to be one of the oldest and arguably the largest male lion in Namibia, weighing over 500 pounds.
No wonder! Well-fed lions confined to a small enclosure tend to get lazy and fat.

Lions are not easily and often weighed, so statements such as "largest" and "heaviest" should be treated with some caution. A few years ago a wild lion in the Boyela area north of Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park weighed in at 254 kgs (560 pounds), on an empty stomach. Now that was a big lion!


Originally Posted by mad_atta
I'm sorry to read that downtown Windhoek is now considered unsafe. One thing I found so refreshing about Namibia, in contrast to South Africa, was that I never felt unsafe anywhere
Once upon a time, the downtown areas of all South African cities were perfectly safe. Oppressive regimes are very good at keeping crime levels low, if they want to. The South African apartheid goverments were of course very selective about where they fought crime (few people know that South Africa always was, and still is, an under-policed country). Until say, twelve years ago I could walk from downtown Johannesburg to Hillbrow and Berea after dark without having to be too concerned about my safety. This changed in a very short time.

The decline in Windhoek has been more gradual, and I don't think the situation is as bad as some would have us believe. Seat 2A is quite right, a modicum of common sense is the best weapon against crime.

johan
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Old May 31, 2004, 1:30 pm
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Really enjoyed your report and wonderful photos! I'd love to go to Namibia and wish I'd visited when we last went to SA. Thanks for an interesting read.
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Old Jun 1, 2004, 12:21 pm
  #11  
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Originally Posted by johan rebel
The decline in Windhoek has been more gradual, and I don't think the situation is as bad as some would have us believe.
I completely agree. I never actually spent any time in Windhoek as I merely transited it both times I was there. In talking with other travelers who had spent time there, yes - crime is a consideration, but perhaps not so much a worry as the folks in the hostel and at the train station would have had me believe.

As for Swakopmund, nobody seemed the least bit concerned about crime either day or night.
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Old Jun 5, 2004, 11:45 pm
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Great report!!!

Can I ask how you got out of Swakopmund to wherever you were going next?

Jan
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Old Jun 6, 2004, 5:38 am
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Originally Posted by jan_az
Great report!!!

Can I ask how you got out of Swakopmund to wherever you were going next?

Jan
He flew!
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Old Jun 7, 2004, 10:31 am
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Flying was the least of it! That flight from Swakopmund to Windhoek lasted only one hour. From Windhoek down to the South African border town of Upington, I rode upon the decidedly non-luxurious Namibian Railways train number #9966. That was a twenty five hour journey that is detailed HERE.
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Old Jun 9, 2004, 1:48 pm
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Terrific report, Seat 2A! ^^ I need to spend more time in Trip Reports for some inspiration - I also love train travel...
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