Namibia & the Pride of Africa

We depart London Heathrow on a flight to Cape Town, arriving on the morning of Day 2. We take an orientation tour of Cape Town, seeing the main sights, after which we transfer to the 5-Star Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel for three nights, superbly situated overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Later, we head out again to make the cable car ascent of Table Mountain to enjoy city views (weather permitting)

Today, we travel to Cape Point on the Cape of Good Hope, at the south-western tip of Africa. At Cape Point we take the Flying Dutchman funicular railway up to a vantage point to admire the awe-inspiring views. Later we walk to Boulders Bay, home to a colony of African Penguins, the only indigenous penguin on the entire continent, which can be seen at close range, before visiting Simon's Town, the location of a naval base.

Our excursion today takes us to two of South Africa's finest and most famous wine producing areas, the Franschhoek and Stellenbosch valleys, which gives us the opportunity to sample some of the local wines during a tasting session.

After a relaxed start to the day, we take a flight from Cape Town to Walvis Bay on Namibia's Skeleton Coast. Home to a variety of rare sea birds, Walvis Bay is a very important coastal wetland and busy port. On arrival we transfer to Swakopmund, a coastal town characterised by fine examples of German colonial architecture. We spend tonight at the Hansa Hotel.

Today we board our luxury train - the Pride of Africa. This truly elegant train, in luxurious air-conditioned suites, takes us across the African plains in comfort and style, with fine china, crisp linen and 5-Star service.

After settling into your cabin, perhaps relax in the Lounge car or the Observation carriage at the rear of the train as it leaves Swakopmund. Tonight we celebrate the beginning of our rail journey with a welcome dinner on board.

This morning we arrive in Tsumeb. Here we leave the train and transfer to the 5-Star Mokuti Lodge, located at the gateway to the Etosha National Park. Etosha, meaning 'Great White Place', is one of the finest game reserves in Southern Africa, home to wildlife including elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions and cheetahs. We take an afternoon game drive and enjoy dinner in the boma this evening.

After an early-morning game drive in Etosha National Park, we return to Mokuti Lodge for brunch. We then return to the train and continue to Windhoek, Namibia's lively capital. This afternoon you have free time to explore, before a relaxing evening on board the Pride of Africa.

On Day 9 we enjoy a tour of Windhoek before flying to Sossusvlei, a huge salt and clay pan enclosed by giant sand dunes. This is Namibia's most famous landmark, and tonight we are treated to a desert drive and a bush dinner. We stay at the Sossusvlei Lodge overnight.

We begin the day with an excursion into the desert, which gives us the chance to view Sossusvlei at its very best, when the colours are strong and constantly changing. During the excursion we have breakfast and are afforded some truly superb photo opportunities. We then fly back to Windhoek and rejoin the train.

After breakfast, today we visit Garas Park Rest Camp, continuing to Fish River Canyon, the world's largest river valley after America's Grand Canyon. At its widest point, the canyon is 21 miles across, and makes for a truly breathtaking sight. We rejoin the Pride of Africa in time for dinner together this evening as the train travels along the southern reaches of the Kalahari basin, to the South African border.

We rejoin the Pride of Africa and cross into South Africa this morning, stopping in Upington, an attractive town located on the banks of the Orange River. We explore the town with a guided tour before returning to the train to continue towards Kimberley. Your afternoon is spent on board, giving you the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy the passing scenery from the comfort of your private suite or the luxurious public areas of the train.

Today we reach Kimberley, a city founded on diamonds with a rich diamond mining history. Here we take a guided tour of the city and visit the 'The Big Hole' mine museum - a recreated townscape and museum which houses a fascinating collection of artefacts from the diamond rush that led to the huge mine's creation. As we leave Kimberley this afternoon, be sure to look out for the shallow lake, where flamingos can often be seen.

Following a leisurely morning on board, we arrive in Pretoria, the seat of South Africa's government. We welcomed at the Rovos Rail Station in Capital Park, which serves as the Pride of Africa's headquarters. We disembark the train and transfer to our base for tonight, the 4-Star Courtyard Arcadia Hotel. On the way, we take an excursion to the famous Voortrekker Monument, an enormous cenotaph in a nature reserve, dedicated to the Dutch pioneers that founded South Africa. The rest of your day is free for you to explore Pretoria at your own pace. The attractive and colourful city, which was once the 'Apartheid Capital of South Africa', is home to many historic buildings and interesting museums.

Today we have a day at leisure in Pretoria. We then transfer to the airport for our overnight flight to London Heathrow, arriving on Day 16, when your tour concludes.