“See the hippos!”
Gilbert, our Zambezi Queen guide, points to a jumble of large round boulders in the mud flats.
One boulder moves.
We make out red-rimmed eyes and little piggy ears.
Sure enough, it’s a hippo.
It stands up, waddles sideways, and then plops down on top of other boulders, creating a grey ripple of hippo flesh.
Spoiler alert! Contents of this Zambezi Queen review
Getting to the Zambezi Queen river boat
About this elegant Chobe River cruise boat
Not much “cruising” on the Zambezi Queen cruise
“You’ll see lots more hippos in the afternoon when they wake up to feed,” says Gilbert cheerfully.
Then he turns the boat toward a herd of long-tusked elephants on the riverbank, busy splattering mud over their bodies with their trunks.
Zambezi Queen review
When it came time to write this Zambezi Queen review, it was the hippos and elephants that stood out the most for us.
An African river cruise boat can be lovely.
But what’s the point if you don’t get gob-smacking game viewing?
We’d left our mother vessel, the Zambezi Queen, and were zipping along the Chobe River between Botswana and Namibia on a small aluminum boat.
We ducked into reedy shallows…
To watch an eight-foot Nile crocodile sleep in the sun (then leap into the river with a huge splash).
To see Egyptian geese, black-and-white kingfishers, white egrets and yellow-billed storks preening and fluttering about mauve water lilies.
To spot hippos and elephants.
These enthralling sights are just part of the rich game viewing and bird watching experienced on an African river cruise aboard the Zambezi Queen.
And the Zambezi Queen boat delivers all of this in style!
Zambezi Queen houseboat
Part of the Zambezi Queen Collection, the Zambezi Queen is 138 feet (42 meters) long.
Built in the early 1990s, the luxury Chobe houseboat was taken over by the Mantis group in 2012 and reinvented for today’s river safari guests.
(The Mantis Group manages a collection of five-star boutique hotels, eco-lodges and yachts around the world.)
Two- and three-night Chobe river cruises can be booked on the Zambezi Queen. And it offers one of Africa’s most unique safari experiences.
African safari river cruises
Normally on safari, you stay on land in a lodge or tent.
On the Zambezi Queen, however, you float on the water, soaking up the life of the floodplain.
Staterooms on this Chobe houseboat
Resembling a houseboat, the Zambezi Queen has 14 spacious staterooms on the lower two of its three decks.
Ten standard staterooms range from 215 sq. ft. (19 sq. meters) to 235 sq. ft. (218 sq. meters), while four master suites are a generous 300 sq. ft. (28 sq. meters).
They’re all lovely, with white walls decorated with sepia photographs of wild animals, gauzy curtains, small balconies and deliciously comfortable king-size beds with quality linens.
Ensuite bathrooms have faux wood floors and glass showers.
All staterooms have air-conditioning to keep you cool at night too (but you don’t really need it between May and September).
The only thing you have to be careful about on this Chobe houseboat is closing your balcony doors and outside metal shutters when it gets dark.
(After leaving the doors open and lights on one evening, we returned to find a bug party in our cabin – hey, this is Africa. But the staff kindly cleaned our room all over again.)
At 10 pm, the main lights are turned off, and the boat’s power is switched to back-up.
Getting to the Zambezi Queen river boat
The journey to get to the Zambezi Queen is quite the adventure in itself.
The Zambezi Queen awaits in the Chobe River on the Namibia side of the river.
Following our lion-oriented South African safari, we flew from Johannesburg to Livingstone, Zambia, where we were driven to the banks of the Zambezi River and ferried across to Kasane, Botswana.
You may fly directly into the new Kasane International Airport in Botswana.
After getting your passport stamped, you’re guided to a vehicle for transfer to the Kasane Immigration Office.
There, Zambezi Queen staff help you through passport control to exit Botswana and board a motor boat to cross the Chobe River to the Namibian Immigration Office.
Keep your eyes peeled, as you could spot ellies or other wildlife!
After getting your passport stamped from the Namibian office, you clamber back into the boat for a high-speed ride to the Zambezi Queen.
Going through passport control and immigration has never been so much fun!
Welcome! An elegant Chobe river cruise boat
Once we were onboard, smiling Namibian staff (mostly women, wearing bright orange turbans and long dresses) greeted us with African songs.
Then we were ushered upstairs to the top deck for a glass of champagne.
And what a view awaited us up there!
The entire top deck, consisting of the lounge, library and dining room, is one open room.
As it’s completely open on three sides, you have unobstructed views of the African scenery. (At night, staff roll down see-through screens and turn the air-conditioning on.)
Sipping our champagne, while reclining against zebra-striped cushions on a cream sofa, we watched an amazing tableau of perhaps 20 elephants munching away on a grassy river island.
Occasionally, they’d splash each other with water.
The setting sun cast a golden glow over the scene, a refreshing breeze kept us cool and the travel rigors of the day just melted away.
Game viewing and more on the Zambezi Queen river cruise
Water-based excursions
We saw plenty more elephants on “water game drives” throughout our three-night African river cruise.
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These small boat excursions brought us even closer to the river-based wildlife.
Crocs, comical-looking warthogs drinking from the river, mother and baby elephants, hippos galore (as promised by Gilbert) and an Audubon-worthy abundance of birds that would make serious birdwatchers swoon – we reveled watching all.
Chobe National Park excursion
A half-day is also devoted to a game drive on land in Chobe National Park.
The second biggest park in Botswana, Chobe has one of the largest populations of wildlife on the African continent.
Climbing into a six-person open Land Cruiser with a shade roof, we set off along red-sand tracks through the park.
The dry ochre-colored savannah, pockmarked by enormous “upside-down” baobab trees and thorny shrubs, was quite a contrast to the lush green scenes of the river.
So were the animals we saw.
Gangly giraffes, their heads peering over acacia trees.
Baby baboons, chasing each other and hitching rides astride their mothers.
Graceful impala, bounding across the bushland.
We kept an eye out for lions.
But we didn’t see any. (Lions usually sleep during the day and hunt at night.)
Rural village visit
You also have the opportunity to visit the rural Namibian village from which the Zambezi Queen staff are hired.
You learn how the local people live in clay huts and cook on open fires, and you can buy hand-beaded jewelry, wood carvings and other souvenirs from them too.
Not much cruising on the Zambezi Queen cruise
With all the activities, the Zambezi Queen doesn’t do much actual cruising.
It mostly just glides along at a leisurely pace between two moorings about 15+ miles (25 kilometers) apart. In this sense, it’s more like a houseboat than a river cruise.
Indeed, we wished our Chobe river cruise was longer – so we could chill out more on a lounge chair or soak in the outdoor hot tub on the upper back deck, watching the wilderness scenery slowly unfold.
Dining onboard
We also still hanker for another slice of the heavenly lemon meringue pie served for dessert one day.
Focusing on quality not copious quantities, the food is delicious, with salads, quiches and fish for lunch and international specialties for dinner.
The last night is a special buffet of typical African foods – like spicy lamb stew and creamed spinach in peanut sauce and oxtail.
And the staff, dressed in grass skirts, coax all the guests to join them in traditional singing and dancing.
Still, for us, the river life stands out the most.
We couldn’t get enough of the elephants on the riverbanks, the rainbow-colored birds strutting in the grasses and the hippos, waking us up with their ho-ho-ho grunting – only in Africa…
The Chobe Princesses
If you prefer an even more intimate Chobe houseboat, you can book one of the three smaller Chobe Princesses.
After refurbishment, they joined the Zambezi Queen Collection in 2015.
They also underwent another facelift in 2019, with upgrades to the bathrooms and pool decks installation of new beds and furnishings.
Two of the Chobe Princesses are 60 feet (19 meters) long and have four staterooms.
The third Chobe Princess is slightly bigger and has five staterooms.
Like the Zambezi Queen, staterooms have king-size beds and air-conditioning.
Staterooms also have large sliding windows overlooking the ever-changing river views.
And each houseboat has a plunge pool too.
The Chobe Princesses also have their own smaller “tender” boats to take you out on daily river excursions.
Things to know about a Chobe River safari
The Zambezi Queen as part of a tour
Many guests take a Zambezi Queen cruise as part of a longer African safari tour packaged by AmaWaterways.
Booking on your own
If traveling independently, the Zambezi Queen and Chobe Princesses are typically booked for two or three nights.
Rates include all excursions, a premium selection of South African wines and boat transfers from the Kasane Immigration Office in Botswana.
Staggered transfer times are offered on the hour between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm. If you take the 1:00 pm or 2:00 pm transfer, you’ll be greeted with lunch. (Snacks are offered if you take a later transfer.)
When to go
The best time to book this African river cruise is during the cooler, dry season from May to November.
Malaria
Take anti-malarial precautions, as the Zambezi Queen and Chobe Princesses are in a malaria area.
Other Zambezi Queen reviews
We’re not the only ones who love the Zambezi Queen cruises.
The Zambezi Queen Collection won the award for “Africa’s Leading River Cruise Company” in the 2023 World Travel Awards.
Previously, it snapped up the same award in the 2022 World Travel Awards. And it’s won the award for the “World’s Leading Boutique Cruise” for several years in a row.
Booking your Zambezi Queen luxury African river safari
More information
For more information about the Zambezi Queen and Chobe Princesses, see the Zambezi Queen Collection website.
Also visit Victoria Falls
When in the area, be sure to also visit nearby Victoria Falls, one of the world’s seven natural wonders.
On the Zambia side of the falls, the top-rated Royal Livingstone Hotel is just a 10-minute walk from the thundering waterfalls.
On the Zimbabwe side, we loved our stay at the Victoria Falls Safari Club. It offers an exclusive hotel-within-a-hotel experience. (And it was fascinating to attend the vulture feeding experience!)
Check out more of Africa!
Walking safaris: Discover the best walking safaris in Africa. (Just beware the lions!)
Sabi Sands: What’s it like to go on a “Big Five” safari in Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa?
Safari in Chobe National Park: On a Chobe safari, you won’t believe all the animals in the Land of the Giants!
Our top travel tips and resources
Hotels: Booking.com is great for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. We especially like Booking’s flexible cancellation policy!
Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).
Flights: To book the cheapest flights, search on Google Flights or Expedia. (Just be aware Expedia tickets may be non-refundable.)
Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!
Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.
Car rental: Renting a car is often one of the best ways to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies so you get the best rates.
Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.
Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)
Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find great hotels and other crazy useful trip planning info.
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Photo credits: 4, 12, 14 to 16, 18 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Remaining photos the Zambezi Queen Collection
About the authors
Luxury travel journalists and SATW, NATJA and TMAC “Best Travel Blog” award winners, Janice and George Mucalov are the publishers of Sand In My Suitcase. Between them, they’ve traveled to all 7 continents. See About.
Find destination guides, global food-and-wine stories, luxury hotel reviews, articles on cultural explorations and soft adventure trips, cruise reviews, insanely useful travel tips and more!
Debbie
Tuesday 30th of April 2024
I just read your blog about your river cruise/safari on the Zambezi Queen. My husband and I are booked for May 6th and we can’t wait! Your pictures and descriptions indicate we are in for an experience of a lifetime.
I’m struggling to pack the right clothes!
I went to REI and Eddie Bauer to buy what I thought would be the perfect safari wardrobe. Then I read I shouldn’t wear black or dark blue because it attracts the Tsetse fly. I took it back and exchanged everything for beige, khaki and green clothes. Based on what I’ve read, it sounds like we need to cover ourselves from head to toe and wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid being bit by bugs.
What did you wear or wish you had packed? We look forward to your suggestions!
Janice and George
Tuesday 30th of April 2024
Yes, you're going to have an amazing experience!
Because we were doing other safaris on this trip too, we had to pack everything into one squishy duffel bag each (to fit into the small safari airplanes). So our wardrobes were limited!
For game drives and boat excursions, we'd wear light-weight, safari-style pants and shirts - to protect against bugs as well as the sun. Beige and khaki colors are cooler and blend in with the scenery better (you don't want to spook the wildlife with bright colors). A safari hat is essential for sun protection too.
I (Janice) also packed linen pants and a couple of prettier T-shirts and blouses (plus leather running shoes) for dinners. I also had flip-flops, a swimsuit and a cover-up.
Other guests on the boat dressed pretty similarly (i.e., casual), as most were also doing additional safaris - so they too were restricted in what they could bring.
The main point is to dress comfortably and bring quick-drying clothes.
Enjoy your trip!
Tammy Vig
Thursday 28th of July 2016
Have you actually been to the Royal Livingstone hotel?
I haven't, but I read on another travel blog that it was a budget experience at 5 star prices and that they absolutely would not recommend it.
Janice and George
Thursday 28th of July 2016
Yes, we stayed for several days at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. See our blog post. Don't think of this as a budget experience - it's definitely a top luxury resort! It's a larger resort, however, not a small boutique hotel. We found it a great place to recharge (with all the convenient luxuries - air conditioning, plush bedding, lots of space, public swimming pool with lounge chairs by the river, restaurants, etc.) after one safari and before going into the bush in Zambia on another safari.
Chaitanya Shah
Wednesday 26th of November 2014
Wow. Luxury in a place you'd least expect. It's fantastic that such ventures would support the locals economically. I'm sure it must be a great experience.
Janice and George
Tuesday 2nd of December 2014
It was a highlight of our African visit! And we miss the wonderful views we had of those elephants...
Freya
Sunday 16th of November 2014
WoW what a unique experience. A safari has been high on my list for quite some time now and this river safari sounds perfect.
Lily Lau
Wednesday 12th of November 2014
What an exciting experience you two just had! What a lucky couple you are, I wish I had been there too :) Thanks for sharing this with us, at least we could live it through your eyes.