Zambezi Queen guests now have the unique adventure of an extraordinary river cruise journey on a 5-star ship. The boat cruises along the shores of the Chobe River and is uniquely situated only a few kilometres from a point where Four African countries meet.

It is also just 82 km by road from one of the great wonders of the world - the magnificent Victoria Falls. The world-famous Chobe National Park, with its untamed wildlife and approximately hundred thousand elephants and over 404 species of birds make this Luxury African River Safari an exceptional and unforgettable wildlife safari experience.

The Suites and the Luxury Suites are all en-suite with private balconies, king-size beds which can on request be divided into twin beds), and have luxurious and exclusive features. Two of the four Luxury Suites provide their private deck with outdoor furniture and the remaining two offering magnificent panoramic views with doors and windows on two sides. Each room on the boat can accommodate a maximum of two guests.

In the chamber facilities:

• Fans in all Suites
• Private safes
• En-suite bathrooms
• Sliding mosquito net doors
• Full-length sliding shutters for both privacy and protection from the sun
• Private balconies overlooking the Chobe River
• She offers 10 Suites and 4 Master Suites - maximum of 2 persons per Suite except for four suites designed with sofa couches which permit two adults and one child under 16 years old. Please note that only four suites have sleeper couch facilities.
• All suites are en-suite with king-size beds which can be changed into two single beds on request.
• All suites have private balconies and fans, full length sliding shutter doors for both privacy and protection from the sun, mosquito screens and the most beautiful finishes.
• Two Master Suites have their private deck with outdoor furniture and the remaining two having superb panoramic views with doors and windows on two sides.

Zambezi Queen situated on the third level with unobstructed views on three sides, guests dine in absolute luxury while taking in the picturesque African surroundings. Pete Goff-Wood, self-styled food alchemist and one of South Africa's top chefs, has been commissioned to create a menu which reflects the flavours of Africa. He has extensive experience in all things about the African palate and specialises in authentic cuisine. The bar on the boat offers local and imported spirits, wines and beers.

The 1st of 3 levels contains an air-conditioned reading room which includes books related to the area, DVD player with wildlife documentaries and computer services. The remainder of the 1st level and the entire 2nd level contains the Suites and Master Suites. The 3rd level is the entertainment deck includes the following: dining facilities, an open-plan lounge area with unobstructed views, and a well-appointed bar stocked with the finest wines and spirits.

All the above areas are protected by mosquito screens, which allow for a comfortable and pleasant environment for dining and relaxing. There are two outside areas on the top deck, one aft which provides a shaded area with comfortable seating and the other on the foredeck, including a pool and sunbathing area.

Activities on Boat

• Water-based wildlife viewing on smaller boats which enables close-up viewing in an environment where the animals do not feel threatened
• Tiger and bream fishing in season
• Bird watching from a smaller boat

Activities in the area

• Land-based half-day 4x4 wildlife viewing in Botswana Chobe National Park. She has its guides onboard.
• Land-based cultural tour of a local village
• A light aircraft situated an 11 min drive from the base camp allows guests aerial wildlife viewing, or to use it as a transfer shuttle to Victoria Falls or the Okavango Delta which is at an additional cost.

The boat is 80km from the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and Livingstone (Zambia) and 3km from Kasane International Airport. All of these locations ( Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Kasane Airport ) are suitable for international travellers and operate regularly scheduled flights out of Johannesburg International Airport (South Africa).

Transfers from Livingstone or Victoria Falls airports to the boat are by road and take approximately 90 minutes depending on border crossing times. Access to the ship on the Namibian side is made possible by a 35-minute charter flight from the Victoria Falls to Impala Island followed by a 10 min boat ride aboard one of the tender boats. Road transfer guests are collected from Immigration situated on the banks of the river at Kasane in Botswana for the 10-minute boat transfer to the boat docking station. There is also an air charter company that operates from an airstrip on the adjacent island that can pick up and drop off at any spot within 300 km of Kasane. The benefit here is that there will be only one border clearance necessary as it is Namibian based.

Visas

Due to continually changing visa requirements, guests are responsible for contacting the appropriate embassy.

Responsible Tourism

Sustainable, responsible tourism lies at the heart of this project, with one of the major concerns being the preservation of this perfect area. This luxury safari houseboat has therefore been designed and built to particular requirements. The boat does not use conventional propellers but a jet propulsion system which reduces damage to the river bed and enables the ship to operate in very shallow water.

At night, this unique houseboat switches over to a low emission power system for lighting, refrigerators, and other requirements. This single system allows a guest to enjoy the sounds of the untamed African bush undisturbed by the unwanted sounds of modern technology. The hot water requirements are provided by solar panels which transfer the sun's heat to storage boilers. Taps and showers incorporate the most advanced water-saving designs available, and all used water is in holding tanks to prevent discharging directly into the river. All water used (except drinking water) is filtered river water. For drinking water, the boat is fitted with a state-of-the-art purification system incorporating U.V. radiation for producing clear sparkling water.

General information

• Smoking is only permitted on the top entertainment deck, on the outside areas at the front and rear of the boat.
• Smoking is not allowed in all cabins, and their balconies and guests are advised that smoke detectors are fitted in all cabins.
• Every effort will be made to cater for travellers' dietary needs subject to the operators of the Zambezi Queen being notified at least 31 days before the departure of such requirements and provided that the request is reasonable in the circumstances.

Rates

2-night itinerary

January - March: ZAR 14 970.00 per person sharing in a Standard Suite and ZAR 17 670.00 per person sharing in a Master Suite

April - December: ZAR 18 150.00 per person sharing in a Standard Suite and ZAR 21 420.00 per person sharing in a Master Suite

2018 3 night itinerary

January - March: ZAR 22 455.00 per person sharing in a Standard Suite and ZAR 26 505.00 per person sharing in a Master Suite

April - December: ZAR 27 225.00 per person sharing in a Standard Suite and ZAR 32 130.00 per person sharing in a Master Suite

Rates are per person sharing in South African Rand (ZAR)

Rates Include:

• Accommodation
• All meals
• All soft drinks, mineral water, coffee, tea, and local beer & wine throughout your stay
• Water-based wildlife viewing and bird watching on tender boats
• A land-based cultural tour of a local village
• Tiger & bream fishing in a season (tiger fishing strictly catches and release)
• Road Transfers to and from Kasane Airport and Kasane Immigration Office located on the Botswana side of the Chobe River

Rates Exclude:

• Air tickets
• Premium alcoholic beverages (such as sparkling wine, spirits & dessert wines)
• Additional transfers to/from Zambia / Zimbabwe / Namibia / any of the Kasane Lodges
• A land-based half-day 4x4 wildlife viewing in Botswana's Chobe National Park
• Curio Shop purchases
• Community Development Levy (ZAR 95.00 per person per night)
• Gratuities (at your discretion)
• Visa Fees

2020 - 21 Departure Dates

Two-night itinerary:

January 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31
February 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 26, 28
March 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 26, 28
April 2, 4, 9, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30
May 2, 7, 9, 14, 21, 23, 28, 30
June 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25
July 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25
August 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
September 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24
October 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29
November 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26
December No 2-nighters in December 2018

Three-night itinerary

January 1*, 5, 12, 19, 26
February 2, 9, 16, 23
March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
April 6, 13, 20, 27
May 4, 11, 18, 25
June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
July 6, 13, 20, 27
August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
September 7, 14, 21, 28
October 5, 12, 19, 26
November 2, 9, 16, 23
December 14, 17* , 21, 24* , 28

• Monday 01 January is a 4-night sailing sold at a 3-night sailing rate
• Monday 17 December is a 4-night sailing sold at a 3-night sailing rate
• Monday 24 December is a 4-night sailing sold at a 3-night sailing rate