The Authentic Cruise Company

Itinerary

Day 1: Johannesburg
Day 2: Johannesburg
Day 2: Kasane
Day 3: Cruising the Chobe River
Day 4: Chobe National Park
Day 5: Cruising the Chobe River
Day 6: Kasane
Day 6: Victoria Falls
Day 7: Victoria Falls
Day 8: Victoria Falls
Day 9: Johannesburg
Day 10: Johannesburg
Day 11: Arusha
Day 11: Tarangire National Park
Day 12: Tarangire National Park
Day 13: Tarangire National Park
Day 13: Lake Manyara
Day 13: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 14: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 15: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 15: Serengeti National Park
Day 16: Serengeti National Park
Day 17: Serengeti National Park
Day 17: Arusha
Day 1: Johannesburg

Day programme:

ARRIVE IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. After being greeted at the airport by an AmaWaterways Representative, transfer to Fairlawns Hotel.

Day 2: Johannesburg

Day programme:

JOHANNESBURG – KASANE, BOTSWANA – ZAMBEZI QUEEN – EMBARKATION. Fly to Kasane, Botswana where you’ll be transferred to the Chobe River. Tender boats will take you to the Zambezi Queen moored on the Namibia side of the river. Settle into your stateroom and in the evening, enjoy a Welcome Cocktail Reception and Dinner. (B,D)

Day 2: Kasane
Day 3: Cruising the Chobe River

Day programme:

ZAMBEZI QUEEN. Embark on an exhilarating morning boat safari. Return to the Zambezi Queen for lunch. Later in the day, enjoy another thrilling boat safari. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Chobe National Park

Day programme:

ZAMBEZI QUEEN. Join a full-day safari of Chobe National Park in open-top 4×4 vehicles. For lunch, take a seat under the trees and savor a delicious picnic. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Cruising the Chobe River

Day programme:

ZAMBEZI QUEEN. Visit a typical African village spending time with the village children as well as its elders followed by lunch on board. During the afternoon, you can go on a boat safari, bird watch or fish, and then cap the day off with a festive African-themed dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Kasane

Day programme:

ZAMBEZI QUEEN – DISEMBARKATION. Disembark your cruise in Kasane. (B)

Day 6: Victoria Falls
Day 7: Victoria Falls

Day programme:

VICTORIA FALLS. A local guide will take you on a tour of the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. You’ll learn about its history, and the flora and fauna that make this area so unique. In the evening, embark on a private sunset cruise along the Zambezi River. Relax on board as you observe a variety of game while enjoying a delicious mix of tapas with drinks, followed by a special dinner with live local entertainment at the hotel. (B,D)

Day 8: Victoria Falls

Day programme:

VICTORIA FALLS – JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA. After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg. Transfer to the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel with its parklike setting and wonderful Spa. (B)

Day 9: Johannesburg

Day programme:

JOHANNESBURG. Take a fascinating tour of Johannesburg and Soweto. Walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, visiting the Mandela House, followed by a township lunch. In the evening, enjoy a multi-course dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Johannesburg

Day programme:

JOHANNESBURG – KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA – ARUSHA, TANZANIA. Fly to Kilimanjaro where you will be met by an AmaWaterways Representative and transferred to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. (B,D)

Day 11: Arusha

Day programme:

ARUSHA – TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK. Journey to Tarangire National Park, where you’ll go on an adventurous safari before checking into Treetops Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Tarangire National Park
Day 12: Tarangire National Park

Day programme:

TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK, TANZANIA. Experience the wonders of Tarangire with a full day of activities, including a morning bushwalk, an afternoon safari and a sunset drive. This is home to the highest number of breeding bird species in the world along with thousands of elephants, huge herds of buffalo, stately fringe-eared oryx and the towering kudu. (B,L,D)

Day 13: Tarangire National Park

Day programme:

TARANGIRE – NGORONGORO, TANZANIA. Visit a local village before enjoying a game drive through Manyara National Park, home to tree-climbing lions, giraffes, cheetahs, monkeys, impalas and baboons. Be treated to a picnic en route to The Manor at Ngorongoro. (B,L,D)

Day 13: Lake Manyara
Day 13: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Day 14: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Day programme:

NGORONGORO CRATER, TANZANIA. Go on a full-day exploration to the awe-inspiring Ngorongoro Crater. Once a gigantic volcano, it’s the world’s largest intact caldera offering a unique environment virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. The nearly three million years old caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth. Deep within the crater, some 25,000 large mammals wander the plains, lakes and forests. A picnic will be served on the crater floor, followed by further exploration before heading back to The Manor. (B,L,D)

Day 15: Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Day programme:

NGORONGORO – SERENGETI, TANZANIA. Fly to the Serengeti and in the afternoon, go on a game drive to see the “Big Five.” (B,L,D)

Day 15: Serengeti National Park
Day 16: Serengeti National Park

Day programme:

SERENGETI NATIONAL PARK, TANZANIA. Explore the vast Serengeti via an open safari cruiser during the morning and after lunch. It is not possible to say with any accuracy where the Great Migration of the Wildebeest will be located at any one time. There are several determining factors; however, one can be assured that if there is a good chance of seeing it, then this can be accomplished from the Pioneer Camp or Migration Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 17: Serengeti National Park

Day programme:

SERENGETI – ARUSHA, TANZANIA. Take your final safari drive in the morning, and then transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Arusha. Lunch will be served in the gardens of the lodge before your final transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or extend your journey with four nights in magical Rwanda. (B,L) Note: Please do not schedule your onward flight until after 6:00 p.m.

Day 17: Arusha
Category MS
Category SA
Category SB
Category MS

Stateroom features include:

  • In-room temperature control and fan
  • Deluxe hotel-style bedding and oversized king beds (can also be configured as two single beds)
  • Spacious en-suite bathrooms
  • Large wardrobe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, toiletries, bathrobes and slippers
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding glass doors and sliding shutters for privacy and protection from the sun
  • Outside balcony
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi and electronic safe
  • Complimentary bottled water replenished daily

Category SA

Stateroom features include:

  • In-room temperature control and fan
  • Deluxe hotel-style bedding and oversized king beds (can also be configured as two single beds)

  • Spacious en-suite bathrooms
  • Large wardrobe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, toiletries, bathrobes and slippers
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding glass doors and sliding shutters for privacy and protection from the sun
  • Outside balcony
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi and electronic safe
  • Complimentary bottled water replenished daily

Category SB

Stateroom features include:

  • In-room temperature control and fan

  • Deluxe hotel-style bedding and oversized king beds (can also be configured as two single beds)
  • Spacious en-suite bathrooms
  • Large wardrobe, full-length mirror, hair dryer, toiletries, bathrobes and slippers
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows, sliding glass doors and sliding shutters for privacy and protection from the sun
  • Outside balcony
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi and electronic safe
  • Complimentary bottled water replenished daily

Main Restaurant
Main Restaurant

Situated on the 3rd level, the dining room offers unobstructed views on three sides. Experience delectable dishes such as butternut and macadamia soup and fillet of beef with bordelaise sauce paired with the perfect wine.

Bird Watching
Star Gazing
Water Based Tours - Game Drives
Tours
Fishing
Bird Watching

With such a magnificent array of wildlife, the birdlife is notable too with over 400 species to spot keen birders will be in their element.

Star Gazing

Make sure to use the astronomical telescope situated on the fore deck to explore the African night-time sky. With no lights for miles around, the stargazing is spectacular.

Water Based Tours - Game Drives

Botswana’s Chobe is a destination in itself for those looking to experience the thrill of wildlife up close. Capture that sense of adventure with a water-based game drive by tender boat, allowing you to explore nature at its best! Water-based game viewing on smaller boats enables close-up viewing in an environment where the animals do not feel threatened.

Tours

Experience the gentle nature of rural Africa along the banks of the Chobe by visiting a local village on the Namibian side of the river. Here you can interact with the locals and browse their selection of handmade crafts.

Fishing

During season, Tiger and Bream fishing are offered with tackle and bait as well as a stocked cool box to help ensure the wait is worth it.

Lounge & Bar
Pool Deck
Lounge & Bar

With panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the boat, everywhere you go you can take advantage of magnificent wildlife viewing.

Pool Deck

The top deck features an open-air Sun Deck complete with a plunge pool. Unlike a typical river cruise that travels from one port to the next, the Zambezi Queen was designed for an entirely different purpose—to facilitate optimal game viewing along the Chobe.

Plunge Pool
Plunge Pool

Take a cooling dip and feel refreshed while watching the passing scenery and wildlife upon the Chobe River.

Age Restriction
Dress Code
Smoking Policy
Dietary Requirements
Disabled Facilities
Medical Facilities
Internet and Wi-Fi Access
Age Restriction

Effective immediately, AmaWaterways will only be welcoming guests fully vaccinated against Covid-19 on board its ships. This vaccination requirement also applies to accompanied minors. Guests affected by this decision should contact their travel advisor for options to reschedule their river cruise.

On our programs in Europe and Southeast Asia, children under the age of 4 years old are not permitted on board and children 4-7 years old are not recommended. On our Africa safaris program, due to safety precautions, there is a minimum age limit of 12 years old, unless otherwise agreed upon by AmaWaterways. All guests under the age of 18 are to be in a stateroom with an adult, and must remain supervised at all times, as their safety is the responsibility of the accompanying adult(s). Children between the ages of 4 and 10 at the time of embarkation may share a stateroom with 2 adults provided the child is able to share the bed with the adults – no additional bed will be provided. Select ships offer a limited number of staterooms with a fold-out sofa for a triple occupant; we would be happy to guide you through these options when available. A triple occupancy rate will apply for the child sharing the stateroom; pricing can be provided upon request. Please be aware that balcony staterooms of any kind may be unsafe for small children if left unsupervised. AmaWaterways does not provide child-specific programs or child-minding facilities. Please reach out to us if you have any further questions regarding our child policy.

As of March 3, 2022, children 5 and older at time of sailing are still required to be vaccinated however, children that are not yet eligible for the vaccine are able to come onboard if they can provide a negative PCT test taken within 72 hours of embarkation.

Dress Code

Dress is casual aboard the Zambezi Queen. They suggest you bring along the following:

  • Lightweight trousers and long sleeved tops
  • T-shirts and shorts
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Sunscreen, mosquito repellant and camera
  • raincoat and hat
Smoking Policy

Smoking is forbidden on all internal areas on the Zambezi Queen. Smoking is only permitted on the outside area of the entertainment deck.

Dietary Requirements

Please advise your Travel Agent or call us directly to advise if you have any dietary restrictions or allergies prior to embarkation. In most cases, we will do our best to accommodate special dietary requests and food allergies, but with one exception: Kosher. This diet has specific rules regarding food and its preparation and the shipboard environment does have limitations that prevent us from being able to adequately cater to this dietary need. Please note, though we can provide options to accommodate food allergies and sensitivities, we cannot guarantee there will not be any cross-contamination.

Disabled Facilities

Reasonable efforts are made to accommodate the special needs of disabled cruise participants, but no responsibility will be undertaken for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants, or other independent suppliers. Tour buses are not equipped with wheelchair ramps and cabin doors are not wide enough to allow access by standard wheelchairs.

Wheelchairs and walkers cannot be carried on tour buses, due to space limitations. Wheelchair passengers should be aware of these limitations. For safety reasons, passengers in wheelchairs cannot be carried on ramps in ports where the ship is at anchor. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance to a tour member for walking, getting on/off tour busses and other transportation vehicles, or other personal needs. A qualified travel companion must accompany travellers who need assistance.

Medical Facilities

We do not employ doctors or nurses on board the Zambezi Queen. In the event medical assistance is needed, appropriate medical facilities will be contacted. Note that response time can vary.

Internet and Wi-Fi Access

Free Wi Fi is available but may be limited and sporadic during certain times of the day due to the ships isolated location.

Upper Deck
Middle Deck
Lower Deck
Upper Deck
  • Dining Room
  • Lounge & Bar
  • Pool Deck
Middle Deck
  • Category SB Staterooms
  • Category SA Staterooms
  • Master Suites
Lower Deck
  • Cruise Manager’s Desk
  • Gift Shop
  • Boarding Area
  • Master Suites
  • Category SA Staterooms 

Get in touch with our team to start planning

Call and speak to a member of our experienced team today on +44 (0)1491 528 988 or email info@authenticcruises.co.uk.

Alternatively, leave your details and our team will get back to you as soon as possible.