Words and pictures: Russel Wasserfall
Cruising with African Royalty
A floating luxury hotel on the Chobe River in Botswana’s Chobe National Parks offers visitors a chance to see Africa, and it’s wildlife, from a completely different perspective. The Zambezi Queen is essentially a massive, slow-moving houseboat fitted out to provide guest an unparalleled experience.
Every comfort is offered, from fourteen sumptuous suites on two decks, and fine cuisine in the dining room on the top deck which offers the best views. The menu is assembled from local fish and venison as well as fresh produce grown in villages along the banks of the Chobe River. After dinner, the viewing deck is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail as the African night deepens. Sunsets on the water are magnificent.
As the boat drifts along, the sights and sound of wild Africa carry across the water. Each morning dawns on a completely new stretch of the river and an early breakfast will earn you a panoramic view of birds and beasts waking up to a golden day. Smaller launches and game-viewing boats will take guests off to side channels and reed beds for closer encounters with the wildlife.
For the less adventurous, looking to simply relax and drink in the surroundings, there are deck chairs and a bar service. You might want to offset the heat of the day with a snooze in your cabin, but you won’t miss a thing, as all the suits have large picture windows which frame a perfect view of the passing scenery.
What makes a journey aboard the Zambezi Queen so unique though, is the opportunity to view the game form the water. All along the winding river, animals come down to the lush banks to drink. They are not disturbed by the floating palace as it meanders by, although all species are ever-alert for the crocodiles that stalk them from the shallows.
Elephants, giraffe, lion and buffalo all come to quench their thirst at the water's edge. Antelope, warthogs, baboons and monkeys also appear, keeping a nervous eye out for those crocs. Chobe National Park is a birdwatchers delight with a brilliant diversity of feathered life, from kingfishers to fish eagles.
The Zambezi Queen navigates a gorgeous 25 kilometre stretch of the Chobe River, a fair distance upstream from where this river joins the mighty Zambezi. Proximity to the Zambezi and the Zambian border allows guests the option of arranging a connection to Livingstone in Zambia once they have finished their cruise. Here, another waterborne marvel awaits as this is the site of Victoria Falls, also known as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ one of the great natural wonders of the world.
The Zambezi Queen sails on scheduled weekly departures every Monday (two-nights), Wednesday (two-nights) and Friday (three-nights).
South African writer, photographer and editor Russel Wasserfall has worked in the media space for over 35 years. His work is mainly in the arenas of food and travel and has appeared in more than twenty books and dozens of magazines. Wasserfall has run bars and restaurants, including his award-winning South African restaurant The Table at De Meye, and consults to restaurant start-ups on innovative food concepts. He runs a weekly podcast on the restaurant and food scene in his Cape Town home called A Table in the Corner.
