Zambezi Queen Chobe National Park

Location of the Zambezi Queen, Southern Africa

The Zambezi Queen cruises along the shores of the Chobe River and is uniquely situated only a few kilometers from a point where 4 African countries meet, namely Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe in Southern Africa. It is also only 80km 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 120 000 elephants and over 400 species of birds makes this Luxury African River Safari on The Zambezi Queen an exceptional and unforgettable wildlife safari experience.

Accommodation and room types

The Zambezi Queen comprises of 10 Suites and 4 Master Suites, a total of 14 rooms. The Suites and the Master Suites are en-suite with private balconies, king size beds which can on request be divided into twin beds, and are furnished with luxurious and exclusive features. Two of the four Master Suites provide their own private deck with outdoor furniture and the remaining two offering magnificent panoramic views with doors and windows on two sides. Each  

In room facilities on this Luxury Houseboat The Zambezi Queen

• Floor mounted fan 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
• Zambezi Queen offers 10 Suites and 4 Master Suites - maximum of 2 persons per Suite except for 4 suites designed with sofa couches which permit 2 adults and 1 child under 16 years old. Please note that only 4 suites have sleeper couch facilities.
• All suites are en-suite with king size beds which can be converted to 2 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 finest finishes.
• Two Master Suites have their own private deck with outdoor furniture and the remaining two having superb panoramic views with doors and windows on two sides.

Dining facilities on The Zambezi Queen

Situated on the third level with unobstructed views on three sides, guests on The Zambezi Queen dine in absolute luxury whilst 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 pertaining to the African palate and specializes in authentic cuisine. The bar on The Zambezi Queen Luxury River Boat offers local and imported spirits, wines and beers.

Guest Facilities on the Zambezi Queen

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 facilities.

The remainder of the 1st level and the entire 2nd level contains the Suites and Master Suites. The 3rd level/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 fore deck, including a pool and sun bathing area.

Activities which can be enjoyed from the Luxury River Boat

• Water-based game 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 smaller boats
• star gazing through the telescope
• swimming in the pool
• sunbathing on the deck

Activities in the area of The Zambezi Queen

• Land-based half day 4x4 game viewing in Botswana's Chobe National Park. The Zambezi Queen has its own guides Land-based cultural tour of a local village
• A light aircraft situated a 10 min drive from the base camp allows guests aerial game viewing, or to use it as a transfer shuttle to Victoria Falls or the Okavanga Delta. This is at an additional cost.

Access to The Zambezi Queen

The Zambezi Queen Luxury River Boast is conveniently located 80km from the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) and from Livingstone (Zambia) and 3km from Kasane International Airport. All of these locations ( Victoria Falls, Livingstone and Kasane Airport ) are suitable for international travelers and operate regular scheduled flights out of Johannesburg International Airport (South Africa).

Transfers from Livingstone or Victoria Falls airports to The Zambezi Queen are by road and take approximately 90 minutes depending on border crossing times.

Access to The Zambezi Queen African River Boat on the Namibian side is made possible by a 30 minute charter flight from the Victoria Falls to Impillia 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 Zambezi Queen's 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 300km of Kasane. The benefit here is that there will be only one border clearance necessary as it is Namibian based.

Visas

Due to constantly changing visa requirements, it is recommended that guests contact the appropriate embassy.

Children policy

Due to safety reasons as well as consideration for other passengers, Zambezi Queen welcomes children of 8 years and older accompanied by an adult.

• Child under 16 will receive a 20% discount on the regular rate when staying in their own suite.
• Children (max 1 per Suite) under 16 sharing with 2 adults will be charged 50% of the single rate; they will be accommodated on a sleeper couch in a standard suite.
• Children 16 years and older are considered adults and will therefore require a separate room at the applicable rate

Responsible Tourism

Sustainable, responsible tourism lies at the heart of this project, with one of Zambezi Queen's major concerns being the preservation of this unspoilt area. This luxury safari houseboat has therefore been designed and built to very specific requirements.

The Zambezi Queen River Boat does not use conventional propellers but a jet propulsion system which reduces damage to the river bed and enables the boat 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 unique system allows 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 transfers the sun's heat to storage boilers. Taps and showers incorporate the most advanced water saving designs available and all used water is stored in holding tanks so as to prevent discharging directly into the river. All water used (with the exception of 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 upper entertainment deck, on the outside areas at the front and rear the boat.
• Smoking is prohibited 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 travelers' dietary needs subject to the operators of the Zambezi Queen being notified at least 30 (thirty) day prior to departure of such needs and provided that the request is reasonable in the circumstances.
• Loud music is absolutely not permitted due to National Park requirements.

Special details of this Luxury River Safari Cruise

The cruise on The Zambezi Queen entails a 2 and 3 night itinerary with departures every 4th night. The 1st night is spent on the banks of the Chobe River close to where guests clear customs, the 2nd night is spend 20km away on the banks of the river near a cultural village and the 3rd night is also on the banks of the river before motoring back early the next morning. All accommodation during this luxury river cruise on The Zambezi Queen is onboard of this unique houseboat.

Health and Safety Policy

As the Zambezi Queen River Boat is situated in a malaria area we recommend that guests consult their medical doctor on suitable malaria prophylactics.

TWO NIGHT ITINERARY

DAY 1

• 3.00pm - Collection Kasane immigration, Botswana until 3.45pm
• 4.00pm - Game viewing cruise and transfer to Zambezi Queen at Base 1 arriving 6pm
• 6.00pm - Shown to cabins and freshen up
• 7.00pm - Fire Drill
• 7.30pm - Welcome drinks and introduction to crew
• 8.00pm - Dinner on board Zambezi Queen

DAY 2

• 06.00am - Wake up call
• 06.45am - Breakfast
• 07.15am - Departure for either half day game drive or game viewing from boat
• 10.00am - Game viewing boat returns to Zambezi Queen
• 11.30am - Land based 4x4 game viewing returns
• 12.00pm - ZQ sets sail for Base 2
• 3.00pm - Arrive Base 2
• 4.00pm - Depart for water based game viewing or cultural village tour by mokoro
• 6.00pm - Return, freshen up for dinner
• 8.00pm - Dinner on shore in Boma with traditional food and music

DAY 3

• 6.00am - Zambezi Queen sets sail for Base 1
• 7.00am - Breakfast
• 8.30am - Zambezi Queen arrives Base 1
• 9.00am - Depart for Kasane Immigration

THREE NIGHT ITINERARY

DAY 1

• 3.00pm - Collection Kasane immigration, Botswana until 3.45pm
• 4.00pm - Game viewing cruise and transfer to Zambezi Queen at Base 1 arriving 6pm
• 6.00pm - Shown to cabins and freshen up
• 7.00pm - Fire Drill
• 7.30pm - Welcome drinks and introduction to crew
• 8.00pm - Dinner on board Zambezi Queen

DAY 2

• 06.00am - Wake up call
• 06.45am - Breakfast
• 07.15am - Departure for either half day game drive or game viewing from boat
• 10.00am - Game viewing boat returns to Zambezi Queen
• 11.30am - Land based 4x4 game viewing returns
• 12.00pm - ZQ sets sail for Base 2
• 3.00pm - Arrive Base 2
• 4.00pm - Depart for water based game viewing or cultural village tour by mokoro
• 6.00pm - Return, freshen up for dinner
• 8.00pm - Dinner on shore in Boma with traditional food and music

DAY 3

• 08.00am - Breakfast
• 09.00am - A choice of fishing, game viewing by boat OR cultural village tour by mokoro
• 12.00pm - Return to Zambezi Queen
• 1.00pm - Lunch and cruise to Puku Bend
• 2.00pm - Choice of whichever activity you have not yet had opportunity to enjoy
• 5.00pm - Return to ZQ for sundowners
• 8.00pm - Dinner on board

DAY 4

• 6.00am - Zambezi Queen sets sail for Base 1
• 7.00am - Breakfast
• 8.30am - Zambezi Queen arrives Base 1
• 9.00am - Depart for Kasane Immigration

The package for The Zambezi Queen includes:

• 14%VAT
• Collection from Botswana immigration at Kasane on the banks of Chobe River, or Impilila airstrip on the Namibian side, or Kasane airport on the Botswana side
• Accommodation and all meals
• All soft drinks, mineral water, teas and coffee
• Quality wines and beers with meals and during game viewing activities
• Water-based game viewing and bird watching on tender boats
• A land-based cultural tour of a local village
• A land-based half- day 4x4 game viewing in Botswana's Chobe National Park                                                                      
• Tiger & bream fishing in season

The package for The Zambezi Queen excludes:

• Additional transfers
• Private guiding or additional safari activities
• Visa Fees
• Gratuities

Departure Times and Cruise Itinerary

• Check- in time is between 15h00 and 16h00 and check-out time is at 10h00
• On day one, guests are requested to arrive at Kasane immigration at no later than 15h30 as the border closes at 16h30
• We will try to accommodate reasonable requests for an early check-in or late departure but this cannot be guaranteed
• Guests can only arrive on scheduled sailing dates.
• The river safari cruise on The Zambezi Queen consists of a continuous 2 night or 3 night programme on the Zambezi Queen (please note these dates change over the Christmas and New Year 2009 period where only 3 day trips run)
• The boat will be moored at three different locations along the Chobe River on the Namibian side. The first night is spent on the banks of the Chobe River close to where you clear customs, the 2nd night about 20km away on the banks of the river near a cultural village, and for guests on the 3 night cruise, the boat will stop at another point on the banks of the river. The boat motors back early on the last morning of each trip
• All accommodation is on board the Zambezi Queen
• Departure from the boat is at 10h00 - all passengers will be transferred back to Kasane (Botswana) Immigration