Reviews of Zambezi Queen

"The Zambezi Queen was a wonderful and relaxing experience. All facilities including restaurant, bar and lounge decks were beautifully appointed and very comfortable. The atmosphere on board was very informal and service by all staff was of a very high standard.

Meals were excellent with a choice on the menus. Bar service at all times was efficient. Not sure why they felt it necessary to charge for spirits which was a bit surprising though it was not a major issue.

Our suite was very comfortable, spacious and with aircon - most welcome. Two balconies which gave us great view of the river and its banks. The luxury suite is well worth the extra cost.

Activities were outlined each day. We opted for both tender boat safari trips and the early morning birding trip. All were excellent." See all these reviews: 7n in Namibia; 6n in Botswana

"The boat was very nice, as were the cabins and the food.

The table layouts were good ... they were set up in numbers, eg if you were a group of four, you picked one of the sets of four, but could vary which ones you chose.

Unfortunately there were problems with the engines, and the boat didn't move on the two main days, so we only got to experience it for a couple of hours on the day we arrived (while we were unpacking, which we wouldn't have done if we'd known that was our only chance to watch the world go by) and an hour on the day we left (while we were packing, which again we'd have done the evening before had we known). It was a real shame and, whilst the tender trips still took place, that wasn't the purpose of our stay, as we had already done two safaris at this point. The communication wasn't brilliant (for example they put on an extra tender trip, but not all the guests were told about it), and it all felt a bit odd. Also, it was very hot while the boat was stationary, so most people stayed in their air-conditioned cabins. (And the engineers forgot to turn the boilers back on, so we all had cold showers one evening!) There were also quite a few power cuts, but only for a few minutes at a time.

Soft drinks, beer and wine were included, but spirits weren't, which wasn't what we'd been told. The bartender poured me a gin (and made it a double without me asking) and then asked for my room number to put it on the bill. There were no obvious price-lists (and I was too embarrassed to ask).

Also to note an update to the info, laundry isn't included.

The tender boat trips were good, in so far as you got to see (hundreds and hundreds of!) elephants up close, plus birds, hippos and crocodiles. However, having just been on safaris where distances were kept, the tender boats got uncomfortably close to the birds and animals, causing them to rush away. This isn't a criticism of ZQ - there were dozens of boats on the river doing the same.

We initially had no info about tipping ... our tender boat guide strongly hinted on our last afternoon that he wouldn't be taking us out any more, so we felt that a tip was expected at that point (despite him spending most of the trips on his mobile phone, but maybe that was with colleagues?) so we went back to our cabin and gave him a tip. Then in the evening, the main 'host' told us that we could put tips in a box and they would be shared with the whole crew, including the boat guides ... we felt a bit duped.

I'd request not to be in cabins 12 and 13 - these are on the lowest floor, and next to the tender boats, so quite noisy (especially when working on the engines) and not very private (keep your curtains drawn). The view wasn't very good, especially when moored up (double anchor, so not evening swinging) for over two days.

A tip - people did tend to wear nice (but not posh) clothes, especially in the evenings ... I had only really brought safari-type clothes, so felt a little underdressed!

Also for info - depending on the time of year (earlier rainfall) depends how far up the river the boat can go.

To follow up please - quite a few of the guests had suggested they'd be getting a partial refund - please could this be checked out for us?" See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 3n in Namibia

"We stayed in a master suite on this comfortable boat but, even these, cabins are small compared to the rooms in lodges. There was one armchair and sufficient room for our cases. There were two chairs on our small balcony, but this was a great place to sit to view wildlife. There is a very comfortable guest lounge with bar and dining area. There is also outside seating on this deck.

We did a two night stay, which was an ideal length as all your wildlife viewing is from the water. We arrived at lunch time on the first day and cruised on the river in the afternoon. This gave us the opportunity to explore more of the river than we had from the Chobe Game Lodge. In places, we could see the animals making their way down to the river and got a greater sense of the size of herds. Be aware that if the wind is too strong, the Zambezi Queen will not sail, but will be docked and so you will only explore in the ship's three smaller boats.


On our only full day, we were offered the opportunity of an early morning bird watching cruise. After breakfast, we went on small boats to a Namibian village. We had 6 guests on our boat, so there was plenty of room. There was even a toilet on board . We were guided around the village and it was fascinating to see the way of life there. We were also made very aware of the problems that this year's drought has caused local people. After the tour, members of the village performed singing and dancing for us and displayed hand made gifts for purchase. There was no pressure to buy, but there was an expectation that you would make a small donation for the tour and entertainment, if you didn't buy any goods.

After the village tour, you can go back to the Zambezi Queen or continue with the morning safari. After lunch, we went on the small boats again for further wild life viewing. The next day, there were no safaris; you leave after breakfast.

Food on the Zambezi Queen is very good. Most meals are buffets, but we did have a waitress service evening meal on our first night. All the staff are very pleasant and the guides are very informative. On the second evening the staff performed songs and dances for guests.


Transfers to and from the Zambezi Queen are well-organised." See all these reviews: 5n in Botswana; 3n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Namibia

"A unique way to view Game and birdlife from the Chobe River as opposed to in a vehicle. The location where the House Boat is berthed is a hassle to get to but it is all very well handled and organised. The choice of activities is wide ranging from early morning bird watching to river boat drives along the Chobe banks.... whether you see much wildlife is weather dependent.

The service and rooms on board were excellent - we were in one of two front facing suites with a large terrace. The quality of food served given the isolated location was simply amazing and the staff were absolutely charming.

I would concur that a 2 night stay is just about right." See all these reviews: 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Namibia

"High expectations, and not disappointed." See all these reviews: 4n in Zambia; 3n in Zimbabwe; 3n in Namibia

"The best part of this is the armchair style of watching the animals. One of my best memories of Africa is of watching the sun come up while I lay in bed. Another is of the elephants crossing the river in the dark of the night. The bed and the rooms were comfortable but the bathroom really needed a touch up. The sink and the floor coverings were stained and the shower "shell" had holes in it from prior attempts at fitting the shower screen.

The trek up to the Namibian Police station on top of the hill I could have done without. We really should have had a guide accompany us up this road to reduce confusion regarding directions and uncertainty under the gaze of less than friendly locals.

The water safaris were a great way to see the local wildlife and birds.

The management and staff do a great job under difficult resourcing conditions." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe; 2n in Namibia

"No complaints at all." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia; 2n in Namibia; 1n in South Africa

"A nice ship, very nicely decorated. The food was good, but not spectacular and I did not get special attention to my dietary needs. Lunches were a buffet type, but without a great variety. The activities were OK. The best were the sundown cruise and the dinner served on land.

Passing through Namibia and Bostwana inmigration posts serveral times was very annoying." See all these reviews: 6n in Tanzania; 4n in South Africa; 3n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana; 1n in Zanzibar

"After our stay at two bush camps this was a great way to relax after the rigours of safari. You can take part in as much or as little of the activities on offer as you choose. Staff are very friendly and attentive and look after you very well.
The suites are very spacious with sliding doors onto your own balcony, looking out over the Zambezi.

The top deck lounge and dining area is very comfortable with large sofas where you can relax with a beer and watch the wildlife come to you! The last night Boma dinner held under the stars on the Namibian shore was very enjoyable with traditional Botswana and Namibian food, The crew also give you a taste of local cultural singing and dancing around the fire.

Just one thing to note is that due to the Zambezi Queen being registered in Namibia not Botswana you have to exit Botswana via an immigration check point and take a small boat across the Zambezi to Namibia. You then have to walk a distance to the Namibian immigration point over fairly rough ground - so where sensible footwear!" See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Namibia

"Fantastic setting and the quality of the accommodation was comparable to the best we have experienced in Europe. Great modern decor and all the facilities you need in the room/cabin. The food was really fantastic.

We enjoyed all the trips on smaller boats and marvelled at the number of elephants, hippos and crocodiles we saw. A perfect experience.

We had expected the boat to be moving along the river but apparently there was a problem with one of the engines and it stayed moored in the same place. However, in the end it did not matter much because we still had a great time." See all these reviews: 3n in Namibia; 3n in Zimbabwe