Did you know that you can go on a Safari River cruise? Honestly, we didn’t either, BUT we just spent 3 days cruising along the Chobe River between the border of Namibia and Botswana and can confirm, it needs to be at the top of you safari bucket list.
We stayed on the Chobe Princess, a houseboat that acted as our floating safari lodge. We spent our days cruising up and down the river looking for wildlife, enjoying the sunshine and even got to try fishing!
In this blog post we are breaking down our entire experience on the Chobe Princess.
Watch our entire experience on YouTube here!
How To Get To the Chobe Princess
While the Chobe Princess is located in Namibia, you will need to arrive in Botswana where the team will coordinate the remaining transfers and customs processes.
What Airport to Fly into
There are a few different airports you can fly into:
- Kasane Airport, Botswana (BBK): about 15 minutes from the Botswana Immigration Office
- Victoria Falls Airport, Zimbabwe (VFA): about 90 minutes from the Botswana Immigration Office
- Livingstone Airport, Zambia (LVI): about 120 minutes from the Botswana Immigration Office
We recommend flying into Kasane Airport if you can. This is what we did, and it was incredibly seamless and required less immigration stops along the way.
The transfer to and from Kasane Airport is also included in your voyage price. The pre-arranged driver (arranged with the Chobe Princess booking staff) met us as we left the airport and drove us straight to the Immigration Office where we met the Chobe Princess onsite team.
The staff you meet at the immigration office will manage the remaining formalities, guiding you through exiting Botswana and entering Namibia.
Visas and paperwork to fill out before you arrive
This is the most important section this blog post. It is VERY important that you familiarize yourself with the necessary documentation and Visa applications prior to arriving. While the team can provide guidance, it is up to you to get all the necessary paperwork in order to be able to board.
Visas
Namibia: The visa process in Namibia recently changed, meaning if you have visited before you should familiarize yourself with the new requirements. While you can apply for a Visa on Arrival, it is only available at certain major border crossings. If you are traveling from a country that requires a Visa, you can begin the application online and pay prior to your arrival. You will present the printed paperwork to the border agent, along with any other documentation you may require and your passport.
You can read more about the requirements and follow the link to apply online here!
Vaccinations
Yellow Fever Vaccination: Proof of vaccination is only required if you have travelled through or transited for 12+ hours in a country with a risk of yellow fever transmission.
Traveling with children
Minors younger than 18 years travelling to Namibia must have an unabridged birth certificate.
You can find more information on Visas and paperwork required for boarding here!
What to Know Before you go on the Chobe Princess
Best Time To Visit
While the Chobe River can be a year round destination, there are some important considerations for timing your trip with the type of experience you are looking to have.
Dry Season
Dry season is typically between April and October. This is when you will see the most wildlife along the riverbanks as animals like Elephants, Zebras and Lions are searching for food and water. This is also the best season for fishing!
Green Season
From November to March is considered the “green season”. This season sees more rain, but offers an opportunity to see more birds and the potential of seeing young wildlife!
Itinerary Length
The Chobe Princess operates on a 2 or 3 night schedule. Either schedule is ample amount of time to get out and see wildlife. We opted for the 3 night itinerary and we thought that this was the perfect amount of time to get a variety of activities in like the water based game drives, community visit and fishing.
You can find more information on the Chobe Princess and inquire about it’s schedule here!
What to expect for wildlife viewings
The Chobe River runs right along Chobe National Park. This national park is home to some of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. There is also massive groups of water buffalo that roam the park, as well as prides of lions, over 400 bird species and so much more. You can also expect to see Hippos, Crocodiles, Zebras and Giraffes!
The Chobe Princess – Everything to know about the Houseboat
The Houesboat
The Chobe Princess is the little sister to the Zambezi Queen, the larger river cruising ship. The houseboat offers a more intimate experience with a maximum of 10 guests onboard at one time. There are 3 Chobe Princess houseboats, and each have a slightly different layout but offer the same experiences.
Depending on the houseboat you are on, there will be either 4 or 5 guest cabins, sleeping a maximum of 2 people in each. The beds can be set up in a twin or king bed formation. Each cabin has an ensuite bathroom with a large shower, vanity and toilet.
The common areas are found on the mid and upper decks. Here you will find both indoor and outdoor seating areas, the bar, dining room and small pool!
Wifi: There is limited wifi onboard. From our experience, the strongest signal was in the common space however it was quite spotty. In our opinion, a perfect reason to disconnect and immerse yourself in nature!
Plugs: The Chobe Princess has three-pronged South African plugs and a few two-pronged European plugs, so be sure to bring an adaptor for both with you.
What’s Included
Food and Drinks
This is an all-inclusive river cruise, meaning all meals and drinks are included! We enjoyed 3 meals a day, with snacks and beverages.
Breakfast: We had the option for continental breakfast with coffee and tea before our early morning excursion. When we came back, the chef had prepared a family style assortment of breakfast foods, with eggs and meats available to order a la carte.
Lunch: Lunch was served in a family style and typically had a meat dish, and sides such as salads and vegetables, along with fresh breads.
Dinner: This was typically a plated meal with a starter, main course and dessert.
Drinks: Drinks were always available, you could help yourself to the fridge with non-alcoholic beverages as well as wines and local beer. You can ask the staff for assistance to make a cocktail. There is also purified water available for drinking at all times.
Food during Excursions: During the excursions, the team will have a cooler onboard full of cold drinks. We often had water and juice on our morning excursions (we did have mimosas as well!) and then cocktails (like the famous Gin and Tonic’s) while we cruised during the sunset! You can request snacks as well.
Excursions
We had between 2-3 excursions a day! We enjoyed the variety of activities and that we had the option to participate or stay on the houseboat if we chose to.
Water Based Game Drives
A water based game drive was one of the biggest draws for us to book this river cruise. Smaller boats take you to get up and close with the animals along the river banks. We saw massive herds of elephants, hippos, crocodiles, water buffalo, lions, giraffes and so much more.
Our water based game drives were typically our morning and sunset excursions of the day as animals are most active outside of the mid-day heat. The drives were usually 1.5-2 hours long and the staff brings along a cooler full of drinks and snacks (if requested) to enjoy as you cruise down the Chobe River.
Fishing
A unique experience on the Chobe Princess is that you can try fishing along the Chobe River! The fishing is strictly catch and release, but makes for a very exciting experience. We were lucky enough to catch a tiger fish and a cat fish!
Community Visit
On each voyage the staff plans a community visit. You will be taken to a small local village where one of the members will give you a tour. While we are typically hesitant to partake in visits like this, we really enjoyed our experience. The guide told us about the upgrades that the community is making to infrastructure as their climate changes, how their food sources are changing and how they are adapting and so much more.
At the end of our visit the women and children of the village put on a performance and then there was an opportunity to purchase souvenirs from members of the village.
What To Pack
It is really important to pack the right things for your adventure. This includes neutral coloured clothing like browns, beiges and muted greens. When viewing wildlife it is important to never wear white or bright colours like red, yellow. To keep bugs away, we highly recommend staying away from dark colours like black and dark brown.
Temperatures can range throughout the day where it can be quite cool in the morning and then hot in the afternoon. It is important to pack layers and bring them with you on each excursion. Don’t forget a bathing suit for the pool!
We would also recommend packing binoculars for viewing wildlife and birds that are a bit further away. Some other things to pack would be:
- Closed toe shoes and sandals
- Sunscreen
- UPF clothing and a hat
- Plug adaptor
- Camera equipment
Onboard they do provide some necessities so you can leave them at home and save the space in your suitcase.
Included Amenities
- Insect repellent
- Towels
- Hairdryers
- Electronic safe
- Bathroom amenities (soap, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion)
- All the conventional fishing gear you’ll need, such as rods, lures, lines and reels
Sample Day Itinerary Onboard The Chobe Princess
If you want to know a bit more about what your days are going to look like onboard the Chobe Princess, you can read about a day we had onboard below!
Each houseboat operates under a similar structure, but our group was able to provide input on what we wanted to do each day.
Our day typically started with a continental breakfast with tea and coffee before heading out for our first excursion of the day. Our morning excursion typically lasted 1.5-2 hours. When we returned, the chef onboard had prepared a hearty breakfast to enjoy.
From there, we either went on on another morning excursion. This time block is when we had our community visit, but we had another water based game viewing on our second full day. From there we returned to the houseboat for lunch!
After lunch we had time to spend on the houseboat to relax out of the mid day sun and heat before heading out for our evening/ sunset excursion! This water based game viewing was our favourite time of day. We saw a lot of animal activtiy and we enjoyed snacks and cocktails as we cruised along the Chobe River. Magic!
Once we returned we had the option for cocktails and snacks as the chef prepared our dinner. Dinner is served in the late evening and then you had time to enjoy the company of the others on the houseboat or go and relax in your cabin!
All the information to book can be found here!
Final Thoughts
For travelers craving unforgettable wildlife encounters without sacrificing comfort, the Chobe Princess strikes a rare balance.
Equal parts adventure and indulgence, it offers front-row seats to one of Africa’s most wildlife-rich regions with no game drives in a bumpy land cruiser required. From sunrise coffee on deck to candlelit dinners under the stars, this floating lodge proves that some of the most unforgettable journeys are found in the most unexpected places!
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