Brinley Heinman
Africa is a continent on many travelers’ bucket lists, and two of its biggest attractions are safaris and the Egyptian pyramids.
The increasing capacity of river cruise lines has made them a great way to experience Africa, allowing passengers to see Africa from land and sea.
AmaWaterways will begin operating four safari itineraries through Botswana’s Chobe National Park this year, combining a land safari with a Chobe River cruise on the Zambezi Queen. This itinerary ranges from 9 to 18 nights.
Zambezi Cruise & Safaris recently launched its newest luxury river vessel, the Zambezi Trader, on the Zambezi River in Zimbabwe. The cruise and safari operator said the launch of the vessel marks a “new era of river tourism” in the country. Itineraries include game drives, bird watching, and catch-and-release fishing.
Nile river cruise ship
And with more ships coming from brands like Waldorf Astoria and Viking, the options for Nile cruises seem endless.
One of the criticisms of traveling to Egypt that I often hear is that overtourism can be a distraction. River cruises seem like a solution to exploring a destination without having to deal with crowds or traffic jams, as most of the travel takes place on the river rather than the road.
While at the USTOA Annual Market last December, I sat down with Minister of Tourism Sherif Fathy to discuss the growth of tourism in his country. Of course, our conversation turned to the Pyramids, one of Egypt’s most iconic sites, and the Nile River cruise.
Fathy said the Nile has not yet reached its saturation point, despite the new ships that will soon be plying the waters.
A&K Sanctuary will add a fifth vessel to its Nile fleet this year with the launch of the 64-passenger vessel Nile Seray. Egyptologists will be involved on all voyages. And in 2028, A&K plans to add a sister ship to the Nile Seray.
