May 26, 2022by Sasha Ella

Let the river run

Tranquil splendour of a river safari

Nothing beats watching the sun rise from the comfort of your bed, on a luxury floating hotel on the Chobe River in Namibia. It invokes feelings of serenity as you watch the dawn break, the landscape a chameleon of different hues. You will hear the hustle and bustle of Mother Nature waking and perhaps the iconic cry of the African Fish Eagle. This is life on the Zambezi Queen, part of the Zambezi Queen Collection by Mantis that includes the smaller Chobe Princess and the secluded tented Ichingo Chobe River Lodge, based on the secluded Impalila Island.

The Zambezi Queen is a 5-star floating boutique hotel, which departs and returns to the same point, while navigating roughly 25km of the Chobe River. It offers a wonderfully tranquil alternative to a land-based safari, where you observe game in their natural environment along the river’s edge. Star attractions range from elephants, with an estimated population of around 120 000, to over 450 species of birds, not to mention 90 species of fish.

From the moment you are welcomed on board – with traditional song and dance – you will exhale and embrace the slower pace of life. You decide how to spend your day, either relaxing on your private deck or the communal open deck. Alternatively, hop onto a tender boat for one of the excursions – which include a water safari, a cultural experience visiting a local village or a fishing trip.

Natural habitats

The area boasts the world’s biggest concentration of elephant. They are the largest land animal and are social creatures with highly developed brains and great memories. Watch them up close as they play and splash, imbibing 180 litres of water a day, happily munching or noisily trumpeting. You can catch a glimpse of hippos semi-submerged, masquerading as boulders, emerging after dark to feed on the rich grasses alongside the river. There are crocodiles as well as herds of buffalo and buck. If you’re on a tender boat and closer to the action, you might even spot Roan Antelope and Sable.

The birdlife is mesmerising. You’ll see and hear everything from plovers and lapwings to the Collared Palm Thrush, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Southern Grand Hornhill, Long-Toed Lapwing, Yellow-billed oxpecker and the petite and colourful malachite kingfisher. Twitchers will be in their element and have plenty to ‘tweet’ about!

Feeling a little more active? Then fishing offers excellent catches all year round. It’s strictly a catch and release policy for tiger fish but other species include bream, the African pike, tilapia, catfish or upper Zambezi yellowfish.

Cultural heritage

Meeting the Subiya tribe village elders and locals makes for an enlightening cultural experience. You’ll gain a better understanding of the local challenges, traditions and survival methods of this 100-year old village.

Beautiful hand-crafted items are available from woven baskets and beaded jewellery to carved wooden animals. Sales help villagers earn a living and the visit would not be complete without their traditional singing and dancing.

Back on board

With its glass walls, open deck, bar, restaurant and pool, being on the Zambezi Queen offers you total comfort. The spacious 14 suites all have private decks with beautiful views across the river. Service is attentive and unobtrusive. The staff is fiercely proud of their country, helpful, skilled and personable … making a point of remembering your name and drink preference.

Meals are delicious and carefully prepared by a locally trained Namibian kitchen team, using seasonal ingredients sourced from local markets. Each meal combines authentic local flavours with traditional cuisine … but there’s always a little twist of ‘Africanacity’ that will surprise and delight your palate.

Location, location, location

Although the Zambezi Queen is in Namibia your arrival is via Botswana. The closest town is Kasane, located at the border of four African countries: Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The area is colloquially known as ‘Bonazazi’.

Having a quartet of countries meet at one point is unique and means you will go through two immigration controls – with entry and exit stamps from both Botswana and Namibia. However, the process is smooth and seamless and completed within minutes.

The Chobe River itself originates in Angola. It flows past the full 60km length of the Chobe National Park before it finally meets up with the Zambezi and cascade and tumbles thunderously over the Victoria Falls.

Picture perfect

With the ever-changing landscape, the close proximity to the game as well as the beautiful, colourful sunrises and sunsets, the setting is picture perfect and provides plenty of opportunities to capture those special memories.

Sustainable successes

The changing geography of the area and the diversity of the wildlife make you acutely aware of nature’s complex ecosystem. How our lives are intertwined with our natural surroundings. Ecotourism and sustainable travel depend on conserving the environment and this is the philosophy of every Mantis property.

It’s no different for the Zambezi Queen Collection, with all staff committed to preserving the surroundings and various conservation designs in place to support this. Such as fuel efficient and low emission generators, used during the day, switching to battery power at night and energy-saving lights. Solar panels provide hot water and an 8-stage river water purification plant is used for the water in showers, taps and the pool. All cleaning detergents and amenities are biodegradable and a water jet propulsion system ensures no damage to the riverbed, fauna or flora.

The Zambezi Queen employ 63 Namibians, from local communities, who they support and empower through a blend of projects that include supplying boreholes for clean drinking water, transport for locals to get goods to the market, children to school or villagers needing medical attention and providing seeds for community food gardens. Projects encompass environmental, conservation and agricultural initiatives, provision of water, skills training and development, land reform, education and mentorship. Conservation and community go hand-in-hand – as in all the Mantis properties.

As the sun sets

The ebb and flow of the river navigates the day. And as the sun sinks below the horizon, you rest your head and fall asleep to the gentle motion of the river and the sounds of the nocturnal animals, you can’t help thinking, ‘What a wonderful world…’

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At a glance

Getting there: There are four main access points by air: Kasane Airport in Botswana, Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe, Livingstone Airport in Zambia and Katima Mulilo Airport in Namibia.

The closest is the newly revamped Kasane International, just a 15-minute drive from the Botswana Immigration Office

Immigration process: The Zambezi Queen is situated on the Chobe River in Namibia. You’ll be met at the airport and transferred – in an air-conditioned vehicle – to Kasane Immigration Office (KIO). Once you arrive at KIO, a Zambezi Queen Collection staff member will meet you and help with formalities at passport control as you exit Botswana

You’ll then be transferred by a smaller tender boat to the Namibian Immigration Office.

Accommodation: The Zambezi Queen offers luxury accommodation in the form of 14 spacious and luxurious suites – ten are standard and four are master suites, all with outer decks.

The Chobe Princess offers smaller, more intimate accommodation with a choice of 4 or 5 cabins. At the Ichingo Chobe River Lodge you have a choice of 8 luxury safari tents or a family tent.

Activities: Guided river safaris, fishing trips, visit to local cultural village, swimming pool.

Chobe Princess or Ichingo Chobe River Lodge guests can enjoy a walking tour to a 2000-year-old baobab tree on Impalila Island. If you dare, climb to the top to see the meeting place of the four countries – Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe.