The Chobe Princess Houseboat

Give your African safari an edgy flavor and include a stay on one of the three beautiful Chobe Princesses Houseboats. Formerly known as the Pride of Zambezi and the two Ichobezi Safariboats, the boats merged to operate under the banner of the Zambezi Queen Collection. (The Zambezi Queen Houseboat also falls under this banner). The boats are officially located on the Namibian side of the Chobe River but routinely and most conveniently accessed via the small Botswana town of Kasane.

 

The Chobe Princess Houseboat

Itinerary at a Glance:

  • The Chobe National Park

  • The Chobe Princess Overview

  • Activities

The Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park has one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. The Chobe River forms the park’s northern border. This river and its floodplains provide a sensitive ecosystem where wildlife congregates, especially in the dry season. Herds of elephants numbering in their thousands make sightings a regular occurrence and the birdlife here is world renowned. The Chobe River joins the Zambezi River, creating the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe where the waters cascade down the magnificent Victoria Falls. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, The smoke that thunders, this roaring falls never seize to impress. A helicopter flip above this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a worthwhile addition or if you are feeling adventurous, join a rafting trip below the falls for an adrenaline-filled ride. Walking along the falls (with an umbrella in the rainy season) is enough adventure for most.

The Chobe River, Chobe National Park

The Chobe Princess Overview

Berthed on the Chobe River, which forms the boundary between Namibia and Botswana, the Chobe Princesses are only 70 km upstream from the majestic Victoria Falls and at the entrance to Chobe National Park. This is nature at its finest, and combined with a luxury onboard stay, you will experience the perfect getaway.

While staying on the Chobe Princesses, you are treated to accommodation of the highest standard. All the cabins have recently been refurbished ensuring each cabin has the best amenities, are exquisitely decorated. All cabins are spacious, en-suite, and air-conditioned. Each of the rooms has big sliding windows to maximize the visual fest constantly on offer. The main area of the boats is open plan and includes a lounge area where guests can relax and soak up the blissful African sights and sounds. The bar opens onto the lounge area, as does the dining room space. To add to the unique safari experience, each of the Chobe Princesses has a plunge pool and loungers for guests to while away the day when not game viewing or fishing. The top decks of the vessels have each been turned into a viewing deck with unspoiled views of the Chobe River.

Staff on board all three boats strive for service excellence. Meals are cooked, and activities are guided and facilitated by them, nearly all of which come from the local area and offer added value to guests.

 

Luxury cabins on board the Chobe Princess
Sundowners and canapes on the deck
The splash pool on the Chobe Princess
360 degree views from the lounge and dining area on the houseboat

A one-night stay on the houseboats is just not worth it from a time aspect, given the logistics of getting to and from the boat from the Botswana town of Kasane which is the point of access.

The Chobe Princesses operate on scheduled departures, so guests can choose between a 2 or 3-night journey:

The 2 night journeys depart Mondays and Wednesdays
The 3-night journeys depart on Fridays

Activities

Each of the three Chobe Princesses offers visitors the same exclusive and unique experience on the Chobe River. Viewing game from the water provides a different perspective on wildlife behavior and the fishing opportunities are a dream come true for any avid fisherman.
The Chobe Princesses offer numerous activities. Spend a morning birdwatching and enjoy the excellent game viewing on the Chobe River. Take a guided game viewing or fishing excursion on one of the tender boats (tackle provided). You can also choose to visit the famed Victoria Falls or a local village. Avid fishermen will revel in a day of tiger fishing, but you can also simply choose to relax on the deck of your luxurious floating lodge.

A typical day on the Chobe Princess will consist of an early morning game-viewing or fishing activity and then return to the boat for a delicious breakfast. A mid-morning village tour on the Namibian side of the Chobe River, followed by lunch aboard the boat. At around 3 pm you head out for your afternoon game-viewing or photography safari and return to the boat for a decadent dinner.

Elephants close to the Chobe Princess
The birdlife along the Chobe River is wonderful

Rates and Departure Dates

Mar 2025 - Nov 2025
R12,437 per person per night sharing (Standard Cabin)

Dec 2025 - Feb 2026
R10,089 per person per night sharing (Standard Cabin)

* A 30 % single-room supplement applies to the above rates
** The above rates are quoted in ZAR (South African Rand). Please view our currency convertor to get an accurate idea of the cost in your currency.

Price Includes

Full board accommodation
All house wines and beers
All soft drinks and water
All activities (including game viewing by boat, fishing, birding & guided walks).
All equipment hired (including fishing rods, lures, boats, etc)
Dedicated guides and tender boats for each group
All water-based transfers between the Kasane River border post (immigration) and any of the Ichobezi River Lodges, return.
All fuel
All park fees, fishing licenses, and tourism levies

Price Excludes

Premium drink brands
Visas if required - please note Namibia visas need to be applied for in your home country before departure.
Community Development Levy
Fuel Levy
Gratuities

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Jim Campbell
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01 May 2025
We asked for a holiday of a lifetime for my wife's birthday ... and Lize Enderstein and ATG certainly delivered!!! We could not have experienced such a magnificent trip without all Lize's organisation and planning. It was an absolute dream! So much so, we're looking to visit again and will certainly be using Lize for our next adventure. Nothing was too much trouble and all the planning made everything work so very smoothly. We felt like royalty throughout our trip with all sorts of birthday surprises already booked at every location. Incredible!!! We are so very grateful for everything Lize arranged and can't thank her enough and would heartily recommend Lize and ATG. Jim and Melanie xxx
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29 January 2025
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08 January 2025
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27 December 2024
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27 November 2024
ATG were fantastic from start to finish organising our trip 3 week trip in South Africa.Communication with Debbie was excellent before and during our trip. All accommodation and trips chosen by ATG was fantastic. This is our third trip with ATG and we are already thinking about our next.
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09 November 2024
We used African Travel Gateway to plan our honeymoon, and it was incredible! Putting together the itinerary was really smooth and fun - Lize sent us a few options, and was really quick to make the changes we wanted and let us know what made the most sense. The planning portal had a lot of really useful information so we knew what to expect and made the whole thing very comfortable (this was our first trip to Africa!) The itinerary we ended up with was spectacular, and very well structured. We spent most of our trip in the greater Kruger area (Kapama River Lodge then Walkers Plains Camp) and then finished in Victoria Falls (Vic Falls River Lodge) - each stop was both nicer and more wild than the last, which made for a very cool trip. Some real gems - Walkers and the camp at Victoria Falls had both been open less than a year, and were super luxurious, no way we would have found places like that on our own! And starting at Kapama, which is a bigger operation and a little more controlled (fully fenced, very close to the Hoedspruit airport) was a great way to ease into the trip. The animal viewing at all three locations was amazing - we saw the Big 5 at both camps in South Africa, plus wild dogs and a cheetah at Walkers, and not just from a distance - we were able to get up pretty close at several of the viewings. The guides were excellent at all three, same with the staff, and the other guests! Logistics were seamless - all of our transfers were easy, the lodges knew our schedule and drivers were where they needed to be exactly on time. I would absolutely recommend African Travel Gateway, and hope to work with Lize on our next safari!
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28 September 2024
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16 August 2024
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07 August 2024
We chose African Travel Gateway because of their awesome reviews and they did not disappoint! Bianca created a fabulous itinerary combining a luxury private reserve experience, a trip to Victoria Falls, a riverboat stay viewing the animals from a different perspective, ( and BTW the best scrambled eggs we have ever tasted) and a stay at a lodge where we saw different animals and a ride on a bush plane landing in what seemed the middle of nowhere! Every connection was seamless, no stress traveling at its best.Our hosts and guides were excellent, and lovely people. The food was wonderful and of course loved the sundowner drinks and our first” Bush Bar! Would definitely go back for more adventure, thank you ATG for a lovely experience!
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Petru, of African Travel Gateway, planned our 12-day South Africa-Zimbabwe itinerary for three of us (arriving from two continents). Her expertise, keen insights, and care in arranging the most perfect accommodation for us, prompt and efficient transfers/drivers, and booking all internal flights, meant this was the smoothest, most enjoyable holiday experience, ever! We covered a lot of ground in a short time, but the precision-timing with transfers, and Petru's choice of such knowledgeable and personable tour guides really made all the difference. Huge thanks to Natasha (Afrifriends) and Chris (Paradise)! Highlights were: The Peech Hotel in J'burg (delightful boutique hotel with a fabulous breakfast - thank you, Oliver!); Ilala Lodge in Zimbabwe; Nkorho Bush Lodge in Sabi Sand (if you want up close & personal experiences with the wildlife, this is where you need to go!); Rickety Bridge Manor House in Franschhoek (perfectly appointed and beautiful accommodation); Boschendal Winery (try the pinotage; farm shop is a must!); Woodstock Markets in Cape Town (so much to see and buy here!). We had the most exceptional holiday – we will definitely return to SA in the future, and will be utilising the expert services of Petru at ATG. Thank you again, Petru.
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