AmaWaterways Adds New Africa Safaris For 2026

AmaWaterways is expanding its Africa Safaris and Wildlife collection in a big way for 2026, adding four new itineraries that pair a three night Chobe River cruise on the 28 passenger Zambezi Queen with extended land programs across southern and eastern Africa. Starting in August 2026, travelers will be able to choose trips from 9 to 18 nights that link Victoria Falls with newly added destinations in Kenya, Namibia, Zanzibar, and the Skeleton Coast.

AmaWaterways Africa Safaris And Wildlife Collection

The new offerings slot into AmaWaterways existing Africa program, which already combines river cruising on the Chobe with safari time in South Africa and Zimbabwe. All four itineraries keep the same core structure, a three night wildlife cruise aboard Zambezi Queen on the Chobe River, three nights at Victoria Falls, and then a mix of pre and post cruise hotel and lodge stays in key wildlife regions.

Zambezi Queen itself is a purpose built houseboat style vessel, with only 14 suites and broad open decks designed for game viewing along the riverbanks of Chobe National Park in Botswana. The small size and calm river pace mean animals perceive little threat from the ship, which can translate into closer encounters with elephants, hippos, and other wildlife than many land based safaris.

Latest Developments

Starting in August 2026, AmaWaterways will introduce four named itineraries that each combine the river cruise with distinct land components.

From the Cape to the Falls is the shortest of the new set, a 9 night package that includes three nights in Cape Town, a three night Chobe River cruise, and three nights in Victoria Falls, with an optional two night extension in Johannesburg. Guests visit Boulders Beach to see African penguins, tour Robben Island prison where Nelson Mandela was held, and spend time in regional vineyards, then shift to river boat safaris, village visits, and wildlife drives around the Chobe before finishing at the falls. Prices start at about $ 13,770.00 (USD) per person, excluding flights.

Iconic Africa stretches the journey to 14 nights, adding a three night stay in a tented safari lodge within Greater Kruger National Park. Travelers begin in Cape Town, continue with the three night Chobe cruise and three nights in Victoria Falls, then fly to Johannesburg where the program includes a visit to the Apartheid Museum and onward travel to Greater Kruger for game drives that target the Big Five. Base fares start around $ 18,620.00 (USD) per person.

Classic Kenya and Southern Africa is a 14 or 18 night option that layers in East Africa. After one night in Johannesburg, guests cruise the Chobe for three nights, spend three nights in Victoria Falls, then continue to Kenya for seven nights that include Nairobi, the Maasai Mara, and luxury camping at Amboseli, with visits to an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center near the capital. In Zimbabwe, the itinerary features a nighttime game drive that may offer a chance to spot endangered black rhino. Travelers can add a four night extension in Zanzibar for a beach finish, and prices begin at about $ 20,645.00 (USD) per person.

African Wonders and the Skeleton Coast is a 15 night itinerary focused heavily on Namibia, with eight nights spent there alongside time in Botswana, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The trip includes game drives, a sunset cruise along the Zambezi, a visit to the NamibRand Nature Reserve, and a catamaran cruise from Swakopmund to spot marine wildlife off the Skeleton Coast, with starting prices around $ 20,445.00 (USD) per person.

How It Works

All four itineraries tie into AmaWaterways Africa Safaris and Wildlife framework, which bundles most logistics into one purchase. The packages typically include regional flights within Africa, guided transfers, lodge stays, most meals, safari activities, and the river cruise itself, so travelers mainly need to add international air to and from gateway cities such as Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Windhoek, or Zanzibar, plus insurance and gratuities.

Because Zambezi Queen only carries 28 guests, departures are capacity constrained from the start. Operators and AmaWaterways marketing materials already warn that Chobe river safaris tend to sell out many months ahead, and the addition of new countries like Kenya and Namibia is likely to increase demand rather than dilute it.

Analysis

For travelers who want a high touch, mostly pre packaged way to see multiple African regions, these itineraries simplify what would otherwise be a very complex set of bookings. You are paying a premium for that convenience and for the small ship experience, but you gain coherent routing, one company responsible for most of the trip, and a consistent standard of lodging and guiding.

The tradeoff is flexibility. Independent travelers who like to linger in one park for a week or build their own self drive routes in Namibia will find the AmaWaterways schedules quite fixed, with only the optional extensions in Johannesburg, Zanzibar, or other add ons offering additional days. On the other hand, first time visitors who want to see Cape Town, Victoria Falls, and at least one marquee safari region in a single trip, without stitching together local operators, may view that structure as a clear advantage.

Advisors should flag that these are multi country journeys that cross borders between South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania for Zanzibar, which means clients need valid passports with sufficient blank pages, and in some cases visas or health documentation such as yellow fever vaccination proofs. Lead times will matter, both for document processing and for grabbing preferred sailing dates before they disappear.

The pricing and footprint also speak to where AmaWaterways sees demand. After years of adding hardware on European rivers, the line is leaning further into high yield, niche products on the Chobe that combine wildlife, culture, and soft adventure for a relatively small number of guests. If these new itineraries perform well, expect the Africa Safaris and Wildlife collection to become an even more important differentiator within the crowded river cruise space.

Final Thoughts

AmaWaterways expansion of its Africa Safaris and Wildlife program for 2026, with four new itineraries centered on Zambezi Queen, gives river cruise fans a set of high end, multi country options that blend the intimacy of a small ship with marquee safari and city experiences. For travelers comfortable with the price point and ready to manage the longer flights and documentation, these trips can compress a bucket list sweep of southern and eastern Africa into a single, tightly supported journey.

Sources

• AmaWaterways, Africa Safaris & Wildlife Cruises
• AmaWaterways, Chobe River Cruise Itineraries 2026
• AmaWaterways, New For 2026 Africa Itineraries
• Travel Weekly, AmaWaterways Expands Africa Offerings
• Cruise Critic, AmaWaterways Adds Four New Itineraries in Africa