17 Day AmaWaterways River Cruise from Johannesburg to Arusha 2026

Day 1 Johannesburg

After being greeted at the airport by an AmaWaterways Representative, transfer to Fairlawns Hotel.

Day 2 Johannesburg — Zambezi Queen

Fly to Kasane, Botswana where you’ll be transferred to the Chobe River. Tender boats will take you to the Zambezi Queen moored on the Namibia side of the river. Settle into your stateroom and in the evening, enjoy a Welcome Cocktail Reception and Dinner. (B,D)

Day 3 Zambezi Queen

Embark on an exhilarating morning boat safari. Return to the Zambezi Queen for lunch. Later in the day, enjoy another thrilling boat safari. (B,L,D)

Day 4 Zambezi Queen

Join a full-day safari of Chobe National Park in open-top 4x4 vehicles. For lunch, take a seat under the trees and savor a delicious picnic. (B,L,D)

Day 5 Zambezi Queen

Visit a typical African village spending time with the village children as well as its elders followed by lunch on board. During the afternoon, you can go on a boat safari, bird watch or fish, and then cap the day off with a festive African-themed dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 6 Zambezi Queen — Victoria Falls

Enjoy a morning cruise during breakfast and be on the lookout for wildlife. Afterward, transfer to the legendary Victoria Falls, one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Spend the afternoon exploring the town or experience one of the many activities offered at your hotel. Later this afternoon, join a cocktail reception with appetizers aboard a vintage steam train and make your way to the Victoria Falls Bridge to watch the sunset over the Falls. (B)

Day 7 Victoria Falls

Zambezi River sundowner cruise with drinks and tapas, followed by dinner

Day 8 Victoria Falls

After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport for your flight to Johannesburg. Transfer to the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel with its parklike setting and wonderful Spa. (B)

Day 9 Johannesburg

Take a fascinating tour of Johannesburg and Soweto. Walk in the footsteps of Nelson Mandela, visit Mandela’s former home at Sanctuary Mandela, savoring one of Mandela’s favorite meals cooked by his former at-home chef for lunch. In the evening, enjoy a multi-course dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 10 Johannesburg

Fly to Kilimanjaro where you will be met by an AmaWaterways Representative and transferred to the Arusha Coffee Lodge. (B,D)

Day 11 Arusha — Tarangire

Journey to Tarangire National Park, where you'll go on an adventurous safari before checking into Treetops Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 12 Tarangire

Experience the wonders of Tarangire with a full day of activities, including a morning bushwalk, an afternoon safari and a sunset drive. This is home to the highest number of breeding bird species in the world along with thousands of elephants, huge herds of buffalo, stately fringe-eared oryx and the towering kudu. (B,L,D)

Day 13 Tarangire — Lake Manyara — Ngorongoro

Visit a local village before enjoying a game drive through Manyara National Park, home to tree-climbing lions, giraffes, cheetahs, monkeys, impalas and baboons. Be treated to a picnic en route to The Manor at Ngorongoro. (B,L,D)

Day 14 Ngorongoro

Go on a full-day exploration to the awe-inspiring Ngorongoro Crater. Once a gigantic volcano, it’s the world’s largest intact caldera offering a unique environment virtually unchanged since the dawn of time. The nearly three million years old caldera shelters one of the most beautiful wildlife havens on earth. Deep within the crater, some 25,000 large mammals wander the plains, lakes and forests. A picnic will be served on the crater floor, followed by further exploration before heading back to The Manor. (B,L,D)

Day 15 Ngorongoro — Serengeti National Park

Fly to the Serengeti and in the afternoon, go on a game drive to see the “Big Five.” (B,L,D)

Day 16 Serengeti National Park

Explore the vast Serengeti via an open safari cruiser during the morning and after lunch. It is not possible to say with any accuracy where the Great Migration of the Wildebeest will be located at any one time. There are several determining factors; however, one can be assured that if there is a good chance of seeing it, then this can be accomplished from the Pioneer Camp or Migration Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 17 Serengeti National Park — Arusha

Take your final safari drive in the morning, and then transfer to the airstrip for your flight back to Arusha. Lunch will be served in the gardens of the lodge before your final transfer to Kilimanjaro International Airport or extend your journey with four nights in magical Rwanda. (B,L)
Note: Please do not schedule your onward flight until after 6:00 p.m.