Small ship cruising guide
Small ship cruises take you to another world. To little bits of littoral loveliness you hardly knew existed. Places with names like the Kyles of Bute, or an island called Wolf. Find out more.
West Africa river cruises
A West Africa river cruise takes you along the Gambia River and into the Saloum Delta of Senegal, through prestigious national parks and charming French colonial towns, all the while presenting a stunning variety of wildlife. For bird watchers this is a particular treat, as you visit the Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve, Langue de Barbarie National Park and Djoudj National Park, all of them renowned for their myriad species of birds.
To call it a cruise is perhaps something of a misnomer. You’ll be travelling by an exciting mix of transport: an overnight stay aboard a motor cruiser on the Gambia River, traditional pirogues through the Saloum Delta and wetlands, jeeps for game drives in Kiang West National Park, and hardy overland vehicles between destinations, as well as for the border crossings.
To call it a cruise is perhaps something of a misnomer. You’ll be travelling by an exciting mix of transport: an overnight stay aboard a motor cruiser on the Gambia River, traditional pirogues through the Saloum Delta and wetlands, jeeps for game drives in Kiang West National Park, and hardy overland vehicles between destinations, as well as for the border crossings.
Our River cruising Holidays
China holiday and Yangtze river cruise
A comprehensive China itinerary covering its length and breadth
From
£3249 to £3579
20 days
inc UK flights
Nile cruise holiday in Egypt
Discover ancient temples & tombs & travel by Nile cruise boat
From
£1599 to £2199
9 days
inc UK flights
Mekong River cruise to Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Cruise the Mekong river to the spectacular ruins of Angkor
From
£455
3 days
ex flights
Senegal and Gambia river cruise holiday
Discover west Africa's wildlife & Senegal's colonial heritage
From
£2145 to £2471
13 days
inc UK flights
Kerala houseboat holiday, India
Set yourself afloat along the quiet Keralan backwaters on a one-bed crewed houseboat
From
£960
8 days
ex flights
Irrawaddy river cruise, Burma
Sail the mighty Ayarwaddy in a unique experience of Myanmar!
From
£2999 to £5999
11 days
ex flights
Brahmaputra cruise in India
Wildlife, especially rhinos, villages and culture of India
From
£1975 to £2585
8 days
ex flights
Nile felucca cruise in Egypt
Privatized traditional felucca cruise among people and stars
From
€400 to €500
4 days
ex flights
Guilin & Yangtze river cruise holiday, China
Get close to the nature in Guilin and Yangtze river.
From
US $1073 to US $1439
7 days
ex flights
Camp Leakey and Tanjung Puting NP tour, 4 days
Sail downriver to the Orangutan Sanctuary at Camp Leakey
From
£650
4 days
ex flights
Lower Ganges river cruise in India
Cruise the lower Ganges through west Bengal - India slowly
From
£2585
8 days
ex flights
Orangutan expedition in Central Borneo
Orangutan and Dayak culture adventure in Central Borneo
From
AU $2590
8 days
ex flights
Luxury China tour with Yangtze river cruise
China in style with luxury Yangtze Cruise
From
£9400
12 days
inc UK flights
Mekong river cruise in South East Asia
Vientiane to Chiang Mai river cruise
From
£2927
11 days
ex flights
Nile traditional cruise of Egypt
Join our 9-day, slow-paced Nile cultural voyage of discovery
From
£2575 to £3715
9 days
ex flights
Wheelchair accessible Nile cruise, Egypt
Egypt wheelchair accessible Nile Cruise
From
£1169 to £2311
8 days
ex flights
Nile cruise in Egypt for families
Enjoy a fabulous and relaxing felucca cruise .
From
€450 to €500
4 days
ex flights
What will I see?
Lac Rose
Just northeast of Dakar, capital of Sengal, this astonishingly picturesque lake is tinted pink by algae. Its otherworldly appearance is heightened by the magenta-coloured samphire bushes and terracotta dunes that line the lake, while the waters themselves are thick with salt that local fishermen harvest to preserve their catch.
Djoudj National Park
Located in the Senegal Delta, this vast wetland ecosystem, fragile but essential, hosts over 1.5 million migratory waterbirds including white pelicans, pink flamingos, Egyptian geese, fish eagles and cormorants, pausing for a breather after flying across the Sahara. Crocodiles and water pythons patrol the channels between lakes, which are too narrow for large vessels, and must be negotiated by motorised canoes known as pirogues.Langue de Barbarie National Park
This narrow peninsula between the Senegal River and the Atlantic, lined with sand dunes and mangroves, is home to three species of turtle including the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle, as well as many species of birdlife. Migratory species arrive between November and April, with February an excellent time to witness mating, nesting and feeding the young.Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve
Small pirogues carry you through the mangrove of Bao Bolong, where over 500 species of birds can be found: kites, eagles, buzzards and West African starlings sail above, while colourful kingfishers keep a watchful eye. Slow moving manatees are prey to the ever present crocodiles, while it’s not unknown to spot otters, antelopes and even leopards here.
Saloum Delta
As the Saloum River reaches the Atlantic it unfolds into a languid maze of wide channels dotted with islands, many of them threatened by rising sea levels and loss of the natural mangrove barrier. Pirogues weave their way past fishing communities where heaps of oyster shells stand, while pelicans and flamingos fly overhead.Our top River cruising Holiday
China holiday and Yangtze river cruise
A comprehensive China itinerary covering its length and breadth
From
£3249 to £3579
20 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2020: 21 Aug, 28 Aug, 1 Sep, 4 Sep, 11 Sep, 22 Sep, 9 Oct, 16 Oct
2021: 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 6 Apr, 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 30 Apr, 7 May, 18 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 9 Jul, 23 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 17 Aug, 20 Aug, 24 Aug, 27 Aug, 31 Aug, 3 Sep, 7 Sep, 10 Sep, 14 Sep, 17 Sep, 8 Oct, 12 Oct, 15 Oct, 19 Oct, 22 Oct, 26 Oct, 29 Oct
2020: 21 Aug, 28 Aug, 1 Sep, 4 Sep, 11 Sep, 22 Sep, 9 Oct, 16 Oct
2021: 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 6 Apr, 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 30 Apr, 7 May, 18 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 9 Jul, 23 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 17 Aug, 20 Aug, 24 Aug, 27 Aug, 31 Aug, 3 Sep, 7 Sep, 10 Sep, 14 Sep, 17 Sep, 8 Oct, 12 Oct, 15 Oct, 19 Oct, 22 Oct, 26 Oct, 29 Oct
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about River cruising or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Life aboard ship
Between Georgetown and Tendaba, via the ancient Wassu Stone Circles, you’ll cruise down the Gambia River aboard a motor cruiser, a converted groundnut boat. Expect simple yet comfortable facilities aboard, with a WC, kitchen and bar, and a shaded deck area where you’ll sleep at night on mattresses.
A Gambian crew will serve up delicious homecooked food while you pass ‘can’t take your eyes off it’ scenery including tropical forest where monkeys call, plus rice paddies, bamboo groves and mangrove swamps. In the river itself you may see bathing hippos and watchful crocodiles. What we’re saying is – keep your camera handy at all times, but you can probably skip your bathing suit.
A Gambian crew will serve up delicious homecooked food while you pass ‘can’t take your eyes off it’ scenery including tropical forest where monkeys call, plus rice paddies, bamboo groves and mangrove swamps. In the river itself you may see bathing hippos and watchful crocodiles. What we’re saying is – keep your camera handy at all times, but you can probably skip your bathing suit.
Best time to take a
West Africa river cruise
Small group trips, taking a fairly circuitous route from Dakar, depart from October to May. This is the dry season when the weather is cooler, there are fewer mosquitoes around, and with less mud and landslides to worry about, overland travel is considerably easier.
More about River cruising
The perfect antidote to overcrowded, overheated tourist destinations, a river cruise is a relaxing, culturally immersive way to travel - our river cruising holidays guide will float your imagination.
Our top six river cruises take you down some of the world’s best-known rivers: the Amazon, the Yangtze, and the Nile, around the idyllic backwaters of Kerala, to jungle-clad ruins and nature sanctuaries full of wildlife.
The classic song ‘On a slow boat to China’ originated from an old poker term - get Lady Luck on your side with our rundown of what to expect on Yangtze River cruises, from when to go to what to life aboard ship.
It’s hard to put the romance and glamour of Nile River cruises into words, so let’s just say that even today, with this iconic river busier than ever, it still feels like stepping back into a more genteel era.
A Kerala backwaters cruise immerses you in a unique landscape, delightfully scenic and tranquil, with smaller vessels enabling you to visit remote areas that most tourist boats cannot.
Many consider the Ganges to be the lifeblood of India, and certainly its depth can also be measured in symbolism and spirituality.
An inspiration for Kipling and Orwell among many others, often known as ‘The Road to Mandalay’ and a source of hope for many in a country so long torn with strife, the Irrawaddy is as serene as it is beautiful.
The most enjoyable way to travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, or for a longer journey through Thailand and Laos, Mekong river cruises are a combination of laidback, colonial-style elegance and culturally rich shore excursions.
Don’t get stuck up the creek without a paddle, instead take onboard some watertight river cruising holidays advice from our suppliers, as well as priceless tips from previous passengers.
River cruising holidays are not always as sensitive as they could be towards local cultures and the environment, which is why you’ll only ever find us promoting trips we feel are genuinely beneficial.
More relevant guides
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Photo credits: [Page banner: nikolasc62] [Intro: Dan Roizer]
[Lac Rose: Jeff Attaway]
[Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve: gisela gerson lohman-braun]
[Best time to take a West Africa river cruise: IsaacTuray]
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