By Kyle McCarthy of The Family Travel Forum
For the ultimate multigenerational adventure, set your sights on an African safari cruise. View animals in the wild from small tenders and dusty 4WD vehicles. Listen to their call from luxurious waterfront safari lodges and stylish river cruisers.
This unique style of travel explores remote game parks on both sea and land.
Africa’s great Chobe and Zambezi Rivers support millions of animals along their banks and tributaries. On the nine-day CroisiEurope Southern Africa River Safari, skillful guides and trackers uncovered them along waterways that separated Namibia from Botswana, and Zimbabwe from Zambia.
Exploring Southern Africa with a CroisiEurope Tour Group
Our good-natured group of 15 hailed from Belgium, Switzerland, France and the U.S. We met in the stylish 54 on Bath Hotel in Johannesburg. Most participants had arrived the night before from Europe, which conveniently shares the same time zone as South Africa.
I asked how others had chosen this adventurous itinerary for their first African safari.
Some, like my family, traveled with the France-based CroisiEurope river cruise company before and loved their trips. Others studied all the African safaris they could find and liked this Southern Africa one for its unique, multi-country perspective. Still others heard from friends that a river safari was a spectacular way to see animals in a variety of settings.
My family knew CroisiEurope catered to their sophisticated clientele with first rate cuisine and expert tour guides. Cost was reasonable for the luxury accommodations, posh all-inclusive safari cruise and small group size.
Everyone agreed — this CroisiEurope river safari cruise exceeded all expectations.
Sophisticated Safari Dining for All Tastes
You couldn’t miss the company’s (or the passengers) attention to fresh and flavorful food. As eat-at-your-desk Americans, we were very impressed that our new friends sat down for each meal with the intention of savoring conversation over each course.
Breakfast was a buffet of fresh croissants, breads, meats and cheeses, cereals and fruit, with eggs to order for those who requested them. Lunch and dinner included a choice of appetizer and entrée followed by dessert. Portions were generous but not wasteful, which we all appreciated.
We sampled some African dishes along with the continental menu. South African curried beef stew, bobotie, was served with sadza, after we’d visited a village where maize was ground into flour to make these polenta-like dumplings. Aromatic spices, peri peri sauce, line-caught tilapia and bream from Lake Kariba, and biltong – a dried, smoked jerky made from different animals – added interest to other meals. Another day, the chef oversaw a local-style, wood-fired barbecue of farm-raised kudu, free-range lamb, local beef and sausage.
Any culinary curiosity was satisfied. We discovered Amarula – a 17% alcohol liqueur made from the fermented fruit of an amarula tree. Our guide explained that elephants could ravage a village simply to eat the overripe fruit – thus, the elephant head logo on the bottle.
Exploring Namibia and Botswana Along the Chobe River
After flying Johannesburg to Kasane, a mini-safari cruise transported us from Botswana to our stylish lodge in Namibia. However, that meant docking for immigration and border proceedings in two countries! Each government checkpoint was packed with locals crossing the river to work or shop. Their patience said a lot about the African way of life.
Safaris along the Chobe River and in Chobe National Park revealed a treasury of animals, especially elephants. The park is said to conserve more than 170,000 — from large males with enormous ears to babies tethered to their moms’ tails by their trunks.
Did you know that elephants walk on their tiptoes?
Wildlife Immersion on an African Safari Cruise
We paused the jeep to admire herds of impala, kudu and various antelope. Warthogs, mongoose, guinea fowl, zebra, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and hundreds of birds passed by.
By the end of our first day’s game drive, we had seen four of Africa’s majestic Big Five: the African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and lion. We were saving the almost extinct rhinoceros for the last day’s safari, at a private game park that conserved rhinos. It was a spectacular finale to the perfect itinerary.
Kaza Safari Lodge on Impalila Island, Namibia
We returned each day to our remote, riverfront lodge, hot and tired from the excitement of the hunt. The thatch main lodge was the site of Happy Hour, the daily Briefing, and group meals around a hand-carved table.
Our new friends, neighbors in the eight-bungalow compound, had waterview porches shaded by ancient baobab trees. From our private plunge pool overlooking the Kaviri Canal, we searched for the hippopotamus tooting a Bronx Cheer and monkeys scampering on thatch roofs.
A wall of windows faced the dawn from the large king bedroom, bathroom and shower stall. Each morning, Hornbills pecked at their reflections in the glass — our wakeup call. The pre-breakfast fuel from the minibar was perfection – a choice of Nescafé, a French press from freshly ground beans, or a Nespresso!
Sailing on to Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe
On Day 5 we boarded 10-seater bush planes to Zimbabwe. Our river cruiser, RV Zimbabwean Dream, waited in Lake Kariba. The lake was created in the 1950’s by a hydroelectric dam across the Zambezi River, which provided power to both Zimbabwe and Zambia.
Over 136 miles long and up to 25 miles wide, Lake Kariba shelters more than 100 islands full of wild animals. Thousands were relocated to dry land by Rhodesia’s chief game warden, Rupert Fothergill, during Operation Noah (1958-1964.) An island and the Fothergill Lodge commemorate his work.
Our floating safari cruiser had eight spacious staterooms adorned with African arts and sumptuous fabrics. A roof deck, small pool and lounge overlooked the vast horizon of drowned tree trunks, inviting relaxation.
With a tiny draft of only 90cms, the ship is well suited to cruise the drought-plagued Lake Kariba. An engine room tour revealed the two water processing plants that guaranteed a hot shower. Twin engines and gas tanks meant we weren’t tethered to shore.
From Matusadona National Park to Victoria Falls
Guides led morning water safaris on the lake and tender rides to Matusadona National Park. Hippopotamuses and crocodiles seemed to follow us. We encountered Jenje, a picture postcard lion named after the river nearby. The tracker estimated this dominant male was 6 years-old, with a pride consisting of a few wives and three sons.
Game drive tailgates featuring appetizers and fine wines appeared as if by magic.
The crew always welcomed us back onboard with raucous African chanting and dance. Each day’s adventure culminated with laughter over an elegant dinner.
And the reminder that for our family, quality time together doesn’t get any better than this.
Practical Tips for Choosing Your ideal Safari
Most of us will experience only one safari in a lifetime, and I’m not sure you can go wrong. Budget, of course, will influence the decision because these are not cheap adventures. But there are other factors, such as location, group size, level of activity, comfort, and the weather to keep in mind.
Budget: Escorted safaris booked from outside Africa range from about $500 per person per day to much more than $2,500 per person per day. Cost reflects transport (helicopters are more expensive than bush planes) and accommodations (lodges are more costly than tent camps.)
Location: Countries like Kenya and Tanzania are famous for The Great Migration, the June to October movement of more than two million animals in search of water. Rwanda and Uganda are the places to see mountain gorillas; best viewed from June to August and December to February.
Group Size: Our group of 15 was ideal to make new friends yet keep things intimate. We fit easily into two 4WDs for game drives.
Ages: Our family, including an adult son and daughter-in-law, appreciated the participants’ range of ages (19 to 78). While children are welcome, we recommend saving the remarkable, nine-day CroisiEurope river safari experience for older children who will appreciate the extraordinary viewing opportunities and required precautions.
Activity Level: The river cruise’s pace of excursions allowed for all abilities. More active travelers might consider walking or horseback safaris, or guided safaris with optional hikes. Our tour accommodated guests with some disabilities, but not wheelchairs.
Comfort: The private CroisiEurope lodge and river boat were stylish, very comfortable, and had all the luxury amenities without being ostentatious.
Weather, The Best Season for Southern Africa: In most of Southern Africa, winter is from May to October. Days are dry and sunny. Temperatures range from 68-77 degrees Fahrenheit in Zimbabwe and 10% warmer in the lowlands of Botswana and Namibia.
Temperatures drop at night, so a light jacket was useful on early morning and sundown safaris. The November to April summer season is warmer, more humid, with regular light rainfall. CroisiEurope operates its Southern Africa adventures from February to December.
Kyle McCarthy’s family experienced a CroisiEurope Southern Africa River Safari, the most memorable adventure among their many multigenerational travels, in September 2025. More of her work can be seen on Substack, myfamilytravels.com and on social media @familytravelforum