We did the River to Rails journey with Amawaterways June 6-19. The most standout part of the trip was the Ama trip coordinator Delia. She is a shining star and perhaps the best Tour Guide I have ever had and I visited more than 120 countries. We started our trip in Cape Town and despite rough weather we had an amazing experience. The flight to Botswana was uneventful and the logistics were so simplistic because of Delia. On June 9, we joined the Zambezi queen cruise with some extra passengers. Two of the passengers were a couple celebrating an anniversary, and the lady (M) unfortunately could not be pleased by anything. I've never seen someone so miserable ever. I'm being specific with the dates of our trips because I suspect she's going to go out of her way to write bad reviews, and I want to be sure to counteract those. As I feel they will be dramatic and dreadfully inaccurate. The Zambezi queen was a lovely boat. Of course it's not a new European river boat, but for an African river boat, it was spectacular and the crew was wonderful. Emilie was an amazing cruise director and the staff were all amazing including Moses and Gift. Everyone was kind. The food was great and it was overall a wonderful experience. Following the boat, we went to the Victoria Falls hotel, which was also spectacular and such a lovely experience. The falls were gorgeous and the evening train ride was very special. We wanted a special crossing by foot into Zambia and Delia arranged everything for us. It was spectacular! Following this, 10 passengers went on to the Rovos Rail. It's worth noting the Rovos rail Crew takes over at this point as the Amawaterways portion has ended. However, Cynthia with Amawaterways did a great job of coordinating and making sure we were seamlessly transitioned between the Ama portion and the Train. The one thing I will tell people is that you don't board the train until about 4:30 and the only place to wait is a room at the Victoria Falls Hotel with limited snacks. I wouldn't be in a rush despite what Ama may tell you to get back and wait for the train. The train itself was lovely, but I personally learned I wouldn't want to do it again. The meals are served from a galley kitchen and in two cars. We sat at the back of the second car which meant we were one of the last ones served and each meal (lunch and dinner) was a more than two hour event. Don't forget to bring clothes to dress for the occasion too! (That was the fun part). Also, There were only two choices the main meal or a vegetarian option. Don't give me wrong, it was great food, but just too slow for my taste. It was also challenging to sleep on this train. I've never slept on any other train, but this train in particular was very wobbly and quite loud.This was my first Amawaterways trip and I was entirely blown away. I do intend to travel with them more. The attention to detail was second to none! Thank you Delia! Love from Florida.
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With nearly 20 years of experience on the world’s rivers, our family-owned and operated company has remained focused on what we do best: providing our guests with innovative and unforgettable travel experiences. Our visionary leaders were the pioneers of modern luxury river cruising and have received numerous prestigious awards and accolades. However, we are most fulfilled by the positive feedback we receive from our guests, whom we have always considered a part of our family. Join us, stay awhile and discover Europe, Asia, Africa, or Colombia with us – one river at a time.See more
