By David Barclay | June 19, 2024
When travelers hear the words “river cruise”, their first thoughts are probably of traditional European river cruises on the Rhine or Danube. While these rivers are very popular, with numerous cruise lines sailing multiple ships, there are many other options for wonderful rivers to cruise. Once cruisers have sailed the Rhine and Danube, they may branch out to other European rivers such as the Douro, the Seine, the Main, or even the Dutch and Belgium Waterways. However, river cruising is not restricted to Europe and adventurous cruisers may want to try a cruise on one of the more exotic rivers of the world. The focus of these exotic river cruises will vary depending on the location. Some will be nature intensive, letting guests get close to the wildlife in and around the river. Others will explore the culture and people who live along the river. In either case, travelers will be rewarded with incredible experiences, all while being pampered by the crew and having their luxury accommodations travel with them.
Below is a curated list of exotic river cruising offered by some of the best luxury river cruise lines.
AmaWaterways (AmaMagdalena)
7-night Magic of Colombia
Magdalena River
Apr 19-26, 2025
AmaWaterways added the Magdalena River to its list of itineraries in 2024 with the launch of two new sister ships, the AmaMagdalena and AmaMelodia. These ships were custom built to sail on the Magdalena River, accommodating 64 and 60 guests respectively. The ships are almost identical, however the AmaMelodia replaces the two junior suites and two category B staterooms with 2 larger Grand Suites.
On this cruise, guests will visit a wide swath of western Columbia, and will enjoy a number of enriching excursions including historic walking tours, live music, birdwatching, and boat tours. Guests looking to extend their vacation can add pre-cruise nights in Medellín and post-cruise nights in Panama City.
Uniworld (Mekong Jewel)
14-night Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong
Mekong River
Nov 12 – 26, 2024
A great way to see Cambodia and Vietnam is with Uniworld sailing on the Mekong Jewel. All Uniworld ships have unique interior designs that integrate the essence of the region they cruise, and the Mekong Jewel is no exception. The suites and common spaces bring an essence of Southeast Asia on board and integrate the cruise experience with the Mekong river and surrounding area.
The Mekong Jewel sails up and down the Mekong River on a continuous circuit. Guests with flexibility on when they travel can pick between traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi or the reverse. This itinerary includes both time cruising on the Mekong, and pre/post time on land visiting Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, and Hanoi.
Aqua Expeditions (Aria Amazon)
7-night Aria Amazon Expedition Cruise
Amazon River
Sept 20 – 27, 2024
Aqua Expeditions sails two river boats on the Amazon River, the Aqua Nera and the slightly smaller Aria Amazon. The Aria Amazon hosts a maximum of 32 guests in 16 suites and has an almost 1-1 crew to guest ratio. Aqua Expeditions offers shorter 3-night and 4-night cruises, but to truly experience everything the Amazon has to offer, cruisers should consider the longer 7-night option.
Guests arrive and depart Peru from Iquitos and are transported to/from the port in Nauta. Guests will sail on several of the tributaries of the Amazon River. Each day includes small group excursions with the ship’s naturalists and authentic cuisine from one of Peru’s finest chefs.
AmaWaterways (Zambezi Queen)
12-night Rivers & Rails of Africa
Chobe River
Oct 25 – Nov 6, 2024
For a unique trip to Southern Africa, consider a trip with AmaWaterways. The intimate 28-passenger Zambezi Queen, launched in 2019, sails the legendary Chobe River.
This itinerary combines a 4-night cruise on the Zambezi Queen with a pre-cruise stop in Cape Town, two nights post cruise at Victoria Falls, and 3 nights on the Rovos Rail luxury train. On both the Zambezi Queen and the train, guests can participate in daytime safari game drives.
David Barclay
Owner, Barclay & Company Travel
Thanks for visiting the Barclay & Company Travel blog! If you’re new here, check out Our Story, learn about the Value we provide, or Contact Us to start planning your next adventure.
Check back often for new posts and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to our newsletter!