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Thames Cruise aboard the African Queen
Step aboard the award-winning African Queen and enjoy a unique experience as we sail on the Thames through the heart of Wind in the Willows country. This beautiful barge has been restored into a floating hotel, offering all guests a welcome retreat from the rush of modern-day life. Join us as we wake each morning in the middle of the English countryside and enjoy delicious food, wonderful company and beautiful scenery throughout the day, along with first class hospitality. Highlights of our cruise include quaint villages and towns such as Wallingford, Caversham and Henley-on-Thames, along with dinner at The Mill in Sonning – the only dinner theatre in the UK.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights cruising on a full-board basis
- Dinner & Theatre performance of Watermill at Sonning Dinner Theatre
- A BBQ onboard followed by quiz night
- Free secure parking at embarkation point
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Itinerary
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Make your own way to the African Queen in the small village of Mapledurham near Reading, where complimentary car parking is available. We are introduced to the captain and crew before setting sail through the heart of Wind in the Willows country to reach the pretty village of Goring-on-Thames. Enjoy some free time ashore followed by Cape Malay, a traditional South African dish served this evening.
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
After breakfast, we continue sailing upstream, passing beautiful countryside to reach the market town of Wallingford, former home of Agatha Christie and regular TV location of Midsomer Murders. Here, we have some time to step ashore and explore this historic town, meeting up at Avanti Italian Restaurant at 1pm for an included two-course lunch.
We return to the African Queen for the journey downstream to Mapledurham, where we spend the night and enjoy a three-course supper onboard.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
Today, we sail downstream to Caversham for some free time in this historic town. We enjoy lunch onboard the African Queen and continue sailing to Sonning, a picturesque village described by English writer of Three Men in a Boat, Jerome K. Jerome, as ‘the most fairy-like nook on the whole river’.
This evening, we have dinner at The Mill at Sonning Dinner Theatre, the only dinner theatre in the UK and the inspiration for Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows. We will watch a wonderful performance in this beautiful 18th century watermill.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
This morning, we continue downstream to Henley-on-Thames, recognised around the world for its annual royal regatta. The historic town is only few strides from the Thames and is filled with beautiful buildings. You can explore the town, walk along the Thames path, visit the River and Rowing Museum and see the statues of Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent, or enjoy a 3D exhibition dedicated to Kenneth Grahame’s novel, The Wind in the Willows, (entrances not included).
A barbecue is served back onboard followed by an entertaining quiz night.
Includes Breakfast
Includes Lunch
Includes Dinner
Included Highlights
We enjoy a final morning cruising back to Mapledurham, where a delicious roast dinner is served onboard. We disembark at 3pm and then you can make your own way home.
Includes Breakfast
Accommodation
Reviews
4 Out of 5 ( 3 Reviews )
Reviews
Quality
4 / 5
Value for Money
3.7 / 5
David Watkins, 1 year ago
Great holiday. Crew fantastic. Thames wonderful. Any problems sorted quickly.
Verified, collected via Trustpilot
Richard Underwood, 1 year ago
The food was excellent and plenty of it, the kitchen was immaculate. The crew were very friendly and obliging. The cabin was clean and comfortable. The public areas, deck and saloon were comfortable and airy. The visit to Wallingford with the Italian restaurant lunch was excellent. The evening visit to Sonning Mill Theatre was also excellent. We had a lovely meal and a West End quality show. The African Queen is quite tired and shabby. I thought the bar price of £29 for a bottle of Prosseco was excessive. The worst part of the trip, and it did seriously spoil our enjoyment, was that they did not have pre-booked moorings at the scheduled stops. Our day in Henley turned out to be a one and half hour visit by taxi from the place they manged to moor. Our evening visit to Goring on Thames was a brief stop before moving to moorings beyond walking distance into the village.
Verified, collected via Trustpilot
Mr and Mrs Young, 1 year ago
The crew were very attentive and helpful. The food was excellent and plenty of it. The cabin and bathroom were very small and the bathroom very basic. The weather was changeable, however, the scenery was very pleasant. There were stops everyday with the chance to go ashore and explore.
Verified, collected via Trustpilot
