African Queen Thames River Cruises

    Weekend Breaks

    Weekend River Cruises

    Weekend Breaks

    on The African Queen

    Leave the hussle of the city to unwind with the tranquility of the "Wind of the Willows" Thames.

    2 Nights on board.
    All meals included.

    From £280.00 per person

    Make a Booking

    • Bar Service
    • Three-course candlelit dinner on Friday and Saturday
    • Two-night accommodation based on two people sharing a twin or double cabin
    • En-suite facilities

    Itinerary

    Mapledurham

    Friday
    Board from 17h00 on Friday to a warm welcome from the cruise hosts.
    Relax and unwind with a welcome glass of bubbly. Settle into your cabin and find your way around the vessel. Enjoy the wonderful flavours of authentic Cape Malay dinner.
    End the day with a nightcap in the bar and regaled by our captain with stories of the river.

    Saturday
    Saturday begins with a hearty cooked breakfast followed by a walk through the old village of Mapledurham and a visit to the late 18th-century chapel.

    Whitchurch

    Cruise heads off towards the Whitchurch Lock - a pound lock built of oak in 1787 and is th only lock on the Thames that is accessible only by boat. We will cruise pas the The Swan, a 17 century listed building overlooking the weir at Pangbourne, and then the Seven Deadly Sins - seven Gothic-style houses built in 1896 along Shooter’s Hil professed to have housed seven lady friends of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward V11)

    We will then pass through a peaceful stretch of rural meadows and woodlands filled with birds and wildlife.

    Goring

    Includes a light lunch served at one of the traditional pubs in Goring.

    Desert served on board

    Once safely moored we will head to a traditional pub in Goring, for a light lunch after which guests are free to explore the village and surrounds. Desert will be served on board on your return to the boat.

    On the way back to our mooring we will pass Bozedown Alpacas - the largest Alpaca farm in England. After mooring up at Mapledurham guests can explore Mapledurham or relax on board - followed by dinner and nightcaps at the bar.

    Sunday

    The cruise ends on Sunday with a delicious breakfast before guests disembark from 10:00.

    Available Dates

    Dates From and To

    31 March - 2 April 2023
    7 - 9 April 2023
    14 - 16 April 2023
    19 - 21 May 2023
    30 June - 2 July 2023
    4 - 6 August 2023
    8 - 10 September 2023
    13 - 15 October 2023

     

    Please contact Bonny Cowley
    Phone - 07774917389
    Email - africanqueenoflondon@gmail.com

    Or book direct with Shearings
    Tel: 01709 249 699
    shearings.com - Weekend Cruise

    TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

    Testimonials

    Here's what people say about us

    • Christmas on the African Queen!

      Last year my fiancee and myself went on the African Queen for Christmas. We enjoyed it so much that we had to take my family and friends there this year. The location it self is probably one of the most beautiful locations in England. Again the crew’s service was excellent, no request is to big for Andy and Bonnie. Their hospitality is also unmatched.
      All I can say about the food is that words can’t do it justice and it needs to be experienced!

      Renier P – UK

    • Spent several days aboard a 100ft Dutch Barge! Excellent food – Bonnie is a superb chef, ably assisted by Bobby. Wonderful atmosphere. Compact accommodation but exceedingly clean and very functional! and “user friendly”. Andy is an excellent mine host – tells very funny stories and has a really good sense of humour. Beautiful countryside. An experience to treasure and to repeat!

      Patrick M – South Africa

    • Have just returned from five days on board the boat hotel, African Queen.

      It was a most enjoyable, relaxing experience. Our expectations were exceeded when we received a phone call from Bonny, the co-owner of the vessel, to welcome us in advance and to check that if we had special dietary needs could be met. She also checked that we had any concerns prior to our departure. Shortly after boarding we were treated to home made scones with jam and cream and that was the start of interesting, quality meals which were cooked to perfection. Delicious!

       

      Ezanns – Lincoln

    • Great weekend – nothing quite like it!

      Seeing our great national river up close while others do all the hard work was well worth the price. You would be hard pushed to find such a combination of excellent food and under-stated seamanship anywhere else. All we had to do was relax and enjoy. Given our weather can be unpredictable the boat was well fitted for all possible circumstances and so was the bar – nice to see a classic paper spreadsheet in use 😉

      Roger C – Mattishall

    • A weekend with a difference!

      If you are looking for peace, great food, then this is the place to be. Andy, Bonnie and Bobby do everything humanly possible to make their guests comfortable. Andy is the skipper, keeping many people amused with his anecdotes and experiences of life. Bonnie and Bobby keep their guests exceptionally well fed and comfortable.

      Everybody on our trip gelled (young and old) and on Saturday we had a wonderful evening celebrating a guest’s birthday. We sang, danced, laughed and had a thoroughly good time.

       

      W Spatriciab – Wellington