Sundowner Cruise on Zambezi River (Zimbabwe)

We never received our exact pick up time, so we had to contact Wild Horizons to find it out. Our pick up time was 1 hour before the boat ride and we were picked up on time from our hotel. The boat ride was calm and peaceful. Each group had their own table and chairs and were given a festive welcome drink. We had choices of different drinks, including water, sodas, wine, beer, and spirits. For snacks, we had chicken wings, meatballs, sausage, mini vegetable quiches, and cheese breadsticks. The servers worked hard making sure everyone had what they wanted to eat or drink. Our particular cruise didn't see a huge amount of animals, but there were some elephants hiding behind bushes on the side of the river, hippos that were submerged in the water and would pop up every so often, and various birds. The African sunset was glorious and was a highlight of our boat trip.

Originally scheduled for a pick-up at our hotel at 5:00 PM. Upon checking in with our hotel's front desk earlier in the day, we were informed that the pick-up time had been changed to 5:30 PM. At 4:50 PM we received a phone call from the hotel desk informing us that our transport was on site and impatiently waiting for us. We hustled down to the pick-up location and were informed by the driver that the cruise is scheduled to BEGIN at 5:00 PM. Our bus stopped at another hotel to pick-up guests and while the driver was out of the vehicle two other couples informed us that they, too, had been provided incorrect pick-up times. Two ladies travelling together stated that they were given a 4:00 PM pick-up time and had waited around until after 4:30 PM. The other couple's situation was similar to ours. Once we got to the dock and boarded the vessel, the experience turned better. However, another Wild Horizons vessel was pulling away from the dock at the same time as our vessel - at approximately 5:30 PM. So much for a 5:00 PM departure time. The cruise was OK. We did either slow down or stop to see a crocodile, some hippos, and two elephants during our cruise. At no time was there any commentary by the crew. Although service was good, the food was merely so-so. Overall, this excursion was just OK.

Arrived in Zimbabwe and went on this cruise almost immediately. Friendly staff who provided a delicious meal and included drinks. Saw hippos, elephants and crocs. A lovely experience showcasing the Zambezi river and Zimbabwean friendliness.