Unforgettable river cruise experience - Travel around the world's riverside scenery

Unforgettable river cruise experience - Travel around the world's riverside scenery

Many people should have heard of cruise vacations. How about experiencing a river cruise?

Today, 【GreaterGo】takes you on a journey to explore the most popular river cruise vacations along the Belt and Road related countries and  regions. The river cruises cover Egypt, Austria, Serbia, Romania, Hungary, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Myanmar,  China, Russia, and Portugal.

 

Nile River: The Mother River of Egypt

 

The river length: 6,853km

Timing: Boat sail year-round

Sailing down the Egypt's Nile River is a rare experience – thinking of a floating paradise overlooking 5,000-year-old Egyptian heritage is such great excitement. Relax in the privacy of your luxurious suite while enjoying a one-of-a-kind river cruise experience exploring ancient Egyptian monuments and historic landmarks. 

 

Danube River: Waltz across Eastern Europe

 

The river length: 2,888km

Timing: Year-long; water level might be low during the summer, suggesting skip the hottest month to avoid potential cancellation.

The Danube stumbles across nineteen nations in total, from Germany's Black Forest to the Black Sea, from the vineyards of Austria and Soviet-era architecture of Belgrade, Serbia to the gorges and peaks of Romania, and finishing in Hungarian capital Budapest.

Most river cruises last two to eight days, and there are a variety of itineraries to choose from, depending on your itinerary.

 

Mekong River: Wildlife and Pagodas in South-East Asia

 

Length: 4,350km

Timing: Year-round; winter is popular with cooler weather, while June to October is less busy but full with heavy showers.

The source of the Mekong lies high up in the meltwaters of the Himalayas. The trip sails between Luang Prabang of Laos, a UNESCO World Heritage city, and Thailand's Golden Triangle, tourists can also choose to sail from Ho Chi Ming City in Vietnam, passing through Cambodia's Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, and head to Thailand and Laos.

 

Amazon River: Welcome to the Adventurous Jungle

 

 

Length: 6,992km

Timing: Better access to the Amazon's smaller tributaries and fewer crowds and spectacular wildlife watching during December and May.

The world's largest river originates in the Andes Mountains of Peru and travels through Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Brazil before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. Most itineraries last from three to seven nights, and cruise through blackwater streams and islands swarming with iguanas to the Pacaya-Samiria reserve, a 20,000 square kilometer flooded with jungle wildlife. Make a pit stop at a river village, swim with pink puffer dolphins and immerse yourself in one of the most biodiverse places on earth.

 

Yangtze River:  The Great River goes East

 

Length: 6,300km

Timing: Year-round; spring (Mar-May) and autumn (Sep-Nov) offer cooler breezes and fewer mosquitoes.

Yangtze River, Asia's longest river is big and a third of all the inhabitants of China live in the area covered by the river basin. The Three Gorges Dam is located in Hubei Province and controls a watershed area of about 1 million square kilometers. This Yangtze River tourist attraction is described as breathtaking. The scenary has been described as breathtaking and stunning. Voyages range in duration from three to ten days, often reaching the towering gorges of Wuhan, with pit-stops including the ‘ghost city’ of Fengdu, where a gigantic statue of the ‘King of Ghosts’ towers over mountainside of monasteries and shrines, before drifting on to the first – and most dramatic – gorge, Xiling.

 

Chobe River: Cruise Botswana’s Big Five

 

Length: 731km

Timing: Inland water sources become scarce during the dry season (April to October), increasing the chances of spotting wildlife from the river.

The Chobe River originates in Angola, flows through Namibia and northern Botswana, and then flows into the great Zambezi. The longest voyage begins in South Africa's Johannesburg and ending at Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. River and overland safaris bring you closer to the park's large elephant and buffalo herds, and there are plenty of opportunities to spy their big games from the water.

 

Irrawaddy River: Cruise through Myanmar

 

Length: 2,170km

Timing: Year-round; dry season from November to February

The Irrawaddy River has its source in the Himalayan, and colonial-style riverboats regularly glide the waters between Myanmar's Yangon and Mandalay for ten to fifteen days, and able to dive at Inle Lake and Bagan. A short cruise from Mandalay to the Bagan temple complex is a great way to quickly immerse yourself in the region. Both cities feature on the round trip to Bhamo, then on to the harsh canyons and remote villages of the far north, near the Chinese border, such as Katha, where there are fewer tourists.

 

Volga River: A quick way to get a taste of Russia

 

Length: 3,530km

Timing: Between March and December, most sections of the river are navigable.

The river stretches from the north of Moscow down to the Caspian Sea in Russia. The voyage between Moscow and St Petersburg is popular, fording rural villages and some of Europe’s largest lakes. Set against a backdrop of onion-domed cathedrals, the 3,000-kilometer trip stops in the UNESCO-listed city of Yaroslavl and floats through the Republic of Tatarstan before entering a huge wild delta with lotus flowers and flamingos. 

 

Douro River: The home of world-famous Port wine

Length: 897km

Timing: Year-round

A cruise along the Douro, one of the most beautiful rivers in Western Europe, is a magical experience. Just imagine sailing through vineyards, plunging locks, valleys, and Portuguese villages to the Spanish border under the Iberian sun in the summer, is such an unforgettable experience. The trip can start off from Porto, Portugal, cruising through Douro Valley for port tastings and visits to traditional Iberian villages such as Pinhão. The highlight is UNESCO-listed Salamanca, a bustling university town full of cathedrals and golden sandstone.

 

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