Discover lesser-known rivers for your next adventure
Swap headline destinations for lesser-known waterways ripe for discovery – and make your next river cruise a true adventure, says Will Payne
Expanding your culture compass is one of the benefits of river cruising, with a serene sailing through multiple destinations giving you the opportunity to dive into the heart of many port towns and cities in a single holiday.
But while the most popular calls, such as Vienna, Paris and Luxor, undoubtedly have their merits, there is a world of undiscovered and lesser-known river ports waiting to be unlocked.
Here we shine a spotlight on six up and-coming destinations to consider for your next river voyage.
The United States
Looking for a wine-themed river cruise to satisfy your inner sommelier?
Instead of travelling to mainland Europe – the usual river cruise destination for vineyard sailings – try the Pacific Northwest in the USA.
Cruise itineraries on the Columbia and Snake Rivers weave through wineries where vines cascade down hillsides as far as the eye can see.
According to the Washington State Wine Commission, winemaking in the region has rocketed in the last 20 years, with 850 estates producing a wide range of styles.
On an American Cruise Lines itinerary, you’ll enjoy a tour and tasting at Maryhill Winery, one of Washington State’s largest producers.
Colombia
According to the news outlet Colombia One, authorities in the South American country are forecasting a “significant surge” in cruise tourism in 2024.
Partly this is down to the continuing recovery of the country’s tourism industry postCovid, but it’s also because Colombia is simply a great destination and more holidaymakers are discovering its incredibly diverse wildlife and ecologically rich rainforests.
An ideal way to experience this Latin American wonder is on its waterways, with the Magdalena River offering a chance to see the deadly caiman crocodile or the rare midnight-black jaguar from the comfort of your veranda.
Serbia
Annual revenue generated from river cruises in Serbia is expected to increase by 15 per cent from 2024 to 2028, according to figures from the data-sharing firm Statista.
The country’s capital, Belgrade, sits on the Danube, and is an amateur historian’s treasure trove.
The city is home to the Beogradska Tvrdjava fort, which you can visit for free to learn more about the country’s tumultuous past.
Head next to the cobbled Skadarlija Street, which weaves through the city centre, then stop in Velika Skadarlija for a plate of zapeceni starinski cevap – five kinds of meat infused with paprika, topped with homemade kajmak (cream cheese) and rolled in pastry. Delicious!
Vietnam
Simply sitting back and watching the world glide by while you relish the sights and sounds of your immediate surroundings is sometimes the best way to spend a day on a river cruise.
There’s no better place to experience this tranquillity than along the Mekong, which links China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
In recent years, the Mekong has sprung on to the scene as a standout river cruise destination. Feel your heart race in the bustling market of Vietnam’s Sa Dec, where you can get your hands on fresh, locally grown goods such as lotus flowers and bonsai trees produced by 2,000 or so flower-growing households.
Zimbabwe
If an African safari is on your travel bucket list, consider ticking it off by experiencing Zimbabwe’s wildlife from the comfort of a river ship.
This beautiful southern African country teems with majestic beasts such as cheetahs, elephants, black rhinoceros and buffalo – all of which can be spotted from a top-deck Jacuzzi while you drift along the Chobe River and Lake Kariba with CroisiEurope.
You’ll also get the chance to witness the mighty Zambezi River plunging over a cliff at the famed Victoria Falls. Feel the spray of the cascade as you take in the view from African Dream’s restaurant, or head to the lounge bar for a cocktail.
India
The tangy aromas of saffron, turmeric and cumin spring to mind when daydreaming about a holiday in India.
Dazzling sights, rich in intrigue, erupt into life in the country’s Golden Triangle – Delhi, Jaipur and Agra – which is accessible via the Ganges River.
You can visit Delhi’s immense red sandstone and marble Humayun mausoleum, or Raj Ghat, a black granite memorial to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur, and Agra’s Taj Mahal, meanwhile, will leave you mesmerised by their elegant beauty.
