Nile, Mekong & Amazon River Cruises
Some rivers need a different kind of ship than the Rhine or the Danube: shallow-draft vessels built for the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, the Mekong through Cambodia and Vietnam, or the Amazon out of Iquitos, often carrying fewer than 40 guests and run by operators who work that one river and nowhere else. We rank the lines that specialize in a single exotic waterway rather than the generalist European river brands, on cabin size and views, the strength of the onboard guides, Egyptologists, or naturalists, and how much of the daily excursion schedule is included rather than sold as an add-on.
- 1
Five-star Indian luxury hospitality group operating two high-end Nile riverboats between Luxor and Aswan, recently recognized as best river cruisers by Travel + Leisure.
- 2
Owner-operator fleet cruising the Peruvian Amazon and lower Mekong, with two modern riverboats and expert naturalist guides leading twice-daily excursions on an all-inclusive basis.
- 3
Asia's premier river cruise specialist operating shallow-draft vessels on the Mekong, Red River, and Upper Mekong through Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand with stays in remote villages and historic sites.
- 4
Luxury Peruvian Amazon specialist operating three small vessels in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, the world's first Relais & Châteaux river cruise line with departures from Iquitos.
- 5
Small-ship operator running intimate French-colonial-style vessels through the lower Mekong Delta between Vietnam and Cambodia, with cabin counts under 30 and all meals and drinks included.
- 6
Premium Nile River specialist rebranded as A&K Sanctuary, operating luxury riverboats including the Sanctuary Nile Adventurer and the new all-suite Nile Seray with exclusive tomb access.
- 7
Owner-operated dahabiya (traditional Egyptian sailboat) company running three small vessels with 4-12 cabins each, emphasizing locally-guided shore activities and sustainable river travel between Luxor and Aswan.
- 8
Owner-operator luxury Mekong cruises connecting Laos and Thailand with two distinctive vessels piloted by crew with three decades of river expertise, operating year-round with seasonal advantages for upstream navigation.
- 9
Boutique Nile operator running a fleet of nine traditional dahabiyas with guest counts under ten per vessel, emphasizing intimate sailing between Luxor and Aswan.