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The Rich Learn Sustainable Living on Luxury Cruise

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Here’s some green luxury travel. There’s no air conditioning at all in the Zambezi Queen – just natural cross breezes provide ventilation on this African cruise boat in Botswana, on the Chobe River that runs through the Chobe National Park.

Hot water is provided by solar thermal hot water heating soaking up the sunshine on the roof; generating more than enough hot water for all guests to enjoy a long, refreshing shower at any time of the day…

On the foredeck is an inviting plunge pool that is refilled daily with  water from the river. That’s not blue.

‘We tell guests we can make the water blue if they want, but that would involve adding chemicals that would then have to be pumped into the river,’ The owner comments. ‘So far, they’ve always declined.’

On deck -no  nasty smell of diesel – the boat uses jet propulsion instead of conventional propellers for better fuel economy.

The suites have private balconies, modern colonial-style décor and the mosquito netting is at the windows, so the mosquito netting doesn’t bunch up around you as you sleep.

Despite the simplicity of the completely open sides creating the cross ventilation, the appointments are in keeping with the understated luxury that the cruising class demands and expects.

An eco sensibility can be quite delightful, they’ll find. Since the rich are responsible for most of the climate emissions in the world, it is good to see a development like this, as an education. Maybe when they commission their next mansion; they’ll remember those delightful solar showers and cool natural breezes.

Images: Zambesi Queen