River trips · WORLDWIDE

Where to Book Full-Day River Trips: the 8 Best Worldwide

8 sailings  ·  boarding from $23 a head

Good sailings fill up days ahead and the best ones first. Below: the 8 full-day river trips to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Washington, DC: Full-Day Tour with a Scenic River Cruise - The Capitol and White House set the tone
Full-Day, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours, USA River Cruises, Washington DC River Cruises

Washington, DC: Full-Day Tour with a Scenic River Cruise

1.Washington, DC: Full-Day Tour with a Scenic River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 571 reviews · 6 hours · from $71Our pick

Spend six hours touring Washington DC by climate-controlled panoramic bus, with guided walks at the Capitol, White House, and major memorials. In summer, add a one-hour Potomac cruise from Georgetown Waterfront Park. Guides such as Evan, Sam, Dion, and Derrick are known for clear stories, humor, and helpful photo stops.

“We had an amazing time! We really loved how much time we got to spend at each site and learn so much more than just history. Our guide Dion was fantastic. He kept us entertained and informed. Loved that after each stop, we got back on an air conditioned bus with free ice cold waters. Our driver was great. The river cruise on the Potomac was cool. I highly recommend it. I saw so much more this way than the last tour I took in DC.”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Varanasi : Full Day City Highlights Day Tour & Ganges Cruise - Walking from Manikarnika Ghat to Kashi Vishwanath
Full-Day, India River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Varanasi : Full Day City Highlights Day Tour & Ganges Cruise

2.Varanasi : Full Day City Highlights Day Tour & Ganges Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 520 reviews · 10 hours · from $61

Start at 5:30am with a Ganges sunrise boat ride, then walk Varanasi’s old lanes to Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Your private guide may be Anmol, Shivam, Sanjay, Shivam, or another local specialist. The day continues through BHU, temples, a silk workshop, and Sarnath before the evening Ganga Aarti.

“Our stellar Varanasi experience wouldn’t have been possible without Anmol. Highly professional, cheerful, helpful and very knowledgeable. Highly recommend taking a tour with him.”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Bratislava: Hop-On Hop-Off Full Day+River Cruise & UFO tower - Bratislava Castle, the city’s essential hilltop stop
Full-Day, Hop-On Hop-Off River Boats, River Cruises, Tour Reviews

Bratislava: Hop-On Hop-Off Full Day+River Cruise & UFO tower

3.Bratislava: Hop-On Hop-Off Full Day+River Cruise & UFO tower

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 139 reviews · 2 hours · from $23Best value

Take an electric hop-on hop-off bus around Bratislava from 10 am to 5:30 pm, using the audio guide and Bluetooth headsets to explore stops such as Bratislava Castle, the Blue Church, Slavin Memorial, and the UFO area. Drivers including Peter and Martin add friendly local help, while buses run every 30 minutes.

“Excellent Guide was brilliant, very friendly Really enjoyed it will definitely recommend it to others”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Full-day private Varanasi tour with AC car, boat & Sarnath - Breakfast, Chai, and a Needed Pause
Full-Day, India River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Full-day private Varanasi tour with AC car, boat & Sarnath

4.Full-day private Varanasi tour with AC car, boat & Sarnath

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 103 reviews · 10 hours · from $61

Start at 5:30am with a private Ganges boat ride, then explore Varanasi’s ghats, temples, old lanes, Banaras Hindu University, and Bharat Mata Mandir with a local guide. After lunch, visit Sarnath and its Buddhist monuments before returning for the evening Ganga Aarti. AC transport, water, chai, hotel pickup, and a private boat are included.

“Great tour. Went to many places and the guide, Anmol, was very knowledgeable and good conversation. Options to do more or less were given so very accessible. Would highly recommend!!”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Varanasi & Sarnath: Full-Day Tour with Ganges Boat Ride - Breakfast and the narrow lanes of old Varanasi
Full-Day, India River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Varanasi & Sarnath: Full-Day Tour with Ganges Boat Ride

5.Varanasi & Sarnath: Full-Day Tour with Ganges Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 87 reviews · 10 hours · from $55

Start at 5:30 am with a sunrise boat ride, then visit Varanasi’s ghats, temples, BHU, and Bharat Mata Temple before heading to Sarnath. Return for the Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Private air-conditioned transport, hotel pickup, a guide, and water are included. Lunch and some temple charges cost extra.

“I had a great day with Rahul.. very talented, patient and knowledgeable.. highly recommend this tour. As a solo female traveler, and my first time in this amazing city of Varanasi I felt super safe on this tour. Thank you once again!”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Alanya: Full-Day City Tour Lınch in Dimçay River & Boat Trip - Starting the day from Alanya and nearby resorts
Full-Day, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Alanya: Full-Day City Tour Lınch in Dimçay River & Boat Trip

6.Alanya: Full-Day City Tour Lınch in Dimçay River & Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 11 reviews · 8 hours · from $82

Spend eight hours seeing Alanya from several angles: ride the optional cable car to the castle, visit Damlataş Cave, cruise past the Red Tower and sea caves, eat beside Dimçay River, and enjoy free time in town. English, German, and Russian guides lead the day, with hotel pickup around Alanya and nearby resorts.

“Bardzo dobra wycieczka, świetnie zorganizowana. Sympatyczny przewodnik z poczuciem humoru. Wszystko przejrzyscie wytłumaczone. Wielokrotnie powtórzone godziny spotkań po czasie wolnym, tak aby każdy wiedział kiedy ma wrócić do punktu zbiórki i wyruszyć na następną atrakcję. Jedynie moim zdaniem czas wolny na bazarze jest zbędny.”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Bangkok Canal Small Teak Boat Full-Day Tour - The Morning Produce Market
Bangkok River Cruises, Canal Cruises, Full-Day, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Bangkok Canal Small Teak Boat Full-Day Tour

7.Bangkok Canal Small Teak Boat Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 6h 30m · from $100Top rated

Spend 390 minutes exploring Thonburi by traditional teak canal boat with an English-speaking guide. Visit a fresh produce market, temples, a 250-year-old Artist House, and an orchid and pandan farm. Guides such as Sunny, El, Mr Tee, and Chuam have led this small-group outing, which includes lunch, life jackets, rain gear, and insurance.

“El (?) was very informative. The driver was very good as well. We loved the different architectures and the quiet life of the khlongs. El told us about the history of how the canals were created, the history of the floating market. and how the temples developed. She also walked us through a museum at the Big Buddha temple relating facts about Thai material culture. excellent tour! Thank you so much, it was one of the highlights of our visit.”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Cologne: Full-Day Mosel Valley Tour with River Cruise - Koblenz: where the Rhine and Moselle meet
Full-Day, Germany River Cruises, Rhine and Spree River Cruises, River Cruises, Tour Reviews, Tours

Cologne: Full-Day Mosel Valley Tour with River Cruise

8.Full-Day Mosel Valley Tour with River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 3 reviews · 10 hours · from $153

Travel from Cologne in a small group of up to eight, with an English or German-speaking guide. Walk Koblenz, pause at Deutsches Eck, cruise the Moselle near Cochem, and enjoy free time for wine tasting or Reichsburg Castle. The route can change in winter weather, with Beilstein sometimes replacing Bernkastel.

“Toda a experiência foi muito agradável! Apenas sinto não ter sido possível ter visitado Bernkastel, mas isso deveu-se a motivos meteorológicos e a alternativa oferecida, a vila caricata de Beilstein, foi uma ótima experiência, onde deu para passear por uma das localidades mais encantadoras da Alemanha com casas típicas históricas num cenário sobre o Mosela espetacular! Recomendo a fazer a visita guiada em alturas de exposição solar mais prolongadas, mas mesmo no inverno as vistas com as luzes de noite e os mercados de Natal nas localidades visitadas não são de deixar passar!”

Check sailings →Read our full review

Scroll to Top

Explore the rivers

Pick a river, a city or a kind of boat.