This cruise of great contrasts takes guests from beautiful, bustling, and cultural London into the English pastoral countryside of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. Your 7-day Classic England private journey on the hotel barge Magna Carta begins as you take in the capital's most famous sights and enjoy a unique look at the spectacular waterway that has been so important in London's history. Explore the castles of England and its quaint riverside towns and villages. From the Thames Barrier, erected to prevent flooding, cruise westwards to Windsor Castle, the largest inhabited castle in the world. Tour the fantastic gardens of Cliveden before cruising further upstream to visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham. Your tour concludes in Christ Church, Oxford's grandest college, before disembarking in London.
Highlights
Experience British royalty at the excursion to Windsor's Castle with your private group of up to 8 guests
Taste the authentic English Cream Tea at Stafford Hotel
Explore the exquisite Palace of Henry VIII, the Hampton Court
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Meet the Captain or a crew member at the Stafford Hotel in London for afternoon English cream tea before being transferred to the Magna Carta. Champagne reception and welcome moored outside Hampton Court, former Tudor Palace of Henry VIII, where you remain overnight. Dinner served onboard.
This morning you have ample time to really explore Hampton Court Palace, the most fabulous Tudor home, once belonging to Cardinal Wolsey until it was acquired by Henry VIII. Walkthrough Henry’s great hall and haunted gallery and see his chapel, still used for worship today and with the finest Tudor ceiling in existence. There is much more to see including the stunning privy gardens, the oldest growing grapevine, and the famous maze. After lunch, enjoy your first cruise, up through Molesey Lock and following the meandering path of the river through Sunbury, Chertsey, and Shepperton to our overnight mooring on Bell Weir Lock at Runnymede. Dinner served onboard.
After breakfast, you have the option to use the spa facilities of the newly refurbished Runnymede on Thames hotel, including a pool, sauna, and steam room. Beauty therapies, massages, and other treatments are available but are best booked in advance. This morning, cruise to Windsor before enjoying lunch on board. The river journey takes you through Runnymede, where King John faced the barons in 1215 and was forced to put his seal on the Magna Carta, the document the very first Bill of Rights and from which the vessel takes its name. See the Magna Carta Memorial and Magna Carta Island from the boat, where the sealing took place. Your afternoon excursion is to Windsor Castle. Built by William the Conqueror in 1066 and lived in for over 900 years by the Royal Family. This is the largest inhabited castle in the world. You can explore the State Apartments, See Queen Mary’s Dolls House and St George’s Chapel and enjoy the far-reaching views from its elevated fortress position. Dinner served onboard.
Leaving Royal Windsor behind, you cruise up to Boveney Lock and take a walk to Dorney Court. The Palmer family has owned this very special home for more than 450 years, passing from father to son through 13 generations. King Henry VIII has stayed here, and the manor is regularly used for filming, including “Poirot” and most recently “The other Boleyn girl” you are lucky to enjoy a private tour of the house. The cruise continues past the fabulous waterside homes of Bray and Maidenhead, Boulters Lock (made famous in Victorian times), and into the spectacular Clivedon reach, where you have special permission to moor at the house itself. Cliveden was once owned by the Astor family, though the original house dates back to 1666. The gardens are simply amazing and include a Parterre, Chinese water garden, and topiary. A late afternoon cruise takes you to a stunning mooring at Cookham Lock. Cookham was once described as ‘Heaven on Earth’ by artist Sir Stanley Spencer, one of England’s greatest and most eccentric painters. Much of his work was painted in and around Cookham. Dinner served onboard.
After breakfast, visit Stanley Spencer’s gallery and walk around the village before cruising through Bourne End and Marlow to Hurley. Tour Peter Freebody’s boatyard and watch in wonder at the traditional craftsman at work, building and restoring wooden boats as they have been done for generations. You have time to explore the ancient 11th-century village, including Ye Olde Belle, reputed to be the oldest inn in the country, before returning to the barge. Dinner served onboard.
A morning cruise to Henley on the Thames through the fabulous countryside, your final mooring along with the famous Henley Regatta Rowing Course. An earlier lunch followed by a 40-minute drive to Oxford. A fascinating tour of Christ Church, Oxford’s grandest college, was founded twice, once by Cardinal Wolsey and then by King Henry VIII. The magnificent surroundings were where Lewis Carrol wrote Alice in Wonderland. For your final night, enjoy the Captain's Farewell Dinner aboard.
Day 7: London | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Following breakfast, disembark and return to London or Heathrow Airport.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$44,000
or $5,500 per person based on 8 max passengers
Select a Date
Twin/Double Suite
Twin/double air-conditioned suites, with a combination of period furniture and contemporary en suite shower rooms, TV/DVD, WiFi (subject to local reception).
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by Credit card, check, and bank transfer. All final payments by credit card subject to a surcharge of 2.5% and maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 175 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 175 reviews on
7 hours ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
2 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
3 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
