Shayamanzi House Boat

In April this year we were invited to attend a ‘social cruise’ aboard the Shayamanzi II house boat in Jozini. We were invited as a family, and after experiencing it with 3 kiddies aged 8, 6 and 4, here is what we thought of the trip;

Booking & Onboarding

The pre-booking and onboarding process was a dream, from beginning to end. The team is very professional, happy to answer any and all questions, and from the moment we met Angie who helped show us around the boat and settle us in, we knew we were in for a quality treat.

Welcome Aboard

Once on board the vessel we were all instantly even more excited! The Shayamanzi II really is a gorgeous ‘little’ houseboat. I say little only because in comparison to her big brother, she only sleeps 12, with 6 cabins on board.

The Rooms

The rooms are absolutely perfect and everything you need. You really spend so little time inside them, and waking up to the views right outside your sliding door starts your day off magically. Justin and I were given a room right next door to our kiddies. Being on the water left us a little unsettled and so we would put them all down together, go upstairs for a night cap, and then Justin would sleep with the boys and move Brooke into my room for the night. It worked well because the boys were up at sparrows to fish for Tigers off the back of the boat, and B and I enjoyed slightly slower mornings.

The boat had a jacuzzi which the kiddies enjoyed. It was a little too warm for us – Jozini is incredibly hot – we had absolutely perfect weather, but be prepared for it to be very hot in the sun. When the boat is moving there is a lovely draft through the upstairs section.

Common Areas

Upstairs is the common area of the boat. There you can find the bar, common table, lounge area, and it is where all meals are served from.

‘Private’ Fishing

One of our favourite parts of the trip as a family was going off on the smaller speed boats, pulling into a cove and setting up our rods for sunset fishing as a team :). It was truly beautiful out there on the water.

View from Above

Apart from the fishing and coasting around Jozini dam in the houseboat, we really just enjoyed ourselves and the opportunity to take in our beautiful Lake Jozini from atop the luxury houseboat. The food was delicious, apart from one or two minor tweaks needed for Brooklyn’s palate, but honestly the boys loved the food as much as we did. More than anything they just loved being able to fish any and every time of the day, and into the evening. The sightings of Ellies bathing and hippos chilling, a croc and an abundance of birdlife was an absolute spoil.

Verdict

The trip we experienced aboard the Shayamanzi II was truly something special. The crew were all absolutely lovely, the food was fabulous, and the adventure as a whole really was something our kiddies still speak about often. The boys absolutely loved every golden moment, and I am not sure I have seen a more beautiful sunset. In truth I did find it a little stressful watching where Brooklyn was at all times, and as a parent I would recommend this as a holiday for families with children 6 and up.

Thank you Shayamanzi II for hosting us.

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