River Thames

Historical towns, culture and rural vistas

The magnificent River Thames cruises

Meandering through the beautiful countryside of southern England, the River Thames takes you to Historic towns and quintessentially English villages with riverside pubs and village greens.

Luxury hotel barges

Magna Carta barge cruise

Magna Carta

Tested by Jane McDonald
8 guests
★★★★★

Self-drive boats in the River Thames region

Le Boat

Le Boat operate 17 different types of self-drive rental boats in this region.
Here is a random selection.

Last-minutes available
Last-minute
Special Offer
Horizon 3 rental boat

Horizon 3

7 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
3 bathrooms
Premium rating
From 2139€/week
Last-minute
Special Offer
Mystique rental boat

Mystique

8 guests maximum
3 cabins
Ideal for 6 adults
& 2 children
3 bathrooms
Comfort Plus rating
From 2159€/week
Last-minute
Special Offer
Caprice rental boat

Caprice

6 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
& 2 children
2 bathrooms
Comfort rating
From 1039€/week
Last-minute
Special Offer
Consul rental boat

Consul

4 guests maximum
2 cabins
Ideal for 2 adults
& 2 children
2 bathrooms
Value rating
From 859€/week

The price shown is based on a 7-day cruise and indicates the lowest starting price, and excluding any special offer or discount.

River Thames cruise and boating information

River Thames

The Thames is England's longest river. Its source is Thames Head in the Cotswolds of Gloucestershire. The water flows east, and various tributaries, such as the Loddon, the Churn, and the Wey, add to the flow, which empties into the English Channel.

After passing through the capital of London, it empties into the North Sea. Used for thousands of years for transport and generating commerce, the Thames remains a very active and worthy destination.

Our two bases at Benson and Chertsey are ideally placed to explore what is arguably the most beautiful stretch of the river, and cruising in either direction will take you to some of the oldest and prettiest towns and villages in the heart of England.

Visit historic towns and cities such as Windsor, Kingston-upon-Thames, Henley-on-Thames, Marlow, Cookham, Pangbourne and Oxford. With all the locks on the River Thames manned by friendly lock-keepers, you can be sure of a pleasant day's cruising wherever you choose.

Self-drive cruises on the River Thames

One-week return cruises:

The Majestic Cruise: Chertsey - Windsor - Kingston-upon-Thames - Chertsey

Visit Chertsey, Windsor, Walton-on-Thames, Hampton Court Palace and Kingston-upon-Thames

70 km; 14 locks; 10 hours

The Scholars Cruise:  Benson - Oxford - Henley-upon-Thames - Benson

Visit Benson, Abingdon, Oxford, Wallingford, Beale Park, Pangbourne, Reading, Henley-upon-Thames

186 km, 30 locks; 32 hours cruising

The Royal Cruise: Benson - Windsor - Benson

Visit: Benson, Marlow, Cookham, Clevedon, Eton, Ascot, Windsor

155 km, 36 locks, 30 hours

 

One week, one-way cruises

The Heart of England Cruise: Chertsey - Benson

Visit: Benson, Marlow, Cookham, Clevedon, Eton, Ascot, Windsor

96 km; 20 locks, 16 hours

Short Breaks: 3 or 4 days

The Willow Tree Cruise: Brenson - Marlow - Benson

Visit: Benson, Wallingford, Moulsford, Beale Park, Goring, Henley-upon-Thames, Marlow

75 km; 28 locks; 14 hours

 

The Little Thames Cruise: Chertsey - Henley-upon-Thames - Chertsey

Visit: Chertsey, Windsor, Maidenhead, Henley-upon-Thames, Marlow

75 km; 18 locks; 16 hours

Travel Connections:

London Heathrow (Benson 61 km, Chertsey 17 km)

London Gatwick (Benson 120 km, Chertsey 53 km)

Map of the waterways

Canal and river map for River Thames