Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays

Welcome Aboard

Welcome to Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays, your home for luxury narrowboat hire on the south Grand Union canal in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Our fleet of luxury narrowboats are the perfect way to explore this stunning part of the english countryside. With their bespoke cabins and fully-equipped kitchens, you'll have everything you need to enjoy a comfortable and relaxing narrowboat holiday to remember.

Holiday canal boat moored opposite traditional canalside pub

Whether you're looking for a romantic getaway or a family-friendly adventure, Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays has the perfect narrow boat holiday for you. Enjoy a slower pace of life on the waterways while you reconnect with nature and wake up to a stunning new view every day!

About our Canal Boat Holidays

Bespoke, luxury narrowboats
Spacious cabins with comfortable beds
Fully-equipped kitchens
All-inclusive canal boat hire prices
Short breaks and longer canal boat holidays available
Helmsman qualified skippers
Hands-on tutorial on how to drive a narrowboat and work UK canal locks
Stunning countryside location to explore on a range of holiday routes
A wealth of knowledge about the local area
5* customer service from a family-run business

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Luxury Canal Boat Hire on the Grand Union Canal

Offering full week hire, mid-week and weekend canal holidays, our narrowboats (also commonly referred to as canal boats, long boats or barges) are all unique and designed by us for a memorable and luxury boating holiday on the UK's famous Grand Union canal.

Located near Tring, in Hertforshire, you can enjoy a relaxing short break through the Chiltern Hills with it's scenic countryside, historic towns and quaint villages. Or if you're looking to a longer trip, you can venture further afield to action-packed destinations like Milton Keynes and Leighton Buzzard. We're less than one hour from the big city, making our narrowboat holidays the perfect quick getaway from London, and easy to get to from all London airports.

Narrowboat Holidays for Everyone

Whether you are an experienced skipper looking for narrowboat hire on a new stretch of the UK waterways, or a beginner wanting to experience your first narrow boat holiday, our canal boat hire is perfect for you!

We provide all safety equipment and a free introductory session at the start all our narrowboat holidays, which we tailor to you, so you can enjoy a safe and relaxing break on the inland waterways, no matter what your experience.

Small Holiday Hire Canal Boat exiting a bridge on the Grand Union Canal

About Narrowboat & Barge Holidays in the UK

Drift Away on a Relaxing Escape

Unwind on a peaceful getaway where you can live among nature and experience a slower pace of life.

Cast Off and Explore

Wake up to a stunning new view every day as you discover beautiful nature spots and historic towns.

Enjoy a Boating Holiday Adventure

Make new memories and get the whole crew involved in boating safely (even the smallest members!)

"Narrow boat holidays are all about the journey, not the destination"

Take a look at our gallery to get a feel for how relaxing a canal boat holiday in the English countryside is!

Customer Testimonials

Our first time on a canal boat. When we picked the boat up, Gareth talked us through everything we needed to know and even showed us how to operate a lock or two and made sure we had the hang of driving. The boat had everything we needed and we were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable the bed and everything else was…….especially as one of us is over 6 foot. Thoroughly enjoyed our few days on the canal and would recommend Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays.

D & S Glover

Excellent canal boat holiday from start to finish. Great website with a wealth of information and very good communications from Gareth and Corinne prior to the holiday.Amazing instruction by Gareth with hands on tutorial. Lovely boat, well equipped and clean. Great itineraries on the website and packing tips.Amazing nature spots especially down the Wendover Arm. Saw herons and red kites and even went past the film set for Wicked.Son and his friend enjoyed it and we quickly settled into the slower pace of life. Definitely will do it again!Gareth and Corinne certainly made it easy and enjoyable. Thank you!

Stephanie H

We had a fantastic week on the boat, and would highly recommend it. The owners are really lovely and gave us training as we were first timers! The boat was really nicely decorated and well equipped, and had everything you could possibly need. This will definitely not be our last canal boat holiday!

Sally & Simon

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Why Book with Chiltern Canal Boat Holidays

Short Breaks & Weekly Narrowboat Hire - We have a range of great value narrowboat holidays available including weekend boat hire (Friday to Monday), mid-week breaks (Monday to Friday) full week hire and longer (starting either Monday or Friday). We also offer just 1 or 2 night static canal boat hire during the winter season. Take a look at our prices and book online today with just a 30% deposit.

Great Family Boating Holidays (including the dog!)- When you cast off on a barge holiday, it's a trip where the whole family can get involved. From driving the narrowboat, planning the holiday route and working the locks, it's a great way to work as a team and bring the family together to learn some new skills and explore new places along the way. We provide life jackets and full instruction, so you can rest assured that even the smaller family members can enjoy their UK canal boat holiday safely. Take a look at some of our previous customer reviews here.

Self-Drive, Skippered and Static Boat Hire Available - During the main boating season (March to mid-November), our canal boats are available to hire for either self-drive or skippered holidays allowing you to experience life on the water. During the winter season (mid-November to end of February) the narrow boats are available to book as static hire where they remain moored in the marina, providing unique self catering accommodation whilst you explore the beautiful local area by car or public transport.

Great Value Grand Union Canal Holidays - You can hire one of our luxury canal boats for either short break, full week, 10 days or a fortnight and explore the Grand Union canal at your own pace. Or, our static boat hires are available for just 1 or 2 nights. The prices you see on the website are the cost for hiring the entire narrowboat, and includes basics such as parking, bed linen, gas etc. The only additional charge is for the diesel you use during your trip, which is payable when you return the boat. Click here to see everything that's included and a comparison of our luxury canal boat hire prices.

Outstanding Countryside Location - Discover the beauty of the Chilterns when you cruise through the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Take a stroll in the countryside and find a historic landmark, or moor up in town and check out the boutique shops and great restaurants. With a range of holiday routes to choose from, the Chilterns Hills is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, where you can enjoy some of the best of the english countryside.

Luxury Canal Boat Rental in the England - Our canal boats provide private accommodation for 2 to 5 people, and are beautifully designed to be a delightful home from home during your trip. Whether your choose the larger family boat, Narrow Escape, or our smaller boat, Mini Escape, each boat is completely unique and comes fully equipped with everything you need so you can enjoy your canal boat holiday in comfort.

No Experience Necessary! - We provide a tailored introduction at the start of your canal boat hire to ensure you are confident with operating the boat and locks before you cruise off on your own. Alternatively contact us about our private skippered canal boat holidays, where you can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Simple Online Availability and Booking System - You can check availability of our luxury canal boats online and book your holiday in just 5 simple steps. Plus, we only require a 30% deposit at the time of booking, with the remaining balance due 6 weeks before the start of your narrowboat holiday.

Book Your Canal Boat Holiday in 5 easy steps!

Click the 'Book Now' button below.
Enter your preferred holiday dates, the number of guests and click 'Search'.
Select your favourite holiday boat and hit the 'Book Now' button
Add any extras (or select the 'Skip' button)
Enter your contact and payment details

Book now

Stern of a canal boat moored in front of countryside view with pink skies

Do you have a question about our canal boat hire, or just prefer to speak to a real person? Give us a call - we’re happy to assist you!

01296 486216

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Narrowboat Holiday Key Booking Terms & Conditions:

From March to mid-November, all of our skippered and self drive canal boat hires start on either a Friday or Monday and are available to book for 14 nights, 12 nights, 11 nights, week hire or short breaks (mid-week or weekend).
During the winter season (mid-November to end of February), our narrow boats are available to hire as static lets only and must remain moored in the marina. There is no restriction on the minimum number of nights, and bookings may start any day of the week, excluding Sunday.
For self-drive holidays, a minimum party size of 2 adults in good physical fitness, both aged 25 or over at the time of booking, is required to manage the boat and locks (there are lots near us!). No Stag / Hen party or booze cruise bookings.
Dogs are welcome aboard Narrow Escape only. We allow either 1 medium dog or 2 small dogs at an additional charge of £35 per break.
A 30% deposit is required to book if your canal boat holiday is more than 6 weeks away. If the first day of your canal boat hire falls within the next 6 weeks, the full balance is payable immediately.
Offers and discounts cannot be used in combination with any other promotions. The best available offer will be applied at the time of booking (based on the entry of promotional codes where applicable).