India River Cruise – Ganges Encompassed

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included.
Day 1 Patna

Enjoy a free day to explore Patna before a 4pm embarkation.
Day 2 Patna (1B, 1L, 1D)

Enjoy a morning tour of Patna, visiting the extraordinary 18th-century Golghar granary, the great Sikh temple, and the State Museum. Continue on, passing near the old East India Company opium warehouses and cruise down to moor for the evening at Barh.
Day 3 Patna/Bārh (1B, 1L, 1D)

Enjoy an excursion to the excavated Buddhist monastery and stupa at Nalanda, with a visit to the adjoining museum. After, visit the Pawapuri Jain temple, situated in the middle of a lake. Return to the vessel and continue to the bridge at Mokama, where earlier the famous naturalist Jim Corbett spent his working life overseeing the ferry crossing.
Day 4 Bārh/Mokāma (1B, 1L, 1D)

Sail down to Munger. Take a rickshaw ride through the town to view the remnants of a Mughal fort and the East India Company cemetery. Visit the bazaars with the locals before exploring Pirpahar Hill and Sitakund Hot Springs. Continuing walking through the village and fields before getting back on board. Continue on to anchor near Jehangira Island at Sultanganj, a pilgrimage spot with early Hindu rock carvings.
Day 5 Mokāma/Sultānganj (1B, 1L, 1D)

Spend the morning sailing a stretch of the river where South Asian river dolphins may be seen to Bhagalpur, a centre of silk production. Visit a mansion and silk-weaving village. Continue on close to the island shrine at Colganj, boasting Hindu and Buddhist cave temples. Visit Bateshwar Temple with 6th-century Hindu carvings, and the nearby ruins of an 8th-century Buddhist stupa and monastery at Vikramshila. Anchor for the night near the confluence with the Kosi River coming down from Nepal.
Day 6 Sultānganj/Bhāgalpur (1B, 1L, 1D)

Sail downstream to Rajmahal, a village offering both points of interest and fantastic local atmosphere. Shah Jehan, builder of the Taj Mahal, spent much of his youth here. Explore the remains of palaces, forts, and mosques submerged in vegetation before continuing on down to the Farakka Barrage.
Day 7 Bhāgalpur/Farakka Barrage (1B, 1L, 1D)

Continue on to Farakka and set off for a full day excursion by road to Gaur, near the town of Malda (English Bazaar). Visit a number of sights from the 12th-century Hindus and 14th-century Muslims. Rejoin the ship in the evening.
Day 8 Farakka Barrage/Farakka (1B, 1L, 1D)

Sail down the canal to Jangipur. In the afternoon, explore this small country town on foot.
Day 9 Farakka/Jangipur (1B, 1L, 1D)

Sail down the Hooghly River en route to the small village of Baranagar. Walk through the fields to reach the terracotta temples and get a taste of rural Indian life. Continue to Murshidabad to visit the Nawab’s great Hazarduari Palace. Visit the Katra Mosque before driving to two 18th-century buildings – the Nashipara Palace and the Katgola Palace.
Day 10 Jangipur/Murshidābād (1B, 1L, 1D)

This morning, travel by cycle rickshaw to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Moghul-style garden. Continue on the river past Berhampur, to a rural mooring near the battlefield of Plassey and opt to walk to the commemorative obelisk. Cruise on to a mooring near Katwa for the night.
Day 11 Murshidābād/Matiari (1B, 1L, 1D)

Start the day with a visit to the brassworking village of Matiari to witness their ancient techniques. Later continue to Mayapur with a visit to the Hare Krishna temple. Enjoy a few of the older temples and see a giant banyan tree.
Day 12 Matiari/Māyāpur (1B, 1L, 1D)

Explore the country town of Kalna. Take cycle rickshaws to see a group of some of Bengal’s most attractive terracotta temples and visit a Shiva temple. Continue to Chinsurah, to visit the historic Dutch cemetery. After, take cyclos to the Imambara before reboarding the vessel.
Day 13 Māyāpur/Chunchura (1B, 1L, 1D)

Sail to Chandannagar, a former French possession, to explore. Continue to Barrackpore. Disembark for a walking tour around the main sights.
Day 14 Chunchura/Bārākpur (1B, 1L, 1D)

Cruise under the Howrah Bridge to central Kolkata to disembark. Transfer to central Kolkata or the airport. Tour ends on arrival.
Day 15 Bārākpur/Kolkata (1B)