DAY 1 EMBARK GUWAHATI
Transfer to your Pandaw vessel via a visit to the ‘Kama-khya Temple’, devoted to the goddess of desire. Set sail passing Peacock Island, famous for the endangered Golden Langur. Enjoy an evening welcome dinner and talk.
DAY 2 SAILING TOWARDS SILGHAT
Spend the day enjoying the stunning natural scenery and wildlife of the Brahmaputra River. Observe river dolphins and birds of prey as we pass uninhabited islands and the fragile communities that live here. After tea enjoy a talk on ‘The River Brahmaputra and the tribal life that exists alongside’.
DAY 3 SILGHAT
Pass Tezpur and a gigantic 3 Km long arched bridge arriving at Silghat, where we take an excursion through stunning countryside to a tea estate and factory producing the famous Assam tea.
DAY 4 KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK
Our expedition continues with a visit to the UNESCO accredited Kaziranga National Park where we enjoy a safari searching for the elusive Greater One-Horned Indian Rhinoceros and Indian tiger. We continue to Bagori, where by open jeep we further explore the wildlife of this magnificent park. We also travel to Biswanath Ghat and discover the charming village by small boat where women weave colourful traditional handicrafts by the riverside.
DAY 5 RIVER SAFARI
After more dramatic scenic cruising, we take a boat safari on the Eastern range of Kaziranga where River Dhansiri and River Brahmaputra meet. Here, observe wildlife at its most natural including pied kingfishers, eagles, vultures, water buffalos, monitor lizards and otters. Dinner is enjoyed al fresco on a deserted island.
DAY 6 TOWARDS MAJULI
Visit a local village on what is the world’s largest river island and home to the ethnic ‘Mishing’ people. Here, women weave on hand-looms to create characterful costumes and we enjoy a demonstration of a Dhoti & Chaddor - traditional dresses for the men and women of the Mishing communities. It is a pleasant place to explore.
DAY 7 MAJULI, NEAMATI GHAT AND SIBSAGAR
Arrive at the ancient town of Majuli, where we explore the impressive Satras dating back to the 15th century. We continue to Sibsagar, capital of the Tai-speaking Ahoms who came from Yunan and China in the 13th Century AD. Explore the Shiva Dol, built in 1734, the highest Shiva temple in India. Our day is completed with an insight into the making of Assam tea from a tea estate family.
DAY 8 SAILING
In this remote section of the river where no other river cruise vessels ply, great vistas un-fold and bird life is prolific. Village stop for a walk about and then pass Dibrugarh heading for the Dibru Saikowa island to moor for the night.
DAY 9 DIBRU SAIKHOWA NATIONAL PARK
This less well-known park has an area of 765 square miles and is at the meeting place of three rivers and is mainly evergreen forest and is very lovely. It is a haven for endangered species with thirty-six recorded mammals including leopards, jungle cats and tiger. All very elusive and unlikely to be seen. More evident are an incredible profusion of bird life. Sail back to Dibrugarh and afternoon visit to the Jokai Botanical Cum Germplasm Centre which showcases quite extraordinary flora, in particular orchids and medicinal and aromatic plants.
DAY 10 JEYPORE DIBRUGARH
Travel by car to the Namphake Tai village where there is an ethnic Tai (as in Thai) community maintaining their distinct Thai costume and culture around a Buddhist monastery. Also of interest is an Ashokan pillar situated nearby. After lunch, continue to the Jeypore rain forest area where several types of wildcat, leopards and the Royal Bengal Tigers survive in good strength in this hill country of great beauty.
In Jeypore we visit the Royal Palace, lake and other attractions and then continue after lunch to the picturesque hill station of Margherita, so named by an Italian railway engineer after the Queen of Italy. Here the Ledo Road to Burma, famed from the last war, begins. Return by car to Dibrugarh.
DAY 11 DIBRUGARH TO KOLKATA
Disembark and transfer to the airport for your flight to Kolkata. Upon arrival, transfer to your next vessel and meet your new crew for the next ten nights.
DAY 12 KOLKATA - THE SUNDARBANS
In the morning we cruise through the splendours of riverside Kolkata and down the Hooglie River to enter the Sunderbans and explore the mangrove forested back waters. During the cruise lunch will be served and afternoon activities include yoga classes, local speciality cooking demonstrations, a lecture by our on-board naturalist and after dinner a cultural dance programme.
DAY 13 BHAGABATPUR ISLAND - JHARKHALI TIGER REHABILITATION CENTRE
Moor off the Bhagabatpur Island to visit the crocodile project there. These are the largest estuarine crocodiles in the world. After lunch travel by country boat to the Jharkhali Watchtower and on to Jharkhali Tiger Rehabilitation Centre. It will be possible to trek into the Sunderban Tiger Reserve from here accompanied by a park ranger.
DAY 14 SUNDARBAN TIGER RESERVE - DOBANKI DEER REHABILITATION CENTRE - BARREN ISLAND
Early rise to travel by country boat to the Sudhanyakhali Watch Tower which is also located in the Sudhanyakhali camp of the Sundarban Tiger Reserve. Return to ship for breakfast and later visit the Dobanki deer rehabilitation centre travelling by country boat through swamps. Visit a local village for a walk ashore to see the unique way of life in the Sunderban and go ashore on ‘Barren Island’ with its white sandy beaches for an evening barbeque and cocktails. Return to Kolkata sailing through the night.
DAY 15 KOLKATA – BARRACKPORE
Dock at Kolkata before continuing upstream in the afternoon. Sail past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore to land and take a walk through the cantonment - past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame and Flagstaff House.
DAY 16 KALNA
After breakfast sail upstream and land at the country town of Kalna and take rickshaws to see a group of some of Bengal’s most attractive terracotta temples, as well as the unique Shiva temple with concentric rings made up of 108 lesser shrines. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.
DAY 17 MATIARI
Visit the brass-working village of Matiari, a charming riverside village. Interact with the locals of Matiari and witness the whole primitive process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. Continue cruising upstream and time permitting visit the battlefield of Plassey where, in 1757, Robert Clive, the Commander-in-Chief of British India, defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, to change the course of Indian history. Moor close to Murshidabad for the night.
DAY 18 MURSHIDABAD
This morning, walk to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Mughal-style garden that encloses the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah – the last independent Nawab of Bengal – and his family. Continue a little way upstream to where the great Hazarduari Palace dominates the waterfront. Built by an English architect in 1837, the palace hosts an extensive collection of pictures, china, weapons and other objects. Carry on to visit the great Katra Mosque and Nashipara Palace before driving out to see the Katgola Palace. Built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants, Katgola Palace represents the other side of the coin of the 'White Mughal' period when English and Indian cultures came close to fusion. Moor overnight on the riverbank across from town.
DAY 19 BARANAGAR - AJIMGANJ
Continue up the Hoogly which transforms into a charming waterway twisting and turning between banks lined with mustard fields and mango orchards. Morning walk through the fields of the delightfully sleepy village of Baranagar to visit its three gorgeous miniature terracotta temples. This is rural India at its most idyllic. Visit the Jain temples at Azimganj and continue downstream.
DAY 20 MAYAPUR
Explore the village of Mayapur, the headquarters of the ISKCON movement with a new temple comparable in size to the Vatican and largely funded by Alfred B. Ford, the great grandson of car maker Henry Ford. Meet Krishna followers and walk through the pilgrims’ bazaar.
DAY 21 CHANDERNAGORE - HOOGHLY
Continue sailing downstream before landing to visit the imposing Imambara at Hooghly. With verses from the Koran written on its walls, the Imambara is an opportunity to step back in time and relive a slice of Islamic history in Bengal. Sail past the old Dutch settlement of Chinsura to Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950. Visit the 18th century church and Dupleix’s House, erstwhile Governor-General of French India. Sail into the night to a mooring near Kolkata.
DAY 22 DISEMBARK KOLKATA
After breakfast, disembark and receive a group transfer to the disembarkation point hotel for your onward journey.
