‘SLOWLY
ON THE GANGES’
UPSTREAM
KOLKATTA (Calcutta) – VARANASI (Benares) • 15
DAYS / 14 NIGHTS
DAY 1: KOLKOTTA (CALCUTTA)
Arrive Calcutta (now called Kolkotta) and transfer from airport
to embark on the RV Bengal Pandaw
moored in the Hugli River close to the city centre. City orientation
tour in afternoon; moor overnight at
the Outram Ghat.
DAY 2: BARRACKPORE
Further explorations of colonial Calcutta, arguably the greatest
of the British Raj cities with a stupendous
architectural heritage. Still largely intact, highlights include
the Queen Victoria monument and neo-gothic
law courts. Cast off at midday and cruise the Hugli River to
Serampore a former Danish colony and
Barrackpore cantonment where the gardens of flagstaff house
contain a collection of former British
statues removed from the streets of Calcutta.
DAY 3: CHANDERNAGORE
Chandernagore – a French colony until 1950, we visit
the house of Dupleix, a small museum, an 18th
century church and then on by bus to visit the Dutch cemetery
at Chinsura and a Portugese church at
Bandel where we rejoin the ship.
DAY 4: KALNA
Kalna – cycle rickshaw tour of Bengali terracotta temples.
The river here narrows and the Bengal
countryside lush and green.
DAY 5: PLASSEY
Visit the battlefield of Plassey where Clive of India defeated
the French in 1757 and the fascinating
brassworks at country village of Metiari.
DAY 6: KUSHBAGH
Kushbagh – with its Moghul gardens and tombs. Visit the
vast Hazarduari Palace built in 1837 by an English
architect. Further visits to the Katra mosque, and the late
18th century Nashipara and Katgola palaces.
Overnight at Baranagar famous for its lovely miniature temples.
DAY 7: FARRAKA BARRAGE
Cruise the Farraka Feeder Canal and enter the Ganges by lock
at the Farraka Barrage
DAY 8: MUNGER
Cruise up the Ganges. Here the river is 2km across and vast
panoramas unfold. The river is rich in activity
with fishermen and country boats. At Munger we stop to visit
the Bihar School of Yoga which lies within
the 15th century Munger Fort. Near the fort is an 18th century
British cemetery.
DAY 9: BIHAR STATE
Cruising through the heart of Bihar state seeing a rural India
remote from the tourist track and rarely
visited by foreigners. Stop for a walk ashore.
DAY 10: BODH GAYA
Day trip to the ruins of the vast Buddhist university at Nalanda
and then on after lunch in a local hotel to
Bodh Gaya place of the Buddha’s enlightenment and a
major centre of pilgrimage for Buddhists of all
sects from all countries.
DAY 11: PATNA
Patna – explore the town with its huge hemispherical
Golghar grain silo built in 1786 by Captain John
Garstin, the State Museum with its Mauryan and Pala period
Buddhist sculptures, and if traffic permits,
the eclectic Jalan Museum where Napoleon’s bed is on
display. Cast off at mid day.
DAY 12: CRUISING
Cruise all day with a village stop for a walk.
DAY 13: SARNATH
Cruise all morning and afternoon coach trip to visit the important
Buddhist site at Sarnath.
DAY 14: VARANASI (BENARES)
Early morning moor off the Varanasi (Benares) Ghats. Explore
on foot the Ghats, palaces, temples and museums of this one of
the oldest cities in the world,. Varanasi contemporary with
7 century BC Babylon
and Nineveh is the cultural heart of Hindu India at its richest
and most beautiful. Evening boat trip to
observe the spectacular ritual fire dances to Lord Shiva held
on the Ghats.
DAY 15: DISEMBARK
Disembark from ship at Varanasi (Benares) and transfer (included)
to airport or railway station.
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DOWNSTREAM
VARANASI (Benares) KOLKATTA (Calcutta) • 15
DAYS / 14 NIGHTS
DAY 1: VARANASI (BENARES)
Embark at the Varanasi (Benares) ghats. Explore by foot the
ghats, palaces, temples and museums of this
one of the oldest cities in the world,. Varanasi was contemporary
with 7th century BC Babylon, is the
cultural heart of Hindu India at its richest and most beautiful.
Evening boat trip to observe the spectacular
ritual fire dances to Lord Shiva held on the ghats.
DAY 2: SARNATH
Morning coach trip to visit the important Buddhist site at
Sarnath. Afternoon set sail slowly down the
Ganges.
DAY 3: CRUISING
Cruise all day with a village stop for a walk ashore through
the countryside and a rural village.
DAY 4: PATNA
Patna – explore the town with its huge hemispherical
Golghar grain silo built in 1786 by Captain John
Garstin, the State Museum with its Mauryan and Pala period
Buddhist sculptures and the eclectic Jalan
Museum where Napoleon’s bed is on display. Cast off at
mid day.
DAY 5: BODH GAYA
Day trip to the ruins of the vast 10th century Buddhist university
at Nalanda and then on after lunch in a
local hotel to Bodh Gaya place of the Buddha’s enlightenment
and a major centre of pilgrimage for
Buddhists of all sects from all countries.
DAY 6: BIHAR STATE
Cruising through the heart of Bihar State seeing a rural India
remote from the tourist track and rarely
visited by foreigners. Stop for a walk ashore to explore rural
life.
DAY 7: MUNGER
At Munger we stop to visit the Bihar School of Yoga which lies
within the 15th century Munger Fort. Near
the fort is an 18 century British cemetery
DAY 8: CRUISING
Here the Ganges expands to 2km across and vast panoramas unfold.
The river is rich in activity with
fishermen and country boats. Excursions ashore to explore this
little known area.
DAY 9: FARRAKA BARRAGE
Enter the Farraka Feeder Canal by lock at the Farraka Barrage
and cruise to join the Hugli River. Now in
lush semi tropical West Bengal we see a very different landscape.
DAY 10: KUSHBAGH
Kushbagh – with its Moghul gardens and tombs. Visit the
vast Hazarduari Palace built in 1837 by an English
architect. Further visits to the Katra mosque, and the late
18th century Nashipara and Katgola palaces.
Overnight at Baranagar famous for its lovely miniature temples.
DAY 11: PLASSEY
Visit the battlefield of Plassey where Clive of India defeated
the French in 1757 and the fascinating
brassworks at country village of Metiari
DAY 12: KALNA
Kalna – cycle rickshaw tour of the delightful Bengali
terracotta temples. The river here narrows and the
Bengal countryside lush and green..
DAY 13: CHANDERNAGORE
We visit the Dutch cemetery at Chinsura and a Portugese church
at Bandel and then by bus to rejoin the
ship at Chandernagore – a French colony until 1950.Here
we visit the house of Dupleix, a small museum,
and an 18th century church. Afternoon stop at to Serampore
a former Danish colony and Barrackpore
cantonment where the garden’s of flagstaff house where
the garden’s of flagstaff house contain a
collection of former British statues removed from the streets
of Calcutta.
DAY 14: KOLKOTTA (CALCUTTA)
Discover the architectural magnificence of Colonial Calcutta,
arguably the greatest of the British Raj
cities, This stupendous architectural heritage is still largely
intact, highlights include the Queen Victoria
monument and noe-gothic law courts. Moor overnight at the Outram
Ghat.
DAY 15: DISEMBARK
disembarkation and transfers to Calcutta International Airport. |
