On this 15-day All Ganges River cruise from Kolkata to Varanasi aboard RV Kalaw Pandaw, discover the best of the Ganges from India's colonial splendors. Sail past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore, and explore the historic cantonment area. Next stop to French-influenced Chandernagore and the terracotta temples of Kalna. Visit Mayapur, the ISKCON movement's headquarters, and Matiari, a brass-working village. Marvel at the Hazarduari Palace, Katra Mosque, and Nashipara Palace. Explore Baranagar's miniature terracotta temples and Azimganj's Jain temples before reaching Farakka. Discover Munger's Mughal fort, cemetery, and the renowned Bihar School of Yoga. Visit fascinating towns like Rajmahal, Sultanganj, and more before concluding your journey with a city tour of Patna and a train ride to Varanasi.
Activity options vary depending on destination and operator. Activity level is determined by the range and intensity of activities you choose to participate in. Discuss with your Trip Planner which options are best for you.
Start your journey from your hotel or airport in Kolkata to embark and sail at noon. Sail past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore to land and walk through the cantonment - past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame, and Flagstaff House.
Continue sailing upstream to Chandernagore, which was a French territory until 1950. Visit the 18th-century church and Dupleix’s House, erstwhile Governor-General of French India.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 before continuing on to the Farakka Barrage.
We sail up the mighty Ganges River toward the confluence with the Koshi River. Stop along the way for a short village walk and enjoy our onboard entertainment.
We sail early morning toward Bhaglapur, a hub of silk production. We witness the silk weaving and explore this small town before returning to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we visit Sultanganj with its pair of great granite rocks, one crowned with a mosque and the other a small temple dating from the 16th century.
Munger is now a large and industrialized city but has an interesting history. In 1762, Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger, and established a firearms manufacturing center here. Explore the Mughal fort, and East India Company cemetery and step inside the Bihar School of Yoga founded in 1964 by Satyananda Saraswati. One of the leading yoga schools in the country. The institution has developed yogic techniques through a synthesis of traditional yogic, vedantic, and tantric practices and contemporary health science.
Stop at Mokama, once home to Jim Corbett the naturalist and protector of the Indian tigers. Surrounded by farmlands, Mokama has the second-highest production of lentils in the country. Learn about the freedom fighters from Mokama such as Lalldin Saheb, who during the freedom struggle was sentenced to jail during the British rule.
Enjoy a city tour of Patna, the capital of Bihar state including a visit to The Golghar, a large stupa styled granary built in 1786. Farewell dinner with your crew.
Day 15: Patna to Varanasi | Disembark
1 Breakfast
Disembark your Pandaw vessel ready and transfer to Patna station for your 1st class train to Varanasi. Upon arrival to Varanasi, transfer to your hotel or the airport.
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$7,5602-3 travelers
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Main Deck Staterooms
10 main deck staterooms
Bedroom: 12' x 10'
Bathroom: 6' x 4'
Showeroom: 2'8" x 3'4"
Single Bed: 6'7" x 3'3"
*Available in Twin and Double Configuration
Upper Deck Staterooms
8 upper deck staterooms
Bedroom: 12' x 10'
Bathroom: 6' x 4'
Showeroom: 2'8" x 3'4"
Single Bed: 6'7" x 3'3"
*Available in Twin and Double Configuration
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Adventure Life seems to be an honest company and has been quite helpful in the planning process. Good about answering questions.
Chris Dralle
1 week ago
Wonderful personal attention to detail and very helpful suggestions by experienced travel experts
John K
1 week ago
Franny has been such an amazing help with all my trip planning. This is our 3rd trip to plan with her and she is always so willing to assist and find the best deals for my family and friends.
Suzanne Turbyfill
1 week ago
Our advisor at Adventure Life, Mary Curry, was knowledgable and quick to respond with answers to any questions we had. She made our booking efficiently and set up a time for us to make a secure payment through her directly. We’ve used Adventure Life repeatedly and would definitely recommend it.