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2019 Bengal Despatch

All Prices subject to 9% local service tax (subject to change)

n.b. Children must be 15 years of age or more. Adult prices apply.

2020 Bengal Despatch

All Prices subject to 9% local service tax (subject to change)
n.b. Children must be 15 years of age or more. Adult prices apply.

Historic Lower Ganges River Cruise – Inclusions

• Transfer to rail station
• Train journey Kolkata to Farakka (for Downstream Cruises BD5)
• Train journey Farakka to Kolkata (for Upstream Cruises BD1)
• Full board (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
  from packed lunch Day 1 to Breakfast Day 8
• Complimentary tea, coffee & mineral water throughout
• Complimentary Wi-Fi onboard
• Naturalist on board the vessel.
• Single seating for buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Acclaimed combination of Indian & Western cuisines
• Wide choice of wines, spirits and beer (pay locally)
• Shore excursion programme including all admissions
• Maximum 20 guests per guide on all excursions
• Cold towel service after excursions
• Welcome drink after excursions
• Shoe-cleaning after excursions
• Welcome reception
• Farewell reception
• Local on-board dance & song performances
• Departure transfers to city hotel, rail station or airport (Kolkata)

How to Book and Pay – Lower Ganges River Cruise

• Please complete the booking form adding your credit card details via out secure system.
• We will respond by email with confirmation of your tour.
• Upon confirmation we will collect the non-refundable deposit of  25% of the tour price from the credit card provided.
• The balance payment will be collected 70 days prior to departure date.
• If you book within 70 days of departure date we will collect the full amount due from the credit card provided.
• If your selected date is not available we will offer you an alternative.
• Your card will not be charged until you accept the alternative offered.
• If you have any special requirements please add details in the notes section.
• We will ask you later to provide passport details of passengers booked
• Indian visa (please check with your Consulate if you require a visa).
• After you have paid in full, you will receive a voucher and joining details for the tour.

Itinerary – Farakka to Kolkata, Downstream (8 Days)

“…This was a wonderful experience. The boat, food and excursions were of a very high standard and the staff really lovely. We would chose them again at any time and thoroughly recommend this to others…”

Arrival in Kolkata

We recommend that you arrive in Kolkata a day or two before your river cruise commences.
Transportation from your Kolkata Hotel to the rail station, then by train to Farakka is included in the price.
We can arrange accommodation in a range of hotels, please do ask us.

Day 1

This morning, around midday, included in your tour is a transfer from your hotel to the rail station for the approx. 4 hr train journey from Kolkata to Farakka.  You will receive pre-booked seats in air-conditioned carriages.  A packed lunch is provided.  On arrival in Farakka, a short transfer by road (10–15 minutes) will take you from the train to a warm welcome onboard the ship, in time for dinner – first there will be a short briefing to introduce you to the crew and safety procedures.
Customers joining independently at Farakka may board from midday onwards.

Day 2

Today, enjoy a full day excursion by road to Gaur, near the town of Malda, or English Bazar. This quiet, deserted place was once one of India’s great cities, first under the Hindus in 12th century, then as the muslim capital of Eastern India from the 14th to the 16th century. There are plentiful remains of mosques, palaces and gateways and you visit a number of the most interesting before rejoining the ship in the evening near Jangipur.

Day 3

In the morning, set sail down the Hooghly (Hugli) proper, a charming waterway twisting and turning between banks lined with mustard fields and mango orchards. Moor at the delightful sleepy village of Baranagar with three gorgeous miniature terracotta temples to which you walk through the fields. This is rural India at its most idyllic.

Continue on down past Azimganj with some fine riverside mansions to Murshidabad where the Nawab’s great Hazarduari Palace, built by an English architect in 1837, dominates the waterfront. Inside are an extensive collection of pictures, china, weapons and other objects. Visit also the great Katra Mosque and drive out to two amazing buildings of the late 18th century, the Nashipara Palace and the Katgola Palace. Both were built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants and represent the other side of the coin of the “White Moghul” period when English and Indian cultures came close to fusion.

Day 4

Sail downstream a short distance then walk to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Moghul-style garden enclosing the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah and his family. Returning to the ship continue downstream past the old British cantonment of Berhampur to a rural mooring close to the battlefield of Plassey where in 1757 Clive’s defeat of Siraj-ud-Daulah changed the course of Indian history – you can walk through the fields to the commemorative obelisk.
Cruise on to a mooring near Katwa, a market town with narrow bustling bazaars.

Day 5

In the morning, visit the brass-working village of Matiari where you can see the whole primitive process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. Later we reach Mayapur, its skyline dominated by the vast new ISKCON temple which we are able to visit. .

Day 6

Continue on down to the country town of Kalna. Here we take cycle 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 shrinelets. Sail on, leaving fields behind and arrive at the outskirts of Kolkata. Land near Bandel to visit the imposing Imambara.

Day 7

Sailing on downstream past fine waterfront buildings and the old Dutch settlement at Chinsura you land at Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950, and visit the 18th century church and Dupleix’s House containing a small museum. Continue down to Barrackpore, land and take a walk through the cantonment past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame, and Flagstaff House, its garden housing many of the British statues removed from central Kolkata. Sail on up to Bali Bridge

Day 8

Early morning cruise under the Howrah Bridge to central Calcutta to disembark. Transfer to central Kolkata or airport.

Itinerary – Kolkata to Farakka, Upstream (8 Days)

“…I enjoyed every moment of the cruise on the Rajmahal from every point of view. The tours were fascinating and the staff were welcoming and caring, it was a true home from home! Thank you!…”

Arrival in Kolkata

We recommend that you arrive in Kolkata a day or two before your river cruise commences.
Transportation from your Kolkata Hotel to the ship on Day 1 and return to Kolkata by train from Farakka on Day 8 is included in the price.
We can arrange accommodation in a range of hotels, please do ask us.

Day 1

You are collected from your Kolkata hotel (or airport) late morning. Embark midday on your ship and sail up past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore, land and take a walk through the cantonment past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame, and Flagstaff House, its garden housing many of the British statues removed from central Calcutta.

Day 2

Sail up to Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950, and visit the 18th century church and Dupleix’s House containing a small museum. Sail on past the old Dutch settlement of Chinsura. Land to visit the imposing Imambara at Hooghly then reboard your ship and cruise upstream leaving urban sprawl behind. Sail into the night to a mooring near Kalna.

Day 3

Land at the country town of Kalna and take cycle 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 shrinelets. Continue on through the countryside to Mayapur, its skyline dominated by the vast new ISKCON temple. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.

Day 4

This morning visit the brassworking village of Matiari where you can see the whole primitive process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. Later cruise on and visit the battlefield of Plassey where in 1757 Clive’s defeat of Siraj-ud-Daulah changed the course of Indian history, finally mooring close to Murshidabad.

Day 5

Land and walk to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Moghul-style garden enclosing the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah and his family. Continue a little way upstream to where the Nawab’s great Hazarduari Palace, built by an English architect in 1837, dominates the waterfront. Inside are an extensive collection of pictures, china, weapons and other objects. Visit also the great Katra Mosque and drive out to two amazing buildings of the late 18th century, the Nashipara Palace and the Katgola Palace. Both were built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants and represent the other side of the coin of the “White Moghul” period when English and Indian cultures came close to fusion. Overnight on the riverbank across from town.

Day 6

Moor at the delightful sleepy village of Baranagar with three gorgeous miniature terracotta temples to which you walk through the fields. This is rural India at its most idyllic. Continue up the Hooghly, here a charming waterway twisting and turning between banks lined with mustard fields and mango orchards. Carry on up a long canal section to a mooring close to the Farakka Barrage.

Day 7

During breakfast we cruise to a mooring by the Farakka lock. Disembark and take a full day excursion by road to Gaur, near the town of Malda, or English Bazar. This quiet, deserted place was once one of India’s great cities, first under the Hindus in 12th century, then as the muslim capital of Eastern India from the 14th to the 16th century. There are plentiful remains of mosques, palaces and gateways and you visit a number of the most interesting before rejoining the ship in the evening at Farakka.

Day 8

Dawn transfer to Farakka station for morning 4-5 hr train journey to Kolkata. You will be met on arrival and transferred to a central Kolkata hotel to make your own onward arrangements.