Itinerary
- Day 1
Kolkata
You'll arrive in Kolkata and get transferred to your hotel. Once you're settled, there's a welcome briefing where you'll meet your tour director and the other travelers on this trip.
- Day 2
Kolkata
Start the day with a privately chartered heritage tram ride around Kolkata to get a feel for the city. Head to Kumartuli afterward to watch local potters working on their traditional crafts. In the afternoon, you'll have tea at Glenburn Penthouse with nice views over the city, and dinner wraps up your evening.
- Meals
- Dinner
Included Activities
- Heritage Tram Ride - privately chartered exploration of Kolkata's picturesque sights
- Kumartuli visit - traditional potters' quarter showcasing clay pots and statues of gods and goddesses
- Afternoon tea at Glenburn Penthouse - exquisite selection of teas and treats with city views
Landmarks/POIs Kumartuli Glenburn Penthouse - Day 3
Kolkata
Pick between two morning activities: either go to Mallick Ghat Flower Market or check out CIMA Gallery and Sasha NGO. Later you'll board the Ganges Voyager, which becomes your home for the next week. Visit Victoria Memorial and its museum before dinner, then settle in for a Baul musicians performance on the ship.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Victoria Memorial and museum visit - largest collection of British colonial artifacts
- Baul musicians performance on board - UNESCO-listed spiritual cultural tradition
Optional Activities
- Mallick Ghat Flower Market - early morning stroll across Howrah Bridge to Asia's largest flower market
- CIMA Gallery and Sasha NGO Tour - art gallery visit and learning about local artisan preservation
Landmarks/POIs Victoria Memorial Howrah Bridge Mallick Ghat Flower Market CIMA (Centre for International Modern Art) - Day 4
Kalna
Walk through Kolkata's colonial buildings including Writer's Building, General Post Office, High Court, and Raj Bhawan in the morning. You'll also tour St John's Church, which dates back to 1756 and has tombs of British generals inside. After that, board your ship and head upstream on the Hooghly River to see the 19th-century Hooghly Imambara with its Victorian clock, then sail toward Kalna.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Walking tour of colonial buildings - Writer's Building, General Post Office, High Court, Raj Bhawan
- St John's Church tour - 1756 church with tombs of British generals from the Siege of Kolkata
- Hooghly Imambara visit - 19th-century prayer hall and pilgrimage centre with Victorian clock
Landmarks/POIs Writer's Building General Post Office High Court Raj Bhawan (Governor's House) St John's Church Hooghly Imambara - Day 5
Kalna
After breakfast, take a rickshaw through Kalna, known as the City of Temples. You'll see Bengal's terracotta temples plus the Rajbari royal palace complex and distinctive Shiva temples. Browse through the local market, then head back to your ship and sail to Matiari.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Rickshaw ride through Kalna
- Terracotta temples visit - including Rajbari royal palace complex and Shiva temples
- Local market stroll
Landmarks/POIs Rajbari (Kalna) Shiva Temples (Kalna) - Day 6
Khushbagh
This morning involves walking around Matiari to see handcrafted items made from recycled copper and brass in small home factories. Head upstream to Plassey, where the 1757 Battle of Plassey took place, then cruise to Khushbagh garden and cemetery. Walk past local farmers' fields to reach the tomb of Siraj ud-Daula, the last Nawab of Bengal.
Included Activities
- Morning walk through Matiari - viewing recycled copper and brass craftsmanship
- Home factories visit - multi-generational copper and brass craft workshops
- Khushbagh garden and cemetery visit - walk to tomb of last Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daula
Landmarks/POIs Plassey Khushbagh Tomb of Siraj ud-Daula - Day 7
Murshidabad
Sail to the village of Baranagar for a relaxing walk around rural areas and the beautiful terracotta Char Bangla Temples. Spend your afternoon cruising and taking in river life. As you approach Murshidabad, you'll see Hazarduari Palace from the water. Tour the palace with its over 1000 doors, have Indian high tea at Kathgola Palace, and take an electric toto to the 18th-century Katra Mosque.
Included Activities
- Baranagar village walk - rural Indian life and Char Bangla terracotta temples
- Hazarduari Palace tour - palace with over 1000 doors
- High tea at Kathgola Palace - Indian high tea in grounds of four-storeyed historic palace
- Katra Mosque visit - 18th-century mosque with electric toto ride and learning about Mohammedan rulers
Landmarks/POIs Char Bangla Temples (Baranagar) Hazarduari Palace Kathgola Palace Katra Mosque - Day 8
Mayapur
Morning is relaxed as you watch life happen along the river. Later, visit the village of Mayapur to learn about the Hari Krishna community from their followers. You'll see the ongoing construction of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, which is ISKCON's headquarters.
Included Activities
- Mayapur village visit - Hari Krishna community meeting and cultural learning
- Temple of the Vedic Planetarium visit - viewing construction of ISKCON world headquarters
Landmarks/POIs Temple of the Vedic Planetarium - Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir - Day 9
Chandannagar
Cruise to Chandannagar, a former French colony from 1673. Walk along the lively promenade to see French architecture, then visit the 17th-century Sacred Heart Church and Dupleix Museum (located in former Governor Joseph François Dupleix's home). Keep cruising the Ganges and spend your final night on the ship.
Included Activities
- Promenade stroll - French architecture in Chandannagar
- Sacred Heart Church visit - 17th-century church
- Dupleix Museum visit - former French Governor's home
Landmarks/POIs Sacred Heart Church (Chandannagar) Dupleix Museum - Day 10
Kolkata
After breakfast, you'll leave the Ganges Voyager and transfer to a hotel in Kolkata to relax and store your luggage. Later, head to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport for your departure flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
