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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 18th 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
Kolkatta (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
Kolkatta
Disembarkation and transfers to Calcutta International Airport. |
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