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HISTORIC HUGLI - Lower Ganges River Cruise - Upstream 7 nights
Validity Dates 02 Jan 2024 to 15 Jan 2025
Start Price US $3,535 per person
Cruise ABN Rajmahal, 7 night Historic Hooghly Lower Ganges River Cruise - Bengal Despatch 1 ex Kokkata to Farakka
Cruise Line Assam Bengal Navigation
Ship ABN Rajmahal
Destination India Rivers
Brief Description Cruise 7 nights from Kolkata to Farakka aboard the ABN Rajmahal by Assam Bengal Navigations.
Type of Special 8 day Cruise Only
Departure Date 24 Oct 2024
Inclusions *** ALL PRICES IN USD PER PERSON TWIN SHARE ***


HISTORIC HOOGHLY LOWER GANGES RIVER CRUISE Cruise only fares include:
- 7 night Lower Ganges River Indian cruise aboard the ABN Rajmahal from Kolkata to Farakka
- Shipboard accommodation in the cabin category of your choosing
- All excursions and entry fees as stated in the itinerary below
- All transfers as mentioned in the itinerary below
- All shipboard main meals
- GST of 5% *
- Services of an English-speaking guide onboard and during excursions

7 night Historic Hooghly Lower Ganges River Cruise - Bengal Despatch 1 ex Kokkata to Farakka aboard ABN Rajmahal.

UPSTREAM ITINERARY: KOLKATA TO FARAKKA

DAY 1
This morning, you`ll be collected from your hotel in Kolkata to embark your ship by midday. Sail 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 – to get a better understanding of India's journey to independence. Sail up to Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950.

DAY 2
Visit an 18th century church and Dupleix Palace, once the residence of the erstwhile Governor-General of French India. Sail upstream past the old Dutch settlement of Chinsura before landing to visit the imposing Imambara at Hooghly. With verses from the Koran written on its walls, the Imambara is an opportunity to step back in time and relive a slice of Islamic history in Bengal. Sail into the night to a mooring near Kalna.
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DAY 3
After breakfast, land at the country town of Kalna and take rickshaws to see a group of some of Bengal`s most attractive terracotta temples including a unique Shiva temple with concentric rings made up of 108 shrinelets. You`ll also visit a muslin-weaving centre before continuing on through the countryside to Mayapur to visit the vast new ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple which dominates the skyline. As the headquarters of ISKCON, or the Hare Krishna movement, the temple receives over a million singing and dancing devotees a year from around the world. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.​

DAY 4
​This morning you`ll visit the charming riverside village of Matiari, known for its brass-working. Interact with the villagers and witness the traditional process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. You then cruise on and 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 Khushbagh for the night.

DAY 5
This morning, you`ll walk to Khushbagh, a peaceful Mughal-style garden that encloses the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah 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 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 the town at Baranagar.

DAY 6
​This morning you`ll 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. Continue up the lower Ganges (or the Hooghly), which transforms into a picturesque 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
Disembark for 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 the 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`ll visit a number of the most interesting before rejoining the ship in the evening.

DAY 8
Those taking only Bengal Despatch 1 will transfer to Farakka station in the morning for a 4 hr (approx.) train journey to Kolkata. Our representatives will meet you on arrival and transfer you to a central Kolkata hotel.

For those taking both Bengal Despatch 1 and 2 cruises, an excursion by road takes you to Pandua where you will visit the great 14th century Adina Mosque before returning to Farakka where your ship will have passed through the lock at the barrage.
Special Conditions *Conditions Apply: All prices shown here are per person share twin (unless stated as single) in USD, based on best available cruise fare at time of publication (02Jan24). Some cabins may have obstructed views. A visa is required to visit India and is not included in the prices listed here. Cruise deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions apply. Travel agent service fees may apply. Special conditions apply - please ask for full details at time of enquiry. All passports, vaccinations and visas are the responsibility of the travelling guest to secure prior to departure from Australia. Please note that the prices shown here are not shown in real time. While we endeavour to keep our pricing as up-to-date as possible, the advertised prices shown here may differ from the prices in our booking system at time of reservation. Offer subject to availability at time of booking. We reserve the right to correct errors without penalty. GST included in prices shown here is subject to governmental changes at any time without notice, but is correct at time of printing - 02Jan24. Not included in your cruise fare: Drinks from the bar, Laundry,
Tips, camera fees, Travel or health Insurance (mandatory), Telephone charges or Items of a personal nature.
Sailing Dates
  • 24 Oct 2024
  • 30 Jan 2025
  • 13 Feb 2025
  • 27 Feb 2025
  • 13 Mar 2025
Prices
Category Twin Per Person Single Per Person
Twin/Double Main Deck Cabins US $3,535 Request Price
Twin/Double Upper Deck Cabins US $4,125 Request Price
Itinerary

Cruise Itinerary

DayDateActivityArriveDepart
1 24/10 Calcutta (Kolkata), India Embark
2 25/10 Chandernagore, West Bengal
3 26/10 Kalna, India
4 27/10 Matiari, India
5 28/10 Khushbagh, India
6 29/10 Baranagar, India
7 30/10 Farraka Barrage, West Bengal
8 31/10 Farraka Barrage, West Bengal Disembark Rail to Calcutta
8 31/10 Calcutta (Kolkata), India
All itineraries and ports of call at the discretion of the cruise line subject to local weather conditions and may change without notice.

* Unless otherwise noted all pricing is on a per person twin share basis. All prices based on cash payment - credit card fees may apply. Cruise deposit, amendment and cancellation conditions apply. Special conditions may apply - please ask for full details at time of enquiry. All passports, vaccinations and visas are the responsibility of the travelling guest to secure prior to departure from Australia. Any pricing not in Australian Dollars will be converted on the day of payment into the relevant currency based on our daily rate of exchange. Please note that many of the prices shown on this website are not shown in real time. Whilst we endeavour to keep our pricing as up-to-date as possible, the advertised prices shown here may differ slightly from the live prices in our booking system. All pricing and offers are subject to availability at time of booking. Whilst all information is correct at the time of publication, offers are subject to change. We reserve the right to correct errors without penalty. Please submit any data errors/omissions you may notice on this site.

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