ABN Sukapha, 4 night Silk and Rhinos Cruise – Assam Despatch 2A – ex Guwahati to Kaziranga

4 night Silk and Rhinos Cruise – Assam Despatch 2A – ex Guwahati to Kaziranga

ASSAM DESPATCH 2A: SILK & RHINOS
4 NIGHTS – GUWAHATI TO SILGHAT

DAY 1
Meet at Guwahati airport and transfer to our cruise at Pandu port. Enjoy lunch while cruising downstream to Sualkuchi. An afternoon walk through Sualkuchi, a bustling little town that is the centre of Assamese silk production, offers a chance to visit weaving workshops. Witness the whole process of silk manufacture, from cocoon and spinning, then dyeing to hand-weaving into exquisite mekhela chadars (a two-piece sari, the traditional attire of an Assamese woman). We then sail up to dock close to the great Saraighat bridge.

DAY 2
This morning you`ll drive up Nilachal Hill to see the holy Kamakhya temple, one of the most revered centres of tantric practices in India. Dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya (the goddess of desire, granter of desires), the temple symbolises the fusion of faiths and practices of Aryan and non-Aryan elements in Assam. We shall walk around the exteriors of the temple, among numerous pilgrims from around the country, taking in the sights, sounds and vibrant energy of the temple before returning to the vessel. Later, cruise up towards Mayong.

DAY 3
​This morning, cruise upstream and visit a riverside village with its lush green fields of vegetables. The day is spent mostly cruising upstream and presents an opportunity to catch up on reading, writing about your experiences so far, or simply watching life unfold on the riverbanks and jungle-covered hills that rise on either side. Enjoy an Indian cooking demonstration onboard.

DAY 4
This morning you cruise on to reach Silghat where, after lunch, you`ll drive to Kaziranga National Park for a jeep safari in the Western range of the park.

Covering an area of approximately 430 sq kms, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park is home to the world’s largest population of the Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros as well as the Indian Wild Water Buffalo. It has also earned the distinction of having the highest density of Royal Bengal Tigers (one every five sq. km.), making this park an incredibly rich biodiversity hot spot. With its marshy swamps and thickets of elephant grass, the park supports large populations of Indian elephants, Indian bison, swamp deer, and Capped Langurs.

​Kaziranga National Park frequently draws comparisons to the Serengeti in Africa due to the park’s abundance of wildlife and birds and is considered a birding paradise. Bird species found here include the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-shouldered Kite, White-tailed Eagle, Himalayan Griffon and many more.

DAY 5
This morning, bid farewell to the crew and new friends as you set off for the 4-hour drive to Guwahati airport. Alternatively, we can arrange a 40-minute transfer to Kaziranga or a 2 ½ hr transfer to Jorhat airport.​

Kaziranga National Park has low-lying grassland, which may not be accessible when the river is at or near flood level.

This itinerary, including the cruise and approximate driving durations, is subject to river and weather conditions.

Our second ship “ABN Sukapha” joined “ABN Charaidew” in Assam in October 2006. We have respected the fragile environment of the River Brahmaputra and resisted the temptation to build a larger ship. Our maximum group size of 24 is well-matched to the numbers of riding elephants available in National Parks along the valley, while the need to use jeeps to access the river beaches also limits group size. The result is an ideal number for fostering a friendly house-party atmosphere on board.

For “ABN Sukapha” we kept as closely as possible to the design of “ABN Charaidew”, both from popular demand and reasons of practicality, thereby retaining many of the features which make our original vessel so popular, but also adding a small spa. The overall dimensions of “ABN Sukapha” are similiar to “ABN Charaidew” and she is also powered by twin engines. Her 12 cabins are equally roomy and we have retained the much appreciated comfortable chairs by the picture windows for relaxing in privacy. The spacious saloon has French windows opening onto a front balcony deck and the dinning room again has glass doors down each side. Specially-commissioned furniture and locally-woven soft furnishings match those on “ABN Charaidew”. Again, the large sundeck offers the opportunity to relax on comfortable cane rattan chairs and sunloungers.

“A meeting of minds” best describes the first encounter between Andrew Brock and Ashish Phookan in Guwahati, Assam in 2001. Neither knew the other had been pondering how to initiate river cruising on the river Brahmaputra; both jumped at the chance to explore together this exciting idea. The Indo-British joint-venture company, Assam Bengal Navigation, was formed in 2002 with Andrew and Grania Brock, and Ashish and Jahnabi Phookan, bringing together expertise in tourism, experience of global markets and in-depth knowledge of North East India.

Anyone who has travelled by train or plane through India, or who has been driven on Indian roads, will be amazed to learn that there is actually a way to travel through the country in total serenity and comfort. Yet it is in fact possible to cruise for some 1750 miles on the rivers and inland waterways of India, passing through great cities, alongside wildlife sanctuaries and historical monuments and into the heart of rural India. ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION are pioneers in this exploration.

ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION is an Indo-British joint venture, with offices in Guwahati and the UK. In 2003 ABN pioneered long-distance river cruising in India with our unique cruises on the River Brahmaputra in Assam, and in 2007 we were also the first to run cruises on the River Hugli between Kolkata and the Ganges. We were awarded the Indian National Tourism Award for Innovation in 2004-5. Experience counts for everything here, and our expertise in the field of river cruising on both waterways is unrivalled.

Our first luxury river boat, the “ABN Charaidew”, with 12 air-conditoned en-suite cabins was joined in 2006 by her near-identical sister ship “ABN Sukapha”. Cruises operate in Assam from October to April, and in Bengal virtually all through the year. In February 2014 our fleet increases with the launch of “ABN Rajmahal”, a 22-cabin boat specifically designed for water levels on the Ganges.

ASSAM CRUISES, BRAHMAPUTRA. Wildlife and wilderness are the main features of a cruise in Assam on the vast Brahmaputra river – the river bed is often 20 or 30 km across, an empty world of sand spits and water with marvellous bird life and the occasional Gangetic Dolphin. The cruises here also give access to a number of India’s National Parks, including Kaziranga, perhaps the finest of all, and Manas, a Project Tiger reserve on the Bhutan border.

BENGAL CRUISES, GANGES and HUGLI. The waterways of the old Bengal Presidency now lie in the Indian states of Bihar and West Bengal, and in independent Bangladesh. Here in the north of the region the rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra meet head to head and then flow out to the sea through the world’s largest delta. Inland, however, on the rich agricultural land lie prosperous towns and villages, rich in history and culture. This is village India at its best, completely unknown to tourists. Cruises go north from Calcutta on the intimate River Hugli, and can be linked with our cruises on the Ganges proper from the Bangladesh border up to the historic city of Patna.

ASSAM JUNGLE LODGES. At Manas National Park ABN now has its own jungle accommodation, “The Bansbari Lodge”, situated right at the entrance to the Park. The 16 large twin-bedded rooms all have attached bathrooms and the lodge is simply but comfortably furnished.

At Kaziranga National Park, the “Diphlu River Lodge” opened in January 2008 and is run by ABN. In prime position, its cottages provide premier quality accommodation for a total of 24 guests. The airconditioned cottages are built on stilts with generous thatched verandahs and en-suite bathrooms, and have fantastic views directly overlooking the river and the National Park.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO TRAVEL Cruises operate from January through to the end of April, and from July through to December. Every month has both advantages and disadvantages, and we give below a rundown of the different seasons.

JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER During these months we sail on the Hugli and Ganges only. There is some rain, but usually for not more than an hour or so at a time. Water levels are high, so grounding is rare, and rural India is looking its incomparable best, lush and green in wonderful clarity of light, with both blossom and tropical fruit abounding. Temperatures are high, with high levels of humidity.

OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER Water levels remain quite high, and Brahmaputra cruises start at this time. However foliage is still dense, and flood plains are still often under water, so Assam’s wildlife viewing is usually poor until about the beginning of November. Tea gardens and factories though will be in full swing, usually until early December, while this time offers the best chance of a glimpse of Himalayan snows. Rain should be rare and temperatures moderate, but sun not always guaranteed.

JANUARY FEBRUARY Water levels are low on the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, so groundings can occur, while morning mists can delay getting under way. For those who dislike heat, December and January are good months. As leaves shrivel and fall, wildlife viewing starts to improve.

MARCH APRIL Low water levels on the Ganges can cause problems, although the Hugli should not be affected. Temperatures start to rise, although without much humidity, and by April sudden brief storms can occur. In Assam wildlife viewing is probably at its best, and activity returns to the tea gardens.

Select the Deck to view detail.

ABN Sukapha - Bottom Deck

ABN Sukapha - Main Deck

ABN Sukapha - Upper Deck

ABN Sukapha - Sun Deck

Select the Cabin to view detail.

Double Cabin

2 upper deck cabins measure 4.5m x 3.5m and are all en suite with air-conditioning. Cabins have a double bed, all with under-bed storage for clothes and suitcases. All cabins have built-in wardrobes with hanging and shelf space, and also contain individual programmable electronic safes. Bathrooms have shaver sockets, a hair drier, and a selection of Boutique toiletries. All cabins have large windows with sliding glass panes and fly-screens, and have two comfortable rattan armchairs which are well-placed for admiring the passing scenery. Mineral water is provided in your cabin and is replenished daily.

Twin Cabin

10 upper deck cabins measure 4.5m x 3.5m and are all en suite with air-conditioning. Cabins have twin-bedded cabins, all with under-bed storage for clothes and suitcases. All cabins have built-in wardrobes with hanging and shelf space, and also contain individual programmable electronic safes. Bathrooms have shaver sockets, a hair drier, and a selection of Boutique toiletries. All cabins have large windows with sliding glass panes and fly-screens, and have two comfortable rattan armchairs which are well-placed for admiring the passing scenery. Mineral water is provided in your cabin and is replenished daily.