Rhinos & More Cruise – 7 nights Assam River India

Cruise Itinerary

7 Night Rhinos and More Cruise sailing from Guwahati to Silghat to end in Kaziranga NP aboard ABN Charaidew II.

DAY 1
Meet at Guwahati airport and transfer to your 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). 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. With its tantric rites and animal sacrifice, the more squeamish may prefer to content themselves with the exteriors. Visit the poignant Commonwealth War Graves cemetery before embarking on your cruise vessel at Uzan Bazaar. Set sail and cruise past Kurua on the north bank.​

DAY 3
​Morning cruise and visit to 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 Tezpur where, after lunch, you’ll visit the 6th century Da Parbatia temple ruins with its beautifully carved portal. Later, explore the town by cycle rickshaw, stopping at Cole Park with its medieval stone carvings saved from sites all over the region. Enjoy free time in the local market. The ship will be waiting at the town’s waterfront for you to re-board.

DAY 5
After an early breakfast, drive for around two hours to the Nameri National Park at the foot of the blue hills of Arunachal Pradesh, the old North East Frontier Agency. Here, you take a float trip of around two hours down the Jia-Bhoreli River through the park. There are excellent bird-watching opportunities here (look out for the great Hornbills) and, perhaps, the chance of sighting wild elephants. After lunch, take a village walk before returning to the ship. Continue upstream, passing below a seemingly endless new bridge across the vast width of the riverbed, to moor at Silghat.

​DAY 6
​Today, you drive to Kaziranga`s Central Range for a morning jeep safari. Enjoy lunch at Diphlu River Lodge before taking another jeep safari in the little visited Burapahar Range before returning to the boat.

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 hotspot. 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 7
​This morning, go on a visit to a local tea garden and the weekly market of Uloni. In the afternoon, drive to Kaziranga`s Western range (Bagori Range) for a jeep safari through the lush, biodiverse landscapes of the park.

​DAY 8
This morning you 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 Tezpur airport or a 2.5 hr transfer to Jorhat airport.

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

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

ABN Charaidew II, entered service on the Brahmaputra in January 2019. Built in Kolkata, her length is 44.50 m and breadth is 11.00 m and is powered by 2 engines. Her extra-shallow draught and a lower profile than conventional designs allow her to cruise faster.

ABN Charaidew II has 18 cabins in total: 2 spacious deluxe cabins (350 sq. feet) and 12 spacious twin/double cabins (240 sq. feet.) are on the upper deck while 4 cabins with queen size bed (170 sq. feet) are on the main deck for which we charge no supplement.

The decor is stylish and fresh with touches of colonial elegance, brought to life by traditional Assamese designs on hand-woven cotton fabrics.

All standard cabins on ABN Charaidew II have French balconies, while the two deluxe cabins have a private balcony.

There is a comfortable saloon and bar, dining room, a big open sundeck, gym, and a small spa onboard which offers a wide range of treatments.

“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 Charaidew II - Main Deck

ABN Charaidew II - Upper Deck

ABN Charaidew II - Sun Deck

Select the Cabin to view detail.

Upper Deck Standard Cabins

12 spacious twin/double cabins (240 sq. feet.) are on the upper deck.

All standard cabins on ABN Charaidew II have French balconies.

Main Deck Standard Cabins

4 cabins with queen size bed (170 sq. feet) are on the main deck for which we charge no supplement.

Upper Deck Deluxe Cabins

2 spacious deluxe cabins (350 sq. feet) are on the upper deck.

Deluxe cabins have a private balcony.