19 Nights 20 Days
Varanasi with Patna to
Kolkata Downstream
aboard MV Ganga Vilas
The Itinerary
A land tour of the holy city of Varanasi with a road trip to Patna for embarking on a cruise on the Ganges River sailing downstream to Kolkata through several tributaries. A journey traversing through historical, archaeological, and cultural sites.
Includes
Fine dining
Meals and complimentary beverages, daily breakfast and fine dining experience served onboard
Excursions
All excursions including exclusive use of the onboard.
Private Guide
A dedicated tour guide, whose itinerary can be tailored towards your preferences
Kolkata
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta
(its official name until 2001), is the
capital and largest city of the Indian state of
West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of
the Hooghly River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the
border with Bangladesh. wikipedia
Kalna
Kalna or Ambika Kalna is a town in the Purba
Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. It is
the headquarter of the Kalna subdivision, situated
on the western bank of the Bhāgirathi river. The
town is more popularly known as Ambika Kalna,
named after the goddess Kali,Maa Ambika.wikipedia
Matiari
Matiari is a census town and a gram panchayat
in the Kaliganj CD block in the Krishnanagar Sadar
subdivision of the Nadia district in the state of
West Bengal, India. wikipedia
Murshidabad
Murshidabad ,is a town in the
Indian state of West Bengal. This
town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision
of Murshidabad district. It is located on the
eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River. During the
18th century, Murshidabad was a prosperous and
cosmopolitan town. wikipedia
Jangipur
Jangipur is a city and a municipality in
Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal,
India. It is the headquarters of the Jangipur
subdivision. It is situated on the banks of
the Bhagirathi wikipedia
Farakka
Farakka is a town, with a police station and
a post office, not identified in 2011 census as a
separate place, in the Farakka community
development block in the Jangipur subdivision
of Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal,
India. It is also known as the northernmost point
of Ganga Delta. wikipedia
Bateshwar Sthan
Bateshwar Sthan ( Sanskrit: बटेश्वर स्थान ) is an ancient
site related to the Vedic sage Brahmarshi Vashishtha
at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, India.
It is believed as the Taposthali ( penance place )
of the sage Vashishtha where he established Shivlinga
known as Bateshwar Nath Mahadeva. wikipedia
Munger
Munger, formerly spelt as Monghyr,is a twin city
and a Municipal Corporation situated in the Indian
state of Bihar. It is the administrative headquarters of
Munger district and Munger. Division. Munger was one
of the major< cities in Eastern India and undivided
Bengal during Mughalperiod and British Raj. wikipedia
Nalanda
Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist mahavihara
(great monastery) in medieval Magadha (modern-day
Bihar),eastern India. Widely considered to be among
the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world
and often referred to as "the world's first residential
university wikipedia
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage
associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex,
situated in the Gaya district in the Indian
state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place
where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained
enlightenment (Pali: bodhi) under
what became known as the Bodhi Tree. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodh_Gaya>wikipedia
Varanasi
Varanasi (Hindi pronunciation: also Benares, Banaras
Hindustani pronunciation, or Kashi, is a city
on the Ganges river in northern India that has
a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage,
death, and mourning in the Hindu world. wikipedia
Patna
Patna (Hindi: Paṭanā, pronounced, historically known
as Pāṭaliputra,is the capital and largest city of the
Indian state of Bihar. According to the United
Nations, as of 2018,Patna had a population of
2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city
(97 sq mi) and over 2.5 million people wikipedia
day 1
Arrive Varanasi
Upon arrival in Varanasi, meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the hotel for check-in and lunch.
Overnight at Hotel.
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 2
Varanasi
After breakfast visit the excavation site of Sarnath where Gautama Buddha taught his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodhgaya. Post lunch enjoy a walk on the Ghats to experience the activities and hustle-bustle in the by-lanes. Continue to the riverside to see the “Ganga Aarti” ritual, performed by a group of priests lined up on the riverbank.
Overnight at Hotel.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 3
Varanasi
Enjoy a Sunrise Boat Tour to witness the incredible scenes along the Holy River. Return to hotel for breakfast. Morning is at leisure. Post lunch free time free for shopping and other activities.
Overnight at Hotel.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 4
Drive Varanasi – Patna, Embark Ship
After an early breakfast check-out and drive to Patna (approx. 5 – 6 hrs drive, depending upon road traffic conditions). Transfer to the jetty and embark MV Ganga Vilas. Welcome onboard followed by safety briefing and lunch.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 5
Patna – Gurdwara Visit
Breakfast onboard and day free for rest. Post Lunch visit the Takht Sri Patna Sahib Gurdwara (Sikh Temple). It was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire to commemorate the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 6
Patna – Maner Excursion & City Tour
After breakfast, excursion to Maner Shrine, which is renowned for the tombs of the 13th century Sufi saints Makhdoom Yahya Maneri and Makhdoom Shah Daulat. Return to ship for Lunch. Then visit the Golghar, a beehive-shaped granary that was built for the prevention of famine; and, the modern day, Bihar Museum which has several galleries of curated exhibitions.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 7
Patna – Barh
Today we sail full day through wonderful countryside enjoying breakfast and lunch to Barh, a historic town located on the southern banks of the Ganges. We celebrate New Year’s Eve today.
Dinner & Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 8
Barh – Nalanda Excursion
After breakfast, embark on a full day excursion to archaeological ruins of Nalanda (approx. one-hour drive), which is a World Heritage. A renowned Buddhist monastic university considered by historians to be the world’s first residential university in the ancient world.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 9
Barh – Munger
In the morning after breakfast walk in the riverside village of Barh to see the daily activities of the local people. Enjoying Lunch onboard, we continue our journey further downstream to arrive at Munger.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 10
Munger
After breakfast visit the Chandika Sthan Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Shakti. Return to ship for lunch. Thereafter visit the Munger Fort and enjoy a walking tour and the local market popular for fruits, vegetables, textiles, and readymade garments.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 11
Munger - Sultanganj - Bateshwarsthan
This morning we sail to Sultanganj. Post breakfast explore Sultanganj, which is notable for two prominent granite rock islands in the river. On one is a mosque and on the other is a Shiva Temple. Return to ship and sail towards Bateshwarsthan enjoying Lunch onboard. Time permitting, enjoy a walk on the ghats.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 12
Bateshwarsthan – Sahibganj
After breakfast drive in cars to the 8-9th century excavation site of the Vikramshila University. Spend the day exploring the archaeological ruins. Vikramshila University was an important Buddhist centre of learning. Return to ship and sail downstream towards Sahibganj, a scenic town and a port city where several British and other European people, locally called “sahibs” lived and worked in and around the railway station during the British Raj.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 13
Sahibganj – Farakka - Jangipur
Enjoy a walk in the morning in the riverside village. Return to ship and sail to Farakka and cross the historic Lock Gate. After crossing the Lock Gate, we cruise through the connecting canal to the Hooghly River, the lower Ganges and continue sail towards Jangipur.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 14
Jangipur – Murshidabad
We sail full day towards Murshidabad enjoying breakfast and lunch onboard. We arrive in Murshidabad by the evening. Murshidabad is a hidden architectural gem with dramatic whitewashed colonial era structures.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 15
Murshidabad
After breakfast ride the Toto (e-rickshaw) through the countryside to the Katra mosque, which has distinctive minarets. Return to the ship for lunch. Thereafter visit the Hazarduari Palace, which dominates the waterfront. Built in the Greek “Doric” style, the palace has more than a thousand real and false doors in the vast corridors and is filled with colonial-era antiques.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 16
Murshidabad – Matiari
Breakfast on board and sail full day downstream to Matiari, sailing past the village of Plassey, which was the site of the famous battlefield, where Robert Clive of British East India Company defeated the Mogul Nawabs in 1757.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 17
Matiari – Kalna
Early this morning walk in the village to see and experience the craftsmen at work creating exquisite pots, platters, and more in their home workshops. Return to ship for breakfast and sail onward to Kalna, arriving by the evening.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 18
Kalna – Kolkata
After breakfast ride e-rickshaws through the town of Kalna to visit the enchanting Rajbari terracotta temple complex. Return to the ship walking through the local vegetable market. Begin sail onward to Kolkata and arrive by the evening seeing various colonial buildings along the Ganges River and passing below the iconic Howrah Bridge.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 19
Kolkata City Tour
After breakfast, visit the Flower Market and the potters quarters Kumartuli. Return to the ship for lunch. Thereafter we visit Mother Teresa’s Home and Tomb.
Overnight onboard MV Ganga Vilas.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 20
Kolkata Departure
Following breakfast, disembark and transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
Disembarkation: 09:00 AM
- Breakfast
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