Rhinos & more with Brahmaputra River Cruise

Upon arrival at Kolkata International Airport, you will be welcomed by your Authentic India Tours representatives who will transfer you to your hotel for a 2 night stay.

The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy the wonderful facilities of your luxury hotel or explore the local area. Just a short walk away is the new Kolkata market.

Accommodation: The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast

Today is an opportunity to discover this charming metropolis with a full day of sightseeing. It’s an early start to visit the colourful flower market, followed by a boat ride on the Hooghly River.

The afternoon’s sightseeing includes the Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Indian Museum, one of the largest museums in India.

Accommodation: The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast

This morning you will be transferred to Kolkata Airport for the flight to Guwahati where you will be met and taken to the start of your cruise.  Lunch will be served on-board while cruising downstream to Sualkuchi.

In the afternoon your walking tour will take you through the bustling little town of Sualkuchi, the centre of Assamese silk production, where you get the chance to visit a weaving workshop. Here you will witness the whole process of silk manufacture, from cocoon and spinning to dyeing and finally hand-weaving into exquisite mekhela chadars (a two-piece sari, the traditional attire of Assamese women). Later this afternoon we continue sailing and dock close to the great Saraighat Bridge.

Approximate travel time and distance: 1 hour 30 mins, 506 kms

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

This morning’s drive to Nilachal Hill includes a visit to see the holy Kamakhya Temple. With its tantric rites and animal sacrifice, the more squeamish may prefer to just enjoy the exteriors.

This is followed by a stop at the poignant Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery before returning to the cruise at Uzan Bazaar.

We then set sail and cruise pass Kurua on the north bank.

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

There’s a chance to learn more about local life and the crops that are grown with a visit to a riverside village this morning.

The rest of the day is free to relax and just enjoy the views of jungle-covered hills rising up on either side, as you cruise along the Brahmaputra River to reach Jotiabari. If you would like to improve your culinary skills an Indian cooking demonstration will be held on-board.

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today we arrive at Tezpur where, after lunch, you will visit the 6th century Da Parbatia Temple ruins with its beautifully carved portal.

Later, a cycle rickshaw tour will enable you to explore the town, stopping at Cole Park with its medieval stone carvings which have been saved from sites all over the region.

There will also be some free time to enjoy the local market and maybe, pick up a bargain or two, before returning to the ship which will be waiting at Tezpur waterfront.

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After an early breakfast, the drive to the Nameri National Park will take about 2 hours. It is nestled at the foothills of the Blue Hills of Arunachal Pradesh, the old North East Frontier Agency. Here, you will take a boat trip down the Jia-Bhoreli River through the National Park.

There are excellent bird watching opportunities within the park (look out for the Great Hornbills) and, if luck is on our side, you may even see wild elephants. After lunch, there is a village walk, before returning to the ship.

Back on board, we continue upstream, passing under a seemingly endless new bridge across the vast width of the river, before we moor at Silghat.

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today’s adventure is a visit to Kaziranga’s National Park with a morning’s jeep safari in the Central Range. This is followed by lunch at the Diphlu River Lodge and an afternoon jeep safari in the little-visited Burapahar Range before returning to the boat.

Covering an area of approximately 430 sq km, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park is home to the world’s largest population of 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, making this park an incredibly rich biodiversity hotspot. With its marshy swamps and thickets of elephant grass, the park supports large populations of elephants, bison, swamp deer, and Capped Langurs.

Besides wildlife, Kaziranga National Park is also a birding paradise. A few of the bird species found here are the Oriental Honey Buzzard, Black-shouldered Kite, White-tailed Eagle and the Himalayan Griffon

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Another full day starts with a visit to a local tea garden followed by another shopping opportunity at the weekly market of Uloni.

In the afternoon, another jeep safari has been organised in Kaziranga National Park, this time to the Western Range (Bagori Range) where you will have a very good chance of sighting the famous One Horned Rhinoceros.

Accommodation: Cruise Ship, ABN Charaidew II or ABN Sukapha

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Unfortunately it’s an early start this morning for the 4 hour drive back to Guwahati Airport.

Here you will fly to Kolkata where you will be meet on arrival and transferred to your hotel.

Accommodation: The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast

In plenty of time you will be taken to Kolkata Airport to board your return flight.

Alternatively if you have time you could extend your holiday with a beach extension, a tour of South India or a trip to the Himalayas.

Meals included: Breakfast

Pricing and Inclusions

The price guide for this 11 day Rhinos & More with Brahmaputra River Cruise.

• Price on request

The prices do not include flights.

Authentic India Tours is a member of ABTA and ATOL. All the holidays on this website are ABTA protected. If you would like us to arrange your holiday including flights we will be happy to provide a quote and your holiday will also be ATOL protected.

This is a private tour with river cruise. The tour element of the holiday can be tailor-made to meet your exact requirements. Prices will vary depending on the number of people, length of tour, accommodation & season. Reductions are normally available for groups of three or more.

River cruises operate from October to May.

Please get in touch with your dates and we will be pleased to provide you with your personal itinerary and accurate quote.

Included with this tour are the following:

• Meet and greet assistance on all arrivals and departures.
• All internal road travel by a private chauffeur-driven air-conditioned large car.
• All scheduled sightseeing expenses including English speaking guides and entrance fees at monuments.
• Economy class flight tickets for Kolkata – Guwahati – Kolkata travel (Please note the luggage allowance on all domestic flights is only 15 kg per person. You have the option to by extra 5 kg or 10 kg as required).
• Accommodation for 10 nights on double/twin sharing basis.
• Meal Plan: Full Board on cruise; Bed & Breakfast in Kolkata.
• Mineral water on all days of travel

Price does not include:

• International flight tickets
• Travel insurance and visa
• Expenses of personal nature like laundry, tips, beverages etc
• Meals other than mentioned in the above meal plan
• Camera and video fees at national parks, museums & monuments

The prices given above are per person based on two people sharing a double or twin room. All prices were valid at the time of publication but they may be subject to change, based on your date of travel and local market fluctuations. You will be informed of any price differences prior to booking.

For further information or a quote based on your exact dates of travel, any alternative accommodation or a change to the itinerary, please call Authentic India Tours on 01792 315499 or email us at info@aitholidays.com

Please remember all our private tours are designed to meet your exact requirements, and this tour is just an example to help inspire you.

For more information please email info@aitholidays.com or call our India specialists on 01792 315499.

ABTA and ATOL Protected Tour Package

Authentic India Tours is a member of ABTA and ATOL. All the holidays on this website are ABTA protected. If you would like us to arrange your holiday including flights we will be happy to provide a quote and your holiday will also be ATOL protected.