India "The Ganges"
including a 7 night river cruise
Our 14-day Ganges adventure plus cruise, exploring the wonders of one of the worlds great rivers.
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India "The Ganges" 2026
India! there really is no where on the planet quite like it, you cannot help but be astonished. Fabulous wealth, and grinding poverty, sit side by side, your emotions will be all over the place. The country is also vast, you could spend a lifetime visiting and never see it all. On this trip we get to explore Kolkata, Varanasi and the great river Ganges along with Delhi and Agra all rich in amazing history. India is so full-on that for me its essential to have a comfortable place to retreat to in the evening, freshen up, and enjoy an evening meal, and we have chosen hotels for you to do just that in. This is not a 5* luxury hotel trip, (5* trips are available in India at a hefty price tag) its a comfortable 3-4* hand picked hotel adventure. Pandaw run (in my opinion) the best and most classic river cruises in Asia, which fit in perfectly with the OTS vibe. The cruise is of course not a gay cruise, its mixed , the staff are welcoming and there is always a great vibe onboard. So take the plunge and dive into the sensory overload which is India. DAY 1 ARRIVAL INTO KOLKATA (2 nights) You can arrive anytime today and transfer to our hotel. Those arriving early can chill out after a long flight or head off exploring. This evening, we will all meet for a welcome dinner at the hotel making it easy for those who may have jet-lag to get an early night if needed. Welcome dinner. DAY 2 KOLKATA Today we get to explore Kolkata with a full day tour around this fascinating city, visiting the main monuments at the best times of the day for the light to capture their magnificence. Breakfast DAY 3 FARAKKA (Ship 7 nights) In the morning after an early breakfast, we will be transferred to the railway station for our 1st class (5hr) journey to meet our river cruise boat. We will join the ship in the afternoon, following our train journey from Kolkata. We will be welcomed aboard Pandaw by the crew and enjoy evening entertainment onboard before cocktails and dinner. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 4 SAILING We sail up the mighty Ganges River toward the confluence with the Koshi river. Stop along the way for a short village walk and enjoy our onboard entertainment. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 5 BHAGLAPUR – SULTANGANJ We sail early morning toward Bhaglapur, a hub of silk production. We witness the silk weaving and explore this small town before returning to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon we visit Sultanganj with its pair of great granite rocks, one crowned with a mosque and the other a small temple dating from the 16th century. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 6 MUNGER Munger is now a large and industrialised city but has an interesting history. In 1762, Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger, and established a firearms manufacturing centre here. Explore the Mughal fort, East India Company cemetery and step inside the Bihar School of Yoga founded in 1964 by Satyananda Saraswati. One of the leading yoga schools in the country. The institution has developed yogic techniques through a synthesis of traditional yogic, vedantic and tantric practices and contemporary health science. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 7 MOKAMA Stop at Mokama, once home to Jim Corbett the naturalist and protector of the Indian tigers. Surrounded by farmlands, Mokama has the second hightest production of lentils in the country. Learn about the freedom fighters from Mokama such as Lalldin Saheb, whom during the freedom struggle was sentenced to jail during the British rule. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 8 BARH Explore Barh, a town famous for Hindu ritual cremation at Urmanath and the Alakhnath Temple. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 9 PATNA Enjoy a city tour of Patna, capital of Bihar state including a visit to The Golghar, a large stupa styled granary built in 1786. Farewell dinner with your crew. Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner DAY 8 PATNA TO VARANASI (2 nights) Disembark your Pandaw vessel ready and transfer to Patna station for your 1st class train (4-5hr) to Varanasi. Upon arrival in Varanasi, transfer to our hotel or the airport. Breakfast DAY 10 VARANASI You don’t so much, see as experience Varanasi, there really is no other place on earth like it, the most holy of Hindu cities. Nothing can quite prepare you, so it’s best not to even try, just look with wonder as the cycle of life unfolds around you. We have a guide with us to make sure we don’t get lost and to explain the things we will witness. Today is a day you will never forget. Breakfast DAY 12 DELHI (2 nights) After breakfast we will make our way to the airport for our mid-morning domestic flight to Delhi where will be met at the airport by our guide and driver, who will take us on an afternoon tour of Delhi’s majestic monuments before checking in at our hotel for the evening. Breakfast DAY 13 Highlights of DELHI A full day touring the highlights of Deli inc the Red fort, Jama Masjid, spice markets, Kutub Minar. Deli has a lot to offer and we will get to see the highlights. Breakfast. DAY 14 Holi and departure day Most international flights leave late in the evening, giving us all day to enjoy the festival of colour "Holi" its lots of fun, full of joy and colour and there will be time to come back to the hotel and clean up before your evening flight. Or stay on an extra night. Those staying on to join the Agra and the Taj extension you will have an extra night here in Deli after Holi before leaving the next morning for Agra. Breakfast and Dinner DAY 15 AGRA and the TAJ MAHAL (2 EXT) As for many coming on the "Ganges" tour this is their second visit to India. Some will have already seen the "Taj Mahal" which is why we are adding it as an extension rather than part of the tour. The first night of the Ext we stay at our hotel in Deli following the Holi celebrations, leaving in the morning by private Minivan to Agra. Agra, is home to the great Agra fort and the majestic Taj Mahal. We will get to explore the Agra Fort and view the Taj Mahal from an iconic spot across the river, before checking into our Agra hotel for the evening. We have a very early start to see sunrise at the Taj Breakfast DAY 16 (Departure day) Early start for those in Agra as we head to the Taj for sunrise and the wonderful light that the morning brings to this most romantic of mausoleums. We will return to the hotel for breakfast and check-out before departing back to Delhi. Most flights leave very late evening from Delhi and we will be transferring everyone flying out tonight to the airport, for those who are on early morning flights you will need to book a night at an airport hotel. Solo travellers This trip is a twin share, or pay a single supplement for a room of your own. I will try and match you up with another solo guest of the same sex where possible, but if this cannot be done then a single room rate will be charged. |
19th February to 4th March 2026
Starts in Kolkata (CCU) and finishes in Delhi (DEL) A 14 or 16 day adventure. Min 8 and Max 14 guests, small group trip. (Deposits will open to secure a place in December 2024) Inclusions:
Not Included:
Estimated cost for 2026 USD $5995pp Twin share USD + $900 Solo use of hotel room and ship cabin Upper deck on cruise USD + $700pp Agra and the Taj optional extra (Price closer to time) The green "Book Now" button will appear above when live bookings and deposits open for this trip.
Register your interest below, to ask any questions, and to to be the first to be notified when deposits open and you can secure a place on the adventure. Payment options Due to the nature of Adventure travel and the prices of the resources on which it depends, the published price of any trip is subject to change at any time, before or after booking confirmation, up to 60 days before the departure. 
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