Ablution of India Gange River 17 days

Departure from your home city, on an overnight international flight to Delhi. 

1. Flight

Arriving at the Delhi airport, we will be welcomed by a local guide and transferred to the hotel.

1. The Oberoi, New Delhi (5 stars) or similar
2. bus

Breakfast at the hotel. Proceed to visit Old Delhi for a Cycle Rickshaw ride to witness daily activities in the bustling alleyways of Chandni Chowk market, the heart and soul of Old Delhi - a patchwork of eight different cities built by a succession of rulers and a centre of Muslim India between the 13th and 19th centuries. Following this a visit to visit the Raj Ghat is a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, India. Thereafter we drive past India Gate, a prominent landmark of Delhi,Continue the city tour with the visit to the Qutab Minar Complex (WHS) - The Tower and other structures in this complex date from the Slave Dynasty (1206-1290) and reflect the beginnings of Islamic architecture in India.

1. The Oberoi, New Delhi (5 stars) or similar
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

After breakfast at the hotel we drive to Agra (approx. 4-hrs drive via the Expressway).On arriving Agra ,visit the Agra Fort (WHS), built by Emperor Akbar, is perhaps the best-preserved fort in India. Visit the Taj Mahal (WHS) till sunset. Built by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Begum. Construction took 22 years and the Taj Mahal was completed in 1653 at a speculated cost of 32 million rupees, equivalent to around  1 billion US Dollars today. Dinner at hotel

1. The Oberoi Amarvilas (5 stars) or similar.
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

Sunrise visit of Taj Mahal to view the marble sparkle in dawn light. Return to hotel for breakfast and spend your time in the hotel on your own. After lunch, drive to Jaipur (approx 5 hrs drive) and check-in to hotel. Dinner at hotel.

1. The Raj Palace by Small Luxury Hotels of The World (5 stars) or similar.
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

After breakfast at hotel, visit  the  Amber Fort, located in outskirts of the city (approx. 11-kms). High above the town and surrounded with defensive fortification walls, the impressive fort was built by Raja Man Singh in the early 17th century. It houses mighty gates, temples, huge ornate halls, palaces, pavilions and gardens. Then visit to the Pink City, the old part of Jaipur which is colored in pink. Visit the City Palace, an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthan and Mughal architecture. 

1. The Raj Palace by Small Luxury Hotels of The World (5 stars) or similar.
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. bus

After early breakfast, we depart for airport for flight to Kolkata. Upon arrival in Kolkata you are met and transferred to the ship Ganges Voyager. Enjoy lunch on board. The afternoon excursion includes a visit to Mother Teresa’s Home and Tomb. Then we return to the ship for overnight. Enjoy cultural performance onboard.

1. Cruise Ganges Voyager I
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. Flight/Cruise

Guests embark on an early-morning city tour, featuring a panoramic view of the well-preserved British colonial buildings in Kolkata: Writer's Building, General Post Office, High Court, Raj Bhawan (Governor's House), Town Hall, Council House, Treasury Building, Reserve Bank of India and Dalhousie Square. We then return to the ship for lunch and begin our journey upstream. Later in the day, we take an excursion boat to the shore of Bandel. We visit the Hooghly Imambara, one of the famous Shiya pilgrimage centers in West Bengal, built in 1841 by Haji Mohammad Mahasin. 

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

This morning we enjoy a rickshaw ride through the city center of Kalna en route to the enchanting Rajbari complex, with the highest concentration of temples in the region. Bengal's mixture of temple architecture includes the Nabakailas Temples. Built in 1809 by the Bardhaman Maharaja, the complex contains 108 eight slope-roofed temples – 74 in the outer circle here and another 34 making an inner circle. 

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

Enjoy an early morning walk to the shore-side village of Matiari, which is known for manufacturing beautiful handcrafted brass items, utilizing traditional methods passed down for generations. These master craftsmen utilize recycled copper to create exquisite pots, platters and more from their workshops in the village.Early evening visit the charming village of Khushbagh, passing through scenic fields to arrive at the to the peaceful Moghul-style garden built by Nawab Ali-Wardi-Khan, housing his family's private mosque. It also encloses the tomb of the last Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daula who was defeated by the British East India Company at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

Post breakfast cruise to the sleepy village of Baranagar where you’ll take a walk to experience rural India at its most idyllic. A lovely example of life in rural India, this village is home to several temples dating from the 18th century (1714-1793).  We then return to the ship for breakfast and sail downstream, passing by charming countryside villages where locals greet us from the banks.

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

After a restful morning, observing the local life along the riverbanks, we stop in the village of Mayapur. Known as the birthplace of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486) and considered an incarnation of Lord Krishna. Mayapur is also the headquarters of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) movement with a new temple comparable in size to the Vatican and largely funded by Alfred B. Ford, the great grandson of car maker Henry Ford. Meet Krishna followers and walk through the pilgrim’s bazaar.

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

Morning sail to Chandernagore, established as a French colony in 1673. The French obtained permission from Ibrahim Khan, the then Nawab of Bengal to establish a trading post on the riverbanks of this city, which became a permanent French settlement in 1688.Afternoon we will explore the French colonial buildings along the promenade, including the former French governor's residence (now converted to a museum that features an exhibition of items that depict life during this period). We then will visit the Sacred Heart Church of Chandernagore. We then return to the ship and continue our journey, downstream to Kolkata.

1. Cruise
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. cruise

After an early breakfast on board ship, transfer to Kolkata airport for flight to Varanasi, situated on the banks of the Ganges River, Varanasi is a pilgrimage site for Hindus, a centre for learning and famous for its silk-weaving and brocades. Late afternoon visit the Ghats (riverbank) by walk and witness the evening “Aarti” ritual on the Ganges from a boat. 

1. The Taj Ganges Varanasi hotel (5 stars) or similar
2. Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner
3. Flight

Sunrise Boat Tour on the Ganges to witness the rituals performed during sunrise and the incredible scenes along the Holy River.
Post breakfast ,visit Banaras Hindu University is a public central university established in 1916 by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya on a land donated by the Kashi Naresh (King of Banaras).After lunch, Visit the excavation site of Sarnath, the seat where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment in Bodhgaya. Back to hotel and rest.

1. The Taj Ganges Varanasi hotel (5 stars) or similar.
2. Breakfast/Lunch
3. bus

After breakfast, transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Arrive Delhi and Transfer to Delhi international airport for your onward flights.
If the international flight is late at night, provide Radisson Blu Plaza airport hotel or similar 5 star hotel for guests to rest until before boarding. 

1. Breakfast/Lunch
2. Flight

Arrival in your home city, end of the trip.