Brahmaputra River Cruise Tour (Upstream)(7 Nights 8 Days)
Places Covered : Guwahati-Jorhat-Kaziranga
Day 1 (Sunday) :
Guwahati/ Kamakhya Temple/ MV Mahabaahu/ Peacock Island/ Sail
(MV Mahabaahu sets sail at 14:00 hours)
Arrive at Guwahati International Airport and with packed lunch we head to visit the Kamakhya Temple. This Temple is devoted to the eternal Feminine- the goddess of desire whose name is Kama Khya, granter of desires.
After thevisit, we drive towards Pandu Port where we will aboard the cruise. After the essential safety briefing and a short presentation on the Peacock Island that is famous for its highly endangered Golden Langur, we check into our cabins.
All gather on the open deck to enjoy the first sail and scan the river for a fleeting sight of the Gangetic Dolphins. We visit the Peacock Island and return to MV Mahabaahu where we enjoy a talk on ‘Kamakhya and the Occult in Assam’
An evening in the Soma Lounge followed by the ‘KamrupSwaagatBhoj’—a sit down welcome dinner completes the day.
Day 2 (Monday):
A Village Visit/ Full Day Sail
Today morning you enjoy Yoga on the deck for an hour and move on to breakfast, while the cruise heads on through the hills towards an island that is occupied predominantly by a Bangla speaking Muslim community who are involved in extensive farming.
After breakfast we enjoy a talk on ‘Assam, its geographical location in the national and international context and how it is acclaiming recognition’
After the visit to this village, we return to the ship for lunch and sail towards Orang Point.
At evening we anchor at a deserted island and enjoy sitting around a bonfire to indulge in barbequed snacks.
Day 3 (Tuesday):
Sail ToSilghat/ Visit Tea Estate And/Or Jute Mill
Today early morning our cruise sails early and we enjoy Yoga on the deck and move on for breakfast and for a talk on ‘Wild life in Kaziranga and wild life in India’
Today we sail to Silghat. Later we take a short drive to Kaliabore Tea Estate which is a vast expanse of undulating estate with tea bushes, watching the tribal women pick tea leaves. Then we proceed to the tea factory to see the process of finally producing Assam Tea and coming to terms with all that goes into preparing a cup-of-tea. (The tea factory is not operational from mid-December to mid-February as the tea is at its dormant stage during this time of the year)
We return to our cruise. We will visit a Jute Mill nearby, which is an interesting place to understand how the Jute fiber takes the form of very eco friendly gunny bags.
At sunset, we enjoy a cultural evening on the ship.
Day 4 (Wednesday):
Kaziranga National Park/ Weaver’s Village AtBishwanathGhat
Today we rise very early today and after a warm cup of tea and some snacks, we drive out towards the Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is the home of One Horn Rhino, but the National Park is home to as many as 180 different mammals including wild elephants, tiger, deer, Asiatic wild buffalo and a rich variety of birds.
We start our morning adventure; elephant-backed safari where we search for the elusive rhinoceros, tigers, swamp deer and hog deer and more and a large number of very interesting birds. The park never ceases to surprise us.
After breakfast at a resort in Kaziranga, we drive on to Bagori, the Western Range of Kaziranga and get into the open jeeps for some more wild life adventure and an extensive coverage of this magnificent park.
We return to our cruise for a leisurely lunch and a relaxed afternoon.
After some rest, we head to the shores of BishwanathGhat. We visit the Shiva Dol in reverence of Lord Shiva and there is no way that we can avoid the women with their weaves. We enjoy a walk through the village and see their daily - life.
We return to the cruise to enjoy an evening on a deserted island and then proceed for dinner.
Day 5 (Thursday):
Dhansiri Boat Safari
This morning, our cruise sails early towards the Eastern Range of Kaziranga for boat Safari.
We proceed for the safari in our tenders for about two hours. The shores are high but one can see roof turtles on protruding drift wood, water lizards, otters, elephants, wild buffaloes, rhinos, darters, herons, pied kingfishers, white throated kingfishers, serpent eagles and many more. The sightings are always determined by the weather conditions.
We return for lunch. This evening we enjoy the Chef’s Cooking
The evening on a deserted island with bonfire is always unusual.
(Bonfire may be avoided if a suitable sandbank cannot be found or if we experience inclement weather conditions)
Day 6 (Friday):
Mishing Village Visit/ Majuli Visit
After morning Yoga and having breakfast, we sail towards the Mishing Village and further on to Majuli, a cosmos of Assamese culture where various philosophies co-exist and thrive.
After breakfast, we enjoy a talk on ‘Majuli’ the seat of Vaishnav culture’. Thereafter we set off in our tenders to a Mishing Village.
The Mishings live on the bank of river in ‘Chang ghar’, houses with raised platform. All Mishing women are expert weavers. The indoor life of a Mishing person revolves around the kitchen area where the family can get together.
Our cruise leaves behind the Mishing village and after lunch, we visit to Majuli Island.
Later wearrive on the mainland where a drive takes us to a scenic corner of a Satra for an interesting cultural performance by Satriya singers and dancers. Next, we drive to KamlabariSatra to witness the Vaishnavite priests dancing to the rhythm of cymbals, drums and chanting in the temple premise.
We return to the ship and we prepare for a Traditional Assamese evening.
Day 7 (Saturday):
NeamatiGhat/ Sibsagar/ Home Hosted Lunch
After an early breakfast, we start our day-excursion to Sibsagar, the ancient city and capital of the Tai-speaking Ahoms who came in the 13th Century AD to the area from the north-east and were essentially of Tibeto-Burman origin. Sibsagar town literally means ‘the ocean of Lord Shiva’ as it is built around a huge man made water tank ordered by the Ahom Queen
The Shiva Dol, constructed in the year 1734 is believed to be the highest Shiva temple in India. Later we drive to a Tea Estate for a relaxed afternoon where we enjoy a traditional Assamese lunch with the Tea-estate family who have been involved in the tea business over a period of a century. Here, we sip our beverages as we explore the lawns and proceed to indulge in traditional Assamese cuisine.
We return to our cruise by sunset and enjoy a relaxed evening in the lounge.
Day 8 (Sunday):
NeamatiGhat/ Jorhat/ Departure
We start the day with Yoga and/or go for a walk along the swamps to catch a sight of owls, orioles, yellow footed green pigeons, changeable hawk eagles, adjutant storks, quails, sea gulls hunting with the dolphins and pied kingfishers, swallows and martins diving to fish.
Then have a relaxed breakfast. The luggage is brought out of the cabins according to the flight schedule.
Later we transfer you to theRowriah/Jorhat Airport with packed lunch in Jorhat a couple of hours for shopping before the flight schedule
Day 1 (Sunday) :
Guwahati/ Kamakhya Temple/ MV Mahabaahu/ Peacock Island/ Sail
(MV Mahabaahu sets sail at 14:00 hours)
Arrive at Guwahati International Airport and with packed lunch we head to visit the Kamakhya Temple. This Temple is devoted to the eternal Feminine- the goddess of desire whose name is Kama Khya, granter of desires.
After thevisit, we drive towards Pandu Port where we will aboard the cruise. After the essential safety briefing and a short presentation on the Peacock Island that is famous for its highly endangered Golden Langur, we check into our cabins.
All gather on the open deck to enjoy the first sail and scan the river for a fleeting sight of the Gangetic Dolphins. We visit the Peacock Island and return to MV Mahabaahu where we enjoy a talk on ‘Kamakhya and the Occult in Assam’
An evening in the Soma Lounge followed by the ‘KamrupSwaagatBhoj’—a sit down welcome dinner completes the day.
Day 2 (Monday):
A Village Visit/ Full Day Sail
Today morning you enjoy Yoga on the deck for an hour and move on to breakfast, while the cruise heads on through the hills towards an island that is occupied predominantly by a Bangla speaking Muslim community who are involved in extensive farming.
After breakfast we enjoy a talk on ‘Assam, its geographical location in the national and international context and how it is acclaiming recognition’
After the visit to this village, we return to the ship for lunch and sail towards Orang Point.
At evening we anchor at a deserted island and enjoy sitting around a bonfire to indulge in barbequed snacks.
Day 3 (Tuesday):
Sail ToSilghat/ Visit Tea Estate And/Or Jute Mill
Today early morning our cruise sails early and we enjoy Yoga on the deck and move on for breakfast and for a talk on ‘Wild life in Kaziranga and wild life in India’
Today we sail to Silghat. Later we take a short drive to Kaliabore Tea Estate which is a vast expanse of undulating estate with tea bushes, watching the tribal women pick tea leaves. Then we proceed to the tea factory to see the process of finally producing Assam Tea and coming to terms with all that goes into preparing a cup-of-tea. (The tea factory is not operational from mid-December to mid-February as the tea is at its dormant stage during this time of the year)
We return to our cruise. We will visit a Jute Mill nearby, which is an interesting place to understand how the Jute fiber takes the form of very eco friendly gunny bags.
At sunset, we enjoy a cultural evening on the ship.
Day 4 (Wednesday):
Kaziranga National Park/ Weaver’s Village AtBishwanathGhat
Today we rise very early today and after a warm cup of tea and some snacks, we drive out towards the Kaziranga National Park. Kaziranga is the home of One Horn Rhino, but the National Park is home to as many as 180 different mammals including wild elephants, tiger, deer, Asiatic wild buffalo and a rich variety of birds.
We start our morning adventure; elephant-backed safari where we search for the elusive rhinoceros, tigers, swamp deer and hog deer and more and a large number of very interesting birds. The park never ceases to surprise us.
After breakfast at a resort in Kaziranga, we drive on to Bagori, the Western Range of Kaziranga and get into the open jeeps for some more wild life adventure and an extensive coverage of this magnificent park.
We return to our cruise for a leisurely lunch and a relaxed afternoon.
After some rest, we head to the shores of BishwanathGhat. We visit the Shiva Dol in reverence of Lord Shiva and there is no way that we can avoid the women with their weaves. We enjoy a walk through the village and see their daily - life.
We return to the cruise to enjoy an evening on a deserted island and then proceed for dinner.
Day 5 (Thursday):
Dhansiri Boat Safari
This morning, our cruise sails early towards the Eastern Range of Kaziranga for boat Safari.
We proceed for the safari in our tenders for about two hours. The shores are high but one can see roof turtles on protruding drift wood, water lizards, otters, elephants, wild buffaloes, rhinos, darters, herons, pied kingfishers, white throated kingfishers, serpent eagles and many more. The sightings are always determined by the weather conditions.
We return for lunch. This evening we enjoy the Chef’s Cooking
The evening on a deserted island with bonfire is always unusual.
(Bonfire may be avoided if a suitable sandbank cannot be found or if we experience inclement weather conditions)
Day 6 (Friday):
Mishing Village Visit/ Majuli Visit
After morning Yoga and having breakfast, we sail towards the Mishing Village and further on to Majuli, a cosmos of Assamese culture where various philosophies co-exist and thrive.
After breakfast, we enjoy a talk on ‘Majuli’ the seat of Vaishnav culture’. Thereafter we set off in our tenders to a Mishing Village.
The Mishings live on the bank of river in ‘Chang ghar’, houses with raised platform. All Mishing women are expert weavers. The indoor life of a Mishing person revolves around the kitchen area where the family can get together.
Our cruise leaves behind the Mishing village and after lunch, we visit to Majuli Island.
Later wearrive on the mainland where a drive takes us to a scenic corner of a Satra for an interesting cultural performance by Satriya singers and dancers. Next, we drive to KamlabariSatra to witness the Vaishnavite priests dancing to the rhythm of cymbals, drums and chanting in the temple premise.
We return to the ship and we prepare for a Traditional Assamese evening.
Day 7 (Saturday):
NeamatiGhat/ Sibsagar/ Home Hosted Lunch
After an early breakfast, we start our day-excursion to Sibsagar, the ancient city and capital of the Tai-speaking Ahoms who came in the 13th Century AD to the area from the north-east and were essentially of Tibeto-Burman origin. Sibsagar town literally means ‘the ocean of Lord Shiva’ as it is built around a huge man made water tank ordered by the Ahom Queen
The Shiva Dol, constructed in the year 1734 is believed to be the highest Shiva temple in India. Later we drive to a Tea Estate for a relaxed afternoon where we enjoy a traditional Assamese lunch with the Tea-estate family who have been involved in the tea business over a period of a century. Here, we sip our beverages as we explore the lawns and proceed to indulge in traditional Assamese cuisine.
We return to our cruise by sunset and enjoy a relaxed evening in the lounge.
Day 8 (Sunday):
NeamatiGhat/ Jorhat/ Departure
We start the day with Yoga and/or go for a walk along the swamps to catch a sight of owls, orioles, yellow footed green pigeons, changeable hawk eagles, adjutant storks, quails, sea gulls hunting with the dolphins and pied kingfishers, swallows and martins diving to fish.
Then have a relaxed breakfast. The luggage is brought out of the cabins according to the flight schedule.
Later we transfer you to theRowriah/Jorhat Airport with packed lunch in Jorhat a couple of hours for shopping before the flight schedule