Pandav Cruise

PROGRAM
EXPERIENCE PANDAV CRUISE-(TOUR CODE-CTI-EPC/096)

DESTINATIONS COVERED: Calcutta –RV Bengal Pandav-Kalna-Murshidabad- Raj Mahal – Vikramshila- Semaria- Nalanda and Bodh Gaya- Patna- Cruising the Ganges- Wildlife on the Ganges- Gazipur or Buxar to Varanasi and Sarnath-Departure

Day 1: Arrive in Calcutta

You will be met and transferred from the airport to your five star hotel in the city centre. Passengers will spend the day at leisure and there will be a welcome dinner in the evening.

Day 2: Colonial Calcutta and embark on the RV Bengal Pandaw
Breakfast in the hotel. We spend the morning exploring colonial Calcutta, arguably the greatest of the British Raj cities, with a stupendous architectural heritage that is still largely intact. Highlights include St John's Church, the Queen Victoria Monument and the neo-gothic law courts. Lunch will be out at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, passengers transfer (either by boat or coach) to join the ship at Bandel. Baggage will be sent to the ship by truck. On the way we stop at Chanderanagore, a French colony since 1950, where we visit the house of Dupleix, a small museum and an 18th century church. At Bandel we see the Imambara Mosque, the celebrated Shiya pilgrimage shrine.

Day 3: Kalna
We will take a cycle rickshaw tour of Bengali terracotta temples. The river here narrows and we will see the tropical Bengal countryside, lush and green. Evening visit to the fascinating brassworks at the country village of Metiari. Day 4: Murshidabad
We will cruise past the battlefield of Plassey where in 1757 Clive of India defeated local rulers of Bengal. We will visit the vast Hazarduari Palace, built in 1837 by an English architect. From there we will move on to visit the Katra mosque. We will moor overnight at Baranagar which is famous for its lovely miniature temples.

Day 5: Mohammadpur
Stop for a walk at Mohammadpur where we see weaving and cheroot making; meanwhile the vessel must pass under low hanging power lines that must be switched off, causing a blackout for much of north India.

Day 6: Farraka 
We cruise the narrow Farraka Feeder Canal and enter the Ganges by lock at the Farraka Barrage.

Day 7: Raj Mahal 
Continue up the Ganges into Bihar State. Here the river is 2km across and vast panoramas unfold. Cruise through the heart of Bihar state seeing a rural India remote from the tourist track and rarely visited by foreigners. Stop for a walk ashore and visit the Jami Masjid Mosque, constructed in 1592 by Raja Maan Singh.

Day 8: Vikramshila 
Visit the ancient Vikramshila University at Khalgaon. This 8th century AD university was built by the Pala dynasty and is one of the sacred sites of Buddhism. Cruise all day through the Vikramshila Dolphin Sanctuary where we will be visited by the wardens who will come on board to guide us through the area.

Day 9: Semaria
If time permits, walk ashore in this remote part of Bihar state where village life remains unchanged for centuries. If time permits, visit the Bihar School of Yoga at Munger.

Day 10: Nalanda and Bodh Gaya
Drive 3 hours by coach to the ruins of the vast Buddhist university at Nalanda and then after lunch in a local hotel continue on to Bodh Gaya, place of Buddha’s enlightenment and a major centre of pilgrimage for Buddhists of all sects from all countries. Return journey from Bodh Gaya to Patna is 5 hours. This will be a long, uncomfortable day but richly rewarded by visits to these world heritage sites.

Day 11: Patna
Patna, the fifth fastest growing city in India, is a large, industrial town but is not without interest. We see the monumental Golghar grain silo built in 1786 by Captain John Garstin and the State Museum, with a stupendous collection of Mauryan and Pala period Buddhist sculptures. In the afternoon sail to Danapur with an interesting Sikh temple. We will stop and go ashore to visit the Sikh temple if river conditions permit.

Day 12: Cruising the Ganges
Day spent aboard with village stop for a walk to view brick making kilns. In this area navigation is very difficult, with sandbanks and other hazards. Further in the dry season there are several pontoon bridges that require considerable negotiation in order to pass through. Our end point for the cruise will depend on these and other factors such as windage and flow rates. Probably one of the most difficult inland water passages that any vessel could ever attempt. Be warned!

Day 13: Wildlife on the Ganges

With our on board naturalist we expect to see herds of blue bull and black buck antelope in addition to profuse bird life in this remote, uninhabited stretch of river.

Day 14: Gazipur or Buxar to Varanasi and Sarnath

Early morning disembarkation for 2-3 hour coach transfer to Varanasi stopping at Sarnath, an important Buddhist site with its Gupta monuments and stupendous museum of Gupta period sculptures. At Varanasi check into our hotel and after lunch explore on foot the ghats, palaces and temples of one of the oldest cities in the world. Varanasi was contemporary to 7th century BC Babylon and Nineveh - and is the cultural heart of Hindu India at its richest and most beautiful. Evening boat trip to observe the spectacular ritual fire dances to Lord Shiva held on the ghats, followed by farewell dinner.

Day 15: Departures from Varanasi
After breakfast, check out of hotel and transfer to airport.