World Journeys The Lower Ganges River Cruise

• Kolkata • Chandernagore • Matiari • Baranagar • Farakka • Gaur

• River cruise
• 7 nights’ accommodation on board the Orient Pandaw
• Transfer between meeting point in Kolkata, ship and drop off point in Kolkata
• Group sightseeing excursions with English-speaking guides as per itinerary
• Entrance fees
• Gratuities to crew
• Local mineral water, tea and coffee
• 7 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 7 dinners

• Flights
• Port dues (if levied)
• Laundry
• All visa costs
• Fuel surcharges
• Imported beverages
• Wines, premium spirits and liqueurs
• Fancy soft drinks (e.g. Perrier) espressos and cappuccinos at bar
• Tips to tour guides, local guides, bus drivers, boat operators and cyclo drivers

Day 1: Kolkata > Barrackpore
Depart at noon. Sail past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore. Land for a walk past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame and Flagstaff House.

Day 2: Kalna
Sail upstream to the country town of Kalna. Take rickshaws to see some of Bengal’s most attractive terracotta temples, as well as the unique Shiva temple with concentric rings made up of 108 lesser shrines. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.

Day 3: Matiari
Visit the brass-working village of Matiari, a charming riverside village. Interact with the locals of Matiari and witness the process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. Continue to the battlefield of Plassey where, in 1757, Robert Clive, the Commander-in-Chief of British India, defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and changed the course of Indian history. Moor close to Murshidabad for the night.

Day 4: Murshidabad
This morning, walk to the Khusgbagh, a peaceful Mughal-style garden that encloses the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah and his family. Continue upstream to the great Hazarduari Palace. Built by an English architect in 1837, the palace hosts an extensive collection of pictures, china, weapons and other objects. Carry on to visit the great Katra Mosque and Nashipara Palace before driving out to see the Katgola Palace. Built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants, Katgola Palace represents the other side of the coin of the ‘White Mughal’ period when English and Indian cultures came close to fusion. Moor overnight on the riverbank.

Day 5: Baranagar > Azimganj
Continue up the Hoogly which transforms into a charming waterway, twisting and turning between banks lined with mustard fields and mango orchards. Morning walk through the fields of the delightfully sleepy village of Baranagar to visit its three gorgeous miniature terracotta temples. This is rural India at its most idyllic. Visit the Jain temples at Azimganj and continue downstream.

Day 6: Mayapur
Explore the village of Mayapur, the headquarters of the 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 pilgrims’ bazaar.

Day 7: Chandernagore > Hooghly
Continue sailing downstream before landing to visit the imposing Imambara at Hooghly. With verses from the Koran written on its walls, the Imambara takes you back in time to relive a slice of Islamic history. Sail past the old Dutch settlement of Chinsura to Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950. Visit the 18th century church and the Dupleix House. Sail into the night to a mooring near Kolkata.

Day 8: Kolkata
After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the disembarkation point hotel where your journey concludes.

Cruise also operates in reverse