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Price Guide
13 Nights - £2,795pp

Flight Inclusive Price from the UK

Tour Info
  • International flights from UK
  • 7 night Lower Ganges River Cruise
  • 2 nights Delhi
  • 1 night Agra
  • 3 nights Calcutta
  • Most meals
  • Shore Excursions
  • ATOL Protection
  • Travel Trust Protection
  • Based on 2022 - 23 prices

Ganges, Delhi & Agra - Pandaw

Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal, Agra

Ganges River

Ganges River

Aboard Pandaw

Aboard Pandaw

Beside the Ganges

Beside the Ganges

25990
 

Ganges, Delhi & Agra - Pandaw

Enjoy a luxury river cruise on the Lower Ganges in India aboard the boutique river cruiser RV Pandaw Orient.

Prior to your cruise, enjoy the highlights of northern India with 3 nights in Delhi and a night in Agra to see the Taj Mahal before flying south to Calcutta.

Embarking from Calcutta, begin a journey along the lower reaches of one of the world's great rivers. There can be no river in the world as sacred as the Ganges and an expedition on the Lower Ganges or Hooghly is one of the prettiest river journeys imaginable.

The river wends its way through the lush countryside of West Bengal with its culturally significant towns crammed with temples and palaces.

Your cruise vessel for this remarkable journey will be the RV Pandaw, a boutique river cruiser built in 2012, with 30 staterooms on two decks, all with private veranda space.

The journey ends with twonights at the luxurious Oberoi Grand Hotel in Calcutta with a full day tour to experience the cultural capital of West Bengal.

All of our Ganges River Cruise holidays are totally tailor made around the cruise itinerary and can be tailored to your interests, with pre and post cruise accommodation, touring or other extensions added to your requirements.

Inclusions

  • International flights from UK
  • Accommodation with breakfast
  • 7 night Pandaw Cruise with all meals
  • Return airport transfers
  • Private car, driver and guide
  • Entrance Fees

Accommodation

  • 7 night Lower Ganges River Cruise
  • 2 nights Delhi
  • 1 night Agra
  • 3 nights Calcutta

Excursions

  • Rickshaw ride Delhi
  • Full day tour Delhi
  • Red Fort, Agra
  • Taj Mahal, Agra

Day 1: Depart the UK

Fly from UK to Delhi.

Day 2: Delhi

On arrival in Delhi you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight Delhi. Breakfast included.

Day 3: Delhi

Today’s tour includes heritage rich Old and New Delhi including a Heritage Walk inside India’s largest Mosque ‘Jama Masjid’.

Explore the real life of Old Delhi through the maze-like streets of the iconic Ancient Bazaar ‘Chandni Chowk’ and Asia’s largest Spice Market.

Experience colonial-era India including the Mahatma Gandhi Museum and the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara where you may volunteer to assist in preparing food for pilgrims, the poor and the homeless.

View Lutyens’ finest works including Colonial Government Buildings, India Gate and the President and Parliament House.

Overnight Delhi. Breakfast included.

Day 4: Agra

Today you will be driven to Agra. After check in at your hotel visit the Red Fort, with the chance to visit marble workshops if there is sufficient time.

Overnight Agra. Breakfast included.

Day 5: Agra - Taj Mahal - Calcutta

Enjoy a sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal, one of the world's iconic buildings, before heading back to Delhi for your flight south to Calcutta, where you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight Calcutta. Breakfast included.

Day 6: Calcutta - Cruise

Transfer from your hotel to embark and sail at noon.

Sail past the old Danish colony of Serampore to Barrackpore to land and take a walk through the cantonment – past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame and Flagstaff House.

Overnight On Board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 7: Chandernagore

Sail up to Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950.

Visit the 18th century church and Dupleix’s House, the erstwhile Governor-General of French India.

Sail upstream past the old Dutch settlement of Chinsura before landing to visit the imposing Imambara at Hooghly.

With verses from the Koran written on its walls, the Imambara is an opportunity to step back in time and relive a slice of Islamic history in Bengal. Sail into the night to a mooring near Kalna.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 8: Kalna

Sail upstream and, after breakfast, land at the country town of Kalna and take cycle rickshaws to see a group of some of Bengal’s most attractive terracotta temples, as well as the unique Shiva temple with concentric rings made up of 108 lesser shrines.

Continue on through the countryside to Mayapur to visit the vast new ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) temple which dominates the skyline.

As the headquarters of ISKCON or the Hare Krishna movement, the temple receives over a million singing and dancing devotees a year from around the world. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 9: Matiari

This morning visit the brass-working village of Matiari, a charming riverside village.

Interact with the locals and witness the whole process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels.

Later, cruise on and visit 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, to change the course of Indian history. Moor close to Murshidabad for the night.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 10: Murshidabad

This morning, walk to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Mughal-style garden that encloses the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah – the last independent Nawab of Bengal – and his family.

Continue a little way upstream to where the great Hazarduari Palace dominates the waterfront.

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 across from town.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 11: Baranagar

This 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. Continue up the lower Ganges (or the Hooghly), which transforms into a charming waterway twisting and turning between banks lined with mustard fields and mango orchards.

Carry on up a long canal section to a mooring close to the Farakka Barrage.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 12: Gaur

During breakfast, cruise to a mooring by the Farakka lock. Disembark and go on a full-day excursion by road to Gaur, near the town of Malda, or English Bazar.

This quiet, deserted place was once one of India’s great cities, first under the Hindus in 12th century, then as the Muslim capital of Eastern India from the 14th to the 16th century.

There are plentiful remains of mosques, palaces and gateways and you will visit a number of the most interesting of these before rejoining the ship in the evening above the Farakka lock gate to continue your cruise upstream.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 13: Farakka - Calcutta

Disembark the RV Orient and transfer back to Calcutta by train (about 4 hours). Transfer to your chosen hotel with the rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the hotel.

Overnight Calcutta. Breakfast included.

Day 14: Calcutta

Today enjoy a full day tour of Calcutta.

In the morning, join the Heritage Tram Ride across the Old Town to witness the bygone era of charming Bengali colonies, chic cafes and traditional houses.

Visit the sacred Hooghly Riverside to see Howrah Bridge, 1906 Howrah Junction Railway Station, St John's Church, the Old Court House and the Colonial Secretariat Buildings.

The next stop is the riverside located Mullik Ghat to explore some of India’s most colourful Flower Bazaar Markets.

Continue to the Victoria Memorial, a landmark of Calcutta and now serving as a royal museum of British Rule in India. From here, visit the iconic Eden Garden Cricket Stadium.

Visit Mother Teresa’s Mission and House and afterwards discover the curious lanes of Kumartuli. The tour ends at Calcutta's New Market area to enjoy some street shopping and bargaining with the locals.

Overnight Calcutta. Breakfast included.

Day 15: Calcutta - UK

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your return flight back to the UK or your next destination.

Day 16: Arrive UK

Arrive back in the UK.

Life on Board Pandaw

Life on board a river cruise is quite different from ocean cruising. Things are very much more informal, with no ‘Captain’s Table' or dressing up for dinner.

Unlike ocean cruising, all excursions and most other things are included in the price, such as drinks and tips for the crew.

With one member of crew per two passengers, the service on board is incredibly high and very personal.

Things are very relaxed on board a Pandaw River Cruise - with no unnecessary and wearisome PA announcements and no disturbing TV’s from neighbouring cabins.

Cabins all open on to a social promenade deck, creating a very relaxed and social atmosphere on board.

One of the best things about a Pandaw River Cruise is the amount of space on board, which is said to be the highest per passenger of any ocean or river cruise vessel in the world.

Cabins don’t have minibars – instead there is a bar service on the sundeck from dawn until dusk.

All excursions are included but there is no compulsion to join in. A daily briefing updates guests on the cultural activities of the day ahead.

Pandaw Club Members

Cruised with Pandaw before?

Then make sure you sign up as a Pandaw Club Member with us to receive further discounts and benefits on your next Pandaw Cruise holiday with Jasmine Holidays.

Benefits include:

  • Exclusive Members Club Cruise Discount
  • Unlimited in-house wine package worth up to $220
  • Free Laundry Service worth $50
  • Pre-post Expedition Discount

Remember that we guarantee a better price than booking direct and your holiday can be completely tailor made and will always be ATOL Protected if your holiday is flight inclusive.

Exclusive Expeditions for Pandaw Club Members

Pandaw have recently introduced special departures exclusive for Pandaw Club Members.

These offer the opportunity to bring like minded people together and for old ship mates to travel together again.

Members only Expeditions are a great chance to relive old experiences and encounter new ones in a more exclusive atmosphere.

A handful of selected departures are available and offer a considerable discount on standard departures as well.

Ask us for details of upcoming departures.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you.

You will have your own private car, driver and guide on excursions and for transfers around India.

Vehicles are modern and air-conditioned and bottled water is provided.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

As this is a private tour, there are no set departure dates.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to India.

Typically for India, British Airways, Virgin, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Air India and Jet Airways are the airlines we most often use.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are currently direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa and Ahmedabad.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels in India, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

We keep on top of hotel developments in India through our own inspection trips and also through the expertise of our local partners. We also keep tabs on feedback online and from our customers.

India has a really great choice of heritage hotels in Rajasthan in particular - usually former royal palaces or lodges converted into boutique hotels - often very luxurious, usually very atmospheric.

There are also many great boutique hotel options in destinations such as Kerala which we try to utilise. The bigger cities have some outstanding luxury hotels and an increasing number of smaller, more interesting options too.

Why should we book with you and not directly?

Because we are one of Pandaw Cruises top supporters, we have the very best rates to pass on to you, which should make it cheaper than booking directly.

Pandaw Club Members still get all the benefits, plus you have the security of having all of your flights and pre and post cruise accommodation and transportation taken care of.

All of our holidays are priced in Pound Sterling which means you are not exposed to currency fluctuations and poor exchange rates if you are paying for your cruise in US Dollars.

Your holiday also enjoys full financial protection through ATOL and the Travel Trust Association by booking with us.

How long have you been organising holidays to India?

We've been organising tailor made holidays to India for over 10 years.

Our team has a wealth of combined experience in the industry and our Director has been involved in organising holidays to India since the early 1990's.

Our partners on the ground in India have over 20 years experience in operating there.

They understand the country inside out and have a strong infrastructure of staff, guides and vehicles.

We've had the same partnerships in India for over 10 years.

How do I get the most out of my India trip?

India is such a large country that it's often overwhelming looking at the different destinations and trying to work out what to include.

We often find that our customers come with a 'shopping list' of destinations for a tour of India that has run out of control.

In our experience we usually need to tone down people's expectations of how much of India they can see in one trip and we try to steer the focus on to one or two areas.

Rajasthan for instance is like a country in its own right and its the perfect place to start for first time visitors to India. Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan is the perfect combination for a first time trip.

Varanasi, Shimla and one of the Tiger Reserves in Madhya Pradesh can also be added.

Of course we're guided by you, but we recommend trying to include a variety of sights or activities on a trip and also to allow some days to slow down the pace as India can feel quite intense.

Superior Hotel Suggestions Calcutta:

Astor Kolkata (1st stay)
The Oberoi Grand (2nd stay)

Superior Hotel Suggestions Delhi:

The Imperial Delhi

Superior Hotel Suggestions Agra:

Radisson Blu

 

13 night Lower Ganges, Delhi & Agra:

  • Price from £2,795 pp (Aug - Sep)
  • Price from £3,150 pp (most other dates)

This is a guide price only, based on travel in low season.

Prices will vary according to choice of hotel and seasonal airfare and hotel surcharges. Please ask us for any current special offers.

Contact Us:

All of our India River Cruise Holidays are completely tailor made and we can put together any kind of India River Cruise itinerary to suit your interests and budget.

Call us now to speak to a India expert about your tailor made India River Cruise holiday.

Call us now on 0333 7000 747

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