Photo courtesy of Adventure Women
From high in the mighty Himalayas, India’s Ganges River (known asMother Ganga to Indians) flows 1,500 miles south and east, connecting to the Hooghly River (Bhāgirathi-Hooghly) through Kolkata, India transporting you through areas in East India western visitors have rarely seen. The waterway eventually empties into the Bay of Bengal. The hot summer weather in India and varying water levels on the Ganges limit the river cruising season to only a few months each year.
During our river boat cruise on the Bengal Ganga, traveling upstream from Kolkata (Calcutta) to Simraia, and onward to Varanasi, India, we will experience a vibrant tapestry of varied religious beliefs, historical sagas, diverse flora and fauna, the fascinating cultural traditions of India, brilliant architecture, and incredible landscapes. We will visit metal craftsmen at work in the village Matiari, and ancient centers of learning at Bateshwarsthan. We are treated to a tapestry of Muslim and colonial architecture, Hindu culture, Buddhist temples, the daily rituals of Indian village life, and unspoiled countryside all along our river cruise route. We sail through Nalanda, a sanctuary for the Gangetic river dolphin, and marvel at the “Bodhi Tree,” where Guatama first attained enlightenment to become Buddha.
In the fall of 2009, Bengal Ganga embarked on her maiden voyage along this historic waterway, the GangesRiver. Imported from Myanmar (Burma), she was the first passenger vessel in over 100 years to cruise between Kolkata, India (known as Calcutta when the British maintained their capital here for over 200 years) and Varanasi, known as Benares in ancient times, and considered the most holy city in India.
For experienced river cruise travelers, or any woman looking for an exotic but comfortable travel tour in India, cruising the Ganges provides a rare opportunity. With a crew to passenger ratio of one to two, and with only 28 cabins, there is no better way to travel deep inside India than taking a small ship river cruise on the Ganges on theBengal Ganga. Aboard our river boat home, in the style of the original luxury steamships, we cruise through a thought-provoking visual kaleidoscope of India. Join AdventureWomen on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure travel vacation in India that opens up an entire civilization’s beliefs, lifestyles, and culture as the Mother Ganga guides us to look within and beyond ourselves.
Date: January 28 – February 14, 2014
Cost: $8,995
Visit AdventureWomen for more information
The Women's Outdoor News, aka The WON, features news, reviews and stories about women who are shooting, hunting, fishing and actively engaging in outdoor adventure. This publication is for women, by women. View all posts by The WON
