Day 1: Kolkata
Arrive
Kolkata late at night and transfer to Hotel for overnight stay.
Day 2: Kolkata
Full day city tour visiting Howrah Bridge - a major landmark that denotes
the city of joy. This hanging bridge is an architectural marvel. The
recently built Vidyasagar Setu, another architectural marvel, connects both
the banks of Hooghly River. Onto Victoria Memorial built of White Marble. It
was opened by Prince of Wales in 1924 and has a statue of Queen Victoria,
with other exhibits. Visit Indian Museum and drive past Dalhousie Square,
St. Paul's Cathedral, National Library, Shaheed Minar, Eden Garden, Fort
William and city centre. Optional visit to Mother Teresa's home of Charity.
Overnight stay at Hotel in Kolkata
Day 3: Kolkata - Dibrugarh (Board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha)
In the morning fight from Kolkata to Dibrugarh. Arrive Dibrugarh, a typical
colonial town and major American base in WWII, then drive 2 ½ hrs to
Dikhou Mukh and embark on our ship. {Alternatively arrive Jorhat airport and
drive 1 ½ hrs to Dikhhou Mukh. (Dependent on river conditions it may be
necessary to board at Neamati, closer to Jorhat)}. Overnight on board RV
Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 4: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Excursion by road to Sibsagar, the one-time capital of the Ahom kings of
Assam. Shan by origin (Assam and Siam share the same derivation) but
converted to Hinduism, they ruled Assam for some 700 years until the 1820s,
and their culture and architecture is a strange and delightful amalgam of
Indian and S.E. Asian. See temples with stupa-like profiles, and palaces of
distinctive form - note the crocodiles and rather sexy caryatids that adorn
the roof of the Rang Mahal. For the record book, the temple tank here is
claimed to be the world's largest hand-excavated reservoir. Return to the
ship for lunch and cruise for 3 hours down river to Majuli island,
supposedly the world's largest river island. Overnight on board RV Charaidew
OR RV Sukapha
Day 5: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Majuli Island possesses unique hindu monasteries famous for their dance
drama performances - the whole island is now shortlisted for future UNESCO
World Heritage status. You will visit Auniati monastery with an eclectic
museum, enjoy a typical Mising tribal lunch in a stilted bamboo hut and in
the afternoon will attend a dance performance at Kamalabari monastery.
Returning to the ship we cruise downstream for an hour or two. Overnight on
board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 6: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
A day spent mostly on the river, though we shall stop and make a short
visit to the tribal village of Jamuguri. By afternoon, Kaziranga National
Park will be on our left - wild elephants are sometimes visible from the
boat, and once, memorably, a tiger. Overnight on board RV Charaidew OR RV
Sukapha
Day 7: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
This morning you will arrive at the little temple town of Vishnath, with a
fine Ahom-period temple. Take a walk ashore before continuing the voyage
down to a delightful mooring at Silghat, with butterflies abounding in the
surrounding jungle. We disembark, and make a first safari through Kaziranga
National Park, taking a jeep ride through its Western Range, with good
woodland as well as grassland and wetlands which can be viewed from look-out
towers. Overnight on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day
8: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Disembark pre-dawn & drive to Kaziranga's Central Range for an early
morning elephant ride, the best way to get really close to the rhino.
Kaziranga is a World Heritage site, and with a population of over 1000
rhinoceros is the best place in the world to see these beasts. There are
also good populations of tiger, wild elephant, sambar, swamp deer, hog deer,
wild pig and many other species. After breakfast, walk through terraced tea
gardens and visit a village of the Mising tribe. In the afternoon drive to
Kaziranga's little-visited Eastern Range for a further jeep safari before
returning to the boat. Overnight on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 9: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Cruise downstream under the seemingly endless new bridge to dock at Tezpur.
From here we travel on by road to visit a working tea garden at Dhekiajuli,
seeing all the stages of growing and processing tea (factory not in
operation between December and mid-March). After lunch on board, we visit
the remains of the 6th century Da Parbatia temple, with exquisite carved
portal, then board cycle rickshaws to take us through the bazaars to Cole
Park with its collection of medieval stone carving. Reboarding our ship we
cruise down to moor for the night near the isolated Singri Hill. Overnight
on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 10: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
The day is spent on the river, traversing a lunar landscape of sand islands
then closing on the range of hills beyond which lies Guwahati. In the
evening we should reach the idyllic isolated village of Ganesh Pahar.
Overnight on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 11: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
This morning's voyage is particularly pretty, with jungle-covered hills on
the south bank. Reaching Guwahati at midday, we moor opposite the city and
climb up to the pretty Aswaklanta temple on the hill above before driving
out to the beautifully sited temple ruins of Madan Kamdev, their erotic
carving an indicator of the strong tantric traditions in the area. Overnight
on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 12: On board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
We cross to the main waterfront for a tour of Guwahati, driving up Nilachal
Hill to the Kamakhya temple. With its tantric rites and animal sacrifices,
the more squeamish may prefer to content themselves with the exterior. Visit
the poignant Commonwealth War Graves, the museum and the bazaars before
cruising down during lunch to the silkweaving village of Sualkuchi. In the
afternoon drive out to Hajo, a place sacred to Hindus, Moslems and
Buddhists. Visit a Moslem shrine with extensive hilltop views over the
surrounding rural landscape, as well as the simple Hindu temple with its
frieze of elephants and its sacred tank full of great carp, catfish and
turtles. Overnight on board RV Charaidew OR RV Sukapha
Day 13: Guwahati - Kolkata
Walk through Sualkuchi to visit weaving workshops and see the whole process
of silk manufacture, from cocoon to spinning to dyeing and finally to hand
weaving into exquisite saris and dress lengths before transferring to the
airport for flight to Kolkata. On arrival, transfer to Hotel for overnight
stay.
Day 14: Guwahati - Kolkata
Early morning, transfer to International airport to connect to flight for
onward destination.
more..
