The Brahmaputra

Board your Pandaw vessel in Guwahati, the gateway to Assam. Meet your crew for the next 7 nights and begin your journey upstream on the Brahmaputra River.

Today you stop at a local village where migrant communities have settled with government approval. It's a great spot to see what life is like along this ever-changing river.

Setting sail early morning, you reach Silghat, at the doorstep of Kaziranga National Park. Make your first venture into this park in the afternoon in search of the reserve’s most famous inhabitant, the Royal Bengal Tigers, for which the park boasts the highest density of any place in the world. Tiger spotting is extremely rare, but chances to see Kaziranga’s other famous inhabitants are abundant.

Leave the ship in the early morning for your second Jeep safari into Kaziranga National Park. Mornings are the perfect time to spot the Indian one-horned rhinos, buffalos, and elephants, plus a host of birdlife, including hornbills and kingfishers. Following your safari, visit a typical Assamese tea garden and learn about the process from bush to cup. After lunch onboard, sail downstream toward Tezpur, and if time permits, visit Bamuni Hills, a 9th century temple complex that lies in ruins overlooking the town.

After an early breakfast, head ashore and drive north toward the state of Arunachal Pradesh to explore the second national park, Nameri National Park. Here you take a float trip down the Jia-Bhoreli River of around 2 hours and enjoy the abundant birdlife and breathtaking scenery backdropped by the Blue Hills in the Eastern Himalayan range. Return for lunch onboard and set sail downstream.

Stepping ashore in Mayang, a sizeable village along the shores of the Brahmaputra, learn about the history of magic and sorcery that was prevalent in the region. Visit the fascinating Mayang museum, which explains how various mantras were used for anything from curing ailments to identifying a thief. You are then welcomed into the home of a local Mayang resident for a discussion and perhaps demonstration of some tricks.

Sualkuchi is a major center for weaving in Assam. Here, you learn about the entire silkmaking production, from the cocoon to spinning and weaving to make the typical saree worn by local women. There is a chance to buy some local silken souvenirs and experience a traditional folk dance before you return to the ship by electric rickshaw.

After breakfast, disembark the ship and transfer to a city hotel or Guwahati airport for your onward journey.