Board Ganges Voyager II for a 16-day cruise and rail journey as you explore in detail the many alluring aspects of Indian tradition. Initiate your trip on the Ganges Voyager II, a magnificent riverboat. Experience wellness program, based on the ancient tradition and practice of yoga, while visiting off-the-beaten-path settlements along the Ganges River. As you travel down the Ganges, you will see many different parts of Indian culture, from the beautiful Hindu temples in Kalna to the busy flower markets in Kolkata. After that, you'll disembark and continue your journey on the Maharajas' Express to India's most famous destinations. This glitzy train will take you to Agra, site of the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, known as the "Pink City," and Jodhpur, known as the "Blue City," the romantic "Venice of the East," and Mumbai, where the Bollywood film industry is based. A once-in-a-lifetime trip to India promises all of this and more.
Highlights
Visit Udaipur, the "Venice of the East"
Explore Bikaner City, a red sandstone-carved princely city
Discover Ranthambore, the home of Bengal tigers
Marvel at the authentic artisan village of Matiari
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive at Kolkata Airport. If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the Ganges Voyager II.
Kalna, once an important trade port on the river, is best known today for the magnificent Hindu temples built by the maharajas of Bardhaman— which you’ll experience today. After marveling at the astonishing Rajbari temple complex, you may opt to walk with your guide through the colorful local market.
Today’s adventures take you to a duo of Bengali towns—Murshidabad and Baranagar—each one boasting surprising and beautiful architectural monuments closely linked to the ruling families of the area.
This evening, following dinner onboard, take in a lively Bollywood-style show, complete with music and dancing.
One of the world’s most sacred bodies of water, the Ganges River flows through a myriad of small villages and highly populated cities throughout India and Bangladesh. Take in the remarkable scenery as you sail and be on the lookout for a rare sighting of the endangered Ganges river dolphin.
Wellness: You may choose to relax and unwind with a body massage or treatment onboard at the soothing Voyager Spa.
Few places of worship exist on such a head-spinning scale as what you will witness today in Mayapur, the center of the international Hare Krishna movement and home to the new Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, still under construction. Most students of history know a thing or two about the British colonial powers in India, but few are aware that the French had colonies here as well. You’ll visit this former French outpost today.
The city of Kolkata is synonymous with the enduring legacies of Mother Teresa and the colonial-era British Raj, both of which you will get better acquainted with today.
Disembark the ship for your flight to New Delhi. Take the afternoon at leisure to rest at your hotel, The Oberoi New Delhi, or join on a panoramic tour of the city that includes a visit to Humayun’s Tomb.
Day 9: New Delhi | Embark The Maharajas’ Express, Agra
Settle into your cabin onboard The Maharajas’ Express, the most luxurious train in India, and make your way to Agra, a bustling city most famous for hosting one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Start the day early with a morning visit to the Agra Fort, then return to the train for breakfast as you head towards Ranthambore, home to a national park known for its large population of Bengal tigers.
Pink is the color of hospitality in northwestern India, which gives you an idea of what to expect in the “Pink City” of Jaipur. Spend the morning visiting the city’s famous Amber Fort, and the evening enjoying dinner out at an exclusive venue.
Day 12: Bikaner
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Gaze out at the countryside while you enjoy breakfast onboard. In the 15th century, what was once a barren desert gave rise to a princely city carved of red sandstone. This city, Bikaner, is the site of your explorations today. Enjoy some free time in the morning to explore on your own or relax onboard before afternoon explorations. Tonight, a special dinner experience awaits in the deserts outside the city.
Having seen India’s “Pink City” already, now it’s time for you to visit the “Blue City” of Jodhpur. Swaths of brightly painted blue houses can be found throughout the city’s streets. Once an indication that a Brahmin—a member of India’s priestly class—inhabited a dwelling, the blue color later became emblematic of the city itself and a popular choice amongst its residents.
Later this evening, enjoy dinner off the train at an exclusive venue.
Sprawling across seven lakes and a range of hillsides, Udaipur has earned itself the moniker “the Venice of the East.” It is certainly amongst the most scenic locales in all of India, and a highlight of adventures in this many splendored country. During your explorations of Udaipur today, sit for lunch at a local spot in town.
Day 15: Mumbai | Disembark
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
Disembark the train and transfer to your hotel for the night, The Oberoi Hotel Mumbai, which is situated right on the coast of the Arabian sea.
Day 16: Mumbai
1 Breakfast
Check out of your hotel. If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to Mumbai Airport for your flight home.
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Maharaja Suite
Maharaja Suite (400 sq ft - 37.2 sq m)
Note that amenities may differ from those of a Uniworld company-owned ship.
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Viceroy Suite
Viceroy Suite (360 sq ft - 33.4 sq m)
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Heritage Suite
Heritage Suite (280 sq ft - 26 sq m)
Note that amenities may differ from those of a Uniworld company-owned ship.
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Colonial Suite
Colonial Suite (261 sq ft - 24.2 sq m)
Note that amenities may differ from those of a Uniworld company-owned ship.
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Signature Suite
Signature Suite (261 sq ft - 24.2 sq m)
Note that amenities may differ from those of a Uniworld company-owned ship.
Initial deposit is 15% of cruise fare plus any additional port charges, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 130 days prior to departure by Check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 254 reviews on
1 day ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.