India's rivers, waterways, and shorelines offer a unique perspective to the striking natural beauty, historic lures, and cultural elegance of this great Asian nation. Aboard some of the most luxurious traditional boathouses, cruises slice through the serene Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, unveiling historic landmarks, quaint towns, hallowed temples, pristine forests, wildlife, and more. Here are some highlights and hidden gems to discover on a majestic Indian river cruise.

 

 

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Deluxe Boathouse Cruise Vessels

The prime highlight of an unforgettable Indian river cruise is the vessel that facilitates the cruise from point to point across the waters. The ABN Sukapha, ABN Charaidew II, and ABN Rajmahal are perfect definitions of floating luxury retreats, featuring some lavish appointments and amenities of four-star luxury hotels. They feature spa and gym rooms to recreate the body with various delicate treatments and exercises. There are sun decks for lounging and enjoying unhindered views of the tranquil waters and surrounding scenery, while dining rooms create culinary adventures onboard. Some also feature libraries for bookworm guests, while saloons and bars offer social spaces to form bonds over cocktails. Cabin amenities for unreserved comfort include air-conditioning, en suite bathrooms with showers and WCs, Ayurveda toiletries, individual climate control systems, bamboo panels, expansive sliding windows for crystal views, and French balconies. 

 

 

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Kaziranga National Park

Most cruises along the Brahmaputra River typically stop at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kaziranga National Park, home to exotic wildlife, incredible biodiversity, and thrilling adventures. The park is remarkably home to the world’s largest population of the rare one-horned rhinoceroses and Indian wild water buffalo. There are also royal Bengal tigers, Indian elephants, Indian bison, swamp deer, and a massive colony of birds. You can see the park’s wildlife on jeep safari tours twice a day, but the park is not just about wildlife. Four rivers connect in the park alongside a collage of wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, broadleaf forests, and marshy swamps to explore. The jeep safari tours also course through some of these landscapes in search of wildlife, offering both the park's biodiversity and bird kingdom and wildlife sightings in one experience.

 

 

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Ancient Temples, Monasteries and Grand Palaces

Cultural, religious, and historic draws line up along the Lower Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, and cruises offer stopovers in these attractions to learn, be inspired, and marvel at their roots and practices. Ancient temples such as the Terracotta Temples of Baranagar, Kamakhya, Navagraha, Vishwanath Ahom-period, and Mayapur’s ISKCON temples provide valuable insights and immersions into India's spiritual landscape. Grand palaces like Hazarduari, Dupleix, and Kathgola reflect royalty's grandeur and preserved historical monuments. The Dupleix Palace was particularly remarkable for being the home of the Governor General of French India but is now a museum of history.

 

 

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Silk-Making Workshops

The historic Sualkuchi town is the first stop of a Brahmaputra River Cruise, and it’s famed as the centre of Assamese silk production and has workshops on silk making. The experience here is both inspiring and insightful. You'll learn how silk is made, from the cocoon harvesting process to the spinning, dyeing, hand weaving, and transformation into the finished silk product. The end product is a two-piece traditional Assamese women’s clothing called mekhela chadar. Beyond silk making, you can also explore this historic and culturally significant town to bask in its laid-back atmosphere along pristine streets lost in time.

 

 

Majuli River Island

One of the hidden gems in the Brahmaputra River is the quaint Majuli Island, one of the world’s largest river islands. The island exudes a slow-paced life, where its rhythm is unhurried like the stilly and serene waters of the Brahmaputra. Defined by Hindu monastic traditions, this island is a quintessential melting pot of Indian spirituality and cultural solidification. The town is home to Kamalabari monastery, where a troop of traditional dancers will entertain you. Another island monastery–the Sri Auniati Satra, associated with the Ahom Dynasty—is also worth a tour.

 

 

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Rickshaw Rides in Ambika Kalna

A stop at Ambika Kalna, a magnificent city on the west banks of the Bhagirathi River, on a Ganges River Cruise would easily pass for one of the most exhilarating cruise highlights. Beyond views of iconic sights and natural splendour typical of cruises on the Ganges and Brahmaputra, Ambika Kalna immerses you into life in a bygone era when cycle rickshaws were the predominant means of transportation. You’ll enjoy this traditional style locomotion across the city, feeling like you were a noble travelling through town when civilization was only a pipedream. Plus, the rickshaw ride takes you to the site of the 108 Shiva temples, which are the highlights of spiritual tourism in the city. The temples are arranged in concentric rings and were built in 1809. This rickshaw ride experience is available on a cruise along the Brahmaputra River in Tezpur.

 

 

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Nameri National Park

The Kaziranga National Park is not the only park that makes for an exciting stop on a riveting Brahmaputra River Cruise. Nameri National Park is an alternate and supplementary option that is no less spectacular. This national park straddles the blue hills of Arunachal Pradesh and offers another boat cruise along the Jia-Bhoroli River that courses through it. Along the cruise and within the park, you’ll see wild elephants, Bengal tigers, Indian leopards, and other wildlife species roaming. For bird watchers, the park is home to birds like the great hornbill, wreathed hornbill, babblers, Asian bluebirds, and black stork.

 

 

Cruising The Waters of India: Enchanting Sights, Sensational Experiences

Embark on sensational cruises along India's famous rivers, where ancient temples, monasteries, forests, stunning landscapes, and stately palaces dot the banks. Stop by national parks to roam and spot wildlife, uncover hidden gems and small towns to witness evergreen cultures, and pierce through nature’s purest jewels along forests on smaller boat cruises. Float aboard luxury, where the interior aura feels like a four-star hotel until you peep out the window to find a dancing river dictating the body language of a vessel.