Assam Bengal Navigation River Cruise
River cruising, Cultural immersion
Couples,
Solos,
Groups
Assam Bengal Navigation (ABN) offers a variety of cruise experiences, a distinctive way to discover India’s hidden corners.
Navigate both the Brahmaputra and Ganges rivers on their fleet of heritage-style boats. Carefully tailored routes and boutique-style accommodation provide a unique way to explore lesser-known India, revealing rural life, cultural treasures, and rare wildlife.
Currently, 12 different routes are available, varying from 3 to 10 nights. Cruises on the Brahmaputra River through Assam operate from October to April and offer an insight into life in the region with stop-offs at countryside towns, holy temples, tea gardens, and national parks home to one-horned rhinos.
The routes along the Ganges also only operate in winter, although the cruises on the Lower Ganges (the Hooghly) can be taken year-round. These tours will take you through historic towns and cities such as Varanasi with countryside walks, fascinating museums, and cities filled with history and religious significance.
The Rooms
The fleet currently consists of 4 boats: the Charaidew I, the Sukapha, the Rajmahal, and the Charaidew II. All the boats have air conditioning, dining facilities, spacious cabins, and tasteful decor.
The largest boats are the Rajmahal and Charaidew II, with 22 cabins, while the Sukapha has 12 and the Charaidew I only have 10. Charaidew was initially built in the 70s, although it has been completely renovated except for some of its heritage features. Other points of difference include the small gym on the Charaidew II, and the library on the Sukapha. The cabins on the Charaidew II and the Rajmahal have French balconies, as opposed to the large windows on the smaller vessels.
Which boat you travel on will depend on which route you choose, as they all operate different journeys.
What You’ll Find:
Why You'll Love It:
Explore ETG's Sample Itineraries in India
A few of our favourite routes, hand-picked by the team and ripe for tweaking.
Think of them as conversation starters. Curiosity sparkers. Not fixed plans, just ideas for what your holiday could look like, shaped by years of local know-how and the kind of immersive experiences that live long in the memory.
Darjeeling
Highlights of East India
Little visited and often overlooked, East India is an incredible place: from the spellbinding contrasts of Kolkata to the sleepy waterways of the Sundarbans, the Buddhist culture of Sikkim and the mighty Himalayas.
This journey will enable you to explore Kolkata in depth, before heading south for a lovely tranquil experience in the Sundarbans National Park. While you’re unlikely to spot one of the park’s many tigers, there is a plethora of wildlife here, and it’s a lovely place to spend a few days.
Then it’s back up to Kolkata for an overnight train deep in the Himalayas. East India is an incredible region: the heart of Buddhist culture in India, a land of monasteries, sleepy hill towns, friendly people and breathtaking views.
Highlights
Kolkata
Explore Kolkata, the former capital of British India and a riot of colour, a hub of Bengali culture and an incredibly vibrant place.
Incredible culture
Discover timeless Buddhist monasteries and a highly distinct Sikkim culture.
Khangchendzonga Mountain
Being inspired by the view of the mighty Khangchendzonga Mountain, the third-highest in the world, soaring above the horizon
Gallery
Delhi
East to West: Highlights of the Gangetic Plain
This holiday is for travellers with an adventurous spirit who like to get away from the tourist trail; people who have a desire to explore eclectic, busy and ever-evolving Indian cities, but who also want to contrast immersive city life with some unique, rural experiences.
Take time to delve into Kolkata and Varanasi with our signature experiences in each. You’ll journey by car, train and minimal internal flights so that you can experience the beautiful rural life and landscape of the Gangetic Plain as you move around. You’ll spend four days exploring northern Madhya Pradesh and three days in a remote valley of Uttar Pradesh; allowing completely different rural and wildlife experiences in each.
Highlights
Lunch with an art collector
Taking lunch with an art collector in his home in Kolkata
Sunrise at the River Ganges
Watching the sunrise from your private boat on the River Ganges
Chambal Valley
Experiencing life in remote hamlets of the Chambal Valley
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Assam Bengal Navigation River Cruise on the map
In Our Travellers’ Words
Immersive India
India, exceeded all expectations
Wonderful introduction to India
The Curious Traveller’s Expert Guide to India
Want to know more? With its vast size, rich diversity, and countless possibilities, planning a holiday to India can feel overwhelming – so we’ve created our Curious Traveller’s Guide to India to help make sense of it all.
It’s our experts’ pick of standout experiences and places to stay, with honest advice on the best regions and tips for both first-time visitors and those returning for more.
