Sorry! There are no remaining departures for "Explore North India & the Ganges" (AHLFNG), but here are some similar trips.
Explore North India & the Ganges
16 days, Delhi to Calcutta
Itinerary
Day 1Delhi
Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer included through Women on Wheels, a G Adventures-supported project.
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting, so check into to the hotel and enjoy the city. We highly recommend booking a pre-night in Delhi to get over your jetlag and be ready for this very busy trip.
Women on Wheels Transfer
Transfer by a G Adventures-supported project, Women With Wheels. This program provides safe and reliable transport for travellers, while providing a dignified livelihood for a local woman from a resource poor community.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2Delhi/Āgra
Walk through the backstreets of Delhi with a young adult taking part in the G Adventures-supported New Delhi Streetkids Project. Later, explore Old Delhi with your CEO before an afternoon drive to Agra.
Your G for Good Moment: City Walk
Explore the streets of Delhi with a youth-led tour guide from the G Adventures-supported City Walk project. As a former at-risk youth, your local guide will have a unique perspective on the city and can provide more information on the life of a child in India. The guided tour helps support the guide's college or university tuition.
Old Delhi Guided Walk
Visit historic Old Delhi. Explore Jama Masjid, the "Great Mosque," and enjoy its massive courtyard, which can hold up to 25,000 worshippers. Also, visit the ancient Sikh temple of Gurdwara SisGanj, which was established in 1783.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Āgra
Spend the day visiting the highlights of the walled city of Agra including the famed Taj Mahal, Baby Taj, and Agra Fort.
Taj Mahal Visit
Cross one off your bucket list as you visit one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Explore the gorgeous white marble mausoleum, built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a testament of his love for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Baby Taj Visit
Visit this mausoleum that looks like a jewel box, built before the Taj Mahal by Queen Nur Jahan for her father. Enjoy the intricate details of the structure; it was the first Mughal building faced with white marble and where "pietra dura" (precious stones inlaid into marble) was first used.
Agra Fort Visit
Enjoy a visit to this impressive Mughal fort made of red sandstone and white marble.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Āgra/Jaipur
Drive to Jaipur, visiting the deserted Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri and the village of Abhaneri, which has one of India's deepest and largest stepwells (tank gardens).
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Fatehpur Sikri Visit
Explore the magnificent red sandstone fort city that was once the capital of India's Mughal Empire and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Keep an eye out for elements of different religions, as King Akbar built three palaces for each of his favourite wives—a Hindu, a Muslim, and a Christian—in the city.
Abhaneri Stepwell Visit
Walk around the amazing Chand Baori, a tenth century water tank that's an impressive 6.1m (20 ft) deep. Learn about ancient Indian environmentalism—a "baori" is a unique Indian invention for harvesting rainwater.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Jaipur
Explore the "Pink City," known also as Jaipur, including the Amber Fort, City Palace, and the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds). Listen to a local historian/scholar discuss the spirituality, social fabric, customs, and traditions of India.
Consider treating yourself to a night at the cinema. Going to see a Bollywood film in India is much more than what we are accustomed to in the west. The atmosphere, energy, and pure fun (not to mention volume!) has to be experienced to be believed.
Amber Fort Visit
Take in the Hindu and Muslim architecture of the beautiful Amber Fort. Wander through the halls and courtyards and admire the intricate details.
City Palace Visit
Explore the courtyards, gardens, and buildings that make up the City Palace. Located in the heart of the Old City, it is a striking blend of Mughal and Rajasthani architecture. Visit the palace's museum to look at ancient carriages and the former maharaja's gold-embroidered wedding outfit.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Meet a Local Historian
In Jaipur, known as the “Pink City,” meet with a local historian and sociology scholar to learn about India’s complex social fabric and traditions, and discuss a range of topics from the country’s belief systems to its architecture.
Optional Activities - Day 5 HideShow
Movie at Raj Mandir
200-400INR per personVisit this spectacular cinema and watch a song-and-dance Bollywood film.
Jaipur Balloon Ride
Begin your day at dawn, just as the sun starts to rise. As you drift into the sky, enjoy the silence and serenity of the morning, watching as the day starts for the colourfully dressed inhabitants below. From high in the sky, you may float over rolling hills, villages teeming with life, and a small monastery. You may even spot elephants—if luck is on your side.
Available September 1 - April 30.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Jaipur/Sāwarda
Drive to the rural village of Sawarda where we stay in a heritage home. Exploring this traditional village is like stepping back in time. Walk and meet with locals and explore how urbanization affects village life, modernization and its benefits and disadvantages, as well as simple village customs and traditions.
The village is about 60km (37 mi) from Jaipur and has beautiful temples dedicated to different religions, including a unique sikh temple. The residents of the village are still involved in traditional commercial activities. You'll see pottery wheels, silversmiths, cobblers, traditional huts, old temples, and small stepwells.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Journeys Highlight Moment: Local Village Immersion
Step back in time and explore the traditional village of Sawarda to get a glimpse of life in rural India. Topics of discussion along the way can include how urbanization affect village life, information technology, and modernization in its benefits and disadvantages, as well as simple village customs and traditions.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 7Sāwarda/Delhi
Drive back to bustling Delhi. Opt to join your CEO for a group dinner.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Delhi/Calcutta
Fly to Kolkata and transfer to your hotel.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Calcutta/Bārākpur
Transfer to the boat and once on board, explore the riverboat and settle in. As the trip gets underway, sail up past the old Danish colony of Serampore, and head out to explore Barrackpore.
Transfer from your hotel in the late morning and embark around midday.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Barrackpore Excursion
Discover Barrackpore on foot. Take a walk past the Semaphore Tower, Government House, the Temple of Fame and Flagstaff House, its garden housing many of the British statues removed from central Kolkata.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 10Bārākpur/Kālna
Sail to Chandannagar, a former French possession, to explore. Continue to Chinsurah, to visit the historic Dutch cemetery and the Imambara before reboarding the vessel. Moor near Kalna for the night.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Chandannagar Excursion
Visit the beautiful 18th-century Sacred Heart Church with its historical French style architecture. Continue on to the Chandannagore Museum and Institute, one of the oldest museums in the area. With its beautiful collection of French antiques, cannons and 18th-century wooden furniture, it is well worth the time to explore.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Chinsurah Excursion
Arrive in Chinsurah and visit the Dutch cemetery. Spend some time walking around the pathways that lead through the monuments. Later, board a cycle rickshaw ride and check out the imposing Imambara mosque with its magnificent clock tower and spectacular location right on the river.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 11Kālna/Matiari
Land at the country town of Kalna and take cycle rickshaws to see the terracotta temples, as well as the unique Shiva temple. Later, explore Mayapur, with its skyline dominated by the vast ISKCON temple. Sail on through the night to a mooring near Matiari.
Kalna Excursion
Take a rickshaw ride to explore the terracotta temples of Kālna. Visit the unique and beautiful 108 Shiva Temple Complex. With 108 temples arranged in two concentric circles, it is architecturally unique and fascinating to explore and photograph.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Mayapur Excursion
Head out to explore Mayapur, including a visit to the vast ISKCON temple – visited by over a million people annually. Take time to check out some of the smaller temples in the area as well.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 12Matiari/Murshidābād
Start the day with a visit to the brassworking village of Matiari to witness their ancient techniques. Continue on the river to a rural mooring near the battlefield of Plassey and opt to walk to the commemorative obelisk.
Moor near Murshidabad for the night.
Matiari Excursion
Visit the charming brassworking village of Matiari. Watch a demonstration of the traditional process of beating out brass water pots and other vessels.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Battlefield of Plassey Visit
Visit the battlefield of Plassey, where Clive’s defeat of Siraj-ud-Daulah in 1757 changed the course of Indian history. Opt to walk through the fields to the commemorative obelisk.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 13Murshidābād
Explore the Khushbagh this morning, a peaceful Moghul-style garden housing several tombs. Continue a little way upstream to Murshidabad to visit Hazarduari Palace and Katra Mosque before driving to two 18th-century buildings — the Nashipara Palace and the Katgola Palace.
Moor on the riverbank across from town for the night.
Khushbagh Excursion
Travel by cycle rickshaw to visit the Khushbagh, a peaceful garden enclosing the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah and his family.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Murshidabad Excursion
Explore Murshidabad and see Nawab's Hazarduari Palace. Visit the Katra Mosque and two amazing buildings of the late 18th century, the Nashipara Palace and the Katgola Palace. Both were built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 14Murshidābād/Farakka
Explore the rural village of Baranagar and walk through farmers' fields to visit three miniature terracotta temples. Continue up the river and take in the scenery as you cruise to a mooring near the Farakka Barrage.
Enjoy the idyllic views today as the boat carries on up along canals, passing mustard fields and mango orchards, to the mooring for the night.
Baranagar Excursion
Explore the sleepy village of Baranagar. Wander through the fields and explore the terracotta temples. Soak up the atmosphere of idyllic rural Indian life.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 15Farakka
Enjoy a full day excursion by road to Gaur, near the town of Malda (English Bazaar). Visit a number of sights from the 12th-century Hindus and 14th-century Muslims, including mosques and palaces. Rejoin the boat in the evening.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Gaur Excursion
Enjoy a full day tour to Gaur, close to the town of Malda (English Bazar). Now a quiet place to visit, Gaur was once one of India’s great cities, first under the Hindus in 12th century, then as the muslim capital of Eastern India from the 14th to the 16th century. There are plenty of mosques, palaces and gateways to explore, so take some time wander around with your camera.
Varuna Riverboat
Hop aboard and float on to the next stop.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 16Farakka/Calcutta
Transfer to Farakka station at dawn to catch the morning train and journey back to Kolkata. Tour ends on arrival in Kolkata.
Local Train
Climb aboard, take your seat, and get around like the locals do.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.