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Sacred Ganges and Golden Triangle Itinerary
Day 1 - UK - New Delhi (India)
Fly from the UK to New Delhi.
Day 2 - New Delhi
Arrive in New Delhi, a lively city with spectacular architecture, and transfer to the beautiful Oberoi New Delhi Hotel for a 2-night stay.
Day 3 - New Delhi
Enjoy a panoramic tour of New Delhi's broad boulevards, and visit the 16th-century Humayun's Tomb, the first Mughal garden tomb in India. There is free time to explore this exciting city on your own, or perhaps choose the optional tour to Qutab Minar and the Jagannath Hindu Temple.
Day 4 - New Delhi - Agra
Transfer from New Delhi to Agra by coach and check into the Oberoi Amarvilas hotel, where your room enjoys a view of the Taj Mahal. Visit this legendary building as the setting sun bathes the white marble in a kaleidoscope of colours. The famous mausoleum is a monument to a love story between the great ruler Shah Jahan and his third wife, and took 22 years and 20,000 workmen to complete.
Day 5 - Agra - Jaipur
Enjoy an unforgettable early morning visit to the Taj Mahal which will reflect the rosy tints of sunrise as the sun lifts above the horizon. After lunch travel by coach to the Pink City of Jaipur, capital of the state of Rajasthan, and check into the romantic Oberoi Rajvilas hotel for a 2-night stay, and spend the afternoon relaxing in the extensive gardens.
Day 6 - Jaipur
Tour Jaipur's Amber Fort then visit the Jantar Mantar, an ancient observatory dedicated to astronomy. This afternoon is spent at leisure, with shuttles available between the hotel and the shopping district where the colourful bazaars sell traditional Rajasthani crafts.
Day 7 - Jaipur - Kolkata
Fly from Jaipur to Kolkata and embark Ganges Voyager II for a 7-night cruise along the world's holiest river. Tonight there is a Welcome Dinner and cultural performance to welcome you on board.
Day 8 - Kalna
Kalna is known as India's Temple City and is home to magnificent Hindu temples built by the maharajas of Bardhaman in the 18th and 19th centuries. Board a trishaw and travel through the streets of Kalna to the Rajbari temple complex. Here, temples include the Pratapeshwar Temple with its incredible terracotta carvings and Lalji, the oldest temple in the complex and topped with 25 distinctive pinnacles. Return to the ship or walk with your guide through the colourful local market.
Day 9 - Matiari
See a metal-working tradition in action today at the workshops in the West Bengal village of Matiari. Back on board a skilled mehndi practitioner will demonstrate how the intricate henna patterns are created and reveal the meanings of the traditional motifs.
Day 10 - Murshidabad - Baranagar
Visit Murshidabad City, home to the immense Hazarduari Palace which is famous for its 1000 doors, 100 of which are false. After touring the museum travel by horse-drawn buggy to the remarkable Katra Mosque which was built in 1723. After lunch on board visit Baranagar Village to see the beautiful brick temples with some of the best terracotta carvings in Bengal. Conditions permitting there is the chance to learn more about cricket, India's favourite sport. Tonight after dinner there is a fun Bollywood-style show on board, with music and dancing.
Day 11 - Mayapur
Cruise back towards Kolkata, past lush rice paddies and stop at Mayapur, known as the spiritual capital of the world and the centre of the international Hare Krishna movement.
Day 12 - Mayapur - Bandel - Chandannagar - Kolkata
Watch out for the new Vedic temple which is currently under construction; once completed it will be larger than St Paul's Cathedral. Millions of Hare Krishna devotees come on pilgrimage to Mayapur, with colourful followers parading through the streets. Tour the existing temple complex, look at the new Vidic Planetarium and learn about the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. Bandel offers a mix of religious monuments, from the site of the oldest Christian church in India to a famous Shia pilgrimage centre. In Chandannagar there is a mixture of French colonial and Indian architecture including the Dupleix Palace and the Church of the Sacred Heart.
Day 13 - Kolkata
Kolkata is famous for the enduring legacies of Mother Teresa and the colonial British Raj. See the heart of the city on a panoramic tour with a visit to the colourful Flower Market and the chance to watch local wrestlers practising along the riverbank. Explore the Victoria Memorial Museum and learn about the complex tradition of making intricate clay idols in the potters' neighbourhood of Kumartulli. This afternoon there is a choice between visiting the local NGO Kolkata Rescue which serves the area's underprivileged children, and a trip to Mother Teresa's home and tomb. Farewell Dinner on board tonight.
Day 14 - Kolkata - UK
Disembark ship and transfer to the airport for the return flight to the UK.
Day 15 - UK
Arrive back in the UK.
For navigational reasons the Captain of the ship reserves the right to modify the cruise itinerary.