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 ASSAM
BENGAL NAVIGATION, is an Indo-British joint venture, with offices in
Guwahati and London. In 2003 ABN pioneered long-distance river cruising
in India with our unique cruises on the River Brahmaputra in Assam, and
in 2007 we were also the first to run cruises on the River Hugli between
Kolkata and the Ganges. We were awarded the Indian National Tourism
Award for Innovation in 2004-5. Our expertise in the field of river
cruising, on both waterways, is unrivalled.
Our first
luxury river boat, the "Charaidew" with 12 air-conditioned
en-suite cabins was joined in 2006 by her near-identical sister ship "Sukapha".
The ships operate on the Brahmaputra from October to April, and on the
Hugli during the summer months.
Wildlife and
wilderness are the main features of a Brahmaputra cruise - the river bed
is often 20 or 30km across, an empty world of sand spits and water with
marvellous bird life and the occasional Gangetic Dolphin. The cruises
here also give access to a number of India's National Parks, including
Kaziranga, perhaps the finest of all, and Manas, a Project Tiger Reserve
on the Bhutan border.
The Brahmaputra cruises feature visits and attractions such as wildlife viewing (both by jeep and on elephant back), village walks, visits to tea gardens, exploring country towns in cycle rickshaws, barbecues on deserted river islands, dance performances, and visits to craft workshops.
For our season covering October 2007 to April 2008, we are offering a combination of 7-night, 10-night and 4-night cruises, named for the Assam Despatch service, the daily mail-cum-passenger service that once plied from Calcutta up the Brahmaputra to Dibrugarh. Cruises can be combined to give 14-night durations. The cruises are as follows:
ASSAM DESPATCH 2
This 7-night cruise starts at Guwahati and terminates at Silghat near Tezpur and Kaziranga. Highlights are Orang and Kaziranga National Parks, and temples in
Tezpur. SEE MORE
ASSAM DESPATCH 3
This 7-night cruise starts at Silghat and carries on upriver to Neamati, accessed from either Dibrugarh or Jorhat airport. Highlights are Kaziranga National Park, the Hindu monasteries on Majuli Island, famed for their dance drama, and the palaces and temples of Sibsagar, the old capital of the Ahom
kings. SEE MORE
ASSAM EXPERIENCE
ASSAM DESPATCH 3 also features in our ASSAM EXPERIENCE itinerary, which combines 4 nights in lodges and hotels with 7 nights of cruising. Covering both Manas and Kaziranga National Parks, together with Majuli Island and Sibsagar, Experience Assam includes all Assam's major
highlights. SEE
MORE
ASSAM DESPATCH 4
This 10-night cruise starts at Neamati, reached from either Dibrugarh or Jorhat airport, and terminates at Guwahati. Highlights are the old capital of the Ahom kings at Sibsagar, Majuli Island with its Hindu monasteries, Kaziranga National Park, temples at Tezpur and Madan Kamdev, and the silk weaving village of
Sualkuchi. SEE
MORE
ASSAM DESPATCH 5
This 4-night cruise starts at Guwahati and terminates at Dhubri, around 4 hrs drive from the Bhutan frontier or 5 ½ hrs drive from Bagdogra/Siliguri, and is ideal for combining a short cruise with Bhutan, Sikkim or Darjeeling. Highlights are Manas National Parkand the archaeological site of Sri Surya
Prahar.
ASSAM DESPATCH 6
This 4-night cruise starting and finishing in Guwahati is ideal for those who want a taste of river-cruising. Alternatively, taken together with Cruises 2 or 4, you can enjoy an 11 or 14 night cruise over virtually the full length of the Brahmaputra's course in Assam. Highlight is Manas National Park but there are also good opportunities to see Assam's rural way of life.
SEE MORE
ASSAM DESPATCH 7
This 4-night cruise provides a fascinating taster of Assam, with visits to villages and to the rarely-visited Orang National Park, where you will ride on elephants through the jungle in search of the Great Indian One Horned Rhinoceros. It is also available as a 3-night one-way cruise up to Orang with road transfer onwards to
Kaziranga. SEE MORE
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