Kolkata
Kolkata, also known as Calcutta
(its official name until 2001), is the
capital and largest city of the Indian state of
West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of
the Hooghly River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the
border with Bangladesh. wikipedia
Kalna
Kalna or Ambika Kalna is a town in the Purba
Bardhaman district of West Bengal, India. It is
the headquarter of the Kalna subdivision, situated
on the western bank of the Bhāgirathi river. The
town is more popularly known as Ambika Kalna,
named after the goddess Kali,Maa Ambika.wikipedia
Matiari
Matiari is a census town and a gram panchayat
in the Kaliganj CD block in the Krishnanagar Sadar
subdivision of the Nadia district in the state of
West Bengal, India. wikipedia
Murshidabad
Murshidabad ,is a town in the
Indian state of West Bengal. This
town is the headquarters of Lalbag subdivision
of Murshidabad district. It is located on the
eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River. During the
18th century, Murshidabad was a prosperous and
cosmopolitan town. wikipedia
Farakka
Farakka is a town, with a police station and
a post office, not identified in 2011 census as a
separate place, in the Farakka community
development block in the Jangipur subdivision
of Murshidabad district in the state of West Bengal,
India. It is also known as the northernmost point
of Ganga Delta. wikipedia
Bateshwar Sthan
Bateshwar Sthan ( Sanskrit: बटेश्वर स्थान ) is an ancient
site related to the Vedic sage Brahmarshi Vashishtha
at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, India.
It is believed as the Taposthali ( penance place )
of the sage Vashishtha where he established Shivlinga
known as Bateshwar Nath Mahadeva. wikipedia
Munger
Munger, formerly spelt as Monghyr,is a twin city
and a Municipal Corporation situated in the Indian
state of Bihar. It is the administrative headquarters of
Munger district and Munger. Division. Munger was one
of the major< cities in Eastern India and undivided
Bengal during Mughalperiod and British Raj. wikipedia
Nalanda
Nalanda was a renowned Buddhist mahavihara
(great monastery) in medieval Magadha (modern-day
Bihar),eastern India. Widely considered to be among
the greatest centres of learning in the ancient world
and often referred to as "the world's first residential
university wikipedia
Bodh Gaya
Bodh Gayā is a religious site and place of pilgrimage
associated with the Mahabodhi Temple complex,
situated in the Gaya district in the Indian
state of Bihar. It is famous for being the place
where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained
enlightenment (Pali: bodhi) under
what became known as the Bodhi Tree. wikipedia
Patna
Patna (Hindi: Paṭanā, pronounced, historically known
as Pāṭaliputra,is the capital and largest city of the
Indian state of Bihar. According to the United
Nations, as of 2018,Patna had a population of
2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city <br/.
in India.[1] Covering 250 square kilometres
(97 sq mi) and over 2.5 million people wikipedia
Buxar
Buxar is a nagar parishad city in the state of Bihar, India,
sharing border with Balia and Ghazipur district of
Uttar Pradesh. It is the headquarters of the eponymous
Buxar district, as well as the headquarters of
the community development block of Buxar wikipedia
Ghazipur
Ghazipur, is a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh,
India. Ghazipur City is the administrative headquarters
of the Ghazipur district, one of the four districts that
form the Varanasi division of Uttar Pradesh. wikipedia
Varanasi
Varanasi (Hindi pronunciation: also Benares, Banaras
Hindustani pronunciation, or Kashi, is a city
on the Ganges river in northern India that has
a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage,
death, and mourning in the Hindu world. wikipedia
Kolkata to Varanasi Upstream Cruise
Following the river’s course upstream from the Hooghly in Kolkata through several tributaries to reach the holy city of Varanasi. A journey traversing through historical, archaeological, and cultural sites.
Direction
Kolkata | Kalna | Matiari | Murshidabad | Jangipur | Farakka | Samtaghat | Bateshwarsthan | Sultanganj | Munger | Simaria | Patna | Buxar | Ghazipur | Varanasi
Ganga Vilas
19 Nights
15 Locations
DEPARTURE
Kolkata
RETURN
Varanasi
Price from
*$1510
day 1
Arrive Kolkata, Embarkation
Arrival in Kolkata and transfer to the jetty for embarkation. Welcome onboard followed by safety briefing and lunch. Thereafter visit Mother Teresa’s Home and Tomb.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 2
Kolkata – Kalna
After breakfast, visit the Flower Market and Kumartuli, a traditional potters’ quarter renowned for its sculpting prowess. Return to the ship for lunch and start sailing upstream, passing below the Howrah Bridge, and seeing various colonial buildings along the Ganges River.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 3
Kalna – Matiari
After breakfast ride e-rickshaws through the town of Kalna to visit the enchanting Rajbari Temple complex. The complex feature diverse architecture and terracotta plaques depict themes of Hindu epics and various aspects of day-to-day life in the region. Return to the ship walking through the local vegetable market. Begin sail towards the shore-side village of Matiari, while having lunch onboard.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 4
Matiari - Murshidabad
Early this morning walk in the village to see and experience the craftsmen at work. These master craftsmen utilize recycled copper to create exquisite pots, platters, and more from their workshops in the village. Return to ship for breakfast and sail full day towards Murshidabad with lunch onboard.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 5
Murshidabad – Jangipur
After breakfast ride the Toto (e-rickshaw) through the countryside to the Katra mosque, which has distinctive minarets. Thereafter visit the Hazarduari Palace, which dominates the waterfront. Built in the Greek “Doric” style, the palace has more than a thousand real and false doors in the vast corridors and is filled with colonial-era antiques. Return to the ship for lunch and sail towards Jangipur.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 6
Jangipur – Farakka – Samtaghat
Enjoying breakfast onboard we sail in the morning to cross the historic Farakka Lock Gate. After crossing the Lock Gate, we cruise through the connecting canal to the Ganges and continue to sail towards Samtaghat.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 7
Samtaghat – Bateshwarsthan
Today we sail full day towards Bateshwarsthan enjoying breakfast and lunch. You will be fascinated by the passing landscape and the lively life on the river. We will arrive in Bateshwarsthan by evening.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 8
Bateshwarsthan – Sultanganj
After breakfast drive in cars to the 8-9th century excavation site of the Vikramshila University and walk around the ruins. Vikramshila University was an important Buddhist centre of learning. We return to the ship and sail towards Sultanganj while enjoying lunch onboard.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 9
Sultanganj – Munger
After breakfast excursion to Sultanganj, which is notable for two prominent granite rock islands in the river connected to the mainland by a causeway. On one island is a mosque and on the other is the Ajgaibinath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. We will visit the Shiva temple. Return to the ship and sail towards Munger.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 10
Munger
After breakfast visit the Chandika Sthan Temple, which is dedicated to Goddess Shakti. Return to ship for lunch. Thereafter visit the Munger Fort and the local market popular for fruits, vegetables, textiles, and readymade garments.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 11
Munger – Simaria
Enjoying our breakfast and lunch onboard, we continue our journey upstream to arrive in Simaria by late afternoon. In the evening walk in the riverside village of Simaria to see the daily activities of the local people.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 12
Simaria – Patna
Today we sail full day through wonderful countryside to Patna, enjoying breakfast and lunch. Patna is the capital of the State of Bihar and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world founded in 490 BCE as Pataliputra.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 13
Patna – Ghaghra Mod
After breakfast proceed to visit the Golghar (from outside as remains closed on Mondays), a beehive-shaped granary built in 1784 by Warren Hastings, the British Governor General of India. Also visit the Patna Sahib Gurudwara that commemorates the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru of the Sikhs in 1666.
Return to ship and sail towards Ghaghra Mod, the confluence where River Ghaghra meets River Ganges.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 14
Ghaghra Mod – En Route to Buxar
After breakfast enjoy a walk in the riverbank village. Thereafter sail full day towards Buxar, anchoring en route. Buxar is one of the most prominent towns of western Bihar, bordering the State of Uttar Pradesh.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
day 15
Arrival in Buxar
We arrive into Buxar by late morning while enjoying breakfast and lunch onboard. Post lunch visit the Ram Rekha Ghat that is associated with a legend from the epic Ramayana that after killing the demoness Tadka, Lord Ram took a bath in the Ganges here to cleanse himself from the sin of killing a woman. Also visit the Sita Ram Upadhyay Museum.
Overnight onboard Ganga Vilas
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
reservations
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Ship Plan
- Suites
- Gym and Spa
- Main Desk AFT
- Suites
- Restaurant
- Upper Desk AFT
- Bar
curated voyages
Winter Cruises 2025-26
Encompassing luxury in every nook and corner, the river cruises by Antara are designed to make sure you have a most memorable journey. From comfortable suites to high-end amenities, the cruises are equipped with everything you might need while sailing. Come on board and experience the journey of a lifetime.
Fares from $1510 per guest *
MV Ganga Vilas
19N 20D Cruise
Kolkata to Varanasi Upstream Cruise
Follow the Ganges river’s course upstream from the Hooghly in Kolkata through several tributaries to reach the holy city of Varanasi….
Fares from $1510 per guest *
MV Ganga Vilas
19N 20D Cruise
Kolkata – Nabadwip Upstream
A brief insight into the the cultural heritage of Bengal visiting a historical Shiya centre, terracotta temples and the the modern ISKCON temple…
