A new way to see India: river cruises, including a US$66,000, 51-day trip touted as the world’s longest and taking in 27 waterways
- Luxury cruise holidays on India’s rivers are taking off, including a newly launched US$66,000, 51-day trip from Varanasi along 27 waterways
- From the Ganges to the Hooghly, the Brahmaputra and the backwaters of Kerala, we pick out four options of varying length
River cruises are becoming a popular option for those who want to see India. Roads criss-cross the country but travelling on its waterways affords visitors an entirely new perspective.
Like most great civilisations, India’s began on the banks of its rivers. The Ganges is a spiritual and cultural motif for the country, and features in most cruises. Others navigate the turbulent Brahmaputra in the east, and the backwaters of Kerala state in southern India.
“River cruising as a concept is relatively new to India; however, it has great opportunities given that the culture and communities, and history [of the country], developed and thrived around its river systems,” says Raj Singh, founder of Antara Luxury River Cruises.
“For millennia, our inland waterways have been instrumental for trade, economy and spiritualism.”
Life on inland waterways tends to proceed at a gentle pace, and passengers appreciate cruises for their tranquillity and opportunities to interact with people living along the riverbanks. Most cruise vessels are state-of-the-art, with amenities such as spas and gyms, and an attentive crew.
The following journeys reveal India in a new light.