On January 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off Ganga Vilas, the world's longest river cruise. The cruise will start from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and end in Dibrugarh in Assam. The journey will cover 3,200 km in 50 days and pass through 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh.
The cruise has been advertised since 2018 and was scheduled to debut in 2020. However, the project was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This will be a unique cruise in the world and a reflection of growing cruise tourism in India. I request the people of West Bengal to take the benefit of this," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said via video conferencing.
The cruise will travel through 27 river systems in Bangladesh and India and stop at more than 50 significant architectural locations, including world heritage sites.
The Ganga Vilas cruise will depart from Varanasi and arrive in Patna on its eighth day of travel after stopping in Buxar, Ramnagar, and Ghazipur.
The ship will then set sail for Kolkata, where it will arrive on day 20 after passing through Farakka and Murshidabad.
It will leave for Dhaka the following day, cross into Bangladesh, and spend a fortnight in Bangladesh rivers.
The cruise will return to India via Guwahati and then via Sibsagar. It will all come to a head in Dibrugarh.
The cruise will also travel past national parks and sanctuaries such as the Sundarbans Delta and Kaziranga National Park.
The Ganga Vilas Cruise's passengers will see some amazing Indian landmarks, from Varanasi, one of the world's oldest cities, to the deserted Buddhist monastery Vikramshila in Bihar.
The tourists will have the opportunity to visit the Sonargaon ghost city, the elaborate Sixty Dome Mosque from the 1400s, and other historically and culturally significant locations during the Bangladesh leg of their journey.
The luxurious cruise can accommodate 80 passengers and has 18 suites in addition to all other necessary amenities. The elegantly furnished suites on the ship are built with a distinctive design and a futuristic perspective.
There will be amenities like music, cultural events, a gym, a spa, an outdoor observation deck, a private butler service, etc.
According to UP tourism representatives, the suites are outfitted with a variety of amenities such as a bathroom with a shower, convertible beds, a French balcony, an LED TV, a safe, smoke alarms, life vests, and sprinklers.
The Antara Luxury River Cruise, which is providing the package, hasn't made the cruise's cost public.
The "Incredible Benaras" package from the same company starts at Rs 1,12,000 per person. The four-day journey connects Varanasi and Kaithi.