PM Modi flags off Ganga Vilas today: All you need to know about the ‘world’s longest river cruise’

According to the website of Antara, a company that organises ‘luxury’ river cruises, the Ganga Vilas cruise has been “built with a unique design and a futuristic vision”. It will cover “prominent destinations that lie along Kolkata’s River Hooghly to Varanasi’s River Ganges.”

Here’s all you need to know about Ganga Vilas river cruise:

Planned itinerary:
Day 1: Varanasi
Day 8: Patna (pass through Buxar, Ramnagar and Ghazipur)
Day 20: Kolkata (via Farakka and Murshidabad)
Till Day 35: Dhaka and Bangaldesh
Day 50: Dibrugarh(via Guwahati and pass through Sibsagar)

Sites covered during travel: From the famous “Ganga Arti” in Varanasi, the ship will stop at Sarnath, a place of great reverence for Buddhism. It will also cover Mayong, known for its Tantric craft, and Majuli, the largest river island and hub of Vaishnavite cultural in Assam. The travellers will also visit the Bihar School of Yoga and Vikramshila University, gifting the travllers the experience of the rich Indian heritage in spirituality and knowledge. Travelling through the biodiversity rich World Heritage Sites of Sunderbans in Bay of Bengal delta, the passengers might catch a glimpse of the famous Royal Bengal Tigers and also the famous one horn rhino while travelling through Kaziranga National Park.

According to the website of Antara, a company that organises ‘luxury’ river cruises, the Ganga Vilas cruise has been “built with a unique design and a futuristic vision”. (PTI)

About the ship: The vessel is 62 meters in length, 12 meters in width and comfortably sails with a draft of 1.4 meters

Distance to be covered: 3200 km

Route: Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh

Duration of the cruise: 50 days

Date to reach Dibrugarh: March 1

Other facilities: Music, cultural programs, a gym, a spa, an open-air observation deck, personalised butler service, etc.

The Ganga Vilas cruise has a gym, a spa, an open-air observation deck, personalised butler service, etc. (PTI)

Total passenger capacity: Three decks, 18 suites, 36 tourists

Ticket fare: Rs 25,000 per person per day