India: Ganges River Cruise and Himalayas

Asian Openbill © Brian Gibbons

A BIRDS, NATURE & CULTURE TOUR

An enchanting mix of cultural and historical sightseeing with superb natural history experiences, featuring superlative photographic opportunities in villages, cities, and some of Asia’s wilder and most impressive landscapes.

There is something about India that draws travelers back again and again—its immense scale, layered civilizations, astonishing biodiversity, and the enduring connection between people and the natural world. Few places offer such a fascinating fusion of history, wildlife, and culture.

Over decades of exploration, Victor Emanuel Nature Tours has developed unmatched expertise in India. This one-of-a-kind adventure, centered on a seven-night voyage aboard the elegant Ganges Voyager, takes us from vibrant Kolkata, long regarded as India’s cultural capital, through the legendary Sundarbans mangrove forest, and onward to Darjeeling and the Himalayan foothills.

Our birding and natural history pursuits will take us to wetlands, mangrove channels, mountain forests, and botanical gardens where we’ll seek a wonderful array of resident and migratory birds—from Falcated Duck and Siberian Stonechat to the endangered Rufous-necked Hornbill—and other wildlife such as Ganges River Dolphin and Saltwater Crocodile.

Our cultural experiences are equally tantalizing. We’ll explore the temple complex of Nabakailas, colonial-era palaces and forts, and the renowned Ghoom Monastery, home to exquisite murals, sacred manuscripts, and a monumental statue of the Maitreya Buddha.

Travel is in superlative comfort, aboard the beautifully appointed Ganges Voyager and in some of India’s finest hotels.

This is not a standard India tour—but a rare, immersive journey designed for birders, naturalists, photographers, and culturally curious travelers alike.

Optional extensions to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and Kaziranga National Park offer even deeper immersion, including opportunities to encounter Bengal Tigers, Greater One-horned Rhinoceros, and an extraordinary diversity of birdlife.

Our Tiger Reserve pre-trip takes us to a “jungle jewel” of dense bamboo forest with some of the highest densities of Bengal Tigers in India; the population here was recently estimated at some 80 individuals. We also have a chance here to encounter Leopards, Sloth Bears, Rusty-spotted Cats, and Four-horned Antelope, among many other exciting mammals. The bird list here runs to more than 200 species, among them the Crested Serpent-Eagle, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, and the stunning Indian Paradise-Flycatcher.

The post-tour extension to marvelous Kaziranga National Park in the northeastern state of Assam has as its centerpiece the park’s large population of Indian (or Greater One-horned) Rhinoceros. In addition to a spectacular list of other mammals, including Bengal Tigers, Kaziranga is a first-rate birding locality, with the Greater Adjutant, Spot-billed Duck, and Indian Pitta among the many highlights we can hope for.

Seven nights on board the luxurious but intimate Ganges Voyager, with elegant modern staterooms and refined Indian and continental food, followed by stays in two excellent upscale resort hotels with fine restaurants; travel by ship, safari boat, touring coach, train, and commercial plane; warm, usually sunny days and cooler evenings; typically dry, with low chances of rain.

Ganges Voyager © Exotic Journeys