India is exciting, exhilarating, exotic… more than a little scary for many of us.
I spent a fair bit of time in my 20’s backpacking around parts of Europe and the South Pacific. I also ventured to Africa, where Buthe absence of railway and other basic infrastructure forced me into my first experience with organized group travel, which turned out to exceed my expectations.
But India?
India is a paradox. It is one of the world’s fastest growing economies and has British-inspired legal and governmental institutions and rule of law; yet it has history and culture that is entirely unique.
It is also a place I would hesitate to travel on my own. The logistics are just too complicated.
It is interesting that Europe is the most popular place on the planet for river cruising, and yet Europe by any measure is very easy to travel. For those of us from North America, we love the idea of being able to see a depth of history and culture that we just don’t have back at home. If you can do this on a river ship, and only unpack once, then so much the better.
A cruise on the Ganges River in India offers those same advantages, but even more so because travelling in India is somewhat more challenging than Western Europe.
Uniworld, a brand most people recognize from their boutique river ships in Europe, also has a ship on the Ganges. It goes round-trip from Kolkata, but their 12-night itinerary includes all the major attractions in Northern India:
- New Delhi
- Mother Theresa’s House
- The Taj Mahal
- Agra
- Jaipur
- Kalna
- Matiari
- Murshidabad, Baranagar
- Mayapur, Chandannagar
I think I’d like to do this trip just so I could do yoga on the top deck of the river ship while cruising the Ganges River!
Uniworld runs their ships in India early in the year (Jan to Mar), and again in the fall (Sep – Dec).
The ship only carries 56 passengers and 36 crew, so it is an intimate experience.
Prices for a Signature Suite (260 square feet with a French Balcony with floor to ceiling windows) start at $7500 per person for a 12-night cruise.
It’s a good time to book, as Uniworld is offering 10% off their 2020 cruises when you book by Oct. 31st, 2019 and pay in full at time of booking.
If India’s on your bucket list, but (like me), you might have thought you were too old to manage what India might throw at you, this could be an excellent option.
Planning a Cruise? I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
