India's Golden Triangle

The Sacred Ganges

13 Days

New Delhi to Kolkata

River Cruise

  • Countries

    India

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Overview

Delve deep into India’s fascinating historical and religious heritage. 



 Complex and beguiling, India is a country unlike any other. Wondrous sights rich in romance and intrigue come alive in the “Golden Triangle”—Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra. Delhi’s immense red sandstone marble tomb, commissioned by Emperor Humayun’s grief-stricken wife, will capture your heart, while Raj Ghat, a black granite memorial to the “Father of the Nation,” Mahatma Gandhi, will stir your soul. Jaipur’s Pink City and Agra’s Taj Mahal, a grand tribute to love, will leave you forever mesmerized. Start your trip with five luxurious nights at three different award-winning Oberoi hotels. Enjoy a rare opportunity to see the Taj Mahal two times—once at sunrise and once at sunset. Once onboard, travel to villages lining the Ganges River that only a few people get to see each year and experience our new Wellness Program, centered around the destination’s ancient tradition and practice of yoga.

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Itinerary

New Delhi

Arrive at New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport. If your cruise/ tour package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the Oberoi New Delhi hotel.

New Delhi

India’s sprawling capital city is colorful, confounding, and captivating. Your expertly led city tour provides an ideal first foray into this fascinating land. To cap your day taking in the sights of scenic New Delhi, relax this evening over a delicious dinner at the Oberoi.


Featured Excursion:

  • India’s Capital City with Rickshaw Ride to Old Delhi

New Delhi & Transfer to Agra

This morning you will check out of your New Delhi hotel and head south via motorcoach to Agra, the site of Shah Jahan’s best-known building project, the exquisite Taj Mahal. You’ll visit the Taj Mahal this afternoon and stay for sunset, as the monument’s changing colors draw comparisons to the shifting mood of the late Emperor’s wife.


Featured Excursion:

  • Majesty and Grace—the Taj Mahal at Sundown

Agra & Transfer to Jaipur

Is the Taj Mahal best seen at sunset or sunrise? It’s an impossible question to answer, so Uniworld guests have the rare pleasure of experiencing both. Wake up early this morning to see the white marble monument aglow with the rosy tinge of dawn. You’ll spend your next two nights at the beautiful Oberoi Rajvilas. The luxury hotel sits on 32 acres of landscaped gardens and is built around an ancient Shiva temple.


Featured Excursion:

  • Early Morning at the Taj Mahal. 

Jaipur

Pink is the color of hospitality in Rajasthan, which gives you an idea of what to expect in the “Pink City” of Jaipur.


Featured Excursion:

  • Jaipur—Rajasthan’s Princely City and Amber Fort

Jaipur, Fly to Kolkata, & Cruising the Ganges River

Settle into your beautifully appointed suite aboard the Ganges Voyager II to begin your India river cruise.

Kalna

Kalna, once an important trade port on the river, is best known today for the magnificent Hindu temples built by the maharajas of Bardhaman, which you’ll experience today. After marveling at the astonishing Rajbari temple complex, you may opt to walk with your guide through the colorful local market.


Featured Excursion:

  • India’s “Temple City”

Matiari

Your ship serves as a time machine today, transporting you hundreds of years into the past, as we travel to the authentic artisan village of Matiari.


Featured Excursion:

  • Matiari Master Craftsmen with an Introduction to Brass

Murshidabad & Baranagar

Today’s adventures take you to a duo of Bengali towns—Murshidabad and Baranagar—each one boasting surprising and beautiful architectural monuments closely linked to the ruling families of the area.


Featured Excursion:

  • Visit to Murshidabad City, Ride by Buggy to Katra Mosque, and Visit to Baranagar Village

The Ganges, Khusbagh, & Mayapur

One of the world’s most sacred bodies of water, the Ganges River flows through a myriad of small villages and highly populated cities throughout India and Bangladesh. Take in the remarkable scenery as you sail and be on the lookout for a rare sighting of the endangered Ganges river dolphin.


Also today, watch as a skilled practitioner of mehndi demonstrates how the intricate henna patterns are created, and discover the meanings of the traditional motifs.


Featured Excursion:

  • Khusbagh Walk

Mayapur & Chandannagar

Few places of worship exist on such a head-spinning scale as what you will witness today in Mayapur, the center of the international Hare Krishna movement and home to the new Temple of the Vedic Planetarium, still under construction. Most students of history know a thing or two about the British colonial powers in India, but few are aware that the French had colonies here as well. You’ll visit this former French outpost today.


This evening, enjoy a Farewell dinner and take in a lively cultural dance performance, complete with music and dancing.


Featured Excursions:

  • Hare Krishna Complex and Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. 
  • India’s French Colonial Heritage.

Kolkata

The city of Kolkata is synonymous with the enduring legacies of Mother Teresa and the colonial-era British Raj, both of which you will get better acquainted with today.


Choose between...

  • NGO "Calcutta Rescue" Visit
  • Mother Teresa’s Home and Tomb

Featured Excursions:

  • Kolkata City Tour with Visit to the Flower Market
  • Kumartuli Visit (Potter’s Colony) And Colonial Sites

Kolkata

Your incredible Indian adventure ends early this morning, as you disembark and transfer to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport for your flight home or extend your journey with an optional extension to Varanasi.

Pre & Post Cruise Extensions

An aerial view of a large building with Udaipur, India, in the background.

Udaipur, India

Pre-Cruise

4 Days

A man is sitting in a boat on a river in front of Varanasi, India.

Varanasi, India

Post-Cruise

3 Days

Udaipur, India

Pre-Cruise

4 Days

  • Dining
    • Meals onboard prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
    • 12 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 9 dinners
    • Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
    • Complimentary house wine, local spirits and beer, soft drinks, tea and coffee will be served throughout the cruise. Onshore lunches include complimentary coffee and tea. Onshore dinners include complimentary house wine, local beer, soft drinks, coffee, and tea
  • Excursions
    • 10 days of excursions, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
  • Accommodations
    • 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the elegant Ganges Voyager II
    • Lavishly appointed riverview suites with private balconies
    • 2 nights in New Delhi at The Oberoi New Delhi (or similar)
    • 1 night in Agra at The Oberoi Amarvilas (or similar)
    • 2 nights in Jaipur at The Oberoi Rajvilas (or similar)
  • Experiences
    • 1 country: India
    • 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites
    • Services of an experienced Uniworld Tour Manager
    • Complimentary Wellness Program on every sailing
    • Cultural enrichment
    • Group Transfers are included on arrival and departure days (please see terms and conditions for transfer guidelines)
    • Flights included between Jaipur and Kolkata
    • Gratuities for onboard and onshore personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager, local experts, drivers) are included both during the cruise/tour as well as on any pre- or post-cruise land extensions
  • Ship Details

    Ganges Voyager II

    The ship's spacious suites are a serene sanctuary, with beautiful hand-painted murals and all the comforts of a five-star hotel. All suites have a cozy sitting area and a French balcony with floor-to-ceiling glass doors. A bed dressed in soft linens, with a choice of pillows. Your roomy bathroom has a rain shower, comfy robes and slippers, and spa-quality bath products. Other high-end amenities include a generous amount of closet space, under-bed storage, a flat-screen television with a wide selection of on-demand movies, individual climate control, glass bottled water replenished daily, fresh fruit and flowers upon arrival, makeup mirrors, and universal electrical plugs.

Why Uniworld?

"Because you deserve the best."

"Surrounded by the ambiance of an elegant, destination-inspired ship and embraced by our passionate staff, you’ll notice the Uniworld difference immediately. This is what the absolute best in luxury river cruising feels like. Where every expectation is exceeded, every destination is uniquely experienced, and every instance of delight is quickly followed by another inspiring moment. Our mantra is simple: adore every guest, and strive for excellence down to the smallest detail. At Uniworld, we only deliver the best, because you deserve the best."

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