Get ready for the world’s longest river cruise on a luxury yacht. MV Ganga Vilas is ready to sail from Varanasi to Dibrughat in Assam via Bangladesh. In 51 days, 3,200 km will pass through 27 different river cultures and 50 tourist spots. It is the first cruise ship built in India. 32 tourists from Switzerland were the first passengers on board the luxury ship.
Luxury facilities on board
The ship resembles a five-star moving hotel. The ship has 18 suites that can accommodate 36 people at a time. and facility for 40 employees. Spa, salon and gym are available for guests. It costs between Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 per day. That means one has to spend around 20 lakh rupees for a 51 day trip. Tickets can be booked through the website of International Luxury River Cruises. But all the tickets for the next two years have been booked. It also has sun deck, lounge, restaurant and library facilities. Passengers can choose either a 51-day full-time journey or a Varanasi-Kolkata and Kolkata-Dibrughat journey. Ganga Vilas will perform six yatras every year. All 32 tourists from Switzerland will complete the 51-day journey.
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Tourists’ experience on board will be more memorable as the cruise passes through national parks and wildlife sanctuaries like Sundarbans Delta and Kaziranga National Park.
Ganga Vilas Cruise departs from Varanasi and travels via Buxar, Ramnagar and Gazipur before reaching Patna on the 8th day. Departing from Patna to Kolkata, Cruise Faraka will reach West Bengal’s capital on the 20th via Murshidabad. It will leave for Dhaka and cross into Bangladesh the next day. It will then travel via Sibsagar and return to India via Guwahati.
Cruise Director Raj Singh says that the ship does not produce any kind of pollution. Waste will be treated through sewage treatment plant. There is also a system to purify water from the river Ganga and collect water for bathing and other purposes. Boat services are operated by private companies such as Ontario Luxury River Cruises and JM Baxi River Cruises in partnership with the Insular Waterways Authority of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the cruise in Varanasi. He said that this is an important moment and this initiative is ushering in a new era in the Indian tourism sector.
The program has been prepared in such a way that 50 tourist destinations can be visited in a 51-day trip. This includes all World Heritage Sites and National Parks. The journey passes through the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam and Bangladesh.
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