Itinerary

Day 1 New Delhi, India

Arrive at New Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport where  you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to your hotel, the beautiful Oberoi New Delhi Hotel. Its sophisticated comfort will offer you the perfect launching pad for your exploration of the city.

New Delhi is the capital of India and an administrative district of NCT Delhi. New Delhi is also the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House, and the Supreme Court of India. Delhi itself is often considered as a hub for international trade.

Day 2 New Delhi, India

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

Day 3 New Delhi - Agra, India

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.

Arrive this afternoon at the luxurious Oberoi Amarvilas. Relax over lunch there and then check into your room, where you will be delighted to discover that your room-indeed, every room - has a view of the Taj Mahal, your next destination for the day. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: 

Majesty and Grace - the Taj Mahal at Sundown

It's easily the most famous building in India, and one of the most famous in the world, with its white domes and minarets floating serenely above the reflecting pools - and you will encounter it just as the setting sun bathes the white marble in a panoply of colours. 

It's a monument to a love story between a great ruler, Shah Jahan, and a learned and powerful woman, his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. After she died giving birth to their 14th child, he gathered some 20,000 craftsmen to build her mausoleum, who endowed it with dazzling translucent marble carvings inlaid with precious and semiprecious stones. Step through the gate and into the symmetrical gardens, and experience one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Day 4 Agra - Jaipur, India

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. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: Early Morning at the Taj Mahal

Awake early in the morning for a return visit to the Taj Mahal, which will take on the rosy pink tints of sunrise as you arrive. The gates open as the sun lifts above the horizon, and you enter the exquisite precincts, which you may explore at your leisure. 

You'll return to your hotel for lunch before you head by motorcoach to the third city in the Golden Triangle, Jaipur. Capital of the state of Rajasthan, strewn with massive palaces, it was founded and carefully planned in the 18th century by Maharaja Jai Singh II (who gave the new city his name), so even the old part of the city is laid out on a grid. The Singh family's influence is still felt in Jaipur, though all hereditary titles in India were discontinued in 1971. Check into the romantic Oberoi Rajvilas, a luxurious oasis, and spend the afternoon relaxing at the hotel, enjoying the extensive, bird-filled gardens.

Day 5 Jaipur, India

Pink is the colour of hospitality in Rajasthan, which gives you an idea of what to expect in the "Pink City" of Jaipur.

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: 

Jaipur - Rajasthan's Princely City and Amber Fort  

Today you'll tour the Amber Palace, followed by a visit to another of Jai Singh II's architectural projects, the Jantar Mantar, a UNESCO World Heritage Site devoted to astronomy. Each of the curious structures, called yantras, in this observatory without telescopes enabled court astronomers to study the heavens, measuring various celestial phenomena - eclipses, the position of stars - or the time of day. Some of these instruments are still used by astrologers to determine which days will be auspicious for weddings or other important events.

Take the afternoon to explore on your own: Shuttles will be available to carry you to and from the hotel to the major shopping district. Jaipur's bazaars are famous for their traditional Rajasthani crafts - jewelry, pottery, hand-printed textiles, and carpets - so go and enjoy the swirl of colours even if you aren't interested in buying some souvenirs.

Day 6 Jaipur - Kolkata, India (embark Ganges Voyager II)

You leave Jaipur early today and fly to Kolkata, India's second-largest city, the longtime capital of the British Raj, and the city many Indians consider their nation's intellectual capital. Like Jaipur, it is young compared to the millennia-long history of the subcontinent; it was founded by the East India Company late in the 17th century. 

You'll board the Ganges Voyager II, your supremely comfortable traveling hotel for the next seven nights, and settle into your suite. Enjoy dinner and a cultural performance will cap off your day.

Day 7 Kalna, India

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.

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: 

India's "Temple City"

Stroll along the streets of Kalna as you head to the Rajbari temple complex. The Pratapeshwar Temple, built in 1849, is embellished with exceptional terra-cotta carvings depicting myths and rituals, as well as scenes of everyday life (see if you can spot the girl in typical Victorian dress with a violin among the hundreds of figures). Lalji, the oldest temple in the complex, dates to 1739; the three-storied structure is topped with 25 distinctive pinnacles. Next to it is Krishna Chandra, built in a similar style. Across the street you'll find the amazing Naba Kailash, two concentric circles of intricately carved temples dedicated to Shiva. The inner circle is made up of 34 white temples symbolizing pure thought; the outer circle contains 74 temples symbolizing the everyday world. 

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience supports Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Day 8 Matiari, India

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. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: 

Matiari Master Craftsmen with an Introduction to Brass

Artisans have been making ornamental brass objects - vases, lamps, figurines, platters—in Matiari for more than a century, so it's no wonder that production is so well-organized and the craftsmen so skillful. Scrap metal is melted in the village foundry and pressed into new sheets of brass, which are then turned into various objects. Each craftsman specializes in a different step of the process, so one artisan might cut the metal, while another shapes it into a wide tray, and yet another etches an intricate pattern onto the surface. The sound of hammer on brass will fill the air as you stroll from workshop to workshop to see each step of the fascinating process.

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

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience supports Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Day 9 Murshidabad & Baranagar, India

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. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey:

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

Climb aboard a horse-drawn buggy for a ride to Katra Mosque, built in 1723 by the first nawab, Murshid Quli Khan, who gave his name to the town. The huge mosque was damaged by an earthquake in 1897, losing two of its four great towers, but it is still a remarkable sight. 

Your visit continues in Murshidabad, long ago the capital of Bengal and an important administrative center during the Raj - a fact that comes clear as the ship rounds a bend in the river and you behold Hazarduari Palace. This massive neo-classical building was erected in the mid-19th century for British officials, who lived and had their offices in its 114 rooms. One might wonder why the architect, Colonel Duncan Macleod of the Bengal Corps, thought the building needed a thousand doors, but that's how many it has—900 of them are real doors, and the remaining 100 are false. It is now a museum, which you will visit. 

Return to the ship for lunch and cruise to the town of Baranagar, where Rani Bhabani built beautiful brick temples in the 18th century. Goats frolic among them now and vines attempt to take them over, but the terra-cotta carvings are considered among the best in Bengal and the temples are well-tended. 

After your tour, if time and weather allow, you can learn a bit about one of the Raj's enduring legacies in India: a passion for that most British of all games, cricket. It remains India's favorite sport, and the national team, nicknamed the "Men in Blue," has won the Cricket World Cup more than once. The game is played in schools, in fields, even on village streets; watch it in action and discover the meaning of terms like "long leg," "fast bowler" and "run-out."

Day 10 The Ganges, Khusbagh, Mayapur, India

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.

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey:

Khusbagh Walk 

Khusbagh, which literally translates to "Garden of Happiness," is the garden-graveyard of the Nawabs of Bengal. Several historic rulers of this region, including Siraj ud-Daulah and Alivardi Khan, were laid to rest here. Take a walk through the village here, with a visit to see the mausoleum and the arcade verandah that surrounds it.

Day 11 Mayapur & Chandannagar, India

Mayapur, previously known as Miyapur is a neighborhood of Bamanpukur area, situated adjacent to Nabadwip, at the confluence of two rivers, where the waters of the river Jalangi mix with the Ganga. It is located about 130 km north of Kolkata within Nadia district, West Bengal, India.

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. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey: 

Hare Krishna Complex and Temple of the Vedic Planetarium 

As the ship comes into sight of Mayapur, look for the new Vedic temple currently under construction. Funded in part by Alfred Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford, the temple is designed to be larger than St. Paul's Cathedral in London once completed. The new temple construction coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Hare Krishna movement, whose founder was born in Mayapur. Millions of Hare Krishna devotees come from all over the world to this pilgrimage site; as you walk through Mayapur's bazaar to the temple complex, you may well spot expatriates from America, Canada, and Europe. Colorful parades of followers often weave through the streets, adding to the hustle and bustle of the lively, vivid scene. You'll tour the existing temple complex, get a look at the new Vedic Planetarium, and learn something about the beliefs of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness.

India's French Colonial Heritage

"Liberte, Egalite et Fraternite." These words, the famous slogan of the French Revolution, are inscribed on the gateposts of Chandannagar, a mark of the centuries the town was a French outpost in West Bengal. In fact, Chandannagar did not officially become part of India until 1952, so when you step ashore here you will find a mixture of French Colonial and Indian architecture. A broad, tree-lined riverfront promenade known as the Strand shows off the handsomest remaining French buildings, and a river winds its way through the town. Chandannagar actually earned its name from the crescent shape of the river, as the Hindi word "chand" translates to "moon." This evening, enjoy a Farewell dinner and take in a lively cultural dance performance, complete with music and dancing.

Our visit to Chandannagar today includes a stop at the 19th-century Church of the Sacred Heart, as well as the Chandernagore College Museum. The building that houses the museum—which retains an earlier name for the city, from before the mass renaming of Indian city names to better reflect native pronunciation that took place after India gained independence in 1947 - was a center for revolution during India's fight for freedom. Now, the heritage wing of the building is a museum dedicated to the revolution and Chandannagar's history and culture. Local NGOs partner with this museum, and you'll have the opportunity to browse handmade wares whose proceeds go towards supporting the local orphanages and other groups in need.

Day 12 Kolkata, India

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. 

Included excursions designed to enhance your journey:

Kolkata City Tour with Visit to the Flower Market 

Continue this morning with a panoramic tour of Kolkata's city centre. The first stop? A visit to the captivatingly colorful Flower Market. Located adjacent to the Howrah Bridge, this vibrant and bustling market is filled with vendors and buyers exchanging money for flowers to be used in festivals, rituals, weddings, and more. Next, you can choose to visit the NGO Calcutta Rescue or you can see Mother Teresa's home and tomb.

Kumartuli Visit (Potter's Colony) And Colonial Sites 

After lunch, you'll venture to Kumartuli, a traditional potters' neighborhood that specializes in making intricate clay idols, for a look at this complex and fascinating time-honored tradition. Next, on your way back to the ship, you'll see the many remnants of Kolkata's colonial past. Though teeming Kolkata is home to palaces and tenements, new developments and modern office buildings, grand hotels and parks, its historic architecture reflects its status as the longtime administrative heart of the British Raj. The colonial buildings still standing - and still in use - offer a blend of baroque and neoclassical styles that say much about British colonial taste. 

Perhaps the most surprising is the red-and-white facade of the Calcutta High Court building - a replica of the city hall in Ypres, Belgium. You'll see it as well as the stately Palladian dome of Government House, the classical white columns of Town Hall, the red-brick Writers' Building, and the enormous General Post Office. Then stop for a photo op outside the Victoria Memorial Museum - which was partly inspired by the Taj Mahal. Built as a tribute to Queen Victoria after her death, this huge white-marble structure houses an illuminating exhibition on the colonial era.

Select your choice of these carefully curated excursions, which operate at the same time.

Mother Teresa's Home and Tomb 

She came to India in 1929, after growing up in Macedonia and joining a Loreto nunnery in Ireland, and two decades later she founded her own order, the Missionaries of Charity, devoted to the "salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor." Visit the Mother House, where she lived and worked for decades; see her simply furnished room and the tiny museum devoted to her - her Nobel Peace Prize medal is on display, along with informative newspaper clippings and photos - and her tomb. It's a modest and serene spot devoted to one of the most influential women ever to live in the city. 

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience supports Global Goal 1: No Poverty; and Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

NGO "Calcutta Rescue" Visit

This morning, you'll visit the local NGO Calcutta Rescue, which serves the area's underprivileged children. They provide much-needed services at no cost to the neediest people of Kolkata and West Bengal - regardless of gender, age, caste, or religion - through health clinics, schools, vocational training, and preventative health programs. You'll hear about the impact Calcutta Rescue has made over the last 30 years and get some insight on some of their current projects. 

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience supports Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Day 13 Kolkata, India (disembark Ganges Voyager II)

Your incredible Indian adventure ends early this morning, as you disembark the ship. You will be transferred to the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport for your flight home. Or, extend your journey with an optional extension to Varanasi.

Terms and Conditions

1. All prices are quoted in Australian dollars (AUD), are based on per person twin-share occupancy unless otherwise stated, and include applicable taxes, fees, and discounts available at the time of publication.
2. Prices, itineraries, availability, and inclusions are correct at the time of publication (11th Sep 2026) but are subject to change without notice due to supplier availability, currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, airline costs, government taxes, or other operational factors outside our control.  
3. Advertised “from” pricing is based on lead-in cabin categories, including Inside, Oceanview, or Balcony cabins where specified. Some cabins may feature obstructed views. Cabin categories, layouts, and inclusions are subject to cruise line availability and conditions.
4. Advertised packages may include bonus nights, upgrades, package savings, onboard credit, promotional offers, or other value-added inclusions where specified. Offers are subject to availability and may be amended or withdrawn by suppliers without notice.
5. Airfares included in packages are subject to airline availability and fare conditions at the time of booking. Unless otherwise stated, fares are based on economy class travel from Sydney and may be non-refundable and non-changeable. Additional charges may apply for alternative departure cities, airfare upgrades, flexible fare options, routing variations, or seasonal surcharges.
6. Flight schedules, airlines, stopovers, and routing are subject to change by the airline or supplier. ecruising is not responsible for schedule changes, delays, or cancellations made by third-party travel providers, however your rights under the Australian Consumer Law remain unaffected.
7. Travel packages may include products and services provided by multiple independent suppliers, including airlines, cruise lines, hotels, and tour operators. Each supplier’s own booking terms, conditions, cancellation policies, and conditions of carriage apply to the relevant travel component.
8. Accommodation providers may charge additional resort fees, city taxes, gratuities, security deposits, or incidental charges payable directly by the guest at check-in or check-out unless otherwise stated.
9. It is the responsibility of each traveller to ensure they hold a valid passport, visas, travel permits, vaccinations, travel insurance, and any other required travel documentation for their journey. Travellers should confirm all entry and health requirements with the relevant authorities prior to departure.
10. Supplier-specific promotional terms and conditions may apply to advertised inclusions and cruise offers. Please refer to the relevant supplier website or contact ecruising for full details.
11. To the extent permitted by law, ecruising acts as an agent for third-party travel suppliers and is not liable for the acts or omissions of those suppliers. Nothing in these terms excludes, restricts, or modifies any consumer guarantees, rights, or remedies available under the Australian Consumer Law.
12. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, including pricing errors, at any time prior to confirmation of your booking.
13. Additional accommodation may be required pre or post the cruise to fit in with flight schedules and surcharges will apply. Please check with your travel agent.