Day 2:

HOLLONGAPAR GIBBON SANCTUARY | JEEP SAFARI IN THE EASTERN RANGE OF KAZIRANGA OR HISTORY TOUR OF SIBSAGAR | TEA ESTATE & HOME HOSTED LUNCH

The Hollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary is home to the only Ape in India – the Hoollock Gibbon and Northeastern India’s only nocturnal primate, the Bengal slow Loris, though the park is a habitat for 7 out of 9 primates of India. All wildlife demands early presence, so, we have an early breakfast and drive for an hour to reach the Sanctuary by 0545 hours.

The upper canopy of the forest is dominated by the hoollong tree, while the nahar dominates the middle canopy. The lower canopy consists of evergreen shrubs and herbs. Our naturalist with our guides and an armed guard is ready to walk us through the thick evergreen forest for a couple of hours. We leave the Sanctuary of the Gibbons by 0830 hours and drive towards the tea-estate for a home-hosted authentic Assamese Lunch with a Planter’s family.

We enjoy the expanse of the tea gardens, a teatalk by professionals, some tea-tasting, herbal plants and interaction with the family that has been into tea business for more than a century.The tea gardens are home to many bird species, so keep your lens in focus. We leave at 11:30 hours for a drive to the Eastern Range of Kaziranga (Agoratoli) for the afternoon Jeep Safari. We use the facilities and enter the park by 1300 hours. We spend the next 3 and half hours in the Park and reach the ship at dusk.

This evening we freshen up and move into the lounge hour succeeded by a sit-down dinner.

Overnight Onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 3:

NATURE WALK | MAJULI ISLAND

This day we wake up to enjoy the sounds of the birds as we walk on the bund at Neamati ghat for a couple of hours. Our naturalist on board shows you the village waking up and folks going about their chores; their home gardens and their dairy. We see the children going to school. We might catch a fisherman throwing his net in the river.

We return to the ship to enjoy a buffet breakfast as the ship sails towards Majuli. We take our tenders to reach the shore of Majuli to experience the neo-vaishnav culture of the world’s largest inhabited river-island.

Gayan Bayan by the priests, the Dashavatar by young vaishnav girls and Mukha Bhavana make us realize the richness and variety of the culture. Mask making and pottery are famous art forms of Majuli culture. The island boasts of avi-fauna and one can see the open-billed storks nesting all over Majuli. Adjutant storks, whistling ducks, bar-headed geese and weaver birds are spotted easily.

We take some time to peep into the local bazaar activities.

This afternoon the ship sails downstream towards a deserted island. This evening we have a talk on Brahmaputra and Assam and an orientation on the tribal Mishing Village and the boat safari on the Eastern Range of Kaziranga’.

We find a deserted island to enjoy an evening on untouched silver sands with some barbequed snacks as we make ourselves comfortable around a bon-fire and look forward to a starstudded evening.

A sit-down dinner awaits us on MV Mahabaahu

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 4:

MISHING TRIBAL VILLAGES | BOAT SAFARI – KAZIRANGA EASTERN RANGE

We start the day with morning Yog on a deserted island and those interested in going for a brisk walk or a stroll could avail this opportunity to stretch their legs. After breakfast we visit Mishing dwellings on non-permanent islands that are at the mercy of the river Brahmaputra. We visit some Mishing Chang Ghars (homes) and observe how people go about their work and how some drop all their work and are happy to have us come by. These Chang
Ghars are built on bamboo scaffolding with bamboo mats for floor, walls and roof.Bamboo is a priced possession. A Mishing home is an interesting peep into the Mishing Culture; a unique architecture and its specific expanding direction with the expansion of family. They have a unique culture of weaving ethnic colourful designs with home spun and home dyed cotton threads. They use the space under the bamboo scaffolding of their homes for weaving.

The Mishings proudly demonstrate the putting on of ethnic attire of dhoti-kurta for men and mekhla Chaadar for the ladies and the guests happily get involved.

After a couple of hours, we get back to the ship and enjoy the sail towards the Eastern Range of Kaziranga. After lunch, we take our tenders to explore the shores of Agoratoli Range and observe how the river carves Kaziranga each year; we notice the tree trunks in the river that had enjoyed some summers and others that are ready to give way and those that are holding strong. We look forward to a water buffalo suddenly pulling itself out of the water or an elephant family coming down to quench their thirst. We hope to see the striped white-eye-browed prowler or the winged creatures on banks and bushes and the water monitors basking on lowered trunks. We return to the ship and enjoy a cooking demonstration by the chef followed by lounge hour and dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 5:

SAIL THROUGH KAZIRANGA | BISHWANATH GHAT | TEA PLANTATION & JUTE MILL

This morning we enjoy Yog on the Sun Deck as the ship sails through Kaziranga towards Bishwanath Ghat; to this tiny sub-urban village on the banks of
the Brahmaputra which is sprinkled with temples and is a cosmos of weavers, fishermen, farmers, boat makers.

Bishwanath Ghat wakes up once a week to the presence of MV Mahabaahu and the travellers of the world and excitement shoots across.

The sound of the shuttle on tense warp and raised alternate weft moving back and forth is music to the weavers of this community. A Shiva Dol (temple) from the times of Ahoms looms over and a promenade along the outcrop of rocks and swinging country boats adds beauty to the area. The weavers display their stories on these colourfully woven fabrics and wait in anticipation. Bishwanath Chariali is the 6th Range of Kaziranga.

We sail along Kaziranga and reach Silghat where the ship docks. After a relaxed lunch and some leisure, we walk to the Jute Mill to witness the complete process in a co-operative mill for turning the golden fibre into a gunny bag.All the families in Silghat and the Jute Mill have formed a special ecosystem for themselves.

From here we drive to the Tea-Estate to see the women plucking tea-leaves and also to the teafactory to see the leaves turn into various grains for packing (The tea-factory is operational till mid Nov and after mid-Feb). We enjoy the State Dance of Assam, ‘Bihu’ by young village boys and girls and return to the ship. Over tea-coffee and snacks we enjoy ‘an orientation on the Elephant Safari and 2 Jeep Safaris at the Central Range and the Western Range. The evening leads us to the lounge and an early dinner.

Overnight on board MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 6:

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE (UNESCO SITE)

This day we wake up much before dawn and sip away at a strong cup of Assam tea, some coffee and cookies. Some fresh fruit, juice and dry fruits are on display. An hour of drive takes us to a resort in Kaziranga for use of facilities before we enjoy another beverage and some cookies and get ready for the elephant ride.

We ride into the early morning mist and as the sun rays force the mist away, we witness wild life up close and personal; swamp and hog deer, Asiatic water buffaloes and Rhinos; all happily grazing within yards of each other. An hour of elephant back saga through tall elephant grass leaves one
enthralled and wanting. We drive to a resort where breakfast awaits.

With limited time in hand we help ourselves to a regular continental breakfast along with a lavish display of Indian cuisine like dosas, idlis, coconut chutney, poori aaloo, paranthas and much more. Soon we drive towards the range for jeep safari to explore for more wild life. We look for the Asiatic Wild Elephants, the striped cats, the Wild Water Buffalo with enormous horn span, the hog deer and the swamp deer and of course the one horned-rhinoceros that this UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for.

Another Jeep Safari at the Western Range after lunch and we head back to the Cruise at Tezpur witnessing the paddy fields fed by the Brahmaputra as our wheels cautiously maneuver the Karbi Anglong bends. This evening we have an early dinner and get ready for the next national Park Visit. This evening we enjoy an Assamese theme evening; Assamese freshly caught fried fish for snacks, Assami Mekhla Chaadar and Dhoti Kurta with Ahomia music and Ahomia dance moves and to top it all an Assamese Dinner Menu.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 7:

NAMERI NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE | ASSAMESE THEME EVENING

This morning we are in the restaurant at 04:15 hrs for a light breakfast and at 04:45 hours we drive towards the Park.We reach the park by 05:30 hours. After using the facilities and crossing the river in a local ferry. We start our walk by 0700 hours with some guides and an armed guard. We explore the park for several rare species of birds.

The Nameri National Park provides habitat to Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Elephants, Indian Leapord, Clouded Leapord, Marbled Cat, Leapord Cat, Hog Deer, Sambar, Dhole, Gaur, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Himalayan Black Bear, Capped Langur and the Giant Squirrel.

The rare white winged wood duck, great pied horn-bill, wreathed hornbill, rufous necked hornbill, black stork, ibis bill, blue bearded bee-eaters, babblers and plovers are the species that we look for. Those of us who desire to be on the rubber boats for floatin for 13 miles of baby rapids experience through the picturesque view on the extremities of Jia-Bhaireli River can do so.

We return to the ship by 1300 hrs and enjoy hot lunch as the ship sails downstream.

The rest of the afternoon is at leisure for SPA, Steam, Sauna, Jacuzzi, Ayurvedic treatments and beauty treatments. We sail on and in the evening we get ready for the Assamese Theme Evening both for dress and dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 8:

YOGA | SAILING TO DUNGAR GHAT

This is a very relaxed morning; one can sleep in or enjoy Yog on the Sundeck as MV Mahabaahu sails towards Guwahati.

We have the whole day to enjoy the villages that we sail by. We can indulge in the SPA facilities, Ayurvedic therapies, regular massages, beauty
treatments, manicure, pedicure, steam, sauna and jacuzzi or laze around the swimming pool and take a dip.

We enjoy the hills that line the outskirts of Guwahati and the River Brahmaputra as it narrows down as we sail past the Peacock Island, the world’s smallest inhabited river island.

We enjoy lunch on board and again get back to the sun deck to enjoy a different view of Brahmaputra as the sun lowers itself in the west. We get ready for the Lounge hour followed by dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 9:

MANAS NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE (UNESCO SITE)

The call of the golden langur and the hornbill is for a wake-up before dawn. We are in the dining at 0430 hours for an early light breakfast and carry some fruits and nuts and juice for the drive at 04:45 hours. We reach Manas by 06:30 hours and use the facilities at a resort and also enjoy a fresh cup of tea/coffee with some cookies before getting onto an elephant for the elephant safari through the forest at 06:45 hrs. We return from the ride to a lavish breakfast layout. We need to help ourselves to a quick breakfast so that we can leave for the Jeep Safari by 08:30 hours in the Bansbari Range.

Its Northern boundary is contiguous to the international border of Bhutan manifested by imposing Bhutan Hills. Manas-Beki River system flanks the region. Manas has seven national and international designations, that is, World Heritage Site, National Park, Tiger Reserve (Core), Biosphere Reserve, Elephant Reserve, Tiger Sanctuary and Bird Sanctuary.

The Jeeps drop us to the resort where we had breakfast. Now we enjoy a relaxed lunch and drive to the ship. MV Mahabaahu sails upstream immediately. We use the afternoon for indulging in the Ayurvedic therapies, massages, beauty therapies or at the steam/sauna/Jacuzzi/swimming pool. This evening we enjoy a relaxed lounge hour and an equally enjoyable sit-down dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 10:

SILK WEAVING

invest an hour in Yog from 0800 hrs to 0900 hrs and watch the world go by as the ship sails along the lush villages of lower Assam. Our breakfast today is from 0800 to 1000 hrs.

We use the afternoon for indulging in the Ayurvedic therapies, massages, beauty therapies or at the steam/sauna/Jacuzzi/swimming pool. We reach Sualkuchi by 1100 hrs and are welcomed by the tribal folks with some cultural performances.

We take an e-rickshaw to the silk processing and weaving area for an insight into all that goes into silk production. We enjoy an authentic Assamese lunch and some shopping and on our way back we explore the local shops and return to MV Mahabaahu to sail to Pandu Port in Guwahati. We enjoy the last sail and sunset hour with a sundowner and get ready for the Lounge hour and move on to relish our farewell dinner—“Alvida Bhoj”.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 11:

GUWAHATI | DEPARTURE

After breakfast, deboard and transfer to Guwahati airport to connect with flight to onward destination.

(B)