Day 2:

MANAS NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE (UNESCO SITE)

Early this morning after light breakfast, we drive to the Manas National Park for the Elephant Ride at 0700 hrs to 0800 hours and then immediately after a facility break we get into the jeeps for the Jeep Safari in the Manas National Park. 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.

After the Jeep Safari we get into our SUVs, munch on some local tidbits and drive back to the ship for a late lunch. 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 3:

TEMPLES, TRIBALS & TEXTILES

A lazy morning on the Brahmaputra and we 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 get together for a talk on ‘Assam and Brahmaputra with orientation on Sualkuchi, Peacock Island and Kamakhya Temple’. We enjoy a morning of sun bathing and indulge in some health facilities.

We reach Sualkuchi by 1100 hrs and are welcomed by the tribal folk with a cultural performance. 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 in the area shops and return to MV Mahabaahu, This evening we sail towards the Peacock Island and enjoy a stroll on the steps that circumambulate the island. This evening we visit the Kamakhya temple and return to the ship by Lounge hour and then we relish our dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 4:

SAILING – VILLAGE VISIT

The ship sails early from the Peacock Island. Yoga is at 0800 hrs on the Sundeck. Breakfast is from 0800 hrs to 1000 hrs.The crew sets up the MV Mahabaahu bazaar in the reception area and one can do some selective shopping or get some tailor-made clothes. We enjoy a saree tying demonstration in the lounge area.

We have lunch and when we reach a village we take you for witnessing village life on the shores of Brahmaputra. The sunset sail, lounge and dinner are in order for the evening.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 5:

SAILING – VILLAGE VISIT

We sail early. Those of us who enjoy Yog gather on the sun-deck at 0800 hrs for an hour unto ourselves and watch the play of sand and water. Breakfast is from 0800 to 1000hrs. At 1000 hrs followed by ‘an orientation on Nameri National Park for a walk through the forest and Kaziranga National Park for Elephant Safari in the Central Range and Jeep Safari in the Eastern and Western Range’.

After the orientation we explore the ship and see the engine rooms, the galley and the crew area to understand the working of the ship and also the wheel house. We have a tailor on board and the guests can draw out their designing hats and avail the services for stitching, mending and altering.

The health facilities too are at your service. We enjoy another cooking demo of an interesting street food this evening and are then ready for the sunset hour, the Lounge Hour and Dinner.

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

Day 6:

NAMERI NATIONAL PARK & TIGER RESERVE | TEA PLANTATION & JUTE MILL

This morning we are in the restaurant at 0415 hours for a light breakfast and at 0430 hours we drive towards the Park. We reach the Nameri Walk area by 0530 hours. After using the facilities we cross the 70 meter stretch of the river in a local ferry and start our walk by 0600 hours with some guides and an armed guard. We explore the park for several rare species of birds. The big five and many other mammals are a bonus.

The Nameri National Park provides habitat to Bengal Tiger, 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 beeeaters, babblers and plovers are the species that we look for. We return to the ship by 1400 hrs and enjoy hot lunch as the ship sails upstream to Silghat.

We reach Silghat by 1500 hrs and we move to the tea estate for a cultural performance and then to the Jute Mill for the complete process from the jute fiber to the compressed gunny bag. We spend the evening on the ship and have an early dinner at 0600 hrs.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 7:

KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK (UNESCO site)

This day we wake up much before dawn at 0300 hrs and are in the restaurant by 0330 hrs 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 from 03:45 to 0500 hrs takes us to a resort in Kaziranga for use of facilities before we enjoy another hot 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 to thin, 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.

By 07:45 We once again explore the Central Range (Kohora) on jeeps for more wild life. We look for the Asiatic Wild Elephants, the Striped cat, the Wild Water Buffalo with an 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 Silghat witnessing the paddy fields fed by the Brahmaputra as our wheels cautiously maneuver the Karbi Anglong bends. We are back by 1700 hrs and on time for the Lounge hour and our evening sit-down dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 8:

SAIL THROUGH KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK | BOAT SAFARI | BISHWANATH GHAT

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.

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.

This evening 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. We have dinner onboard MV Mahabaahu.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 9:

MISHING TRIBAL VILLAGES | ASSAMESE THEME EVENING

We start the day with Yog at 0800 hrs and have breakfast from 0800 to 1000 hrs. We enjoy ’a talk on Majuli and Shivsagar and an orientation on the two visits’ at 1030 hrs. By 1200 hours we reach the Mishing Village and visit the 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. We return for lunch and enjoy a tranquil sail towards Majuli.

This evening we take time to dress in the ethnic Assamese wear both for ladies and gents and enjoy authentic Assamese cuisine.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 10:

MAJULI ISLAND | TEA PLANTERS’ LIFESTYLE

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.

We return to the ship and sail towards Neamati Ghat. We have lunch on board and rest till 1530 hours when we walk towards the sounds of the birds on the bund at Neamati ghat for an hour and a half.

Our naturalist on board shows you the village folk going about their chores; their home gardens and their dairy. We might catch a fisherman throwing his net in the river. We return to the ship for the lounge hour and a sit down dinner.

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 11:

HOLLONGAPAR GIBBON SANCTUARY | JEEP SAFARI IN THE EASTERN RANGE OF KAZIRANGA OR HISTORY TOUR OF SIBSAGAR

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 along with a habitat for 7 out of 9 primates of India. All wild-life demands early presence, so, we have an early breakfast and drive for an hour to reach the Sanctuary by 0530 hours.

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 wild-life demands early presence, so, we have an early breakfast and drive for an hour to reach the Sanctuary by 0530 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 0700 hours and divide ourselves into two groups; the historically oriented drive towards Shivsagar, the stronghold of the Ahom Kings and those with insatiable quench for wildlife drive to the Eastern Range of Kaziranga.

We munch on our sandwiches; enjoy some local fruits and some fruit juice as we drive towards our optional destinations for this morning.

One group visits the Talatal Ghar—the palace remains of the Ahom Kings. We visit the Rang Ghar that was used by the Royal family for enjoying some buffalo fights and cultural performances. We visit The Shiva Dol which is 104 feet tall.After the monument visit we take a stroll in the market area to visit some silk shops and Assamese goldsmith shops.

The other Group enjoys a 22 km long Jeep through the Eastern Range The Safari in the Agoratoli Range covers Soholabeel, Maklung, Turturani and Dhuba areas of Kaziranga with a well-marked 22 km trail that takes about 4 hours to complete. A trained and knowledgeable naturalist/guide from the Park accompanies the guest in each jeep of four guests.

We enjoy some local snacks and fruits and drive to a resort for lunch.We start our drive back to the ship by 14:00 hrs and are onboard for the sunset.

This evening we get together in the Lounge for an hour and then in the dining for Chef’s Special Farewell Bhoj (dinner)

Overnight onboard MV Mahabaahu (B, L, D)

Day 12:

TEA ESTATE & HOME HOSTED LUNCH | DEPARTURE

We have breakfast from 0700 to 0830 hours and we deboard MV Mahabaahu at 0900 hrs.

We drive for 40 minutes to the tea-estate. We enjoy the expanse of the tea gardens, a tea-talk 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 enjoy delicious Assamese food served in the traditional style and savor the taste as we leave for the airport by 11:30 hours to be at the airport by 1200 hours to catch the flight out of Jorhat Airport at 1400 hours.

(B, L)