Exotic Brahmaputra Cycling River Cruise
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Discover Assam in northeast India on our newest adventure by bike & boat river cruise along the mighty Brahmaputra River. This India river cruise is ideal for cyclists with non-cycling partners or friends who want to join, as there are daily activities tailored for both. After a day of exploring on bikes or on foot, you'll meet back up to cruise in comfort along one of India's major waterways.
This tour comes with an optional extension to 9 days.
EARLY RIDER PRIZE: Be in the first 4 to book a departure and get 5% OFF the tour price*
*Not applicable with private, family, or self-guided tours, other discounts, trip credit, or special offers
What is it like to explore India by Bike & Boat? Discover more in our video below:
Overview
Welcome to Assam in the northeast of India for the latest bike and boat adventure of the Brahmaputra River.
The Brahmaputra, one of the world’s most storied rivers, flows through the northeasternmost area of India before turning south to the sea. Sourced in Tibet, the Indian stretch of river we cycle along takes us past national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, countless temples and typical riverside villages where the locals will be as enchanted by us as we are by them.
Join us as we launch this spectacular bike & barge journey along the Brahmaputra, featuring a mixture of tribal, mythological, cultural and nature-filled cycling adventures guaranteed to thrill you at every turn. Non-cycling guests will also enjoy the full experience with plenty of off-boat activities, such as guided walking tours, along with visits to all the cultural and historic sites on our route. Immerse yourself fully in Northeastern India with this epic journey by bike and boat along with land and river.
165 - 240km / 102-149mi riding. India offers a variety of cycle terrain. This bike tour follows predominantly small, flat, country roads and lanes with little traffic and some occasional stretches on busier roads. The cycling portions are never overly long and the pace is relaxed making the riding broadly achievable for anyone comfortable on a bicycle. A support vehicle is always on hand throughout the entire trip to give you a lift if you need a break from the riding
Deposit payment: $800
Single room option: $1860
OPTIONAL NIGHT IN KOLKATA!
$490 per person sharing a double / twin room
Single supplement $150 per person
DAY 1
Meals: D
The British had sought to build ‘the second city of the Empire’ here in Kolkata. We will pick you up from Kolkata airport and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon we’ll set off on a walking tour of the ‘European’ areas of what was once the capital of occupied India. It’s the perfect introduction to both old and new Kolkata. Our welcome day also includes your first taste of authentic Indian cuisine featuring the flavors you’ll savor throughout our journey.
DAY 2
Meals: B
The morning begins with a transfer to Kolkata International Airport. It’s approximately an hour by air to Jorhat. From here you will join the standard itinerary
Highlights
Cycle Majuli Island for a great representation of local culture, then watch a religious dance show.
Take in the sights from the boat deck as you see another side of India from the Brahmaputra.
Safari through the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary to catch a glimpse of rhinos, elephants, birds and wild buffalo.
See the Kamakhya Temple and Guwahati’s other sights on a walking tour.
Day to Day
If you have a flight scheduled to Jorhat and you want to ensure that you arrive on time, it's always a good idea to catch a flight one day earlier. This will give you a buffer in case there are any unexpected delays or issues during your travel.
Jorhat is known for being one of the two major tea centers in Assam, After picking you up from the hotel you stay in Jorhat, we’ll enjoy lunch at a tea bungalow before mounting our bikes. A short ride towards the river where our ship will be docked will get our cycling legs ready for the week ahead. Once onboard, settle into your accommodation and enjoy the sunset plus an introductory Assamese traditional dinner, your first impression of the cuisine of the region.
Majuli Island, a vast body of land in the Brahmaputra, is home to a number of unique Vaishnavite Hindu monasteries famous for performances of religious dance-drama. Majuli is a microcosm of regional culture that represents authentic, rural Assam. Majuli also offers a beautiful, flat landscape for cycling. Let’s hop on our bikes and check out the surroundings, where rural villagers will welcome us enthusiastically, as foreigners are not often seen cycling the area. At the end of the day, we’ll visit a monastery and its eclectic museum to attend a dance performance. Later, we return to the boat to start our cruise.
Today, relax on board as we sail towards Biswanath Ghat. We’ll have a chance to meet the crew operating the Chairadew and tour the ship. As time permits we'll make a short visit to a riverside village community. By late morning, Kaziranga National Park will be on our left – wild elephants, are sometimes visible from the boat and at times, memorably, a tiger.
Assam has many hidden gems, and certainly one such place is the Biswanath Ghat. Named after an ancient temple housing nearly 330 million gods and goddesses, the area still contains more than 100 temples in the vicinity, though what is left today in many cases are just the stone posts. We will pedal from near the river to the start of tea plantation country straddling the northern shore of the river. After this cycling exploration, we’ll rejoin the ship near Tezpur. Tonight there’s time to stroll through this lively town located in the prosperous agricultural region.
An early morning transfer takes us to the edge of Nameri National Park. A naturalist guide will lead us on a walk of this migratory gateway. Later by bike we’ll continue our cycling exploration of small villages and take advantage of the chance to immerse ourselves in this unique subset of Indian culture.
Today is our second full day to relax aboard our ship. Take advantage of this to restore your body for the next day’s riding and enjoy the views as we cruise along. We will have the opportunity to savor a tea tasting session with a professional tea taster and tea auctioneer! Does it get more iconic ‘India’ than that?
Today promises to be an exciting one as we cycle through picturesque villages and countryside along the south riverbank of the great Brahmaputra to the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. This is considered the most densely populated area in the world of the rare one-horned rhino. Get your cameras ready to capture extensive birdlife as well as elephants, rhinos, and wild buffalo. After our safari and lunch, we’ll ride back though Mayong, considered the land of black where the worship of witches is still practiced. Back on board, we cruise a short distance to reach Guwahati.
Guwahati is the largest city of Assam and serves as the hub for the seven states of northeast India. This is the site of the region’s well-known religious shrine: Kamakhya Temple which is dedicated to the tantric goddesses of India. This morning we’ll explore the city sites with our guides by foot and coach, before returning to our barge for disembarkation and airport transfers.
Dates & Price
EARLY RIDER PRIZE: Be in the first 4 to book a departure and get 5% OFF the tour price*
*Not applicable with guaranteed, private, or self-guided tours, other discounts, trip credit, or special offers
WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT
GRASSHOPPER STYLE
Bike and boat tours are a whole new way to travel, and ours are specially formatted to accommodate partners or friends of cyclists for their very own tour experience. Unpack once for the duration of your journey and take in the beautiful and wild Brahmaputra river life. Cyclists will enjoy fun days of pedaling country lanes through interesting sights, while non-cyclists will take walking tours of the must-see destinations and relax on board the ship or participate in alternate activities. There really is something for everyone on this tour, and it is sure is a special way to see India!
