India – Ganges River Cruise with William Dalrymple

Steppes has privately chartered one of the most comfortable boats on the Ganges to follow a completely bespoke, one-off itinerary that explores the history of the East India Company, as outlined in William Dalrymple’s new book, The Anarchy. Not only this, the great author himself will be on board the boat with you.

William will be on board the boat for the first five days of the cruise. He will give daily presentations in the early evening and will join the daily excursions onshore.

Each evening the boat manager will outline the following day’s programme. Every morning there will be sunrise yoga (for those early risers) followed by breakfast between 7 am and 8.30 am. Each day will offer a short excursion, either in the morning or afternoon. Lunch and Dinner are both served on board in the Dining Room. Each evening between 6 – 7.30 there is the opportunity to enjoy pre-dinner drinks, a presentation by an expert and short talk by the boat manager.

Yes, February is a beautiful time to visit this region of India, particularly during the daytime. The climate is warm and dry with day time temperatures in the mid-20s. Night-time temperatures can drop considerably to around 12 to 16 degrees so you will require warmer clothes for early mornings and evenings on deck.

The Ganges River cruise program is active. While there will be plenty of time to relax, there is much to see and do. Many included excursions require an extensive amount of walking over uneven terrain, and many sites have numerous steps that may be steeper and more narrow than is common in Western countries. For your safety and enjoyment, we recommend that all guests be in good physical condition and able to walk unaided.

While staff on board are trained in basic first aid, there are no nurses or doctors on board. While international medical facilities are available in Kolkata, and we have a list of physicians who can be contacted during the cruise, medical facilities are not easily accessible at all stops.

This is the perfect trip for solo travellers however cabins are charged at the full cost of a cabin regardless of whether it is occupied by one or two people. If you are willing to share, we will always do our best to match you up with another solo traveller of the same sex so that you can share the cost of a cabin with another person.

The hotel in Kolkata is one of our favourites. Centrally located and full of character, this is a very comfortable hotel. The Ganges Voyager is considered to be one of the best boats on the river. It is an all-suite boat, each cabin offering ample space with large picture windows and ensuite bathrooms. The communal areas are large enough to offer guests plenty of room to find a quiet corner.