Ganga Vilas Cruise: India To Launch World’s Longest River Cruise

PM Modi will flag off Ganga Vilas Cruise from Varanasi on 13th Jan. The cruise will cover a distance of 4,000 km within 50 days through the rivers of India & Bangladesh.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to launch the world’s longest river cruise, Ganga Vilas, on 13th January in Varanasi, a popular city of Uttar Pradesh.

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According to Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush Sarbananda Sonowal, the event will usher in a new era of river cruise travel in India.

The Ganga Vilas is a 51-day itinerary that includes visits to 50 tourist attractions. The voyage will stop at national parks, river ghats, world heritage sites, and important cities along the way, including Patna (Bihar), Sahibganj (Jharkhand), Kolkata (West Bengal), and Guwahati (Assam). It will go to Dhaka (Bangladesh) as well.

The Ganga Vilas has a length of 62 meters and a width of 12 meters. According to a government press release, it can sail without difficulty with a 1.4 meter draught.

It can accommodate 36 passengers and has three decks with 18 suites on board. All the amenities will be available to passengers, and they can enjoy a fascinating and opulent journey. 

The ship is built with sustainability concepts at its core and has technologies for noise reduction and pollution-free operations.

According to the official statement, tourists will visit several locations to demonstrate India’s rich legacy, including the iconic Ganga Arti in Varanasi and Sarnath, a place of profound devotion for Buddhism.

It will also stop in Majuli, Assam’s largest river island and the center of Vaishnavite culture, as well as Mayong, a region renowned for its Tantric crafts.

The tourists will also stop by the Vikramshila University and the Bihar School of Yoga to learn more about the spiritual and academic legacy of India.

Additionally, the trip will pass by Kaziranga National Park and the Sunderbans in the Bay of Bengal delta, both of which are listed as World Heritage Sites.