ASSAM DESPATCH 5

This 4-night cruise starts at Guwahati and terminates at Dhubri, around 4 hrs drive from the Bhutan frontier or 5 ½ hrs drive from Bagdogra/Siliguri, and is ideal for combining a short cruise with Bhutan, Sikkim or Darjeeling. Highlights are Manas National Parkand the archaeological site of Sri Surya Prahar

Day 1, Tue
Arrive Guwahati airport and driven across the great bridge over the Brahmaputra and on to the silk weaving village of Sualkuchi, where RV "Charaidew" will be moored. Explore on foot, visiting weaving workshops to see the whole process of silk manufacture, from cocoon to spinning to dyeing and finally to handweaving into exquisite saris and dress lengths.

Day 2, Wed
This morning we cruise down to Tarabari Ghat, where we land and drive for 2 hours to Manas National Park, on the border with Bhutan, checking in to the simple Bansbari Lodge. This Project Tiger reserve is now recovering well from earlier unrest - the tiger count is now estimated at over 80, and wild elephant number some 500. We take a short boat ride on the Manas River, and will hope to see wild buffalo, wild elephant, several different species of deer and monkeys, as well as otters and some of the park's 380 different species of birds.

Day 3, Thu
An early morning elephant ride probably offers our best, though still slim, chance of seeing tiger, or even perhaps a leopard or other rarity. Bird highlights could include the Bengal Florican or the Great Hornbill. We set off mid-morning to drive around 2 ½ hrs to rejoin "Charaidew" below the great bridge at Jogighopa. Later we travel out by road to see the peaceful archaeological site of Sri Surya Prahar. Here we will see boulders which have been carved into stupas, lingams and bas-reliefs by early Buddhists, Hindus and Jains.

Day 4, Fri
This is a day spent on the river, with a chance to enjoy the rich bird life and look out for Gangetic Dolphin. If we make good progress, we will pause at an isolated village, which we shall explore on foot (or if we are lucky, we might hitch a ride on a bullock cart), and see a side of India that the average tourist never gets to see.

Day 5, Sat
During breakfast we cruise down to the river port of Dhubri. Here we have time to take a short ride on gaily painted cycle rickshaws past the great Sikh temple to admire the town's surviving statue of Queen Victoria. Disembark mid-AM. End of Assam Bengal Navigation arrangements. Dhubri is 1 ½ hrs drive from Cooch Behar, c. 4hrs drive from the Bhutan border at Phuntsoling, c 5 ½ hrs drive from Siliguri/Bagdogra.