ASSAM DESPATCH 6

This This 4-night cruise starting and finishing in Guwahati is ideal for those who want a taste of river-cruising. Alternatively, taken together with Cruises 2 or 4, you can enjoy an 11 or 14 night cruise over virtually the full length of the Brahmaputra's course in Assam. Highlight is Manas National Park but there are also good opportunities to see Assam's rural way of life.

Day 1
Arrive Guwahati airport and driven across the great bridge over the Brahmaputra and on to the silk weaving village of Sualkuchi, where RV "Sukapha" or "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
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
We take an early morning elephant ride through grassland, hopefully seeing several different species of deer and monkeys, as well as otters and some of the park's 380 different species of birds, perhaps including the rare Bengal Florican or the Great Hornbill. After breakfast, we walk through a local village, visit the nearby tea garden and see Bodo tribal handweaving, then drive through Barpeta, famous for its great Vaishnavite monastery, to rejoin our vessel at Tarabari Ghat. We cruise upstream all afternoon.

Day 4
This is a day spent on the river, with a chance to enjoy the rich bird life and look out for Gangetic Dolphin. The Garo Hills, once the abode of headhunters, rise on the south bank. If we make good progress, we may have time to pause and visit a riverside village. We should reach Sualkuchi again by dusk.

Day 5
We drive out this morning to Hajo, a place sacred to Hindus, Moslems and Buddhists. We visit a Moslem shrine with extensive hilltop views over the surrounding rural landscape, as well as the simple hindu temple with its frieze of elephants and its sacred tank full of great carp, catfish and turtles. Later we return by road to Guwahati airport for final departure, or alternatively to join the Assam Despatch 2 cruise, commencing with sightseeing of Guwahati.