On an all-new Indian adventure, one luxury river cruise is creating history. Antara Cruises inaugurated its MV Ganga Vilas ship on 13 January 2023, covering 3200 km. According to organizers, the expedition will last 51 days, making it the world’s longest river cruise. Passengers will journey through the Ganges, India’s holy river, and other rivers across five western Indian states. The ship will also visit Bangladesh, a neighboring South Asian country, where it will tour national parks, UNESCO, and major towns.
Facts About MV Ganga Vilas
- MV Ganga Vilas cover around 3,200 kilometers in 51 days.
- The journey of MV Ganga Vilas begins from Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) to Dibrugarh in Assam through Bangladesh.
- This cruise crosses 27 rivers across the two countries.
- Accommodates 48 crew members and 36 guests in 18 luxurious suites.
- With 18 suites and a capacity for 36 passengers, the MV Ganga Vilas offers three decks and all the luxuries. 32 visitors from Switzerland are scheduled to travel on the first expedition.
- In addition to key towns, including Patna (Bihar), Sahibganj (Jharkhand), Kolkata in West Bengal, Dhaka (Bangladesh), and Guwahati (Assam), the 51-day voyage will stop at 50 tourist spots, including world heritage places, national parks, national historic sites, and river ghats.
- The cost of each guest to board the MV Ganga Vilas cruise per day is approximately Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000. Tickets for two scheduled voyages in 2024 have already been sold out.
Launch Event
Through video conferencing, on 12 January 2023, Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, announced the departure of the MV Ganga Vilas, the world’s longest river cruise, and opened the Tent City in Varanasi. During the event, he also dedicated and set the foundations for many additional inland waterways projects totaling more than Rs. 1000 crores.
