'Ganga Vilas', the world's longest river cruise, to be launched by PM Modi on 13th January

Digital Desk: On January 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch "Ganga Vilas," the world's longest luxury river cruise. The cruise will sail from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Dibrugarh in Assam, traversing 3,200 kilometres in 50 days. The voyage will go through 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh, stopping at more than 50 tourist attractions, including world heritage sites.

Notably, it is the world's longest river excursion by a single river ship. The Ganga Vilas Cruise will go via major cities such as Kolkata and Dhaka before arriving in Bogibeel, Assam's Dibrugarh district, on March 1. The massive cruise will also pass past national parks and sanctuaries, like the Sundarbans Delta and Kaziranga National Park.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, had tweeted earlier in November, "The world's longest river cruise will set sail in January of next year. Ganga Vilas will sail from historic Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh, covering 4,000 kilometres on India's two largest rivers, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra."

Cultural programs, live music, a gym, a sauna, an open-air observation deck, personalized butler service, and other activities will be available on the luxury cruise. 

According to official sources, the cruise will have a capacity of 80 guests. The Ganga Vilas cruise includes 18 suites and was designed with a futuristic perspective. "This trip will meander past numerous prominent places along Kolkata's River Hooghly to Varanasi's River Ganges," according to the website.

According to the official website, the Ganga will begin its trip in Varanasi and will arrive in Patna on the eighth day. The luxury liner will stop in Buxar, Ramnagar, and Ghazipur. The cruise would arrive in Kolkata on the 20th day after passing through Farakka and Murshidabad. 

The ship will travel to Dhaka the next day and enter Bangladesh, where it will remain for the next 15 days. The ship will return through Guwahati before travelling through Sibsagar to its eventual destination of Dibrugarh.