GUWAHATI: The world's longest river cruise will arrive in Assam's Dibrugarh on Tuesday to complete its tour.
On January 13, the 36-passenger luxury cruise, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi, began its journey. The trip of the MV Ganga Vilas will come to an end on February 28 in Dibrugarh.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India will have a welcoming ceremony in Dibrugarh on the same day under the auspices of the ministry of ports, shipping, and waterways, according to a statement from the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
Around 3,200 kilometres via 27 river systems in five Indian states and Bangladesh were to be covered during the voyage. 32 tourists from Switzerland are on board.
The "MV Ganga Vilas" has placed Bangladesh and India on the map of the world's river cruises, according to Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, opening up a new horizon and vertical for travel and freight transportation in the Indian subcontinent.
Before arriving in Dibrugarh, the MV Ganga Vilas was supposed to journey for over 51 days via Patna Sahib, Bodh Gaya, Vikramshila, Dhaka, the Sundarbans, and the Kaziranga National Park. The daily ticket cost for this opulent cruise ranges from $25,000 to $50,000. Each passenger's total expense for the entire journey will be close to Rs. 20 lakh.
Antara Luxury River Cruises is providing the worldwide voyage. Their website allows for the purchase of tickets. Bookings are not available because a Swiss firm has already reserved the current voyage. The following trip, for which reservations will be accepted, is probably scheduled for September.
Visitors on the MV Ganga Vilas could visit locations like the Sundarbans, a Unesco World Heritage Site in West Bengal; Mayong, famed for its Tantric crafts; and Majuli, the largest river island and centre of Vaishnavite culture in Assam.
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