Raj, Tigers & Mangroves

Day 1

Pick up early evening from Kolkata airport and transfer to boutique guesthouse. Feast on excellent North Indian or Bengali cuisine. Overnight in Kolkata. Meal plan: N/A

Day 2

Have a delicious breakfast served to you in the guesthouse garden, then depart for city tour of Kolkata. Take in Kolkata’s rich colonial past with visits to the impressive Victoria Memorial, St Paul’s Cathedral and the High Court. Stop off at the bizarre Marble Palace and cross the famous Hoogly River, the city’s main trading post. Pay respect and witness the fantastic work at Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity, then head into one of Kolkata’s most artistic areas - Kumartuli - famous for sculptures of Hindu deities which are used in elaborate Hindu ceremonies. Lunch and dinner at local restaurants. Overnight in Kolkata. Meal plan: B

Day 3

After breakfast in the garden, transfer by minibus to the departure point for your boat ride into the Sunderbans. Snacks and drinks served on board the boat. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sunderbans is home to the world’s largest mangroves and largest number of Royal Bengal tigers. Check in to your cottage at the Camp. Savour an excellent lunch in the open buffet area. Leave for your afternoon boat ride along the Sunderbans many waterways and visit the watch tower. Tea/coffee and snacks served onboard. Return to camp for evening buffet dinner, followed by traditional folk dance and music. Overnight in Sunderbans. Meal plan: B,L,D

Day 4

Early morning tea served at your cottage. Set off on boat ride through mangroves and creeks in search of tigers. It’s usually the best time to catch glimpses of these majestic predators. Breakfast served on-board. Stop off by bank, and take a canopy walk above the forest. Return to buffet lunch at camp. After a rest, take a walk to the local village, where you will see kids walking home from school, beautiful thatched huts, open fields and a vibrant market place. Return to camp for tea and snacks, followed by a short film on the Sunderbans. Buffet dinner at camp. Overnight in Sunderbans. Meal plan; B,L,D

Day 5

Morning tea served at cottage. Boat ride with breakfast on-board. as you cruise through more mangroves and creeks admiring the scenery as well as looking out for more of the Sunderbans’ wildlife. Return to camp for buffet lunch and then transfer to Kolkata by boat and minibus. Transfer to guesthouse for dinner. Overnight in Kolkata. Meal plan: B,L

Day 6

Breakfast in garden, then embark on a fascinating walking tour of hidden Kolkata (4 hours). You will take in some of the lesser-known streets of Kolkata famous for carpentry and metalwork. Visit the colourful flower and fruit markets, one of the largest in India. Stop off for chai at one of the foodstalls. Pass by wrestlers limbering up for traditional Indian wrestling, then hop on board the water taxi that ferries passengers along the Hooghly. Visit the area first colonised in Kolkata and also the house of Rabindranath Tagore, Bengal’s most famous literary genius. Lunch en-route or back at guesthouse. Transfer to airport for return flight to Delhi/UK. Meal plan: B