Luxury Lower Ganges River Cruise & Ultimate Sri Lanka
River Bengal first, then the best of Sri Lanka
This twenty-three-day journey begins on the water and ends in the hills, pairing the Lower Ganges with the very best of Sri Lanka. Aboard the boutique Scenic Aura you first cruise the Hooghly through colonial Bengal, past Nawabi palaces, terracotta temples and the old European river towns, ending in Kolkata. Then you fly south to Sri Lanka for an ultimate island tour: the UNESCO cities of the cultural triangle, the astonishing rock fortress of Sigiriya, the sacred hill capital of Kandy, a scenic train into emerald tea country, and the Dutch-walled port of Galle on the golden south coast. Ultra-luxury throughout, with heritage stays and safaris along the way, it is India’s river soul and Sri Lanka’s serendipity in one grand arc.
Itinerary highlights
Cruise the Lower Ganges through colonial Bengal aboard the boutique, all-inclusive Scenic Aura.
Take High Tea at Kathgola Palace and trace the Danish, Dutch and French river towns.
Explore Sri Lanka's UNESCO cultural triangle: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla.
Climb the Sigiriya rock fortress and visit Kandy's Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Ride a scenic train into the emerald tea country and stay among the plantations.
Safari for elephants in Minneriya and visit a turtle hatchery on the south coast.
Finish at the Dutch-walled port of Galle before Colombo.
River Bengal first, then the best of Sri Lanka
This twenty-three-day journey begins on the water and ends in the hills, pairing the Lower Ganges with the very best of Sri Lanka. Aboard the boutique Scenic Aura you first cruise the Hooghly through colonial Bengal, past Nawabi palaces, terracotta temples and the old European river towns, ending in Kolkata. Then you fly south to Sri Lanka for an ultimate island tour: the UNESCO cities of the cultural triangle, the astonishing rock fortress of Sigiriya, the sacred hill capital of Kandy, a scenic train into emerald tea country, and the Dutch-walled port of Galle on the golden south coast. Ultra-luxury throughout, with heritage stays and safaris along the way, it is India’s river soul and Sri Lanka’s serendipity in one grand arc.
Itinerary highlights
Cruise the Lower Ganges through colonial Bengal aboard the boutique, all-inclusive Scenic Aura.
Take High Tea at Kathgola Palace and trace the Danish, Dutch and French river towns.
Explore Sri Lanka's UNESCO cultural triangle: Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla.
Climb the Sigiriya rock fortress and visit Kandy's Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Ride a scenic train into the emerald tea country and stay among the plantations.
Safari for elephants in Minneriya and visit a turtle hatchery on the south coast.
Finish at the Dutch-walled port of Galle before Colombo.
What's Included
- 23-day river cruise and land tour: a suite aboard Scenic Aura, then luxury/heritage hotels in Sri Lanka
- Lower Ganges cruise fully all-inclusive: meals, beverages, service and gratuities
- 3 Scenic Enrich experiences (High Tea at Kathgola Palace, Kandyan dance dinner, and more) and Freechoice excursions
- Sri Lanka touring with UNESCO sites, a Minneriya safari and the scenic Kandy-to-Hatton train
- 2 Scenic Special Stays and heritage/boutique properties in Sri Lanka
- Domestic flights and transfers within the itinerary; airport transfers
What's Included
- 23-day river cruise and land tour: a suite aboard Scenic Aura, then luxury/heritage hotels in Sri Lanka
- Lower Ganges cruise fully all-inclusive: meals, beverages, service and gratuities
- 3 Scenic Enrich experiences (High Tea at Kathgola Palace, Kandyan dance dinner, and more) and Freechoice excursions
- Sri Lanka touring with UNESCO sites, a Minneriya safari and the scenic Kandy-to-Hatton train
- 2 Scenic Special Stays and heritage/boutique properties in Sri Lanka
- Domestic flights and transfers within the itinerary; airport transfers
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FAQs
It runs the other way round to the other India voyages: the Lower Ganges cruise comes first, from Kolkata, followed by a comprehensive Sri Lanka land tour ending in Colombo. It pairs river Bengal with the best of the island.
The UNESCO cultural triangle (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla), Kandy and its Temple of the Sacred Tooth, a scenic train into the tea country with a plantation stay, an elephant safari in Minneriya, and the Dutch-walled port of Galle on the south coast.
The Ganges cruise is fully all-inclusive in the Scenic manner, and the Sri Lanka land tour includes luxury and heritage stays, guided touring and Scenic Enrich experiences. International flights and entry permits are extra.
The boutique Scenic Aura, carrying no more than 44 guests, on the Lower Ganges and Hooghly.