India’s rivers have always served as a lifeblood for the country. The Ganges has been a center of trade and devotion for centuries, the Brahmaputra feeds tea estates and wildlife-rich floodplains, and Kerala’s canals knit together fishing towns and rice paddies. Yet though they’ve shaped civilizations, India’s inland waterways have largely been a blind spot on the global cruise map.
That’s beginning to change. The government is pushing to invest in terminals and waterways that are suitable for overnight passenger cruising; for example, its Cruise Bharat Mission aims to position India as a premier global river-cruising destination by developing 51 river-cruise paths on waterways from the Ganges to the Godavari. International lines are scouting less-crowded waters, and more cruise companies are setting their sights on India than ever before.
In recent months, a range of cruise companies, from small expedition-style specialists to luxury operators, have announced plans to sail India’s riverways. Here are a few we’re particularly excited about.
National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions’ new India itineraries will bring guests to Bandhavgarh National Park, where they will have the opportunity to spot Royal Bengal tigers.
Photo by Lakshmi Narasimha/Unsplash
National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions
Starting in March 2026, National Geographic–Lindblad Expeditions will launch its first two India itineraries. Each includes sailing the Brahmaputra River in northeastern India aboard the Charaidew II, a 17-cabin vessel in the brand’s charter fleet.
The 18-day option, called “India by Land and River: Taj Mahal, Safaris, and the Brahmaputra,” begins with a jeep safari in Bandhavgarh National Park, an important ecosystem for Asian elephants and Royal Bengal tigers. After, cruisers spend time in Agra, home to the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. From there, the journey shifts to the river, where travelers can visit tea estates, explore river islands, and scan the forests of Kaziranga National Park for one-horned rhinoceroses. Prices begin at $22,122 per person.
The 11-day “India Expedition: Kolkata, Kaziranga, and the Brahmaputra River” trip focuses on Kolkata’s colonial architecture and bustling markets before pushing upriver (the on-the-water part of the itinerary is the same for each). Prices start at $12,124 per person.
On Water Expeditions
The Hooghly River weaves through the Indian state of West Bengal from the Ganges, its parent river, to the sea, through a landscape lined with mustard fields and mango orchards. In November 2025, On Water Expeditions, part of World Expeditions, will launch its first sailing on the tributary.
The Australia-based adventure travel company’s trips will be aboard the ABN Rajmahal, a riverboat with 22 cabins (including four single cabins). During the eight-day cruise, guests will visit the terra-cotta temples in Kalna, the Nawabi palaces of Murshidabad, the Mughal gardens of Khushbagh, the haunting ruins of Gaur, and Mayapur’s sprawling Hare Krishna complex. Prices start at $3,710 per person.
Head to India’s tropical Malabar Coast to explore Kerala from the comfort of a well-appointed passenger ship, courtesy of Pandaw.
Photo by Miguel Baixau/Unsplash
Pandaw
Asia-based river cruise specialist Pandaw already sails several itineraries along India’s inland waterways, including on the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. However, in October 2025, the company will launch a new handcrafted riverboat with 10 staterooms, called the RV Kochi Pandaw, which will navigate the interconnected brackish lagoons, lakes, rivers, and canals of Kerala’s backwaters, an area often called the “Venice of India.”
The seven-night loop begins in Kochi, where travelers can wander spice-scented markets and colonial synagogues before slipping into the quieter canals. Along the way, guests might watch kingfishers dart through palm groves, pause at the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary, or step ashore to see traditional boat builders at work. Prices begin at $5,445 per person.
Uniworld’s Ganges Voyager II is one of the most luxurious vessels you can currently sail on in India.
Courtesy of Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Uniworld
Launched in 2023, Uniworld’s India’s Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges river cruise is a 13‑day journey from New Delhi to Kolkata. Cruisers spend time aboard the elegant Ganges Voyager II, a ship with 28 luxury suites that was built specifically for the river.
The itinerary starts with five days focused on the sights of the north-central region of India (including the Taj Mahal and the “Pink City” of Jaipur). Then, travelers settle on the ship for eight days to visit communities along the Ganges River, such as Matiari, a village known for its brass artisans, and Kalna, home to the astonishing Rajbari temple complex. Prices begin at $7,279 per person.
Uniworld also offers a 16-day cruise and rail itinerary in India called “Cruise + Rail: The Sacred Ganges & the Maharajas’ Express.” The trip starts with a seven-night sailing, followed by a six-night luxury private train journey through the Golden Triangle and on to Rajasthan and Mumbai.
Viking’s forthcoming India itineraries will include time in Kaziranga National Park, where travelers can look out for greater one-horned rhinos.
Som Moulick/Shutterstock
Viking
Viking, known for its sleek Scandinavian river ships in Europe, will make its India debut in late 2027 with the Viking Brahmaputra, an 80-guest vessel purpose-built for sweeping through the shallow waters between Guwahati and Nimati Ghat in the northeastern state of Assam. Its 15-day “Wonders of India” itinerary combines the Golden Triangle—Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur—with eight nights on the river.
On land, travelers tick off icons like Jaipur’s Palace of Winds; on the river, they’ll see Guwahati’s temple, scan their surroundings for wildlife at Kaziranga National Park, and meet the mask-makers of Majuli, the world’s largest river island. Prices begin at $7,999 per person.
