ABN Rajmahal
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ABN River Cruises
Assam & Bengal, India
India on her two mighty rivers.
A pioneer of river cruises in India since 2003, Assam Bengal Navigation offers discerning travellers an immersive experience of culture, wildlife, history, and life along two of the Subcontinent’s greatest rivers – the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. ABN was the first to place Indian long-distance river cruises on the 'World River-Cruising' map, alongside the likes of the Nile, the Amazon, the Yangtze, and European river cruises.
India’s layered landscapes and cultural diversity mean that travellers are always going to experience something new, something not quite like what they may have seen in other parts of the country. In East India, discover a new way to travel: glide gently down thousand kilometres of waterways on the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers aboard restored heritage river boats, as they take you to sanctuaries teeming with wildlife, living vultures, remnants of colonial heritage along the riverbanks, and into the heart and hearth of rural India.
Operational Period
Open throughout the Year as per indiviudal schedules
Contact RARE Team for Rates
Contact RARE Team for Rates
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What you would love
Discover India from a rare vantage point as you sail its great rivers - the Ganges and the Brahmaputra - glimpsing the timeless rhythms of life along their storied banks. These cruises are perfect for slow travellers, culture connoisseurs, wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and those who seek India beyond the obvious - through history, riverscapes, and living traditions.
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Your Stay at ABN River Cruises, Assam & Bengal
All vessels operated by Assam Bengal Navigation are fully air-conditioned and feature a saloon and bar, a dining room, a spa, and generous sundecks. Cabins are spacious, individually climate-controlled, with ensuite bathrooms, ample storage, and large sliding glass windows for panoramic river views even from your bed. ABN operates six vessels on the Ganges and the Brahmaputra, each with some individual features depending on its cruise route specific to the river and region.
M.V. Rudra Singha 1 & 2
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ABN Sukapha
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ABN Charaidew II
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Perfectly RARE
Explore quiet backroads by bicycle, on foot or rickshaws through rural West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam, far from the familiar. And if you're on the Brahmaputra, ask the crew to wake you before dawn — the river in early morning light, mist still on the water, is the journey's golden hour.
Destination
India’s layered landscapes and cultural diversity ensure that every journey reveals something unexpected. In East India, a gentler way of travel unfolds - gliding along thousands of kilometres of waterways on the Ganges and Brahmaputra aboard restored river boats, drifting past wildlife sanctuaries, colonial echoes along the banks, and into the living heart of rural India.
The Ganges cruises aboard the boutique ABN Rajmahal are a cultural passage: dawn-lit ghats, terracotta temples, riverbank rituals and market towns unfold ashore, while onboard briefings and guided walks bring history, local crafts and temple life to the fore. These itineraries focus on intimate cultural encounters - Varanasi’s sunrise ceremonies, towns once french or dutch colonies and riverside communities that live and work off the river.
The Brahmaputra voyages move through old riverine villages, silk-weaving hamlets and the vast, wild margins of Assam; think Majuli’s monasteries, tea towns around Jorhat, and direct access to Kaziranga for rhino and elephant safaris. ABN’s Sukapha and Charaidew ships are designed for these shallow, changeable waters and pair village visits and naturalist-led wildlife excursions with immersive local culture.
ABN Charaidew II
ABN Charaidew II is a larger and newer ship with an extra-shallow draught and a lower profile, allowing the ship to cruise faster. As a larger vessel, the 18 cabins are split over two levels with two deluxe cabins that come with a private balcony, twelve twin/double cabins on the upper deck, and four cabins on the main deck that come with French balconies. The ship additionally has a salon, bar, dining room, large sundeck, gym, and a small spa.
ABN Sukapha
ABN Sukapha navigates on the Brahmaputra and has twelve cabins with large sliding windows on the upper deck, along with a spa, saloon, library, sundeck, and dining room.
ABN Rajmahal
ABN Rajmahal has been built with an extra-shallow draught and a lower profile, thus allowing the ship to cruise further upstream. The largest in the fleet, it has 22 cabins that feature French balconies. Fourteen twin/double cabins are located on the upper deck, four twin/double and four single cabins are on the main deck.
M.V. Rudra Singha II
M.V. Rudra Singha II is another houseboat designed to house up to five adults. It includes two twin-bedded rooms and a living room that can be closed off to accommodate one more person. Two private bathrooms are adjacent to the rooms.
M.V. Rudra Singha
M.V. Rudra Singha is a houseboat ideal for a couple, with space to accommodate two children if required. Operating on the Brahmaputra, this boat offers the flexibility of creating one’s own itinerary with access to some remote locations and customising activities based on interest.
Know Your Host
ABN is a family venture in the fullest sense. Andrew Brock, Chairman, first came to India after Eton and Oxford on a travel scholarship; he ran his own India travel company, Andrew Brock Travel, from 1981 before co-founding ABN. Ashish Phookan brought an intimate knowledge of Assam — Diphlu River Lodge at Kaziranga was his childhood home. Jahnabi Phookan's work in sustainable livelihoods especially crafts and textiles for rural women shaped ABN's community model from the start; she has also served as National President of FICCI's women's wing, FLO. Their daughter Antara, after a decade in tourism and technology across France, Spain, and the UK, has redesigned the fleet using indigenous materials and vernacular aesthetics — bamboo panels, handloom textiles, hand-blocked cottons — working directly with rural artisans. The crew and staff across all ships and lodges are recruited locally and trained in-house. More than half have been with ABN for over a decade.
Dining
On board, expert chefs prepare fresh regional Indian and Continental cuisine, while afternoons drift by on the sundeck with a classic G&T and waves exchanged with schoolchildren looking towards the river, excited by the ships. Complimentary garden-fresh loose-leaf tea from Assam and coffee are served with homemade cookies, alongside a well-curated selection of wines, spirits, and beer.
Experience
Cruising on the Ganges Itineraries run from three to fifteen nights, sailing from Kolkata past terracotta temples, Mughal ruins, Nawabi palaces, and colonial-era towns. The route takes in Murshidabad, the capital of the Nawabs of Bengal and one of the best-preserved 18th-century cities in India; Chandernagore, the French colonial riverside town that remained under French administration until 1950; the intricately carved temples of Kalna; and the medieval Islamic ruins of Gaur. From August to September, when water levels permit, ABN Rajmahal extends its reach to Varanasi — the only operator to do so. Guests return by rail, adding the quintessential Indian train journey to the itinerary.
The Brahmaputra’s Spell was named by CNN as the world's ten most adventurous cruises. Itineraries run four to fourteen nights from Dibrugarh or Jorhat, moving downstream through Sibsagar (the old capital of the Ahom kings), Majuli Island (the world's largest river island, home to Hindu monastic communities and their Sattriya dance traditions), Kaziranga National Park, Assam tea estates, and the silk-weaving village of Sualkuchi. Morning jeep safaris at Kaziranga virtually guarantee sightings of one-horned rhinos; elephants, wild buffalo, Gangetic dolphins, and occasionally tigers are spotted from the river itself. The final leg arrives at Guwahati, gateway to Northeast India. Throughout, barbecues on river islands of shifting sands, village walks, dance performances, visits to craft workshops, and the particular quiet of a river morning in Assam.
Explore Around
Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary
For wildlife enthusiasts, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is an unmissable day excursion, famed for its remarkable density of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Jeep and elephant safaris offer thrilling close-up sightings, alongside rich birdlife, leopards, and wild buffalo, blending adventure with meaningful insight into local conservation efforts.
Brahmaputra River Cruises
Cruising the Brahmaputra reveals a tapestry of dramatic landscapes and living culture, drifting between remote villages and vibrant towns across Northeast India, with chances to explore tribal life, historic sites, and rich wildlife along the way.
Ganges River Cruises
A journey along the Ganges offers an intimate window into India’s living soul, sailing upstream from Kolkata to the sacred city of Varanasi. En route, guests step ashore in historic towns to wander ancient temples, vibrant bazaars, and lingering colonial architecture, while life unfolds along the riverbanks in daily rituals of prayer, work, and renewal.
