Sundarbans, journey to the heart of the mangrove

€800 per person

After a visit of Kolkata’s main centres of interest, this trip will lead us to a two-day cruise in the heart of the mangrove forest to meet the people of the delta and, with fingers crossed, capture a glimpse of a magnificent royal tiger.

The Sundarbans mangrove is located in the Bay of Bengal delta and is formed by the confluence of the rivers Padma, Brahmaputra and Meghan. It covers 10,000 km2, including 6,000 km2 in Bangladesh. The site is traversed by a complex network of streams fluctuating with tides, mud flats, small islands and mangrove forests.

Sundarbans are known for their rich fauna: nearly 300 different types of birds, several endangered species such as the Ganges and Irawadi dolphins, estuarine crocodiles and endemic terrapin (Batagur baska). However, the king of the Sundarbans is undeniably the royal tiger of Bengal, a species that lives mainly in India. It is also found in Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Burma. With a population of barely 2,000 tigers and in constant decline, the Royal Bengal Tiger is on the long list of endangered species.

The Sundarbans region has about a hundred individuals.

customise this trip

You may also like...

PHOTO / FESTIVAL

Kenduli mela, the festival of Baul minstrels €900

A 7-day cultural Journey to Kolkata and to the village of Jaydev Kenduli, during the Kenduli Mela or Baul's festival, the last minstrels of India. Their songs of devotion are a feast for the eyes as well as the ears!

7 days

PHOTO / FESTIVAL

Kolkata during the Durga Puja festival €950

Photo-tour of Kolkata (Calcutta) during the festivities of Durga Puja, the biggest festival of West Bengal. Visit of the ephemeral temples (pandals) as well as the Bonedis, the old aristocratic houses of the city.

6 days

WILDLIFE

Sundarbans, journey to the heart of the mangrove €800

A two-day cruise in the Sundarbans in West-Bengal (via the cultural Kolkata), one of the world's largest mangroves, to meet the people and wildlife of the delta and look for the king of the Sundarbans, the royal Bengal tiger.

5 days

Day 1

Arrival in Kolkata

Namasté. We welcome you warmly at the airport of Kolkata and bring you to your hotel. Overnight in Kolkata.

Day 2

Visit of Kolkata

In the morning, we will start the Kolkata tour with the district of "Chowringhee": the Victoria Memorial and right next to Saint Paul's Cathedral, the Indian Museum and the house of Mother Theresa. Then we will go to Kalighat, one of the most famous temples in Kolkata dedicated to the fierce Hindu goddess Kali.

Day 3

Kolkata - Godkhali Jetty

Early morning, we leave for Godkhali Jetty and board on our boat. Lunch will be served on board. In the afternoon you will visit the Sundarbans Museum and the Mangrove Center in Sajnekhali. The cruise will continue towards the Pakhir Bird Sanctuary, upstream from the Gomadi River. There you can observe the birds and admire the sun setting over the calm waters of the mangrove. We will continue to Pakhiralay Island where you can visit a small typical market. The boat will anchor there. In the evening, a dance performance will be given by the indigenous peoples of the island.

Day 4

Sundarbans Tour

On this day, the cruise will start at 6 am and will take the direction of Dobanki, the furthest point south of the sanctuary. Breakfast will be served en route. After reaching Dobanki, you can admire the density of the forest by walking in the canopy. We will then sail through many islands, such as Gazikhal, Pirkhali, through narrow canals and then dive deeper into the forest for a chance to see the rich Sundarbans fauna, especially the Royal Bengal Tigers. We will anchor in Pakhiralaya for the night.

Day 5

Sundarbans - Kolkata

We will leave early in the morning towards Sudhanyakhali. We will sail deeper into the forest to the creeks of Sarakkhali and Banobibi Bharani and reach the Sudhanyakhali watchtower. Then we will begin to slowly return to Godkhali. Return to Kolkata by car. End of the trip. Looking forward to meeting you again. Namaste.