India · CRUISES & BOAT TOURS
Good cruises & boat tours fill up weeks ahead; the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Sunrise Ganges cruise, Kashi Vishwanath, BHU, Sarnath, silk weaving, and evening Ganga Aarti with private A/C transport.
“I had a great day with Shivam exploring everything Varanasi has to offer. Shivam has a lot of local knowledge and always makes sure you are enjoying your experience.”
Motorless backwater cruise from Fort Cochin with a village visit for coir and coconut weaving, plus a filling vegetarian lunch.
“Nice relaxing tour of the backwaters, informative guide, and a tasty vegetarian meal to finish.”
Glide through Kerala backwaters on a non-motorized punting boat from Kochi to Vaikom, with village craft, banana leaf lunch, tea.
“It was an amazing experience from start to finish. The boat ride was peaceful and beautiful, the lunch was delicious, and the activities were thoughtfully planned. The people running the tour, and everyone working behind the scenes, were incRead more”
Sunrise Ganges boat from Assi Ghat with Arti and havan. Pass about 55 ghats, then visit Manikarnika cremation ghat with an English guide.
“Me & my wife were recommended by one of our friends for the fantastic guide Karan. We were picked on time and we saw the arti and had great sunrise boat tour. Whole city looked very scenic & lovely. Sunrise was absolutely stunning. We had a great morning. One must do it once if in Varanasi.”
Private tuk-tuk tour in Kochi from cruise terminals, $11 per person, with Fort Kochi sights, Chinese nets, churches, synagogue, laundry.
“Navas met us at the cruise terminal. He was easy to find. He asked what we'd like to do and see and was very helpful. He listened to our wishes. We had a smashing tour with. He went above and beyond an even stopped at a florist store to finRead more”
Cruise-ready tuk-tuk sightseeing through Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, with Chinese fishing nets, churches, palaces, Jew Town, and spice shopping.
“Picked us up right on time and showed us everything we could want. Spoke very good English and was very knowledgeable. Overall a very good experience, great value and highly recommended”
Private Kochi tuk-tuk shore excursion with cruise pickup, Fort Kochi sights, Mattancherry Palace, synagogues and markets. 3 to 4 hours.
“We paid for things that were not included such as water and entry to the Dutch Palace. It seemed to be a blatant money grab, just taking us to stores where he got kickbacks for taking us there. Only a couple of highlights, we would steer well clear next time.”
Private Kochi tuk-tuk shore trip with cruise pickup and a relaxed route through Fort Kochi sights for about 3-4 hours.
“Very informative guide, enjoyable tour. Take plenty of water, to keep hydrated. 3-4 hours is enough on a tuktuk. The roads are very busy but our quite was very experienced”
Cruise-ship day in Kochi by tuk tuk. Fort Kochi to Mattancherry churches, fishing nets, spice market, and synagogues with pickup.
“Excellent, driver was extremely helpful and very good English. We had a great day. Throughly recommended”
Private full-day Udaipur sights in an A/C car, City Palace and temples, lake views at Fatehsagar, and optional sunset boat on Lake Pichola.
“It was really a great day. our guide was attentive, informative, helpful and arranged everything for us. if you look for a tour that includes everything and want to learn something about Rajahstan and Udaipur look no further.”
Half-day non-mechanized backwater cruise from Fort Cochin to Vaikom with village canals, vegetarian lunch on banana leaves, and round-trip transfers.
“A very relaxing way to enjoy the backwaters of Kerala if you do not have the time to go on a houseboat journey. The canal afternoon with Kerala vegetarian lunch was such a unique experience. We saw the versatile way the coconut has been used in a local village from stringing coconut hemp cord to making coconut leaf roof and, making coconut broom sticks. Seeing the simple way of life reminds us to cherish nature. It is very relaxing and educational even for a iPad loving 6-yr old. Gladly recommend this for families who need a tech time out afternoon.”
Private sunrise boat tour on the Ganga from Dashashwamedh Ghat. Major ghats, cremation sites, chai, water, and narration.
“Great experience! Our guide explained to us serious interesting things about Varanasi, the rituals, the life, the Hinduism.”
Private Kochi tuk-tuk shore tour with cruise pickup, Fort Kochi highlights, free-entry stops, and photo help, in about 4 to 5 hours.
“A great Tuk Tuk tour with Siddique, he couldn’t do enough for us. Visited the hotspots as advertised, would highly recommend this tour.”
Private Varanasi tour with AC car, sunrise Ganges boat, Sarnath sights, and evening Ganga Aarti, plus guide, tea, and bottled water.
“Our Varanasi walking tour with you was good. Your deep knowledge of the city's history and culture truly enriched our experience. We appreciated your friendly and approachable nature, which made us feel comfortable and welcome throughout. efficient time management ensured we got the most out of our visit without feeling rushed. Thank you for making our tour memorable and insightful.”
Private guided Kochi tuk-tuk tour with cruise pickup. Chinese fishing nets, churches, Dutch Palace and Jewish sites, plus spice markets.
“The Dutch Palace and the Chinese fishing nets. The every day life of the people. The food that they eat and how they obtain it.”
Pick a city or pick a kind of day, and read the reviews before you book.
![Varanasi Morning Boat Tour [RowBoat] - Banaras Ghats from the river: the morning layers you don’t get from the street](https://img4.indiareviewed.com/wp-content/uploads/varanasi-morning-boat-tour-rowboat.jpg)
