Destinations / West Bengal (Kolkata, Farakka & the Hooghly)

West Bengal (Kolkata, Farakka & the Hooghly)

1 itinerary · 0 open departures · 0 missions

West Bengal is an eastern Indian state stretching from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the Sundarbans delta in the south, with the Hooghly River — a distributary of the Ganges — threading through its heartland. Kolkata, the state capital and former seat of British India, is renowned for its colonial architecture, vibrant arts scene, and literary heritage, drawing travellers eager to explore its grand ghats, tram-lined streets, and legendary street food. The Hooghly corridor connects a string of historic river towns, including Farakka near the great Farakka Barrage that regulates flow across the Ganges basin. West Bengal attracts independent travellers, history buffs, and culture seekers drawn to its rich Bengali culture, Durga Puja festivals, and diverse landscapes.

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Itineraries

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Save £1,590 (72% off)

£2,200 retail with G Adventures → £610 self-launched

West Bengal (Kolkata, Farakka & the Hooghly) · 9 days

Copycat

Ganges River & Colonial Bengal — Self-Launched

A DIY version of G Adventures' 9-day Ganges river cruise, replacing the private riverboat with a land-based route along the Hooghly using Indian Railways, cycle rickshaws, shared autos and ferries. You'll still see the terracotta temples of Baranagar and Kalna, Hazarduari Palace in Murshidabad, the brassworking village of Matiari, Mayapur's Hare Krishna temple, the Plassey battlefield and the French colonial streets of Chandannagar — just based in cheap guesthouses instead of a cruise cabin. Trains here are slow and characterful; book them a day or two ahead on IRCTC, and expect long days of village-hopping. Costs are approximate backpacker rates.

cultureslow-travelbudget

Travel Crew

~£610

Missions

Nobody's posted a Mission for West Bengal (Kolkata, Farakka & the Hooghly) yet — which, frankly, is an opportunity.

Wait, what's a Mission?It's not a scheduled trip with dates and a minimum group size like a Departure — it's a goal. Learn to dive, do a Muay Thai camp, live somewhere for a month and work on something, chase one very specific experience. Post it, and other people chasing the same thing find you.

Be the first to post one: "Find the most locally-hated tourist trap and go anyway, unironically, in a costume."

Post the first West Bengal (Kolkata, Farakka & the Hooghly) Mission →

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