INDIA
India’s standout days.
Our pick of the 15 best cruises & boat tours in India: what you actually see, how long each one runs, and what you can expect to pay.
Quiet non-mechanized Cochin backwaters cruise with a coir village stop and vegetarian banana-leaf lunch, plus pickup options from Fort Cochin.
Most Popular“Great guide! Delicious lunch. Easy transportation.”
Cochin to Alleppey shikara cruise: 3 hours gliding through Kerala backwaters with villages, palms, and paddy fields, with port pickup.
“Really enjoyable day. Both driver and shikira driver were lovely. Would def recommend to anyone wanting to see the allepy backwaters.”
Private shikara + village stop on Alleppey backwaters, with bird spotting and sunset options for about $16 per person.
“Lovely experience, we were very happy. Saw lots of birds. Offered to stop for lunch but because we had eaten they were happy to keep going and it wasn’t imposed. Would recommend!”
Private overnight houseboat cruise from Kochi to Alappuzha backwaters, with AC cabin, 3 Kerala meals, scenic village cruising, and easy transfers.
“Had a magical day on the Aleppey Backwaters! We were picked up from Fort Kochi by our driver and had a comfortable 2 hour ride to the office and our starting point. On the boat, we got 3 delicious meals, the beds were VERY comfortable and one highlight was also that we had the chance…”
Private Cochin–Alleppey houseboat cruise with a slow backwater ride, Keralan lunch, pickup service, and a $85 per person price.
“It was very enjoyable and peaceful. The food was excellent. However it was very expensive and next time I would have looked for a lower price option.”
Private 3-hour Alleppey shikara with sunset backwaters, a village shore stop, and a Kerala meal option for about $21.
“The Alleppey backwaters are mesmerising!”
Private Kochi tuk-tuk shore tour with cruise pickup to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry highlights, led by an English guide.
“We liked exploring the city via tuktuk. The driver took us to shops he had arranged deals with, for example we went to a spice shop and on the opposite side of the road a different spice shop offered the same wares at half price. In one instant the shop owner wanted to kick out…”
A 4-hour Udaipur tour with a private City Palace and Jagdish Temple guide, plus a shared boat ride on Lake Pichola.
“Well organised and relaxing. Flexible with timing and picking up further out. Very beautiful lakes, mountains, palace and temple. Guide was authentic and gave good and lots of info.”
Goa dinner cruise on the Mandovi with live DJ, AC dance floor, veg/non-veg buffet, magic show, traditional dances, and optional hotel transfer.
“The experience was less about dinner and more like attending an Indian wedding, with a guy yelling on the mic, kids dancing on stage, followed by “couples,” then “parents,” and crazy crowd. Expect long unorganized queues for everything: tickets, entrance, onboarding, food, drinks, disembarking. When the description says buffet, let me clarify — it’s not.…”
A full-day Kolkata route of temples, a Hooghly River boat ride, colonial landmarks, and Ganga Arti at Babu Ghat.
Private Hyderabad tour with Golkonda Fort, Charminar, Salar Jung Museum, Chow Mohalla Palace, plus evening boat ride on Hussain Sagar.
“Excellent choice than driving around myself. Had a really amazing experience because if guide Mohan who had good knowledge about places and recommendations. It was a perfect day and it was worth. Highly recommended.”
1.5-hour Kochi cruise past Chinese fishing nets, Mattancherry sights, and possible dolphin spotting, plus a Mattancherry walk.
“Lovely little boat trip that was just us, lovely guide. We could have also completed a walking tour but we were so hungry.”
4-hour Mandovi River dinner cruise in Goa with a Bollywood DJ, folk dance shows, buffet for veg and non-veg, and big views.
“The dinner cruise was quite crowded, and the lack of clearly defined seating made it a bit uncomfortable. The food was decent but did not stand out. Overall, the experience did not feel worth the cost for us.”
2-hour evening Ganges boat ride from Assi Ghat with an English guide, passing 55+ ghats and Manikarnika cremation views.
Fly from Delhi to Varanasi in a day for Sarnath, Kashi Vishwanath, a Ganges boat ride, and Ganga Aarti with a guide.
Every region, and every way to travel it.
