Assam Bengal Navigation

Assam Bengal Navigation A conscious luxury collection of small ships, boats and safari lodges along the Ganges & Brahmaputra ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION are pioneers in this exploration.

Anyone who has travelled by train or plane through India, or who has been driven on Indian roads, will be amazed to learn that there is actually a way to travel through the country in total serenity and comfort. Yet it is in fact possible to cruise for some 1750 miles on the rivers and inland waterways of India, passing through great cities, alongside wildlife sanctuaries and historical monuments

and into the heart of rural India. ASSAM BENGAL NAVIGATION is an Indo-British joint venture, with offices in Assam, Bengal and UK. With 3 privately owned cruise ships, we are the largest and most experienced operator on Indian rivers. In 2003 ABN pioneered long-distance river cruising in India with our unique cruises on the River Brahmaputra in Assam, and in 2007 we were also the first to run cruises on the River Hugli (also known as lower Ganges) between Kolkata and the Ganges. We were awarded the Indian National Tourism Award for Innovation in 2004-5. Experience counts for everything here, and our expertise in the field of river cruising on both waterways is unrivalled. Our first luxury river boat, the “ABN Charaidew”, with 12 air-conditoned en-suite cabins was joined in 2006 by her near-identical sister ship “ABN Sukapha”. Cruises operate in Assam from October to April, and in Bengal virtually all through the year. Our fleet has increased with the launch of “ABN Rajmahal” in February 2014, a 22-cabin boat specifically designed for water levels on the Ganges.

Sailing into 2026 ⚓️Through mist and quiet waters, with bountiful joy and a deep sense of purpose surrounded by the magi...
05/01/2026

Sailing into 2026 ⚓️
Through mist and quiet waters, with bountiful joy and a deep sense of purpose surrounded by the magic of nature and culture of the two navigable Himalayan rivers.

As our ships moves forward, we do so knowing a brilliant cruising season lies ahead - shaped by discovery, meaningful journeys, and moments that stay with you long after the river bends away.

Here’s to new horizons, unhurried travel, and all that awaits in the year to come.

Our Himalayan River season is in full splendour on both the Brahmaputra and the Ganges - welcoming travellers seeking au...
19/11/2025

Our Himalayan River season is in full splendour on both the Brahmaputra and the Ganges - welcoming travellers seeking authentic discovery, guided with warmth by our incredible local crew.

We were recently featured in a brilliant piece by Joshua Hammer in the Smithsonian Magazine (September - October 2025 is...
13/11/2025

We were recently featured in a brilliant piece by Joshua Hammer in the Smithsonian Magazine (September - October 2025 issue) recounts his river journey into the heart of India aboard our boutique expedition ship,
ABN Rajmahal - specially designed to explore the Ganges. In it, he takes readers on a deep dive into the gripping, often shrewd history of colonial India, and shows how the enduring cultural richness of Bengal India continues to rise above it all.



Traveling down a river in West Bengal reveals the enduring imprint of empire—and the soul of a region shaped by centuries of change

The last four days, Assam has been on a standstill because of the death of Zubeen Garg - our most beloved singer, compos...
23/09/2025

The last four days, Assam has been on a standstill because of the death of Zubeen Garg - our most beloved singer, composer and cultural icon who carried the sound of Assam far beyond its borders.

He didn’t just sing; he shone a light on all of us, giving voice to our valleys, rivers and spirit. His passing has brought together what is being called the fourth-largest public gathering in the world - an unprecedented farewell that has united our people in grief and gratitude.

It’s a powerful reminder that music and dance brings all of us together, across boundaries and generations.

Just as it has always united the monks of Majuli in Assam, seen in the last video captured so beautifully by Catherine.
Copyright - Catherine Marciniak

Along the mighty Brahmaputra, the national parks burst with life, sheltering an astonishing diversity of wild beings. On...
11/09/2025

Along the mighty Brahmaputra, the national parks burst with life, sheltering an astonishing diversity of wild beings. On our river cruises, nature in all its raw, unspoiled glory takes centre stage and that we ⚓️

Photo credits 🙏




As you bask in the comfort of your boutique river cruise ship - ABN Rajmahal, watch the soulful beauty of India unfold a...
28/08/2025

As you bask in the comfort of your boutique river cruise ship - ABN Rajmahal, watch the soulful beauty of India unfold along its great Himalayan rivers - a living tapestry of heritage, spirit, colour, and everyday life.


On this mighty Himalayan river, ours are the only small ships to tread gently (lahé), moving slowly (lahé), in harmony w...
22/08/2025

On this mighty Himalayan river, ours are the only small ships to tread gently (lahé), moving slowly (lahé), in harmony with its flow.

‘Lahé’ means gently, slow in our Assamese language. This is our Lahé life that we ⚓️




Life here continues as it always does - steady and familiar. At times, isolated incidents in far-off areas are amplified...
22/06/2025

Life here continues as it always does - steady and familiar.

At times, isolated incidents in far-off areas are amplified in ways that can give an outsized impression of risk across the whole country. Those who look beyond such advisories and sensational headlines often find a reality that feels far more measured and grounded.




Our longtime ship crew are the heart of who we are - true ambassadors of our company, our rivers, and our home that we  ...
26/04/2025

Our longtime ship crew are the heart of who we are - true ambassadors of our company, our rivers, and our home that we ⚓️

Where Assamese heritage finds its rhythm on the river - a la Charaidew ⚓️   that we   designed by our 2nd gen steward - ...
19/04/2025

Where Assamese heritage finds its rhythm on the river - a la Charaidew ⚓️

that we designed by our 2nd gen steward - our very own creative head Antara Phookan
⚓️

Address

Guwahati
781003

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 7pm
Tuesday 11am - 7pm
Wednesday 11am - 7pm
Thursday 11am - 7pm
Friday 11am - 7pm

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Assam Bengal Navigation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Assam Bengal Navigation:

Share

Category