Brahmaputra River

About the Brahmaputra
Brahmaputra River Ports
Explore the wildlife along the Brahmaputra River of India

UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Brahmaputra River

Along the Brahmaputra River and nearby you can find these amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some will be included in your river cruise itinerary, but some may require some creative travel planning by your River Cruise Artist in order to visit.  Learn more below about these UNESCO Sites and the history you can experience when you visit them. Let River Cruise Your Way take you away to the history around the Brahmaputra River.

Historic Ensemble of The Potala Palace, Lhasa

The Potala Palace of Lhasa, Tibet, has been the winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century. It symbolizes Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet. The palace complex comprised of the White and Red Palaces and their ancillary buildings, is built on Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley, at an altitude of over 12,000 feet. Also founded in the 7th century is the Jokhang Temple Monastery. Norbulingka, the Dalai Lama’s former summer palace, constructed in the 18th century, is also a masterpiece of Tibetan art. The beauty of the architecture of these three sites with their rich ornamentation and harmonious integration into the striking landscape, add to their historic and religious interest. Tibet is often offered as a pre- or post-extension to Brahmaputra or Ganges River cruises.

Kaziranga National Park

In the heart of Assam and on the shores of the shallow Brahmaputra River, this national park is one of the last areas in eastern India virtually undisturbed by humans. It is inhabited by the world’s largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals, including tigers, elephants, panthers and bears, and thousands of birds of hundreds of species. You will be sure to see many of the wildlife species as you cruise along the river enjoying your Brahmaputra River safari.

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary

The Manas Wildlife Sanctuary is a national park of India and a must visit spot for wildlife enthusiasts, who want to witness diverse species thriving in their own natural habitat. The park boasts of an immense assortment of flora and fauna including elephant, rhinoceros and tigers. This park is also a preferred habitat for golden Langur, red panda and many other exotic animal species. There are more than 55 species of mammals in Manas including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant. Manas is a short drive away from the Brahmaputra lying on one of the tributaries originating in the Himalayas of Bhutan.

Ruins of The Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur

The Teesta River forms from the Himalayas of Tibet and flows past the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur before it meets the Brahmaputra headed for the Indian Ocean. Near its banks lies evidence of the rise of Mahayana Buddhism in the Bengal region from as early as the 7th century. This Somapura Mahavira, or Great Monastery, was a prominent intellectual center even until the 12th century. This city-monastery illustrates a unique artistic achievement. With its harmonious architectural lines and its abundance of carved adornments, the Vihara of Paharpur influenced Buddhist architecture throughout the region and as far away as Cambodia.

Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat

Not far from where the Brahmaputra meets the Ganges or Padma and the Meghna Rivers as they flow through the lowland Ganges Delta into the Indian Ocean lies the regional district of Bagerhat, Bangladesh. This ancient city area was once known as Khalifatabad and was founded by the Turkish general Ulugh Khan Jahan in the 15th century. The city’s infrastructure shows considerable technical skill for the time and region as well as a very high number of mosques and early Islamic monuments. There is evidence of the early use of brick in the architecture of Bagerhat. The historic Sixty-Dome Mosque has become the symbol of the rich cultural heritage of the Bagerhat district.

The Sundarbans

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, one of the largest such forests in the world at almost 350,000 acres, lies on the Ganges Delta where the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Meghna and other rivers meet the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. The Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh lies adjacent to India’s Sundarbans National Park World Heritage site. This lowland forest is intersected by a vast network of tidal waterways, mudflats and small islands that are home to the salt-tolerant mangrove trees and presents an inspiring example of untouched and ongoing ecological development. The region around the Mangrove Forest is known for its vast array of wildlife, including more than 250 species of Birds, the infamous Bengal tiger, as well as other threatened or endangered species such as the estuarine crocodile and the Indian python.

The Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans National Park of India lies in the lowland area of the Ganges Delta where many rivers originating in the Himalayas meet the Bay of Bengal in the Indian Ocean. The Sundarbans covers a total of 3,800 square miles of land and water with a majority lying in India, and the rest in neighboring Bangladesh. The Sundarbans National Park is home to the world’s largest area of mangrove forests. There are a number of rare or endangered species that call the park their home, including tigers, aquatic mammals, various birds and reptiles.

Your Brahmaputra River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Brahmaputra River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.