1
Day 1
Into the reserve
- Sajnekhali & Sudhanyakhali Watch Tower
- Sarak Khali
- Bonobibi Varani
- Khalisi Varani
- Sundar Khali
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Cruise the creeks of the world's largest mangrove delta
Licensed boats, forest-department guides and permits handled end to end. Departures every day from Godkhali jetty, October through March.
Daily
Departures
Oct–Mar
Best season
3 hrs
From Kolkata
12+
Years on the delta
9,400+
Guests hosted
4.8/5
Average guest rating
100%
Permits handled by us
Exclusive hotel & boatYour own boat and rooms, not a shared pool.
Experienced guide & crewLocal naturalists and a full boat crew.
Safe & secure journeyLicensed boats, life jackets, first aid.
Delicious foodFresh Bengali cooking, all meals included.
Memorable experienceTuned to the tide, not to a fixed clock.
About the delta
A forest with no roads — only tides, creeks and boats
The Sundarbans is the largest contiguous mangrove forest on earth, spread across the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta. The Indian side covers roughly 4,200 sq km, of which the tiger reserve and national park form the protected core.
Our safaris follow the permitted creek routes out of Godkhali jetty, timed to the tide rather than the clock — which is why our boats reach the watch towers before the crowds and before the forest goes quiet for the day.
We have been running trips here since 2013. Every boat is forest-department licensed and life-jacket equipped, and every departure carries an approved naturalist who grew up on these islands. Permits, meals, stays and transfers are arranged before you arrive, so the only thing you handle is turning up.
Getting here
Kolkata to Godkhali jetty is roughly 100 km — about 3 hours by road. By train, take the Sealdah South line to Canning, then a 1.5-hour road transfer. We can arrange door-to-jetty pick-up.
When to visit
October to March is the peak window: cool, dry and the best sighting odds. April to June is hot but quiet. The monsoon is green and dramatic, with some route restrictions.
Tour packages
Pick a trip, or tell us what you have in mind
Private and sharing boats on every route. Each package includes the boat, forest permits, guide and all meals. Call or send the form below for current pricing and availability.
8 to 10 Hours
Day Safari
A full day inside the reserve for travellers short on time.
On requestper person
- Godkhali jetty departure, 8–10 hours on the water
- Sajnekhali & Sudhanyakhali watch towers
- Breakfast, lunch and evening snacks on board
- Forest entry permit and guide included
- Private or sharing boat
Most popular
2 Nights / 3 Days
2 Nights / 3 Days
Our full tour — the complete route at the tide's pace.
On requestper person
- Day 1: Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali, Bonobibi Varani, Sundar Khali
- Day 2: Dobanki canopy walk, Netidhopani, inside-forest canal safari
- Day 3: Village life, Jharkhali rescue centre, Hamilton Bungalow
- Exclusive hotel and boat, experienced guide and crew
- All meals — see the full menu below
- Check-out 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Any dates
Private Boat Charter
Your own boat and crew, on a route and schedule built around you.
On requestper group
- Families, photography groups and corporate trips
- Choose your own departure date and pace
- Extra time at the towers for photographers
- Custom menu and dietary requirements
- Kolkata road transfer available as an add-on
Pricing depends on the season, group size and whether you take a private or sharing boat. Tell us your dates and we will send an exact quote.
2 Nights / 3 Days
Where the boat actually takes you
Our full tour route, day by day. Day trips cover the Day 1 stops in a single 8–10 hour run. Exact stops shift with the tide and forest department permissions.
2
Day 2
Deep forest canals
- Dobanki Watch Tower & canopy walk
- Netidhopani Watch Tower
- Chora Gazi
- Deul Varani
- Nabanki
- Panchamukhani
- Inside-forest canal safari
3
Day 3
Village life & heritage
- Local village life & heritage sightseeing
- Jharkhali rescue centre
- Hamilton Saheb Bungalow
- Bason Bungalow
Check-out: 3:30 – 4:30 pm on the final day. Private and sharing boat packages are both available on every route.
The experience
What a day on the delta actually looks like
Long slow cruises broken up by towers, walks and food. Nothing is rushed — the tide sets the pace and the forest rewards patience.
01
Creek cruising
Narrow tidal channels where the mangroves close overhead and the engine cuts to a drift. This is where the delta shows itself.
02
Watch towers
Raised hides at Sajnekhali, Sudhanyakhali and Dobanki overlooking sweet-water ponds where deer, boar and the occasional tiger come to drink.
03
Canopy walk
A 700-metre caged walkway at Dobanki that puts you at eye level with the mangrove canopy and its birdlife.
04
Village life
Walks through Gosaba and Pakhiralay — honey collectors, crab farmers and the Bonbibi shrines that anchor life on the edge of the forest.
05
Food on board
Bengali thalis cooked fresh in the boat galley: rice, dal, river fish, crab curry and payesh, served on the open deck.
06
Night skies
No city glow for a hundred kilometres. Overnight guests get a deck, a cup of tea and a sky most visitors have never seen.
Wildlife
What you may see out there
Sightings are never guaranteed in a mangrove forest — but this is what the delta holds, and what our guides put you in the best position to find.
Royal Bengal Tiger
Around 100 tigers range across the Indian Sundarbans. Sightings are luck, not schedule — dawn at the watch towers gives the best odds.
Estuarine Crocodile
The delta's largest predator, regularly seen basking on mudbanks along the wider channels at low tide.
River Dolphins
Irrawaddy and Gangetic dolphins surface in the deeper stretches near Panchamukhani and the Matla confluence.
Spotted Deer & Wild Boar
Reliable sightings from every watch tower, often in herds around the sweet-water ponds.
Birdlife
Seven kingfisher species, brahminy kites, herons, egrets, and winter waders on the mudflats from November.
The Mangroves
Sundari, Garjan, Goran and Hetal — a forest that breathes through roots pushed up above the tideline.
Why travel with us
Locally owned, licensed, and straight with you
Licensed, safety-first boats
Every vessel is forest-department registered, life-jacket equipped and carries a first-aid kit and a spare engine.
Guides who live here
Our naturalists are from Gosaba and Pakhiralay. They read the tide charts, the alarm calls and the pugmarks.
Permits handled for you
Forest entry, camera and boat permits are filed in advance. You send IDs; we do the paperwork.
No hidden costs
The quote you get includes boat, permits, guide, meals and stay. Nothing is added at the jetty.
Small groups
We cap shared departures so everyone gets deck space and a clear line of sight from the towers.
Local livelihoods
Crew, cooks, guides and lodges are all hired within the delta. Your trip stays in the community.
From our trips
Photographed on these creeks
Tigers, kingfishers, crocodiles and the boat you will travel on — all shot by guests and guides on our own departures.
Guest reviews
What travellers say when they get back
“We did the 3-day package in December and it was flawless. The boat was clean, the food was genuinely excellent, and our guide spotted a crocodile and about fifteen bird species before we'd had breakfast.”
Plan your trip
Practical things worth knowing before you come
Getting here
Kolkata to Godkhali jetty is roughly 100 km — about 3 hours by road. By train, take the Sealdah South line to Canning, then a 1.5-hour road transfer. We can arrange door-to-jetty pick-up.
When to visit
October to March is the peak window: cool, dry and the best sighting odds. April to June is hot but quiet. The monsoon is green and dramatic, with some route restrictions.
What to carry
Light cottons, a hat, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, binoculars, a power bank, and an original photo ID for every guest — IDs are mandatory for forest permits.
Good to know
Mobile coverage is patchy inside the forest. There are no ATMs past Gosaba. Alcohol is not permitted in the reserve, and drone use requires separate clearance.
FAQ
Questions we get asked most
Will we definitely see a tiger?
No operator can promise that, and you should be wary of any who does. The Sundarbans is dense mangrove and tigers are famously elusive — perhaps one trip in ten yields a sighting. What is guaranteed is crocodiles, deer, extraordinary birdlife and a forest unlike anywhere else in India.
How do I book, and what do you need from me?
Call or WhatsApp us on +91 91444 29989 or +91 75850 75387, or send the form below. We confirm availability, then share a written itinerary and quote. Once you accept, we take an advance to block the boat and permits, and we need a clear photo ID for each guest before departure.
Is it safe for children and older travellers?
Yes. Boats are stable, covered and life-jacket equipped in adult and child sizes, and the watch towers have gentle ramps or short staircases. Tell us your group's ages and we will pace the itinerary accordingly.
What is the cancellation policy?
Our current cancellation and refund terms are sent in writing with your quote, before you pay anything. Ask us when you enquire and we will spell them out for your dates — they vary a little between peak season and the quieter months.
Are meals included, and can you handle dietary needs?
All meals are included on every package — the full three-day menu is published on this page. The default is Bengali home-style cooking with fish, prawn and mutton. We handle vegetarian, Jain and no-onion-garlic requirements comfortably if you tell us at booking.
Can you organise a private or corporate trip?
Yes. We run private boat charters for families and groups on any date, and have hosted corporate offsites of up to 60 people. Send us your dates and headcount for a tailored plan.
Plan your safari
Tell us your dates — we'll send back a plan
Fill this in and we reply within one working day with an itinerary, a quote and boat availability. Prefer to talk? Call or WhatsApp us directly.
Phone+91 91444 29989Alternate phone+91 75850 75387WhatsAppOpen a chat with usEmailgmb.sundarbandeltasafari@gmail.com
OfficeGosaba, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal 743370