6 Days From Kolkata on a Budget (Trip Costs)
Six days from Kolkata: 4 cheap trips, plus the express Sundarbans
Six days keeps Days 1 through 4 identical to the 4-day version , the free Dakshineswar and Belur Math pair, Chandannagar, Shantiniketan, Murshidabad, then swaps the 5-day version’s free day for a real spend: a 1 night, 2 day express Sundarbans tour on Days 5 and 6, roughly INR 2,400 to 4,500 per person. It’s the compressed package, fewer safari sessions than the full version, but it’s the single biggest line item in this whole plan by a wide margin over anything in Days 1 through 4 combined. For the complete 2 night version, see the 7-day itinerary .
Book these before you go
- Hotel near Park Street or New Market: check listings on Agoda
- The express Sundarbans boat safari: book on Viator
- A private Shantiniketan day trip: book on Viator
| Day | Focus | Travel time from Kolkata | Cost per person (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Belur Math | Inside Greater Kolkata, Metro plus a short ferry | Free entry, roughly INR 50 to 100 transport |
| Day 2 | Chandannagar, the French Strand | About 50 to 55 minutes each way by local train | Well under INR 20 each way |
| Day 3 | Shantiniketan, Visva-Bharati | About 2 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours each way by train | Roughly INR 150 to 300 each way, reserved class |
| Day 4 | Murshidabad, Hazarduari Palace | About 3 hours 20 minutes to 4 hours each way by train | Roughly INR 100 to 370 train fare, plus INR 25 to 300 entry |
| Day 5 | Sundarbans, arrival and first safari | About 3 to 4 hours by road plus a boat transfer | Part of the INR 2,400 to 4,500 package for both days |
| Day 6 | Sundarbans, morning safari and return | Same 3 to 4 hours plus boat transfer, in reverse | Included in the Day 5 package price |
Day 1: Dakshineswar and Belur Math, free entry both
- Dakshineswar Kali Temple, free entry, roughly 5am to 12:30pm and 3 to 8:30pm
- Belur Math across the river, headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, also free
Day 2: Chandannagar, under INR 20 each way
- Local train from Howrah, about 50 to 55 minutes, second-class fare well under INR 20, to the Chandannagar Strand and the Institut de Chandernagor museum
Day 3: Shantiniketan, roughly INR 150 to 300 each way
- The Shantiniketan Express from Howrah at 10:00am, the Visva-Bharati campus and Uttarayan complex
Day 4: Murshidabad, roughly INR 100 to 370 train fare plus entry
- The Hazarduari Express from Kolkata around 6:50am, entry INR 25 Indian visitors, INR 300 foreign nationals, closed Fridays
Day 5: Into the Sundarbans, the express package begins
- Early pickup from Kolkata for the roughly 3 to 4 hour drive to the Godhkhali or Canning gateway, then a boat transfer into the reserve
- Check in at your lodge or boat, then an afternoon mangrove creek safari; this express package runs on fixed group departures October through March, roughly INR 2,400 to 4,500 per person for both days combined, all-inclusive
- Expect the Sajnekhali watchtower or a similar viewing point on the route; tiger sightings are rare on any package length, so budget your expectations toward the mangroves and birdlife instead
- Overnight at the lodge; there’s no extra spend to plan for here beyond what’s already in the package price
Day 6: Morning safari and return, no extra cost
- A final morning boat safari through the mangrove creeks before checkout, included in the price paid on Day 5
- The return drive and boat transfer back to Kolkata; plan to arrive in the city by evening
- A late dinner back around Park Street, INR 400 to 900 for a proper sit-down meal, closes out the trip
Is the 1 night, 2 day express Sundarbans tour worth its INR 2,400 to 4,500?
It’s a real, bookable product at a real discount to the full version, not a corner-cut on price alone. You get fewer safari sessions and less unhurried time in the reserve than the 7-day itinerary’s full package delivers, so treat it as the honest, cheaper compromise it is, not a like-for-like substitute if a 7th day and the extra budget are genuinely available.
Does the express Sundarbans package cost less per day than the full 2 night version?
Not really, once you compare per-day rates. The express tour runs roughly INR 2,400 to 4,500 for 2 days, while the full 2 night, 3 day package runs INR 4,000 to 17,500 for 3, meaning the daily rate lands in a similar range either way. The real saving from the express version is total spend and total days, not a better per-day price.
Confirm your specific lodge’s checkout and transfer time before Day 5; some run the return boat earlier than others, and missing it won’t get you a refund on the package you already paid for. The Sundarban Biosphere Reserve site has the current forest-entry permit rules your operator handles on your behalf.