A beach holiday? Been there. White-water rafting? Done that. Trekking? Got the Tshirt. Summer holidays are here, the wallet’s not looking too healthy, but the kids want to go somewhere. Here’s a relatively unknown, and relatively inexpensive, holiday option—river cruises. While a river cruise might not sound as romantic as sailing the high seas, it’s far more affordable and quite as exciting.

Drift down the Kerala backwaters or sail through the world’s largest mangrove. Gorge on river fish, spot tigers lurking on the shore, play spot the constellation out on the top deck…It’s a great way to de-stress.

Take a look at some of what’s on offer across the country. Remember that there are cheaper options to most of these vessels. For instance, there are any number of private operators who will rent you a houseboat for a couple of days to drift across the Kerala backwaters. The West Bengal Tourism Department, on its part, offers Sunderbans cruises at a fraction of the cost we mention below. But never forget that you get what you pay for; if travelling cattle class does not bother you, you’re very likely to find cheaper deals.

The Oberoi MV Vrinda

WHERE: Backwaters of Kerala

This is the grandest river cruise vessel available in India so far. With only eight cabins, you can be sure of an exclusive party. The three-night itinerary focuses only on Vembanad Lake and Alapuzha (formerly Alleppey), known as the “Venice of the East”. A resident guide gives passengers rich insights on the way of life unique to the region, and there are traditional dance performances on board. If you want a really exclusive holiday, book the entire boat— you also save Rs 64,000 that way since you get a discount of Rs 8,000 on the cabin tariff.

When: April 19, 22, 25, 28. Sailing resumes in October
How much: Rs 88,000 per cabin
Contact: http://www.oberoivrinda.com/

MV Paramhamsa

WHERE: Sunderbans, West Bengal

This is the last word in luxury if you want to discover the Sunderbans. The three-night journey literally showcases National Geographic live. And you get a rare glimpse of rural Bengal. When you get tired of sightseeing, you can relax with a massage or hop into the sauna or curl up in the library. Tour operators will offer you a road trip to this unique mangrove reserve, throw in a short boat ride, and charge you about Rs 27,000 or so for two nights. Compared to that, this cruise seems positively cheap, doesn’t it?

When: May 2, June 13 and July 18
How much: Rs 20,000 per person
Contact: http://www.sunderbancruises.com/

MV Charaidew

WHERE: River Brahmaputra

Possibly the country’s only real long-distance river cruise, a journey down the Brahmaputra river is one of the best ways of seeing Assam. Choose between a four-, seven- or ten-night itinerary, depending on the elasticity of your holiday and your purse. The sevennight cruise would be our pick, as it covers Kaziranga National Park, Majuli, the largest riverine island and the seat of the Assamese renaissance movement, and the palaces and temples of Sibsagar, the old capital of the Ahom kings. The Charaidew and its sister ship, the recently launched MV Sukapha, also sail the Hooghly river when the Brahmaputra is in spate from May to August. These seven-day cruises focus more on monuments and culture, and showcase village life.

When: May 2, June 13 and July 18
How much: Rs 11,550 per person per night
Contact: www.assambengalnavigation.com

Sailing out

Select river cruises abroad

The Oberoi Zahra
River Nile
Cost Rs 1,23,420
Contact www.oberoihotels.com

The luxury cruiser, complete with a spa and a pool, sails on a seven-day itinerary from Luxor to Aswan, allowing guests the opportunity to leisurely discover Egypt. The tariff, for a luxury room, is on a full-board basis.

MV Mozart
River Danube
COST Rs 71,265
CONTACT www.deilmann-cruises.com

The cruiser’s seven-night itinerary, all inclusive, covers the cities of Munich, Durnstein, Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava and Melk. The departure dates for this cruise are June 1, 8, 15 and July 6.