If you are wondering how to spend the Deepavali holidays, here's a tour package you can consider - the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched a package for travellers to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The fare per person for the trip that lasts five nights and six days, named 'Family Andaman Holidays-Gold,' starts from Rs 23,900. In addition to that, there are also daily tours named 'Romantic Andaman Holidays-Gold' that are on till November 24, which will take visitors to different islands and beaches in the Andamans like Havelock (Swaraj Dweep) and Neil (Shaheed Dweep) islands.
The 6-day tour schedule
The 6-day tour begins from Port Blair. On the first day, the visitors will be taken to the beautiful Corbyn’s Cove beach from Port Blair and later to the Cellular Jail. The next day, after breakfast, the tourists will depart from Port Blair for Ross Island which was the headquarters of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during British rule. Following this, the guests will be taken to the Bay Island which is famous for underwater activities and aqua tourism on the same day. The island has facilities for activities such as scuba diving.
On the third day, it will be a journey in a ferry boat to Havelock Island which is 54 km from Port Blair. The visitors can spend their time at Kala Pathar and Radhanagar beaches on the island. On the fourth day, there will be a cruise tour to Neil Island during which Natural Bridge and the Laxmanpur beach can be visited. The fifth day of the package will be a visit to the famous Bharatpur beach. The return journey will start from Port Blair on the sixth day.
Package rates
The package rates per person from October 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024 are the following:
Single occupancy: Rs 52,750
Double occupancy: Rs 30,775
Triple occupancy: Rs 27,450
Children aged between 5 and 11: Rs 17,000
Children aged between 2 and 5: Rs 13,550
In addition, the rates will be Rs 28,750 per person for a group of four and Rs 27,700 per person for a group of six.
What is included in and excluded from package
The package includes air-conditioned accommodation, entry permits, entry tickets, ferry tickets, forest area permits, food, transport from one place to another, and luxury tax. Personal expenditures like air tickets, telephone bills, beverages, porter charges, insurance, liquor, room service, camera charge, and herbal massage are not included in the package. Besides, the visitors must pay for the optional visit to Elephant Beach and aqua tourism activities. For details about the tour package, visit IRCTC tourism website.
