Voyage to Nagaland

Only the smallest of Pandaw's River Cruise vessels with their ultra-low drafts, can journey north beyond Homalin in the high water season from mid-August to Mid-October on an adventure to Nagaland, famous for the fierce and distinctive Naga warriors and various ethnic communities.

Along the way, the Chindwin River passes through dramatic scenery of dense jungles, high cliffs and deep gorges and visits remote villages each with a unique way of life.

To further enhance the experience, Pandaw now has a number of quality mountain bikes for your use on the cruise.

This remote Chindwin River Cruise is an ideal option for those who have perhaps experienced the Irrawaddy with Pandaw and are looking for an adventure further afield in Burma.

Day 1: Depart the UK

Fly from UK to Kalewa.

Day 2: Kalewa

On arrival in Kalewa you will be met and transferred to your Pandaw Cruise.

Explore ashore visiting the local market and enjoying panoramic views over the Chindwin from top of a hill.

Overnight On Board. Breakfast included.

Day 3: Mawleik

Set sail to charming Ma Sein Village and continue to Mawlaik, the former seat of the Bombay Burma Corporation's timber extraction operations for the Chindwin Area.

The old Headquarters building still stands here.

Mawlaik replaced Kindat as the administrative capital but ironically the Myanma refused to move there from upstream Kindat.

It was mainly settled with the company houses of the by the Scottish owned and run Bombay Myanmar Trading Corporation in the 1920's and 1930's.

There are many splendid ‘Dak Bungalows’ set around a verdant golf course.

Mawlaik and the other towns of the Upper Chindwin can only be reached by boat, so cars are few and far between here.

There is a dreamy otherworldly quality to such places and truly one feels that one has travelled there in the Pandaw time machine!.

Pass the mouth of the Yu River which drains the Kubu valley that provided the route for a Lieutenant Grant to march to the relief of the Manipur garrison.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Day 4: Kindat

Sail to Kindat (which in Burmese means 'a military outpost'), with its old colonial post office (now a school).

Also visit the tiny village of Yuwa, where previous Pandaw travellers report a delightful atmosphere from friendly locals.

Kindat was as far as the old Irrawaddy Flotilla Company steamers ventured outside of the Monsoon season.

This part of the Chindwin valley is very sparsely populated and villages are few and far between.

Overnight on board. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included.

Life on Board Pandaw

Life on board a river cruise is quite different from ocean cruising. Things are very much more informal, with no ‘Captain’s Table' or dressing up for dinner.

Unlike ocean cruising, all excursions and most other things are included in the price, such as drinks and tips for the crew.

With one member of crew per two passengers, the service on board a Pandaw Cruise is incredibly high and very personal.

Things are very relaxed on board a Pandaw River Cruise. There are no unnecessary and wearisome PA announcements and no disturbing TV’s from neighbouring cabins.

Pandaw Club Members

Cruised with Pandaw before?

Then make sure you sign up as a Pandaw Club Member with us to receive further discounts and benefits on your next Pandaw Cruise holiday with Jasmine Holidays.

Benefits include:

• Exclusive Members Club Cruise Discount
• Unlimited in-house wine package worth up to $220
• Free Laundry Service worth $50
• Pre-post Expedition Discount

Remember that we guarantee a better price than booking direct and your holiday can be completely tailor made and will always be ATOL Protected if your holiday is flight inclusive.

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you around the cruise itinerary.

You will have your own private car, driver and guide on any additional excursions you choose to do before or after the cruise.

All shore excursions are done on a group basis with other cruise passengers.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

We will organise dates around departure dates with Pandaw Cruises.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to this part of the world.

Typically for Burma, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines and Emirates would be airlines we would often use.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are no direct flights from the UK to Myanmar currently.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

We keep on top of hotel developments in Burma from our office in South East Asia and regularly inspect the hotels we use.

Do you cater for Solo Travellers?

Yes, we have many solo travellers and Burma is a very safe, friendly and welcoming destination for those travelling alone.

River cruises in Burma are a popular option for solo travellers, especially with Pandaw Cruises who offer no Single Supplements on many departures.