India

India Cruises

India

USA Today AwardWorld's Best River Cruise Suite 2023Conde Nast Traveler 2023TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2026TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Discover the rich culture of India's rivers

India is a world of colour and culture. The country is diverse and offers so many experiences for those wishing to find out more. Embarking on a river cruise in India allows you to see this extraordinary country in a way like you'd never imagined.

Our India cruises take place on not only the lower and upper River Ganges but soon also the Brahmaputra River Cruise.

Both of these rivers are of major importance to India, offering a place of worship as well as historically important towns and cities forming life on the banks.

The Ganges River winds 2,525km through India and across the border into Bangladesh. It begins its journey in the Himalayas in the Indian state of Uttarakhand and flows through the Gangetic Plain of India and into Bangladesh before it is released into the Bay of Bengal.

The Brahmaputra is also a trans-boundary river, flowing through China, India and Bangladesh. The River enters India in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, where it is called Siang. It continues across the plains where its name changes once again to Dihang. It enters the state of Assam and becomes as wide as 20 km in some parts.

Being the second most populated country in the world, India is awash with bustling towns and villages and our river cruises mean you can immerse yourself in the local's way of life. Ride on rickshaws, witness terracotta temples, visit villages and dine alongside Gangetic dolphins. Through the cuisine and the excursions, a Pandaw India river cruise really does encompass the Indian lifestyle completely.

Available

Expeditions

All Assam on the Brahmaputra
Save up to 10% and No Single Supplement on selected dates
10 Nights
Guwahati - Silghat - Goalpara - Guwahati
RV Kindat Pandaw
Brahmaputra River

From

USD 3,950.10

per person

The Hooghly
Save up to 10% and No Single Supplement on selected dates

Spend 9 nights sailing West Bengal

9 Nights
Kolkata - Baranagar - Kolkata
RV Kalaw Pandaw, RV Katha Pandaw
Ganges River

The Kerala Backwaters
Save up to 10% and No Single Supplement on selected dates

7 night backwater expedition

7 Nights
Kerala - Perumpalam - Kerala
RV Kerala Pandaw, RV Kochi Pandaw
Kerala Backwaters

From

USD 4,900.50

per person

The Brahmaputra
Save up to 10% and No Single Supplement on selected dates

Explore the Brahmaputra River

7 Nights
Guwahati - Silghat - Guwahati
RV Kindat Pandaw
Brahmaputra RiverBrahmaputra River

From

USD 3,958.20

per person

The All Ganges
Save up to 10%

14 night Ganges river cruise exploring India’s most sacred waterway

14 Nights
14 Nights on the Ganges
RV Kalaw Pandaw
Ganges River

From

USD 9,147.60

per person

The Full Brahmaputra
Save up to 20% and No Single Supplement on selected dates

All of the Brahmpautra

10 Nights
10 Nights
RV Kindat Pandaw
Brahmaputra River

Rivers of

India

Brahmaputra River

Brahmaputra River

India's Brahmaputra River is the 29th longest river in the world at 2, 948 km long, and has a discharge of 19, 200 cubic litres per second which....

Ganges River

Ganges River

The Ganges River is the 34th longest river in the world at 2, 620km, flowing down through the Himalayas to form the Gangetic Plain of North Indi....

Kerala Backwaters

Kerala Backwaters

The Kerala backwaters are a network of lagoons and canals lying parallel to the Arabian Sea of the Malabar coast of Kerala state in south-wester....

Our Fleet In

India

The RV Kalaw Pandaw Ship

RV Kalaw Pandaw

Sister to the Kindat and identical in design the Kalaw was launched with her in 2014 Kalaw is named after the PS Kalaw launched in 1917 and sunk....

View Details
The RV Katha Pandaw Ship

RV Katha Pandaw

This was a radical new design, based on the old K class used in Burma from the 1880s on. This ship is the third Katha to run on the Irrawaddy. T....

View Details
The RV Kindat Pandaw Ship

RV Kindat Pandaw

The original Kindat was built in 1886 by Yarrows in London and sank in 1920. She was named after a small Upper Chindwin town. Following experime....

View Details
The RV Kochi Pandaw Ship

RV Kochi Pandaw

Launched in November 2025, the ten cabin Kochi Pandaw has been specially designed for the backwaters of Kerala, whilst maintaining the much-love....

View Details
The RV Kerala Pandaw Ship

RV Kerala Pandaw

Launching in December 2026, the ten cabin Kerala Pandaw has been specially designed for the backwaters of Kerala, whilst maintaining the much-lo....

View Details

River Stops In

India

Chandernagore View

Chandernagore

Chandannagar was established as a French colony in 1673, when the French obtained permission from Ibrahim Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, to establish a trading post on the right bank...

Guwahati View

Guwahati

If you are taking one of our Brahmaputra River Cruises , one place you should definitely consider stopping at is Guwahati. This is a large city in India, in the state of Assam.

Kalna View

Kalna

Kalna, a city and a municipality in Purba Bardhaman district in the Indian state of West Bengal is located right by the river Hooghly (or ‘lower Ganges’) meaning there’s plenty of...

Kaziranga National Park View

Kaziranga National Park

A UNESCO accredited site, the Kaziranga National Park is located in the Nagaon and Golaghat districts of Assam in India and a stop on our Brahmaputra river cruises .

Kolkata View

Kolkata

Kolkata is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, and you’ll definitely want to make the most of it you’re seeking to see every side of what India has to offer.

Mayapur View

Mayapur

One of the best things about taking a river cruise is the fact that you get to experience many amazing places during one trip. This is something you can expect with one of our...

Murshidabad View

Murshidabad

Murshidabad is a city in Murshidabad district of West Bengal state in India. The city of Murshidabad is located on the southern bank of the Bhagirathi, a tributary of the Ganges...

Patna View

Patna

Patna is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India.

Varanasi View

Varanasi

India, one of the oldest civilisations on the planet. Within its 29 states and 7 union territories, you’ll find an extraordinary variety of cultures, cuisines, arts politics and...

Loading video...

From Our Travellers

Feedback

We have been frequent travellers all our life, but this travel was really a highlight

Sarah & Pablo Rosenthal-Almirall,

Dear Huong,

We are back home now, and we would like to thank you and the entire Pandaw staff in our boat, for this fantastic experience!!

We have been frequent travellers all our life, but this travel was really a highlight. Your staff in the boat, ALL, were really exceptionally good, friendly, efficient… and any good thing additionally you can think about!! Every day was a new enjoyable journey, and we were even sad to leave the boat at the end of our travel.

We would like to put positive reviews in any website or place you will. Please let us know where/how do you want it.

All the best!!
Sarah and Pablo Rosenthal-Almirall

Pandaw truly understands how to ensure their guests travel in comfort and experience all the fascinating sights

Suzy Lamont

Having read some of the comments on your website, it is hard to find a different set of words to describe the wonderful experience we had on our cruise up the Irrawaddy. With only 23 passengers on board the atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming. It is clear that after many years' experience, Pandaw truly understands how to ensure their guests travel in comfort and experience all the fascinating sights the Irrawaddy has to show.

For example, on the whole, the morning and afternoon tours were 2 - 3 hours duration so one was not left feeling utterly exhausted and it was lovely to come back to the boat at lunchtime and relax before the afternoon tour. The standard of service by the crew was outstanding - nothing was too much trouble and they were always around on the tours to help you up a steep slope or hand out the very welcome chilled wet wipes to clean your feet after visiting a temple. I don't think they saw it as service they had to do, but rather they treated us as if we were their parents/grandparents and they always did it with a smile and so willingly.

This review would not be complete without mentioning the excellent array of food offered each day - everything we ate was delicious and beautifully presented. We particularly enjoyed the local dishes they prepared and it was obvious everything was freshly made right down to the croissants for breakfast.

There were so many highlights but perhaps the one I most enjoyed was the surprise beach party when all the crew and guests joined together for dancing and canapes - it was such fun and lovely to be able to be at one with the crew - it really was like a big family occasion. Again on the final evening when we said thank you and farewell to the crew, we all danced together and said out goodbyes.

I thought the cruise was excellent value for money and hope that Pandaw can continue to maintain their high standards as they grow their excellent product.

What an amazing week

Top UK Cruise Journalist, Jane Archer

Everything about the Brahmaputra cruise on the Mahabaahu was so exciting. We visited Hindu temples, remote villages, and ancient monuments, went on a dawn safari on elephant back in search of rhino and even saw a Bengal tiger. And then there is the river itself – blazing such a trail through Assam that the scenery changes by the hour. What an amazing week.

Latest Story

From Our Travel Blog

A Photo Essay of the Kerala Backwaters by David Dennis

A Photo Essay of the Kerala Backwaters by David Dennis

David Dennis is a professional photographer specialising in capturing places and people. Originally from Belgium, he studied photography and fil....

Read More

Climate in

India

Loading climate chart...
India Climate Chart

Plan your journey with our detailed climate information for India.Best travel times and weather patterns to help you prepare.

Available

Extensions

Your Life

On Board

Life on Board Image 1
Life on Board Image 2
Life on Board Image 3

Essential

Information

Find all the essential information you need for your journey.From booking details to travel requirements, we've got you covered.