India

India Cruises

India

USA Today AwardWorld's Best River Cruise Suite 2023Conde Nast Traveler 2023TripAdvisor Travellers Choice 2020TripAdvisor 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

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

The Brahmaputra
Save up to 10%

Explore the Brahmaputra River

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

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

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....

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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....

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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....

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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....

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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....

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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...

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From Our Travellers

Feedback

This was a wonderful cruise, and we are already looking at the new cruises in India with Pandaw

Priscilla Kuzyszyn

This was a wonderful cruise, and we are already looking at the new cruises in India with Pandaw. There were many, many things that we think you did very well. The daily excursions (without paying any extra) were excellent - all wonderful experiences and an up close and personal look into life both in villages and in the city. The food couldn't be beat...quality was excellent, it was plentiful, and we loved the options and themes. We greatly appreciated the abundance of water and beverages at no additional cost. We loved the upper deck - it was spacious and comfortable. The deck lounges were especially nice. We liked that there was a bar on deck. The boat and staterooms were kept very clean. We very much appreciated being greeted upon our return after excursions with smiles, wet towels, refreshing drinks, and shoes being cleaned. The whole staff was exceptional. The local tour guides on the cruise were knowledgeable, friendly, and spoke English well. The bed was very comfortable, and the air conditioning worked well.

The trip was fantastic - I loved it. What a nice way to travel

Raewyn MacKenzie

The trip was fantastic - I loved it. What a nice way to travel. The boat was lovely and the crew could not have been nicer nor more helpful. You have a great bunch working for you.

The people of Myanmar are welcoming, friendly and honest and it is a very safe place for tourists to travel

Pat and Fred Atkins

Dear Pandaw staff

I would like to thank you for another wonderful Pandaw cruise. This is our 6th cruise with Pandaw.

We just finished Pandaw’s 14 river cruise up the Irrawaddy from Yangon to Mandalay. It was outstanding! The rooms, food, tours were top notch and the staff and service are absolutely wonderful. The people of Myanmar are welcoming, friendly and honest and it is a very safe place for tourists to travel. This is our 3rd trip to Myanmar and our 6th Pandaw cruise, and I am sure we will be back! Here are some photos.

Stupas and pagoda’s in Bagan
There are 3000 plus stupas and pagoda’s in Bagan - this is a beautiful one!
Monastery school
We visited a monastery school and contributed for school supplies and balloons which were very much enjoyed by the young monks.
Pandaw II
We visited a village where they make large pots. Our Pandaw boat is in the background.

Thank you
Pat and Fred Atkins

Latest Story

From Our Travel Blog

Mornings All Mine on the Ganges River Cruise

Mornings All Mine on the Ganges River Cruise

By Jayne Seagrave The cruise has started, and I am writing at 7. 00am as the dawn comes up, over the calm waters, watching a wooden ferry t....

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Climate in

India

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India Climate Chart

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

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Essential

Information

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