PANDAW RIVER CRUISES
8 Days | Beyond Bhamo
Upper Irrawaddy River | Northbound (Upstream)

MANDALAY TO BHAMO
7 Nights Aboard Ship

Day 1 | Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma). Embark at Mandalay Shwe Kyet Yet Jetty at 11.00am and cast off for the Mingun to see the largest working bell in the world and the unfinished pagoda that is the largest single mass of brick building.

Day 2 | Kyauk-myoung. Arrive to Kyauk-myoung where the famous 50 gallon water pots are hand made. We see all stages of manufacture from the throwing of the pots to the week long firing in huge kilns. Then continue sailing upstream, entering Third Defile.

Day 3 | Tagaung. Stop at Khan-nyat village with its many Buddhist monasteries and visit the former head teacher's house which also includes his small museum collections. Arrive to the ancient city of Tagaung We explore by foot the ancient city of Tagaung viewing the fortifications, a famous nat or spirit shrine and the archaeological area.

Day 4 | Tigyang. We go ashore and climb the Pagoda Hill at Tigyang with its stunning views of the Irrawaddy.

Day 5 | Katha. We reach the enchanting colonial town of Katha, setting for George Orwell’s Myanma Days, and little changed since then. Of interested are the fire station’s collection of IFC ship’s bells taken from sunken ships in the Second War. Katha was the final resting place of the old flotilla and here over a hundred ships were scuppered in 1942 in an Act of Denial before the advancing Japanese. We continue visit an elephant logging camp at Katha in the hardwood forests of the hills that surround the town and further upstream.

Day 6 | Cruising the Irrawaddy River. Cruise through the 2nd Defile, the most dramatic of the three gorges with cliffs towering over the narrow channel. If time allows, arrive Bhamo in the evening, walking around the town and study the ways of life.

Day 7 | Bhamo. In the morning, chartering a small country boat, will proceed upstream from Bhamo and attempt to reach small island, located below the dramatic 1st Defile. Tour Bhamo in the afternoon of this important trading town set close to the Chinese border. In the evening we will have more time to explore Bhamo’s bustling markets and Chinese temples.

Day 8 | Bhamo. Disembark at Bhamo. And transfer to the Bhamo airport. Your cruise includes a flight from Bhamo 15.20 to Mandalay 16.30 or Yangon 17.55. Please note that flight timing is subject to change.

NOTE: Itinerary is subject to change without notice. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to the itinerary schedule you receive with your final documents.

NORTHBOUND (UPSTREAM) ITINERARY 8 DAYS | MANDALAY TO BHAMO Click HERE to view 8-day SOUTHBOUND itinerary. Click ship name to view deck plan.