Luxury river cruise adventures company, Pandaw has announced an exciting new seven-night river recce itinerary on the Upper Mekong River.
The new itinerary will have eight departure dates from 29th February to 18th April 2016 and will sail from Chiang Saen, in Thailand to Burma, then on to Laos and for the first time will cross the border into China sailing on the emerald green Mekong to the charming city of Jinghong in China’s scenic Yunnan Province.
The recces will be aboard the brand new ‘Laos Pandaw’, which has been specifically built for sailing on the Upper Mekong and comprises 10 main deck staterooms, low draught and extra powerful engines to navigate these waters.
Pandaw’s founder, Paul Strachan, said: “It has been a long held ambition to sail the length of the navigable sections of the Upper Mekong River. With the construction of our new vessel and working with our partners, this journey is now possible. There is much to explore in this undiscovered region; travellers need to be up for a real adventure as the daily itinerary might change, but with a flexible attitude they will have the trip of a lifetime”.
Planned highlights on the river recce include:
Old Mandalay Road, Burma – travel through pretty villages and mountains to the old colonial hill station of Loi Mwe, with abandoned Anglo Indian Dak bungalows.
Muang Long and visit to Aka tribal villages in Laos – located in a beautiful conservation area.
Menglun Botanical Garden, China – built in 1959 and one of China’s most important botanical research centres with impressive gardens and home to many rare, exotic and endangered plant species.
Manting Park Temple, China – the third most important Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province.
Mangfeilong Monastery & Tea Plantation, China – local Dai people call the Ganlan Basin the “peacock’s tail”, meaning the most beautiful part of Xishuangbanna.
Jinghong, China – explore this charming city on the banks of the emerald green Mekong River.
In addition to this itinerary Pandaw is also offering pre and post cruise extensions with a private vehicle and guide visiting Kunming, Dali and Lijiang in Yunnan Province and the hill tribes of Northern Thailand.
Cruise only prices cost from USD 3’150.- per person based on two sharing a twin main deck stateroom (including a 10% early booking discount available for bookings made by 30th April 2015).
7-nights – The Mekong to China – Four Country River Recce
Planned itinerary – upstream departure dates 2016 – 29 February, 14, 28 March and 11 April
Day 1 Embark Chiang Saen, Thailand
Day 2 Old Mandalay Road, Burma
Day 3 Cruising the Upper Mekong River with village stops
Day 4 Muang Long, Laos
Day 5 Cross the border and sail to Gang Le, China
Day 6 Menglun Botanical Garden, China
Day 7 Mangfeilong Monastery and tea plantation, China
Day 8 Disembark Jinghong, China
Planned itinerary – downstream departure dates 2016 –7, 21 March and 4, 18 April
Day 1 Embark Jinghong, China
Day 2 Mangfeilong Monastery and tea plantation, China
Day 3 Cruise the Upper Mekong River. Visit Mengzhan.
Day 4 Menglun Botanical Garden, China. Cross the border to Laos
Day 5 Muang Long, Laos
Day 6 Cruising the Mekong with village stops
Day 7 Old Mandalay Road, Burma
Day 8 Disembark Chiang Saen, Thailand
SOURCE Pandaw River Expeditions