Pandaw · All Pandaw ships · Pandaw K class shallow-draft expedition ship, 24 guests

Katha Pandaw: ship guide

The original K class: 24 guests, 1.1 meter draft and open-air dining on the Hooghly.

Best for: Travelers who want the smallest Pandaw on the Hooghly Ganges, with open-air living, a 1.1 meter draft and a 24-guest house-party feel, and who do not need a spa or indoor lounge. Sails from Kolkata in 2026 and 2027.

See every Katha Pandaw sailing Deck plans Pandaw policies

463gross tons

24guests at double occupancy

2decks

2012entered service, refurbished 2019

144 ftlong

12staterooms

About Katha Pandaw

Katha Pandaw was Pandaw’s radical rethink of the small river ship. Built in Vietnam in 2012 and based on the K class steamers used in Burma from the 1880s, she dropped the formal indoor dining room in favor of an open-air lounge, bar and dining space and was drawn with the shallowest hull Pandaw could manage, a draft of just 1.1 meters. She ran a year on the Mekong, then spent seasons on the Irrawaddy and in Middle Burma before Pandaw refitted her in 2019 for expedition sailings in India, cutting her cabins from 16 to 12 to enlarge the saloon.

Today she carries just 24 guests on two decks, eight staterooms on the main deck and four on the upper deck, all the standard Pandaw 170 square feet in teak and brass. Breakfast and lunch are semi-buffet and dinners are seated theme menus from a local master chef, served in the open-air lounge with a 24-hour hospitality bar alongside. A library, a fair-trade shop and daily talks, cooking classes and cultural performances fill the time between excursions.

In 2026 and 2027 Pandaw lists Katha Pandaw with her sister Kalaw Pandaw on the nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trip from Kolkata, visiting Serampore, Kalna, Matiari, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Mayapur and Chandernagore. India sailings include Pandaw’s complimentary drinks package. She suits travelers who want the smallest, most intimate ship on the Hooghly and are happy with open-air living.

First of Pandaw’s K class, based on the Irrawaddy Flotilla steamers of the 1880s
Ultra-shallow 1.1 meter draft built for narrow and low-water rivers
Only 24 guests in 12 teak-and-brass staterooms of about 170 square feet on two decks
Open-air lounge, bar and dining area in place of a formal indoor dining room, enlarged in the 2019 refit
Included excursions with local English-speaking guides, motor coach and country boats
India complimentary drinks package included on Hooghly sailings
Library, fair-trade shop, cooking classes, cultural performances and history talks
Nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trips from Kolkata with Kalaw Pandaw in 2026 and 2027

Staterooms and suites

Main Deck Stateroom

Eight cabins of about 170 square feet finished in teak and brass with a panoramic French window to the main deck promenade; twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, Nespresso machine, stocked minibar, glass bottled water, mini safe and yoga mat.

Upper Deck Stateroom

Four cabins of the same 170 square foot design on the upper deck beside the open-air lounge and bar; the first to sell on this small ship.

Katha Pandaw deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Upper Deck

Bar/Library, Staterooms.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Katha Pandaw

Dining on Katha Pandaw

Open-air Lounge and DiningIncluded

Katha was designed without a formal indoor dining room; semi-buffet breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef are served in the enlarged open-air saloon, with daily lean and light options.

Lounge BarIncluded

Open-air bar in the saloon with a daily happy hour and an extensive premium wine list.

24-hour Hospitality BarIncluded

Self-service coffee, tea and water at any hour.

Onboard BakeryIncluded

Fresh breads and rolls baked daily.

Drinks PolicyIncluded

On Pandaw’s India sailings the complimentary drinks package is included for all guests along with local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail and the stocked cabin minibar; premium wines and spirits outside the package are charged.

Entertainment and activities

Open-air saloon and promenade decks with uninterrupted river views
Daily briefings and history talks by the purser and local expert guides
Cultural performances by local troupes, cooking classes and themed movie nights
Included excursions on foot, by motor coach, tuk-tuk and country boat through temple towns and villages
Library of classic and contemporary literature and a fair-trade shop
Head chef food presentations and behind-the-scenes ship tours
Yoga mats in every cabin for deck sessions at dawn

Families and who it suits

Pandaw says its ships are not suitable for children under 8 because the open rails have no safety netting; older children share a cabin with an adult, and Pandaw designates certain school-holiday departures as family friendly with child offers.

Best for: Travelers who want the smallest Pandaw on the Hooghly Ganges, with open-air living, a 1.1 meter draft and a 24-guest house-party feel, and who do not need a spa or indoor lounge.

Sails from: Kolkata · Regions: Hooghly, Ganges

Katha Pandaw questions we answer every day

How big is Katha Pandaw?

Katha Pandaw is a two-deck K class ship 43.91 meters (about 144 feet) long with an 8.5 meter beam and a draft of only 1.1 meters, listed by Pandaw at 463 gross tons. She carries 24 guests in 12 staterooms, eight on the main deck and four on the upper deck. Pandaw’s stats page gives her build year as 2011 while the ship description says 2012; she was built in Vietnam.

Where does Katha Pandaw sail in 2026 and 2027?

Pandaw lists her with Kalaw Pandaw on the nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trip from Kolkata, with two days in the city before sailing to Serampore, Kalna, Matiari, Murshidabad, Baranagar and Ajimganj, Mayapur and Chandernagore. Departures are allocated between the two ships on Pandaw’s dates page. Her ship page still mentions an earlier Middle Burma deployment; Pandaw’s current Burma program uses other ships.

Why is there no indoor dining room on Katha Pandaw?

Pandaw calls the Katha general arrangement radical because it eliminated the formal indoor dining room to keep the ship light and shallow. Meals are served in the open-air saloon, which was enlarged in the 2019 refit when four cabins were removed. Guests who want an enclosed, air-conditioned dining room should look at her sister Angkor Pandaw, which was built with one.

What is included in the fare on Katha Pandaw?

Main meals, all guided excursions and entrance fees, English-speaking guides, crew gratuities, Kolkata transfers, local mineral water, jugged coffee, teas and tisanes, a welcome cocktail, the cabin minibar and, on India sailings, Pandaw’s complimentary drinks package. Laundry, visas, port dues, premium drinks and tips to local guides and drivers are extra. SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on sailings where Pandaw allows it, not available when you book direct.

What is the weather like on the Hooghly?

Pandaw warns that fog in December and January can disrupt sailing schedules and excursions on the Hooghly and that winter nights and mornings can be very cold, so pack layers for an open-air ship like Katha Pandaw. October, November and February to March are the more comfortable months. The ship’s cabins and the lower deck are air-conditioned.

Who is Katha Pandaw best for?

Travelers who value a tiny ship over facilities. With 24 guests, two decks, no spa or gym and an open-air saloon, she is the most expedition-like of the two Hooghly ships and the better choice for guests who want to be outside, close to the river and the villages. Kalaw Pandaw, her 36-guest fleetmate, offers an air-conditioned bistro dining room if you prefer.

Facts checked against Pandaw: RV Katha Pandaw, Pandaw: The Hooghly Ganges expedition, Pandaw: India river cruises, Pandaw: Frequently asked questions on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

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Prices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.