Pandaw · All Pandaw ships · Pandaw K class ultra-light shallow-draft expedition ship, 36 guests

Kalaw Pandaw: ship guide

A 36-guest K class with a 1.1 meter draft, sailing the Hooghly and the Ganges to Patna.

Best for: Travelers who want Pandaw’s fullest Ganges itinerary, Kolkata to Patna and Varanasi, or the nine-night Hooghly loop, on a 36-guest ship with an air-conditioned dining room. Sails from Kolkata, Patna in 2026 and 2027.

See every Kalaw Pandaw sailing Deck plans Pandaw policies

691gross tons

36guests at double occupancy

2014entered service

186 ftlong

18staterooms

About Kalaw Pandaw

Kalaw Pandaw was launched in Myanmar in 2014 as the identical sister of Kindat Pandaw and named for the PS Kalaw, an Irrawaddy Flotilla Company steamer of 1917 sunk in 1942, whose name plate and bell Pandaw salvaged in 1998. She is an ultra-light K class ship with one of the shallowest drafts on any river, 1.1 meters, carrying 36 guests in 18 teak-and-brass staterooms, ten on the main deck and eight on the upper deck. Pandaw lists her at 691 gross tons and 56.6 meters.

Unlike the earliest K class ships she has a bistro-style dining room with indoor air-conditioned seating as well as outside tables, serving semi-buffet breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef, plus a 24-hour hospitality bar and an onboard bakery. A library, a fair-trade shop and daily talks and cultural performances fill the evenings, and excursions by coach, tuk-tuk and on foot are included with local English-speaking guides.

In 2026 and 2027 Kalaw Pandaw is Pandaw’s lead ship in West Bengal and Bihar. She sails the nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trip from Kolkata alongside Katha Pandaw and is the only ship on the 14-night All Ganges from Kolkata to Patna with a first-class train on to Varanasi, with published departures in October and November 2026 and September and October 2027. India sailings include Pandaw’s complimentary drinks package. She suits travelers who want the deepest look at the Ganges Pandaw offers.

Identical sister to Kindat Pandaw, launched in Myanmar in 2014 and named for a 1917 Irrawaddy steamer
Ultra-light hull with one of the shallowest drafts on the river at 1.1 meters
36 guests in 18 teak-and-brass staterooms of about 170 square feet with French windows
Bistro-style dining room with air-conditioned indoor seating and open-air tables
India complimentary drinks package included on Hooghly and Ganges sailings
Only ship on the 14-night All Ganges from Kolkata to Patna with train to Varanasi
Nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trips from Kolkata with Katha Pandaw
Library, fair-trade shop, history talks, cultural performances and tuk-tuk village excursions

Staterooms and suites

Main Deck Stateroom

Ten 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

Eight cabins of the same 170 square foot design on the upper deck beside the dining room and open lounge; the first to sell on Ganges departures.

Kalaw 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/ Dining Room, Staterooms.

Dining RoomSemi-buffet breakfast, semi-buffet lunch, and seated theme dinners.

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 Kalaw Pandaw

Dining on Kalaw Pandaw

Bistro Dining RoomIncluded

Bistro-style restaurant with indoor air-conditioned seating and outside tables, serving semi-buffet breakfast and lunch and seated theme dinners from a local master chef with daily lean and light options.

Lounge BarIncluded

Open upper deck lounge bar 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 upper deck lounge and promenade decks for the temple towns and ghats of the Hooghly
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 to Murshidabad, Mayapur, Kalna and Chandernagore
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 Pandaw’s fullest Ganges itinerary, Kolkata to Patna and Varanasi, or the nine-night Hooghly loop, on a 36-guest ship with an air-conditioned dining room.

Sails from: Kolkata, Patna · Regions: Hooghly, Ganges

Kalaw Pandaw questions we answer every day

How big is Kalaw Pandaw?

Kalaw Pandaw is a K class ship 56.63 meters (about 186 feet) long with a 9 meter beam and a draft of 1.1 meters, listed by Pandaw at 691 gross tons. She carries 36 guests in 18 staterooms, ten on the main deck and eight on the upper deck, and was launched in Myanmar in 2014 together with her identical sister Kindat Pandaw, which now sails the Brahmaputra.

Where does Kalaw Pandaw sail in 2026 and 2027?

She sails two Indian itineraries. The 14-night All Ganges runs from Kolkata up the Hooghly and Ganges to Patna, via Chandernagore, Kalna, Mayapur, Murshidabad, Farakka, Bhagalpur and Munger, with a first-class train on to Varanasi; departures are published for October and November 2026 and September and October 2027. She also shares the nine-night Hooghly Ganges round trip from Kolkata with Katha Pandaw.

What are the cabins like on Kalaw Pandaw?

All 18 staterooms are about 170 square feet in teak and brass with a panoramic French window onto the promenade deck, twin or double beds, individually controlled air conditioning, a Nespresso machine, a stocked minibar, glass bottled water, expedition flasks, a mini safe and a yoga mat. Eight are on the upper deck and ten on the main deck. There are no suites and no triples.

What is included in the fare on Kalaw 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 Ganges?

Pandaw warns that fog in December and January can disrupt sailing and excursions and that winter temperatures can run below average, especially in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh on the All Ganges route, so pack layers. October, November and late February into March are the most comfortable months. The cabins and the dining room are air-conditioned, and the open decks are where you will spend most of the day.

Kalaw Pandaw or Katha Pandaw for the Hooghly?

Both sail the nine-night Kolkata round trip. Kalaw Pandaw is larger at 36 guests and has an air-conditioned bistro dining room with indoor seating, which helps in the foggy winter months. Katha Pandaw carries 24 guests and dines entirely in the open air. Choose Kalaw for comfort and the option of the longer All Ganges voyage, Katha for the smallest possible ship.

Facts checked against Pandaw: RV Kalaw Pandaw, Pandaw: The All Ganges River Cruise and cruise dates, Pandaw: The Hooghly Ganges expedition, Pandaw: Frequently asked questions on October 14, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

Live from the cruise line

Every Kalaw Pandaw sailing, priced all-in

Every Kalaw Pandaw departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.

Every Kalaw Pandaw sailing

Stack any filters, then pick a sort

Loading sailings…

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.