- We are a social business. All tours include local guides, local food, local crafts & activities with local people. All tours include a dolphin conservation fee. All tours are carbon neutral.
- Itineraries are designed for best chances of seeing Irrawaddy dolphins & cooperative fishing.
- Only glamping experience on the Ayeyawaddy.
Irrawaddy Dolphins
Fishing with Dolphins
the Ayeyawaddy River
of the Ayeyawaddy
Burma's Irrawaddy Dolphins
by Supporting Communities
Introduction 1-Day
Take a 1-day boat excursion to see Irrawaddy dolphins and cooperative fishing, with lunch in a fishing community.
Experience 2-Day
Experience dolphins & life on Ayeyawaddy, overnighting in tents at a fishing community & learning how to fish with dolphins.
Explorer 3-Day
For best chances of seeing dolphins and a rich cultural experience, explore the Ayeyawaddy Dolphin Protected Area on a 3-day journey.
WHY OUR TOURS
WELCOME TO THE LIVING IRRAWADDY DOLPHIN PROJECT!
The Irrawaddy River is home to the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, found just north of Mandalay. What’s unique about Burma’s (Myanmar) Irrawaddy dolphins is their relationship with local fishermen. Dolphins and fishermen communicate and fish together, a practice called “cooperative fishing”–a unique phenomenon found in only two other places in the world! Your visit helps raise awareness for dolphin protection and generates income for local fishermen to continue their practice of cooperative fishing with dolphins. The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project is an initiative of Living Irrawaddy Travel and works with 6 communities to help them develop and market community-based ecotourism.
Cooperative Fishing with Irrawaddy Dolphins - An Experience Found Only Here!
We are a proud Travelife Partner (click to see our certificate)! The Travelife Partner award is a recognition of our commitment towards social and environmental sustainability. We are complying to more than 100 criteria related to sustainability management, office operations, working with suppliers and customer communication. We are working towards further improvements aiming to eventually reach the Travelife Certified stage.
The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project was the winner of the 2020 Experience Mekong Showcase for its significant social impact to its community, having an innovative concept and sustainable business model, and providing an authentically local experience positioning the GMS as a responsible, inclusive, and experiential tourism destination.
- briancQ6189CQ
We took the two day tour with camping/ glamping for the overnight. Despite a romantic name, Mandalay was a little underwhelming so this experience was a highlight of the... read more
November 26, 2019 We had an incredible day on this trip. Sitting in rattan chairs on the deck sailing 3 hours up the Irrawaddy in the sunshine, watching life on the river. Visited... read more Fiona B
December 4, 2018 My husband and I booked the 1 day dolphin tour. We were picked up on time by our Guide Chid and taken to the jetty where we boarded a slow... read more novakarla
March 5, 2019 - Thank you so much to Chit and the crew. It was an amazing trip, I saw heaps of beautiful dolphins including a new born, I was able to come to... read more NaomiN39
February 7, 2019 This trip was definitely one of the highlights of my time in Myanmar. The team made every effort to ensure we had a great time and that everyone on the... read more jisuka_sama
November 20, 2018GIBrown8 I cannot recommend this trip enough. The service was top quality, with a very friendly, helpful and informative guide. The food was delicious, organic and restaurant-beating (made by villagers). Their... read more
January 13, 2020 - ks6120 First of all, I am Myanmar citizen who lived in Yangon for whole life.
I don't even knew there are dolphins in the Aeyyarwaddy .I was travelling across... read more
December 26, 2019Tom Day trip on local very comfortable boat. Dolphins are came, but you must be a very quick photographer to take them. Telephoto or binocular are fine. Also our choice to... read more
March 1, 2020 We saw the dolphins but were a bit disappointed not to see the cooperative fishing as it was our main purpose to the trip (as we are living in Mandalay).... read more Camille-stras
January 27, 2019
Our Activities
Engage with communities and learn about local livelihoods, such as throwing a cast net, making a bamboo hat and fishing with dolphins.
Our Boat
Travel on the Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Boat and take in the scenes of the Ayeyawaddy Dolphin Protected Area.
Our Food
Get to know local culture through local food. Enjoy authentic dishes prepared and hosted by communities.
OUR PROJECT - Why it's important & What we do
Why protect Irrawaddy dolphins & cooperative fishing?
Irrawaddy dolphins are an endangered species found in only three rivers in the world, including the Irrawaddy River in Burma (Myanmar)--the only place where cooperative fishing with Irrawaddy dolphins exists.
What is our project?
The Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Project is a social business working to protect Irrawaddy dolphins and the tradition of cooperative fishing through community-based ecotourism.
