Our Tours

  What a great company & great day trip. We did the 1 day tour as that was all the time we had. Unfortunately we didn't see any dolphins which is... read more unusual from reviews I have read. This was due to the rain which was heavy...More

  My wife and I booked a private 1 day tour (we wanted to do 2 days, but only had 1 extra day in Mandalay). We booked in advance, Paul... read more was very responsive via email. On the day of the tour, Ko Nyein our tour guide picked us up at the hotel and also took us back in the evening. We first took a larger 2-level boat to the location where the dolphins "hang out", and then transferred to a smaller boat. We spotted many dolphins and witnessed how "cooperative fishing" worked. U Maung Lay the "dolphin whisperer" and another fisherman demonstrated from another small boat, which was very interesting to watch. You need to concentrate and be very fast to take photos, as you cannot predict where exactly dolphins might appear. We just wanted to be quiet, in the moment, and soak in the experience of seeing the dolphins do what they do. We had lunch on the boat, brought from the village, which was as expected. We went to Singyun Village, met with villagers and learned about bamboo hat making, etc. A special and unexpected treat was, we saw part of a local family's child's Buddhist "novitiation" ceremony. The villagers also treated us to snacks and teaf leaf salad, etc. Before returning to Mandalay, we chose to visit Mingun's "Mya Thein Dan" pagoda, as we had already seen other pagodas and the big bell during a previous trip. Ko Nyein and the family who operated the boat offered to take us further up river or to another village, but we declined as we didn't feel like packing too many things into one day. We would have been perfectly happy just to be on the boat, as the entire experience was so tranquil, enchantingly peaceful, and the scenery so beautiful. Ko Nyein and U Maung Lay were very knowledgeable, and the boat family were accommodating. This is a great tour if you want to learn about the dolphins, the conservation efforts, and rural Burmese life and the agriculture industry around the area, mainly peanut farming and some rice. Strongly recommended, and do two days is you can.

  I was lucky enough to join a friend at short notice to undertake this trip down the Irrawaddy river and see the cooperative fishing. It was a chance to... read more see the unique cooperation between man and dolphin. They are very shy mammals and requires time and patience to see them, plus the fact their numbers are decreasing all the time.
We got some great shots of both the dolphins ‘waving’ to the fishermen and of the men throwing their nets. I think we had the ‘top fisherman’ who has been doing this since he was 15yrs old. Along the route we came ashore several times - to see local life along the river and an overnight stay in beautiful tents. They were very comfortable. The ladies from the local village set up the camp and them bring food to us. I really enjoyed my trip with Judith.

  We weren't to sure about this tour as it was a part of our pre organised package. From the minute we stepped on the boat, we got great surprises. We... read more were lucky enough to have heaps of dolphin sighting throughout the trip. The village visits were fantastic, interesting and hands-on and didn't feel forced. The tour used local vllage people for catering and shared the love among several villages. The food was some of the best we have had in Myanmar. All the staff were amazing, helpful and knowledgeable. Our daughters 3 and 5 were catered for and the guide won their hearts. The tent accommodation was more confortable then some hotels we had stayed in. Overall we really loved how we were able to support several local villages and dolphin conservation. We got the surprise of so many dolphins, so much culture and historical sites. A really fantastic way to experience this part of Myanmar.

  What an amazing experience. Chit was an informative guide and created a great experience. We saw dolphins on the first day in two different locations! The glamping was also great.... read more The tents were pitched along the river next to a local village. The village was...More

  We went on this trip and although we booked a group trip there wasn't anybody else on the boat that day. The tour departed from the riverside in Mandalay.... read more It is a very relaxing and informative day and you soon realise how passionate these people are about the Irrawaddy dolphins.
After about an hour we saw our first group of dolphins, then further up the river we saw another group. The fishermen came from their village to meet us and we were fortunate enough to see the dolphins co-operating with them to fish. This was a wonderful, once in a lifetime opportunity. We had a tasty local lunch on the boat.
On the way back we stopped at a local village where we were greeted with snacks and drinks. Then the local ladies showed us bamboo hat making and for me how to balance a large pot on my head. Then they showed both my husband and myself how to where a longyi. They were so friendly and welcoming, it was lovely.
The day was wonderful, informative (although not over the top), relaxing and we were so lucky to see the dolphins. Please do this trip rather than any others which are just commercial, this group are really trying to protect the dolphins.

  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 area. First of all, we saw loads of dolphins and plenty of episodes of the dolphins...More

  It was definitely one of my highlights in Myanmar! Taking a break from pagodas/stupas after 3 amazing days in Bagan, I opted to do this tour instead of probably the... read more usual Mandalay route as I really love dolphins! The 2-day tour brought us along Ayarwaddy river and we were fortunate enough to see dolphins both day 1 afternoon and day 2 morning and them trying to do cooperative fishing with the fishermen! On Day 2 we even saw a small pod and possibly mother and calf!

But as many reviews mentioned, the tour is much more than dolphins, you got the chance to explore the villages living along riverbeds of Ayarwaddy, and learn how to make WELL USE of a longyi (not just wearing it!), enjoy amazing food prepared by the generous locals and monastery, staying overnight on the secluded beach on the river with a camp that has a double bed mattress prepared for you, enjoyed a bonfire with your groupmates and local villagers, and enjoyed a glass of Myanmar wine which you can purchase on the boat, knowing how to do fishing the Myanmar way, also exploring Mingun to see the largest brick structure in the world... could never recommend enough to this tour!

Kudos to our guide Chid and the team to make this tour a very comfortable one for us, but whats equally, if not more, important is their effort of saving the Irrawaddy Dolphins, which are currently endangered in Myanmar due to electric fishing. It does go a great length to keep this amazing mammal alive as well as the heritage of cooperative fishing and I applauded everyone for their dedication into it.

  What a great day! Back in December, my partner and I were lucky enough to be the very first tourists to experience the Living Irrawaddy Dolphin Projet 1-day trip. We... read more didn't have enough time to do their usual 2 or 3-day trip, but Paul and...More