The expedition of a lifetime: Paddling up the Mekong by kayak

In just a few days, Arthur Fourdraine, a 27-year-old Frenchman, will attempt to become the first person in the world to kayak the entire length of the Mekong River, from its delta to its source, unassisted. That’s 4,500 kilometers—starting from the sea in Vietnam and climbing all the way to the Tibetan peaks at over 5,000 meters above sea level. More than a personal feat, this history and exploration enthusiast aims to offer an unfiltered account of the environmental and human conditions along this legendary river.

The expression "remonter le Mékong"—literally "going upstream on the Mekong"—was coined and popularized by French soldiers during the Indochina War to mean reminiscing about the past. Arthur Fourdraine may find some irony in that idiom someday. For now, his mission is literal: to paddle upstream, all the way. A former alpine infantryman in the French army, Arthur spent over five years in the mountains. “I miss mountaineering. I probably need to feel some altitude again,” he says with a smile, currently resting by the sea in Kep, Cambodia. “I’ll be climbing the equivalent of two Mount Everests in total elevation gain.” This will be, as he puts it, “the longest expedition of my life.”

Indeed, the journey is staggering: 4,500 km solo over nine months, starting at sea level and ending at over 5,000 meters in the Tibetan Plateau. Kayaking where possible, walking when necessary. Eighteen months of meticulous preparation went into training, logistics, and in-depth study of the six countries the Mekong flows through: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and China.

(Arthur has been training for several weeks in the waters of Kep and Kampot aboard his kayak. ©Instagram Arthur Fourdraine)

A compass in his mind

Arthur has left nothing to chance. “I reached out to the Mekong River Commission (MRC) with lots of questions. What's the average flow rate? How strong is the current? When is it most navigable? When is it most dangerous? How many dams are completed? Under construction? What are the options for portage or bypassing? What are the risks from wildlife?”

He studied each country’s climate, biodiversity, and political context. Strategically, he will begin in February, the dry season, to avoid Southeast Asia’s intense monsoons. He hopes to reach Luang Prabang in Laos by May, and China by June, giving him a 3–4 month window to reach the river’s source in Qinghai before snowfall makes it unreachable—October is the ultimate deadline.

He is confident, driven. “I always want to go farther, to where others don’t. I want to show what the world has to offer,” he says.

Fueling the journey

Determination is key—but so is fuel. How will he survive physically on such a long and isolated journey? “I won’t be carrying food rations. I’ll be kayaking through areas inhabited by more than 90 million people. I’m not worried. I’ll eat what the river provides.” In the lower Mekong, that means rice and fish. His food budget: $5 to $7.50 per day.

But the river's population density drops dramatically as he travels upstream. Once in China’s Yunnan province, conditions become much harsher—and people far less common. There, his self-sufficiency will depend on survival skills. He plans to learn how to fish and hunt, and will set up traps to gather food as needed.

Arthur is bringing 25 kg of gear, including an inflatable kayak that can be carried on his back when portage is necessary—over dams, rapids, or unpassable terrain. He expects to trek for more than 10 consecutive days in Tibet, where the river narrows and becomes dangerously fast.He’ll also carry 6 kg of multimedia equipment and 4 kg of supplies, including clothing and medical gear. A satellite phone will keep him connected with his brother Valentin, who’s handling logistics from France, and with a specialist doctor for tropical diseases if needed.

Temperatures along the route will swing wildly—from 40°C (104°F) in Southeast Asia's April to sub-zero nights in the Himalayas. “I have two gear sets: one for the tropics, and one for the cold. I’ll switch from a hammock to a tent in Laos, and later pick up mountaineering gear—a sleeping mat and high-altitude sleeping bag—for Tibet. My tent will be my only shelter in the arid mountain landscapes,” he explains.

Tibet is one of two major “hotspots” of the journey—dangerous not only for its altitude and weather, but also for access restrictions. “That area is strictly off-limits to foreigners without permits or a guide,” Arthur notes. He has already contacted Dutch guide Pieter Neele, who previously helped Swiss photographer Luciano Lepre in a similar crossing on foot in 2014.

Experience in the service of awareness

The Southeast Asian countries will pose fewer access problems, he says. The second major challenge lies in the Golden Triangle—where Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar meet. “It’s the world’s second-largest opium trafficking zone.” But Arthur is no stranger to danger. He served in Afghanistan, where he witnessed the Golden Crescent, the world’s top opium-producing region. “I’ve seen it firsthand. I know the risks, the methods. I’ve researched the threats in Myanmar—kidnappings, attacks, murders. Things have calmed down recently. We’ll see on the ground.”

He will alert local authorities as he progresses and plans to minimize the need for military escort. “In Pakistan, when I crossed into Afghanistan, the army insisted on escorting me in a jeep—with a mounted machine gun. I had to lose them. They were more of a target than protection.”

A journey with a message

Though he's going solo, Arthur won’t be alone in spirit. He’s bringing the equipment necessary to document everything—from wildlife and landscapes to the people living along the Mekong. The expedition is as much a story as it is a feat.

To fund the journey, Arthur launched a crowdfunding campaign on Ulule, raising over $7,700. In return, contributors will have access to a private website, where his brother Valentin will post exclusive photos and videos, not shared on social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube).

Arthur will film with a GoPro Fusion, intending to create a 360° documentary, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the experience. “I want it to be both aesthetic and truthful, featuring interviews with fishermen, monks, farmers, and villagers—the people who live by and depend on the Mekong.”

For Arthur, the Mekong is more than a river. It’s a symbol of exploration. He draws inspiration from French explorers like Commander Ernest Doudart de Lagrée, who led an expedition in 1866 up the Mekong. With a botanist, doctor, and photographer, Doudart de Lagrée documented lands, jungles, and people that were shrouded in legend. Though he died of tropical disease on the journey, his mission birthed the very spirit of adventure that drives Arthur today.

“I’ll keep a travel journal during my expedition,” he says. “Not to be pretentious, but to explain my journey to my family—who still don’t really understand, and are naturally worried.”

A sporting, historical, narrative, and multimedia endeavor that seems, at first glance, almost impossible. But Arthur wants to prove the doubters wrong. That’s where he draws his determined smile and boundless enthusiasm. To become the first human to ever complete this mythical journey—unassisted, from sea to source.

Thibault Bourru