Yangon :: Kyaiktiyo :: Bago :: Heho :: Inle Lake :: In Dein :: Pindaya :: Mandalay
Amarapura :: Ava :: Sagaing :: Mingun :: Moniwa :: Po Win Daung :: Pakkoku :: Bagan

Day 01: Arrive Yangon
Arrive in Yangon and transfer to hotel. Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is still a relatively quiet and charming city. Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes Yangon one of the most fascinating and authentic capitals of South-East Asia. After lunch, a city tour includes the National Museum, Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda’s 70m long reclining Buddha and Myanmar’s holiest monument, the Shwedagon Pagoda with its gold covered stupa. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 02: Yangon – Kyaiktiyo
Leaving Yangon in the morning, enjoy a scenic journey by road to Kyaiktiyo, 190km to the east. One of Myanmar’s great pilgrimage sites is the Golden Rock at Kyaiktiyo, a huge boulder covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. The pagoda at the Golden Rock is said to hold a hair of Buddha. Late morning, arrive at Kyaiktiyo base camp and transfer to the transit junction with one of the small open trucks in a one hour ride. After lunch, start an easy walk up to the Gilden Rock and enjoy sunset from this unforgettable site. Overnight in Kyaiktiyo. (B)

Day 03: Kyaiktiyo – Bago – Yangon
After breakfast, return to the base – camp by open truck and head in the direction of Yangon for 110km to Bago, an ancient capital dating back to the 6th century. Sightseeing in Bago includes the beautiful 55m long reclining Buddha called Shwethalyaung and the Mon style Shwemawdaw Pagoda, one of the most Venerated in Myanmar. Its spire stands 114m high and is taller even than the Shwedagon Pagoda. Also visit the old Palace of Kambozathadi and the huge four sitting Buddhas. Return by road to Yangon, visiting the Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyan, the final resting place for over 27.000 allied soldiers, and a local woven bamboo factory. Transfer back to Yangon. Overnight in Yangon. (B)

Day 04: Yangon – Heho – Inle Lake
In the morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. From Heho, enjoy a scenic drive to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar best-known sights. The Intha people, a tribe of Mon descent, mostly inhabit the lakeshores and floating villages. On arrival at Nyaung Shwe village, transfer by boat to start a sightseeing tour of Inle Lake including a chance to see the leg-rowing fishermen. Continue to see the floating gardens, built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. There are also floating villages like Ywama, the lake’s downtown, where a floating market is held every five days. In the afternoon continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the weaving village of Inpawkhon and the jumping cat monastery. Check into hotel in the afternoon. Overnight at Inle Lake. (B)

Day 05: Inle Lake – In Dein – Inle Lake
After breakfast, transfer by motorboat to In Dein, an off-the-beaten-track site in the south of the lake. From Ywama, the boat leaves the lake and enters a narrow canal leading to a small Pa O tribe village. From the market place of the village, follow an old covered path to a 13th century monastery and the very impressive ruins of hundreds of ancient pagodas, some hidden in the vegetation. The main stupa-area on the top of the hill offers breathtaking views over the surrounding mountain and down to the valley and the lake in the far distance. Return to the lake and transfer back to hotel in the afternoon. Overnight at Inle Lake. (B)

Day 06: Inle Lake – Pindaya – Heho – Mandalay
After breakfast at the hotel, leave by boat and car to enjoy a scenic drive to Pindaya through the picturesque countryside of Shan State. Visit Pindaya limestone cave with its maze of chambers displaying more than 8.000 Buddha statues and local handicraft workshops producing Shan paper made from mulberry bark and traditional umbrellas made from same paper that are used by monks all around the country. Then transfer to Heho Airport for the short flight to Mandalay. Transfer to hotel on arrival. Overnight in Mandalay. (B)

Day 07: Mandalay – Amarapura – Ava – Sagaing – Mandalay
After breakfast at the hotel depart for full day trip to the former capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing. The day begins with the visit to the 18th century capital, Amarapura. Attend the daily meal of over a thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery, Mahagandayon. Visit a silk weaving workshop, the craft specialty of Amarapura. Proceed to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries and visit by horse and carriage the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and fort. In the afternoon cross the bridge over the Irrawaddy River and to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar and is home to 3.000 monks and 100 meditation centers. In the end, a walk at sunset over the 200 year old U Bein Bridge, constructed entirely from teak. Overnight in Mandalay. (B)

Day 08: Mandalay – Mingun – Mandalay
After breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board a private chartered boat for an excursion over the Irrawaddy River towards the former capital of Mingun famous for its huge unfinished pagoda also home of the Mingun Bell, considered as the world’s largest uncracked ringing bell. Also visit the beautiful pagoda. Return by boat to Mandalay. In the afternoon, visit the Kuthdaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book), Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite woodcarving and the impressive Kyauktawgyi Pagoda with its huge sitting Buddha. Enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill. Overnight in Mandalay. (B)

Day 09: Mandalay – Moniwa – Po Win Daung – Moniwa
Leave Mandalay for 3 hour drive to Moniwa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. On the way, visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, where more than 500.000 Buddha image in Myanmar, 100m long and 27m high. Cross the Chindwin River by ferry and proceed to Po Win Daung by local open jeep. This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and contains what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South-EastAsia. Recently opened to foreigners, Po Win Daung with its unique, precious frescoes, some dating from early 17th century, is a must to see for anyone with an interest in Buddhist Arts. A few hundred meters from the caves is Shwe Ba Daung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs. Overnight in Moniwa. (B)

Day 10: Moniwa – Pakkoku – Bagan
After breakfast at the hotel, leave Moniwa along the rarely visited east bank of the river passing traditional villages where farmers climb the palm trees to extract the juice from which they produce palm tree sugar. Stop in Pakkangyi to visit one of the oldest surviving wooden monasteries in Myanmar. Continue 20km south to Pakkoku. A lively, typical Burmese city with a strong craftwork tradition producing colorful woven blankets, papier-mâché toys and traditional sandals. Continue by boat across the river to arrive in Bagan at the end of the day. Overnight in Bagan. (B)

Day 11: Bagan
After breakfast at the hotel morning sightseeing of Bagan features the colorful Nyaung Oo Market, the Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa, Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jatakas murals paintings and the elegant Htilominio Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. In the afternoon, visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of the early-style temple with two original standing Buddha images whose facial expressions change depend on the distance the statue is view from. The Ananda Okkyaung is one o the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period and the next temple to e visited, Thatyinny, is the highest in Bagan, rising to 61m. End the day with horse and carriage tour among the temples passing y the traditional village of Taungbi, Sulamani Temple and the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. Enjoy the unset over the site from the upper terrace of Myauk Guni Temple. Overnight in Bagan. (B)

Day 12: Bagan – Yangon
After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Myinkaba village and observe the process of traditional lacquer ware, one of the best-known Myanmar handicrafts and a sociality of Bagan. Visit the monuments of Myinkaba village, Guyaukkhi, an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mural paintings in Bagan, Manuha and Nanpaya temples. In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the countryside village f Minnanthu, the least visited temple area in Bagan. Observe the local farmer’s way of life together with a visit t some of the most interesting temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya temples. In the late afternoon transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for the flight back to Yangon. Transfer to hotel on arrival. Overnight in Yangon. (B)

Day 13: Depart Yangon
After breakfast finish the tour with a visit to downtown Yangon with its faded colonial atmosphere, Sule Pagoda, Mahabandoola Park, town and bustling Chinatown. In the afternoon there is free time for shopping a Bogyoke Market, formerly Scott’s Market before transferring to Mingaladon airport for onward flight. (B)


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