Highlights of Myanmar

Arrival in Yangon, a quiet and charming city. With its impressive colonial and spiritual imprint, Yangon is one of the most fascinating cities in Asia. After visa and passport formalities you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Yangon lies in the fertile delta of southern Myanmar, on the wide Yangon River. The city is filled with treeshaded boulevards, while shimmering stupas float above the treetops. The city became the capital only in 1885, when the British completed the conquest of Upper Myanmar and Mandalay’s brief period as capital of the last Burmese kingdom ended.

Visit Shwedagon Pagoda
The highlight of any visit to Yangon, the Shwedagon Pagoda dates back about 2600 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its original shape has changed beyond all recognition over the centuries. Its bell-shaped superstructureis covered in about 60 tons of gold-leaf, which is continuously being replaced.

Walking tour around Colonial buildings nearby Sule Pagoda; start your exploration of colonial Yangon from the Heart of Yangon, where you will see Sule Pagoda from the outside, the City Hall with amazing architecture of Myanmar, Emmanuel Baptist Church, High Court (formerly known as the Parliament for Justice) and Mahabandoola Park. And continue to the Secretariat Building, a Victorian building, which housed the parliament from 1948-1962. Afterwards, walk down to Strand Road, on the way you will explore Gandhi Hall, where the National League for Democracy drafted the Gandhi Hall Declaration, issued on July 29, 1990 and the Armenian Church. Explore the Post Office, The Strand Hotel, Port Authority building and Accountant General’s Office %26 Currency Department. Then as a final stop, walk to Yangon Heritage Trust (Yht) office, a non-profit organization that works to preserve and protect the city’s rich urban heritage and display the past and present photos of Yangon are displayed and learn more about Yangon.

Transfer to the airport to take flight from Yangon to Mandalay. Arrive Mandalay and transfer to the city.

Sightseeing in Mandalay
The last capital of royal Burma, Mandalay is still one of the largest cities in Myanmar, and a cultural and spiritual centre. Neighbouring Sagaing is home to over sixty per cent of the country’s monks, while the artisans of Mandalay continue to turn out the finest crafts in Myanmar. Visit Mandalay Hill and take an easy climb up the sheltered steps to see panoramic views over the palace, Mandalay and the paya-studded countryside. The famous hermit monk, U Khanti, is credited with inspiring the construction of many of the buildings on and around the hill in the years after the founding of the city. Visit Shwenandaw Kyaung , a monastery of great interest, not only as a fine example of a traditional Burmese wooden monastery, but as a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Fort. At one time this building was part of the palace complex, and was used as an apartment by King Mindon and his chief queen, and it was here that he died. After Mindon’s death, King Thibaw Min had the building dismantled and reassembled on its present site in 1880 as a monastery. Visit Kuthodaw Paya. The central stupa of the Kuthodaw Paya was modelled on the Shwezigon Paya at Nyaung U near Bagan. Building commenced in 1857, at the same time as the royal palace. The paya has been dubbed ’the world’s biggest book’, for standing around the central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Tripitaka.

Depart for Bagan by boat. Cruise aboard the RV Panorama for a relaxing 10 hour journey to Bagan (no guide on board). Cast off at 6am. Cruise along the Ayerawaddy River and take in the surrounding scenery and countryside. Arrive in Bagan around 5pm and transfer to your hotel (the boat journey might be replaced by a flight if Boat Company does not operate).

Special note: The cruise (MDL-BGN) operates daily (unless the
chartered cruise is booked on that day)

Bagan is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden
period in 1057 Ad. Visit Ananda Pahto, one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples.
Visit Sulamani Temple built in 1181 and is one of the best examples of the later, more sophisticated temple styles.
Visit Dhammayangyi Temple with its fine brickwork.
Visit Thatbyinnyu Pahto, rising up to 61 metres.
Visit temples for sunset by horse cart (2 hours)
Take a break from the rhythms of modern life and explore some
neighboring temples in an old fashioned horse drawn buggy. (The
duration of the horse ride is approximately 1-2 hours, depending on the length of temple visits).

Excursion to Salay (4 hours)
Explore local life in this unspoiled Burmese town of Salay. Visit the Yoke Son Kyaung, the oldest surviving wooden monastery. Continue to wander around the town and the market. Visit Mann Paya- a modern pagoda housing a 6m gold Buddha made of straw lacquer.
After lunch, return to Bagan with a stop by a palm village. Stop at a typical village, where villages demonstrate how they press palm juice and oils from the native plants, make jaggery from the sugars, and weave baskets from the palm leaves. Take pleasure in cruising on the river with a private boat. Witness the golden sun setting beyond the mountains and the silvery moon rising casting reflections over the water on the horizon while the remarkable views of pagodas, temples and evening life take the breath away.
Visit Mount Popa, a cylindrical hill that rises sharply from the surrounding plain and is considered to be the home of Myanmar’s most important nats (spirits). Ascend the mountain via a winding covered staircase watched by the curious monkeys that populate the area. At the top is a monastery and temple complex with shrines to the 37 nats, along with spectacular views. Stop at a typical village, where villagers demonstrate how they press palm
juice and oils from the native plants and weave baskets from the palm leaves.
Take pleasure in cruising on the river and witness the golden sun setting beyond the mountains. Upon arrival back in Bagan, enjoy dinner and a traditional puppet show.

By vehicle from Bagan to Kalaw (258 kms). Come straight to Magway elephant camp to an elephant village and see the life of mahouts with their families. Time to introduce the elephants and feed them their daily prepared food. Then proceed to the river where you can help bathe the elephants. Lunch will be served at the main camp. You are also welcome to join in on planting regional trees from the nursery in their forest recovery efforts. Return to the main camp and enjoy the view through the valley. Drive back to Kalaw and overnight.

Transfer to the train station for the train to Aung Ban. Arrive and continue by vehicle to Inle Lake, then transfer by boat to your hotel.

Enjoy a boat ride on Inle Lake and discover its calm serenity and still waters. Rolling high hills hug the lake on all sides, as the lake’s shore and islands host 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Enjoy the awe inspiring scenery and meditate on the one of a kind skill of the local fishermen who use their legs in a unique rowing technique to glide themselves gracefully around the lake. Visit the enchanting floating gardens,
a teeming market and an Intha village around the lake. The DAY also includes a visit to the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, Inn Paw Khon Village (Lotus and silk weaving villages) and the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery. Visit a cheroot factory and rest of the DAY at leisure.

Travel by boat to the western shore of the lake to a stairway leading to the hidden Indein temple complex. Located on the shore of the lake, this site consists of hundreds of small stupas overgrown by moss and greens. Explore the village of Nam Pan, where the local villagers work in the traditional workshops building boats or producing cheroots (Burmese cigars). The village consists of houses on stilts resting just above the water of the lake.

Depart Inle by boat and car back to Heho. Board a flight to Yangkok. Arrive and transfer to your hotel for your last night in Myanmar!

Transfer to the airport.