There are much in Burma to capture the imagination and win the heart. The enchanting Mandalay features various pagodas and ancient cities . The ruin of Bagan with thousands stupas stand in a vast plain by the muddy Irrawaddy River. The Inle Lake represents the delicate ballet of an Intha fisherman leg-rowing his slender craft; and everywhere in this magical land the gentle, generous and long-suffering people who delight so in visitors from abroad

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival - Yangon
On arrival at Yangon airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon has been the capital city only since 1885 although some settlements in this site date back about 2,500 years. This colorful metropolis features an intriguing mix of the scenes from a bygone era and the modern tempo of bustling streets punctuated by serene temples and impressive colonial edifices. After checking into hotel, we start our city tour, seeing the old colonial styled city center, the gilded Sule Pagoda and the impressive Karaweik Hall on the Royal Lake. We follow these with a visit to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, which dominates the skyline of city. This masterpiece houses an intricate complex of smaller pagodas and Buddha images. O/N in Yangon.

Day 2: Yangon - Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay
An early morning transfer to airport for a short flight to Mandalay. On arrival you are greeted by our guide and transferred straight to the jetty for a boat trip on the mighty Irrawaddy River. The lively waterfront with working buffaloes offers a spectacular backdrop as we cruise upriver to Mingun. On arrival, we wander around and visit the unfinished huge pagoda; the world’s largest bell of Mingun and the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. We make our way to Mandalay Town past the scenic countryside. This delightful town has plenty to see, some of which are the Mahamuni Pagoda; the fabulous Kuthodaw Pagoda often called "the world's largest book" and the wooden monastery of Shwenandaw Kyaung. This structure is still standing over centuries, despite of all vicissitudes of the city. We include these sights in a half day guided tour, which also gives us a chance to climb Mandalay hill for a beautiful sunset view of the surrounding areas. O/N in Mandalay. (B)

Day 3: Mandalay - Amarapura - Sagaing - Ava - Mandalay
The great cultural Mandalay City was a former capital of Burma; however many outlaying towns could lay claim to the same title at some stages in the past. Today we head out of the town to visit one of these ancient cities, Amarapura. The spectacular teak bridge of U Bein and the famous Mahaganda Monastery are some of the major attractions in Amarapura. We cross over the mighty Irrawaddy River to the picturesque Sagaing Hill. This lush area is covered in 600 white painted pagodas and monasteries, and is therefore regarded as the religious centre of Myanmar. Afterwards we continue driving to the ruin of Ava and embark on a horse and carriage to explore the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace. O/N in Mandalay. (B)

Day 4: Mandalay - Monywa
The journey south begins as we depart Mandalay and drive through the scenic countryside to Monywa. Along the way we visit the impressive Thanboddhay Pagoda. The wall and archway of this structure are delicately decorated with over 500,000 Buddha images. The next stop is Bodihtataung Pagoda which houses the largest reclining Buddha in Myanmar. We cross over the Chindwin River and embark a local jeep for a short drive to Po Win Daung. This extraordinary complex containing 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hill side, has been claimed by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South East Asia. We visit this famous landmark and make our way back to Monywa past various sleepy villages and lush plantation. O/N in Monywa. (B)

Day 5: Monywa - Pakkoku - Bagan
An early morning departure to Pakkoku, a lively town settled by the confluence of the Chindwin River. The major attraction standing in place is Pakhangyi which houses one of Myanmar's oldest teak monasteries. We visit this sight and enjoy a walk to see the nearby local market as well as the traditional production of local blankets. The pace of our trip changes as we board a boat for a leisurely trip down the mighty Irrawaddy River to Bagan. This river journey can take anything from 2 or 4 hours depending on conditions. No matter how long it takes us, this is still a wonderful experience as we pass by the spectacular landscape and see the rural life close up. On arrival at Bagan pier, you are met for a short drive to hotel and spend the time to catch your first glimpse of the archeological filed. O/N in Bagan. (B)

Day 6: Bagan
The impressive archaeological wonder in Myanmar is Bagan. This enchanting town flourished from the 11th till 13th century when religious fervors launched a 200 year building of thousands huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. Today we enjoy a walk around the vibrant market of Nyaung U and spend our time in the archeological zone. The sightseeing tour enables us to explore many magnificent structures including Shwezigon, Nanbaya, Htilominlo, Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Sulamani, Dhammyangyi. These temples and pagodas bear statement to a glorious past. The perfect way to round off our day is an observation of the spectacular sunset from the upper terrace of Myaukguni Temple. O/N in Bagan. (B)

Day 7: Bagan
The sightseeing tour continues with some temples scattered around the tranquil village of Minnanthu. These structures are Tayokepyay, Payathonezu and Namdamanya which reveal some exquisite murals of the13th century. The following sight is Kyat Kan Cave Monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan. We also visit the interesting Archeological Museum and the Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple. This impressive and well protected structure is decorated with many delicate mural paintings. Heading out of the town, we venture into the nearby village to explore the lifestyle of local people and the traditional hand weaving. O/N in Bagan. (B)

Day 8: Bagan - Mount Popa - Kalaw
Upon leaving the town, we set off on our journey to the imposing Mount Popa. This extinct volcano boasts the region’s highest peak, but the main attraction in this place is the smaller one, Popa Taungkalar, which is dedicated to the local legendary "nat" spirits. After a two hour drive, we arrive at this site and ascend the Popa Taungkalar for a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding area. There are 777 steps which wind around the outcrop and lead to the gilded stupa and monastery at the summit. We continue travelling by roads towards the Shan Plateau and drive through the stunning countryside and rolling hills to Kalaw, a pleasant hill station. O/N in Kalaw. (B)

Day 9: Kalaw - Inle Lake
The surroundings mountain areas around Kalaw Town are home of many ethnic groups and waterfalls littered in dense jungle. Today we get well off the beaten track as we walk into this mountain region past the stunning scenery on our way to Taryaw village, home to the Paluang people. These ethnic minorities were amongst the earliest inhabitants in Myanmar and still retains their old age cultural traditions which are still evident in their hand weaving, cheroot leaf making and longhouse with several extended families. After few more hour trek, we meet up with our vehicle for a scenic drive towards Inle Lake, a famous wonder of Myanmar. Along the way we can make stop as we please to stretch our legs and catch some pictures. O/N in Inle Lake. (B,L)

Day 10: Inle Lake
The picturesque scenery blending with the sky and floating gardens rising from the clear water of the lake is nothing short of spectacular. Today we board our boat for a leisurely trip on Inle Lake to explore some gardens and catch a glimpse of the local Intha fishmen famous for their rowing technique. These people power their narrow boats by twisting their legs around their oars, a remarkable feat of agility and control. Along the way, we anchor to visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the Jumping Cat Monastery with a beautiful collection of antique Buddha statues and the local market. This colourful congregation is held in different villages every five days, and attracts numerous ethnic minorities who converge from the surrounding villages to trade their goods. O/N in Inle Lake. (B)

Day 11: Inle Lake - Yangon
Today we take a short drive to Heho airport for a flight back to Yangon. We complete our exploration of Yangon with the colossal reclining Buddha of Chaukhtatgyi in a quiet, open-air pavilion and the National Museum which displays a lovely collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Burmese culture. Afterwards we enjoy a rickshaw excursion through the colonial area and the famous Strand road to the bustling harbour, giving a chance to see the city life close up. We follow it with a visit to the oldest Chinese temple of Kheng Hock Keong in China Town and a walk around the lively Bogyoke Aung San Market, formerly Scott’s market which everything and anything is for sale! O/N in Yangon (B)

Day 12: Yangon - Departure
There is free time for your own exploration of the city or catching up on some shopping areas. The trip ends after transfer to Mingaladon airport for departure. (B)

INCLUSIONS: Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver + Accommodation: twin sharing room at mentioned hotels or similar one + English speaking guide + Entrance fees to indicated sights - Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda, National Museum - Bagan: zone fee , Archeological Museum - Monywa: Thanboddhay, Po Win Daung, Shwe Ba Hill - Mandalay zone fee, Mingun zone fee, Sagaing Hill - Inle Lake zone fee + Meal as indicated : B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner + Domestic flights Yangon - Mandalay, Heho – Yangon + Boat trip in Mingun , Inle lake and Pakkoku - Bagan + Horse cart trip in Bagan and Ava

EXCLUSIONS: Other meals, tip, drinks, airport tax, single room supplement, personal expenses, travel insurance, visa, flight in / out of Myanmar, any optional additional tours or activities during free time + Surcharge for peak season, local holiday days and gala dinner

TRIP NOTES

-MYANMAR IS A DEVELOPPING COUNTRY WHOSE INFRASTRUCTURE MAY DIFFER FROM WHAT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR HOME LAND. THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE POOR AND THE ACCOMOODATION IS SIMPLE IN REMOTE AREAS.

-THE ITINERARY IS CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF VIEWING. OCCASIONALLY, THE PROGRAMME CHANGES AS WE MAKE IMPROVEMENT STEMING FROM OUR PAST TRAVELLERS' COMMENTS AND OUR OWN RESEARCH OR DUE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL. THIS INCLUDES FESTIVAL, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, WEATHER AND FLIGHT DELAY,.. THAT MAY EFFECT THE ITINERARY.

-THE TRIP INCLUDES SOME MEALS AS MENTIONED AT THE ITINERARY HOWEVER OUR GUIDE WILL BE ON HAND TO ADVISE YOU AS FAR THE AVAILABLE RESTAURANTS WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY LOCAL FOOD AT YOUR OWN BUDGET. THE MEAL COST IS ALL DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICE OF EATING PLACE. THE PACKAGE TOUR WITH FULL BOARD MEAL IS ARRANGED UPON REQUEST .

-THE DRESS STANDARDS ARE CONSERVATIVE THROUGHOUT ASIA. LOOSE , LIGHTWEIGHT, LONG CLOTHING ARE ALL RESPECTFUL COOL IN ASIAN HOT CLIMATE. IN ADDITION TO YOUR ITEMS OF PERSONAL CLOTHING, WE SUGGEST YOU TO BRING TRAINER OR SNEAKER SHOES, TORCH/FLASH LIGHT, HAT, RAIN COAT FOR WET SEASON, SUN CREAM, SUNGLASSES, DAYPACK, TOILETRIES AND SMALL TOWER, INSECT REPELLENT.

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