Exploration of Myanmar – 16 Days

Day 01: Yangon Arrival
Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, welcome by our local guide and transfer to your hotel.
Stay overnight in Yangon

Day 02: Yangon city (B)
Breakfast at hotel
Start sightseeing of Yangon: Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years Pagoda to enjoy the bustling life of Yangon and its people. And then visit to Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha).
And then we will visit Bogyoke Aung San Market (former Scott’s Market), where shopper’s favorite place.
Late in the afternoon, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda described by Somerset Maugham: "The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city." This massive bell-shaped stupa rises nearly 100 meters above hill-top surroundings.
Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, Temples, and Buddha images, and see religious and secular visitors from all parts of the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the Pagoda.
Stay overnight in Yangon

Day 03: Yangon – Fly to Heho – Kalaw (B)
Breakfast at hotel
In the morning transfer to Airport for the flight to Heho.
On arrive since drive to Kalaw and meet local trekking guide and start light 3 days 2 nights trekking to Inle Lake.
The cool mountain air, pine forests, beautiful landscape and ethnic minority villages make Shan state the perfect area for trekking. Learn about the traditions of the different ethnic minorities from a local guide while porters take care of transporting the provisions. During this 3-day trekking you will encounter continuously changing scenery. Transfer from hotel in Kalaw to meeting point by open pick-up truck. Start trekking about 1:30 to Lu Pin, a village inhabited by the Danu tribe.
Continue for about 30 minutes to Shar Pin village and a further 25 minutes to Pann Lone Pagoda hill for a picnic lunch. After lunch continue trekking to Linn Pan Village, inhabited by the Pa O minority. Rest at the Pa O village before continuing to Nant Thale The village where you can visit a local school just before entering the village. In the evening, serve traditional dinner and overnight stay with the friendly monks in the monastery.
Accommodation is basic on this tour but it is a unique experience.

Day 04: Kalaw Trekking (B)
After breakfast, resume trekking through the mountains of Shan State. In the morning walk for around an hour and a half passing several villages and old wooden monasteries, breaking for lunch at Htun Gone village. Continue trekking in the afternoon through a stunning area inhabited by farmers and hill tribes for around three and a half hours. Arrive at the end of the day in Htee Taing village for dinner and overnight at the beautiful wooden Htee Taing Monastery that is also used as a school for young novices.

Day 05: Kalaw Trekking – Inle (B)
After breakfast at Htee Tain Monastery resume trekking to Inle Lake passing through different Pa O villages, with panoramic views over the lake en route. Continue mostly down through an impressive gorge descending to the lake.
After around three hours trekking in the morning, break at Than Taung village for lunch in a monastery. After lunch continue for another hour to Inle Lake before transferring by motorboat to the hotel in Inle Lake.
Overnight at Inle lake

Day 06: Inle (B)
Breakfast at hotel
Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses dozens of Shan Buddha Images, but is more famous for its unique ‘jumping cats’ that jump through hoops in the air! Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf.
Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand.
We can also visit a local silk weaving ‘factory’ which sits on stilts on the lake and where they still use old style hand looms.
Overnight in Inle

Day 07: Inle – Heho – Fly to Mandalay (B)
Breakfast at hotel
Transfer for flight to Mandalay.
Upon arrival, head to Mahamuni Pagoda, the image enshrined here is perhaps the most venerated image in Myanmar, covered in over 15 cm thickness of gold leaf. Worshippers flock daily to the shrine at four in the morning to observe the unique face-washing ceremony. En-route to the pagoda, stop to observe the laborious process of Gold-Leaf Beating, where gold is painstakingly hammered into tissue-thin squares.
After lunch, we will take a short break and then continue the tour visiting the Mandalay Palace & Fort, which best portrays the golden days of Mandalay Kingdom.
This afternoon, continue your tour of Mandalay with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda, whose 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures have earned it the title ‘World’s Biggest Book’. Continue to Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19th century Royal Palace. This grand teak building is known for its exquisite woodcarving.
Overnight in Mandalay

Day 08: Mandalay – Amarapura – Ava – Sagaing (B)
Breakfast at hotel and depart for full day trip to the former capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing.
The day begins with a visit to the 18th century capital, Amarapura. Attend the daily meal of over thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery; Mahagandayon. Visit a silk weaving workshop, the craft speciality 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, and the Maha Aungmye Bonzan and Htihlaing Shin Paya.
In the afternoon cross the bridge over the Irrawaddy River and continue to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious centre of Myanmar and is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centres.
Finish the day with a walk at sunset over the 200 year-old U Bein Bridge, constructed entirely from teak.
Overnight in Mandalay

Day 09: Mandalay – Monywa (B)
After Breakfast
Take 3 hrs and half drive to Moniwa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. On the way, visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, where thousands of Buddha images cover every wall and archway of this huge Buddhist temple.
Then proceed to Boditahtaung and take a walk through the nearby banyan or Bo tree together with the thousand Buddha images sitting at the foot of each tree and enjoy the view from Aung Setkaya Pagoda, standing 130 meter high on the Po Khaung hills.
Then cross the Chindwin River by ferry boat and proceed by pickup or jeep to Hpo Win Daung, a system of impressive sandstone caves containing Buddha statues, wood carvings and fine mural paintings mainly in Innwa-style, some dating back to 15th century. Dozens of large and small caves with about 450,000 images are hidden in the area of the Hpo Win Hills. Return to Moniwa.
Overnight in Moniwa

Day 10: Monywa – Pakokku – Bagan (B)
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.
Continue 20 km south to Pakokku, a lively, typical Burmese city with a strong craftwork tradition producing colorful woven blankets, papier-mâché toys and the traditional sandals. Continue by boat and cross the river to arrive in Bagan at the end of the day.
From the 11th to 13th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers constructed thousands of huge stupas and temples many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.
Overnight in Bagan

Day 11: Bagan (B)
Today you begin with a visit to Nyaung Oo Market, after which you spend some time to explore Phaw Saw village on foot.
You begin your excursion with a visit to Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan’s important golden stupas where we can look for the spirit house with 37 ‘nats’. Continue to visit a diverse selection of pagodas and temples such as Kyansittha cave temple, 12th century frescoes along the corridors and Ku ByaukGyi temple with murals of jataka scenes and Htilominlo, one of the biggest temples with murals and friezes. Then, Ananda Temple with four huge standing-Buddha images and a lot of seated figures were decorated around the wall of the interior corridors. A visit to a lacquer ware workshop will be taken afterwards. Then enjoy sunset from atop one of the pagodas in Bagan.
Overnight in Bagan

Day 12: Bagan – Popa – Bagan (B)
After breakfast,
Begin your visit with a stop at the colorful Nyaung Oo Market where every day the locals come to buy and sell fresh produce and other goods.
And then drive to Mount Popa, an extinct volcano over 1,500m high, about 48km south east of Bagan. Mount Popa has played an important role in Myanmar culture, religion and history since the earliest times. Its shrine is dedicated to the worship of the 37 Nats, the Burmese ancient animist spirits. The view over the Myingyan Plain from the top of the Popa-TaungKalat volcanic peak is simply breathtaking.
On the way back to Bagan, along the way we will stop in a local village where the people use the fruit of the palm tree to make wine and molasses. Witness the incredible production process and will enjoy the palm juice. Then return to Bagan.
Overnight in Bagan

Day 13: Bagan – Thandwe – Ngapali (B)
Breakfast at hotel
Transfer to the airport for flight to Thandwe, upon arrival transfer to hotel
Overnight in Ngapali Beach

Day 14: Ngapali (B)
Breakfast at the hotel; enjoy wonderful unspoiled beach full day.
Overnight in Ngapali Beach

Day 15: Ngapali – Thandwe – Yangon (B)
Breakfast at hotel
This afternoon, you will be transfer to airport for flight back to Yangon.
Upon arrival transfer to hotel and check in
Stay overnight in Yangon

Day 16: Yangon Departure (B)
Breakfast at hotel
Then transfer to airport for flight back to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight back to

What's included?

• Accommodation in Double/Twin bedded rooms with daily breakfast
• All transfers and excursions with private air-conditioned vehicles with drivers mention in program
• Meals as listed in the itinerary: B - Breakfast, L - Lunch, D - Dinner
• All the internal flights with economy cabin including tax
• Local English Speaking Guide
• All activities mentioned
• All entrance fees for sightseeing in the program

What's Excluded?

• Early check in and late check-out from hotel
• Meals: Lunch & Dinner as not listed above
• Visa Fees
• Tips
• Travel insurance
• International Airfares
• Expenditure of personal nature, such as porter charges, camera fees, drinks, souvenirs, laundry etc.
• International airport tax in Yangon (US$10.- per person)
• Services not listed in above inclusions