from 10 reviews
9 Days 8 Nights
Daily Tour
20 people
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In this tour, you will visit the most important places in Yangon (The Commercial City) in South Myanmar, Bagan (The first Capital of the Myanmar Kingdom as well as a World’s Heritage Site), Mandalay (the last Royal Capital of Myanmar Kingdom) in Central Myanmar and Inle Lake (the 2nd largest Lake above 880 m above sea level) in the Eastern Myanmar, Shan State.
You will also experience biking in Bagan and soft trekking in Inle Lake.
A perfect opportunity to get an interesting insight of the most stunning and remarkable must-see sites in Myanmar
You will be fully satisfied as your experienced guide shares not only the history but also the culture and religion of the city and its people.
Arrival Yangon International Airport by morning flight. You will be welcomed by our guide after clearing immigration and customs control and transfer to hotel. Arrival hotel and check-in (only if the room is available as normal check in time is 1400 hrs). Time to relax.
In the afternoon, the sightseeing tour includes the old colonial-style city center, the Chinatown area and the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years. A photo stop at the Karaweik Hall royal floating barge. The tour continues to Chauk Htat Gyi, a huge reclining Buddha image. Drive to the Eastern entrance of Shwedagon pagoda and walk through the small shops where monk accessories, Buddha statues, flowers etc. are sold. The entrance is always very busy with sellers and Myanmar visitors. Then visit Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments, will conclude the tour of this picturesque Garden City. The golden dome of the Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold. Enjoy sunset from the pagoda. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel, in Yangon.
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon Airport for domestic flight to Bagan (approx. 0630/0750 hours - direct). Upon arrival in Bagan, sightseeing tour starting with visits to local market and a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, see 13th Century frescoes adorning the corridors of Kyansittha 'Cave' Temple. Continue to Gubyaukgyi (Wetkyi Inn village), another 'cave' temple with fine frescoes of the 'Jataka Tales'. Next stop is Htilominlo, the last Bamar style temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes and Ananda Temple with four huge standing-Buddha images and numerous seated figures arranged around the interior gallery. Check into your hotel late morning.
In the afternoon, an excursion by boat to the nostalgic Nat Htaung Kyaung, a monastery famous for woodcarvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Admire the monastery's collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel in Bagan.
Information:
Cycles are the local “sit up and beg’ style without gears but with a basket to put water/camera etc. Children’s bikes are available size-wise for the over 10 year olds. No helmets. Cycling on the sand tracks is an art! As Bagan’s climate is a dry heat, cycling is not arduous and we can arrange the timing to avoid the heat in the Summer months. Take sunscreen, a hat and water.
Cycling is a really fun way to explore the delights of Bagan without being intrusive and to absorb its charm and serenity. Cycling across this stunning pagoda filled plain scattered with acacia and toddy palm trees, bullock carts, zebu cattle, goat herds and villages, you have the chance to stop at some lesser visited temples as well. You can stop at as many or as few pagodas as you wish and the opportunities for taking amazing photographs is unlimited.
Morning Biking Tour 3 hours easy ride 2/3rd on tarmac and 1/3rd on sand tracks.
This morning start your cycle ride on tarmac along the peaceful dual carriageway before turning onto a sand track near Ananda (½ Km) Temple. Our first stop is at Dhammayangyi (¼ Km) a massive temple visible for kilometers and known locally as “Bad Luck temple”; dating from 1170 it is famous for its interlocking mortar less brickwork. Continue cross country to Dhammayazaka (2 Km) where if you wish, you can ascend the temple for a panoramic view. On rejoining tarmac, turn right to New Bagan (3 Km) where you can stop for a refreshment either in the village or over the Ayeyawaddy River. Heading north back to Old Bagan on the tarmac road, we stop at Myinkaba Village (2 Km) and Gubyaukgyi Temple admiring the fine stuccowork on the outside and the beautiful mural painting inside. If willing, you can visit to a lacquer craftsman's workshop in nearby Myinkaba village.
In the afternoon, visit Min Nan Thu Village area by horse-cart. Visit Tayokepyay Temple, Phaya Thone Zu and Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th century murals). Visit farming villages around Bagan. Enjoy the sunset on one of the sunset hills. Both Lunch and Dinner at local restaurant (By own account). Accommodation at Hotel, in Bagan.
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Bagan Airport for domestic flight to Mandalay (approx. 0805/0835 hours – direct). From the airport, start your morning Mandalay sightseeing tour with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves. Stop to see stone carving and, later, to see gold leaf being beaten into wafer thin pieces. Check into your hotel late morning.
In the afternoon, visit Shwenandaw Monastery, an ancient wooden building with intricate carvings, which was once King Mindon's home. Continue to see the 'world’s largest book', being the Buddhist Scriptures inscribed on marble slabs, at Kuthodaw Pagoda. Visit Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda to see a large Buddha statue carved out of a single block of local marble. Enjoy spectacular views at sunset from Mandalay Hill, where there are interesting glass-studded temples. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel, in Mandalay.
After breakfast, excursion by boat on the Ayeyarwaddy River to Mingun about 11 km (1 hour) upriver from Mandalay. Visit will start with the Mingun Bell, a magnificent sight of world's largest un-cracked bell weighing 90 tons. Visit Settawya Pagoda and will continue with Hsinbyume Pagoda as well as the unfinished Mingun Paya, built as one of the world's largest chedis by King Bodawphaya. Return back to Mandalay. Lunch at local restaurant (by own account).
In the afternoon, excursion to Amarapura 15 km from Mandalay visit Bagaya Monastery will delight you with an interesting collection of Buddha statues and observe the beautiful sunset at the 200-year-old U Bein teak bridge in 1782 at the time when Amarapura was Royal capital before returning to Mandalay. Since then it is noted for silk and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop. Both lunch and dinner to your own account. Accommodation at Hotel in Mandalay.
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Mandalay Airport for domestic flight to Heho. Upon arrival in Heho, drive to Nyaung Shwe. On the way, visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery. Transfer to hotel for check in (if rooms are available). Then headed to the jetty and start Boat trip on Inle Lake – a photographer's dream, its calm waters are dotted with floating vegetation and fishing canoes, to which scenic high hills provide the perfect backdrop. See the lake's unique “leg rowers” – the Intha people row standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State.
After lunch, hen see traditional handicrafts – silk weaving on wooden handlooms and a blacksmith shop. Continue by boat to visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake. One can see ancient Buddha statues which are more than 200 years old. Boat ride back to the hotel via the floating gardens. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel, in Nyaung Shwe or Inle Lake.
Breakfast at hotel. Explore one of the 5-day markets (on market day only). By visiting 5-day markets, clients will get insight into the life-style of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha inhabitants who came to these markets to sell their goods. Arrive at the village of Maing Thauk on the edge of Inle Lake by boat. Walk up a dirt track through the village and continue up the hill to a stupa which has fantastic views out over the lake and surrounding hills. The walk takes around 2 hours round trip and, although uphill, the route is not steep. Return back to the shore and board your boat.
In the afternoon, we tailed boat across the lake to Inndein at the western end of Inle for one of the most scenic trips on the Lake. Passing through the busy village of Ywama, the largest on the Lake with its many channels and tall teak houses on stilts, enter a long often tree lined canal towards Indaing Jetty with farmers cultivating their land on either side under the backdrop of the Shan Hills. After disembarking it is a 15 minute walk through Indaing village to reach the 14-18th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Ohak; many pagodas here remain charmingly un-renovated with plants and even small trees growing out of them making it very atmospheric. A covered walkway, popular with souvenir stalls leads up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather beaten zedi; some sadly reconstructed although the views from the top make it worth the ascent. Returning to the river jetty we take our long-tailed boat back along the canal to the Lake. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel, in Nyaung Shwe or Inle Lake.
Breakfast at hotel. This morning, transfer to Heho Airport for domestic flight to Yangon (approx. 0955/1105 – direct). Arrive Yangon Airport and then visit Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda and Mahapasana Guha Cave, where the Sixth Buddhist Council took place. Visit to Gems museum (or) National Museum can be made (if opens). Transfer to your hotel for check in.
In the afternoon, visit Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Public Holidays) to see Myanmar's wide range of handicrafts. Both lunch and dinner are your own account. Accommodation at Hotel in Yangon.
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon Airport for your International departure flight.
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