Best Of The Golden Land 14 Days

Welcome to Myanmar!

Meet up with your tour guide and driver at the airport then transfer to the hotel.

Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is a relatively quiet and charming city with impressive colonial and spiritual heritage. We will visit Yangon highlights in one day:

• Explore the city center featuring faded colonial buildings such as the Post Office, the Mahabandoola Garden, and the Strand Hotel.
• Visit Little India and Chinatown, a colorful cacophony of restaurants, temples, and markets.
• Shop in Scott’s market – Yangon’s best market for handicrafts and other goods.
• Enjoy local tea while talking to Burmese people
• Visit Shwedagon Pagoda – the most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar and see its beautiful reflection over a lake

Overnight in Yangon.

Depart Yangon early this morning for a 5-hour drive to the Golden Rock.

The rock is a huge boulder covered with gold leaves that is delicately balanced on a cliff. This is one of Myanmar’s main pilgrimage sites. The pagoda on the top of the rock is said to hold a hair of the Buddha. Buddhists traverse all the way across the country to pay homage here.

Overnight near the Golden Rock.

Start your day with the brilliant sunrise over the Golden Rock. Afterward, goodbye to the Golden Rock, we head to Bago, former capital of the Mon kingdom.

We will visit the local market and the Shwethalyaung Temple in Bago. Stop at a local Mon village nearby for a short walk through this quiet, typical rural village. On the way back to Yangon, stop at the Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyan. This beautiful, peaceful cemetery is the final resting place for over 27,000 Allied soldiers.

Overnight in Yangon.

After early breakfast at the hotel, we say goodbye to Yangon and head to Inle lake, which takes a flight and a one-hour drive.  Along the way, stop at Shwe Yan Pyay Wooden Monastery, which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images.

We will explore Inle Lake on a motorboat. The journey starts with a visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, where there are five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. Then we will learn more about Myanmar’s traditional weaving technique in Inpawkhon village. Finally, see how local cigarettes are made manually in a cheroot factory.

Overnight at Inle Lake.

After breakfast, join the streams of local people to the morning market.

Then, continue to the western banks of the lake and travel down a small canal to Indein village, which is known for hills covered with stupas. Spend time strolling around the village, visiting a local school, and making your way to the top of Alaung Sitthou temple complex where you can wander amid the weather-beaten stupas and enjoy magnificent views of the lake below. Back to your boat for more sightseeing before returning to your hotel.

Overnight at Inle Lake.

Free for your own leisure until your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, your car and guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Mandalay.

Today, we will explore the former capitals of  Sagaing, Ava, and Amarapura in Mandalay

Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. Get ready to see lots of pagodas and visit an off-the-beaten-path Myanmar typical market there.

Then continue south of the city to Ava. On a traditional horse cart, you will visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort.

On the way back to the city, we will stop at Amarapura, which means ‘City of Immortality’. Amarapura is home to the Mahagandayon monastery, the most prominent monk school in Myanmar. After visiting a silk handmade workshop, you will learn about the monk’s strict and tranquil lifestyles there.

Next, find U Bein Bridge – the world’s oldest teakwood bridge. Enjoy a stroll along the bridge and the fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams, which is especially stunning at dusk.

Return to Mandalay late afternoon. Overnight in Mandalay.

Today, embark on a cruise trip on the Irrawaddy River to Mingun. Visit Mingun highlights such as Mingun ancient stupas, the world’s second-largest bell, the mythical Hsinbyume Pagoda.

Return to Mandalay by boat to visit Mahamuni Pagoda and a wood carving workshop. Continue your tour with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda – the ‘World’s Biggest Book’. The last stop is Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19th-century Royal Palace.

Overnight is in Mandalay

This morning, depart Mandalay for a 3-hour drive to Monywa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River.

The afternoon begins with a visit to Thanboddhay Pagoda, a huge Buddhist temple covered with more than 500,000 Buddha images. Also stop at Boditahtaung Pagoda which houses the largest reclining Buddha in Myanmar, at 100m long and 27m high. Nearby is the largest standing Buddha in the world, Laykyun Setkyar, at 130 meters in height.

Overnight in Monywa.

Depart to Po Win Taung. This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and the possibly richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South East Asia. Just a few hundred meters away, here comes Shwe Ba Taung, where monasteries and temples are interestingly carved out rocky narrow cliffs.

We then continue driving to Kyet Su Kin village to learn more about the lifestyle and culture of the countryside residents before reaching Pakokku. In the afternoon, we board a private boat from Pakkoku to Bagan.

Overnight in Bagan.

Today’s excursion includes a range of various sites, providing a great overview of Bagan’s history, culture, and local lifestyle.

The journey begins at Thagyar Pone Temple, a temple with spectacular views over the surrounding plains, then Ananda Temple, one of the most revered temples in Bagan. Afterward, sightsee Myinkaba Village and Gubyaukgyi Temple widely known for its beautiful mural paintings on inner walls and well-preserved plaster carvings on its exterior. Finally, visit Manuha Temple and Nan Paya Temple.

Return to your hotel to escaping the midday heat then explore Minnanthu rural village – a less-traveled site with interesting temples.

Board a local boat for a slow cruise down the Irrawaddy River. You will observe the local life of fishermen and riverside villagers, as well as enjoy Bagan temples from a unique river view.

Return to your hotel this evening. Overnight in Bagan.

Start your morning with a hot-air balloon flight over the plains of Bagan. Enjoy the fabulous view as the sun rises over the stupas and Irrawaddy River. (Note: the search is only available from October to March.)

Then you will experience a local morning market in Chauk before traveling to Salay village, an important Buddhist center with a beautifully intricate wooden monastery. Turn eastward to Mount Popa, an extinct volcano which is believed to be home to ancient Burmese animist spirits. Climb to the top for stunning views of the surrounding countryside before descending down to Bagan.

Overnight in Bagan.

Fly back to Yangon this morning. The rest of the day is free for your own leisure. Overnight in Yangon.

Today is at your leisure until your flight home. End of services.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: None