Myanmar Adventure 10 Days

Welcome to Myanmar! You are picked up at airport by our local tour guide and driver to transfer to hotel. Yangon is a relatively quiet and charming city with its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage. Today you will explore the city center and its fabulous mix of architecture and sites. The streets are filled with historical buildings many of which have a faded colonial charm not seen elsewhere in Asia. Start a 3-hour walking tour to immerse into the atmosphere of colonial streets of Yangon with City Hall, the old railway station, former Minister’s office, St Mary’s Cathedral, and Sule Payla and Botaaung Pagoda. Continue to a local tea shop Lat Ywae Sin to experience an integral part of Burmese life, pick the snacks and enjoy the local coffee/ tea, and mingle with the locals here. Dinner at Monsoon Restaurant. Overnight in Yangon.

Meal: Dinner
Tour guide: None

Enjoy the circular train ride through the outskirts of town (20-30 minutes ride) to observe the colorful lives of local people in Yangon. Disembark at the Kyi Myin Daing market, then visit Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, home to a 70-meter long reclining Buddha. Enjoy lunch in town (own account; recommend Feel Myanmar, an excellent Burmese restaurant popular with the locals). If time permits, continue to Bogyoke Market, formerly known as Scott’s Market, to browse through the dozens of stalls and shops. This is Yangon’s best market for handicrafts and other goods. (Note: Market is closed on Mondays and public holidays). From here, continue to Shwedagon Pagoda the most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar. Overnight in Yangon.

Meals: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for the flight to Bagan (Nyaung Oo) – the ancient capital of Myanmar from 11th to 13th centuries. On arrival, your journey begins with a visit to an elevated temple from where you will have a panoramic view of the magnificent plains of Bagan. Continue to the colorful Nyaung Oo Market, visiting the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda for an introduction in to Bagan’s rich history. Then, visit to nearby Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jataka mural paintings and the elegant HtilominloTemple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. This afternoon begin with a visit to a traditional lacquer ware workshop where you can observe the production of one of Myanmar’s best-known handicrafts. Continue to Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece and one of Bagan’s most beautiful temples. From here, travel by horse cart for a tour passing Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan, massive Dhammayangyi Temple, noted for its remarkable brickwork, and Sulamani Temple. Enjoy an unforgettable sunset over the plains from the upper terrace of one of the temples. Overnight in Bagan.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After breakfast at the hotel, embark on a half day bike trip toward Kyauk Gu U Min. You’ll bike past the Nyaung U morning market where you can pop in to browse through the colourful stalls selling produce, meats and dry goods. Arrive at Kyauk Gu U Min, a beautiful temple with exquisite stone carvings depicting religious figures and flowers on the door. Board boat for a relaxing cruise back to Bagan (around 1 hour) from the eastern side of the river. Make a stop at Sae Lan village and go ashore for a short walk. Sae Lan is typical of the riverside villages along the Irrawaddy. Transfer back to your hotel upon reaching Bagan. Overnight in Bagan.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Nyaung U Airport for the flight to Mandalay. On arrival at Mandalay, take a 2 hour scenic drive to the former British hill station of Maymyo – Pyin Oo Lwin. Free for your own leisure to take a leisure walk in the Botanical gardens or visit the local market in town. Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

Leave at around 08.00, transfer to the Pyin Oo Lwin train station to board the local train to Naung Pain Village. The journey takes around 3-4 hours passing through stunning scenery including the Gokhtiek Viaduct. A lunch box will be prepared and served along the way. At midday reach Naung Pain Village and transfer back to Mandalay by car (around 4 hours). Overnight in Mandalay.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After breakfast, transfer to the Mandalay jetty and board a private local boat for a 1-hr cruise on the Irrawaddy Riverto Mingun. Visit the main sites of Mingun: the famous Mingun Pahtodawqyi, the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda, Mingun Bell. Return to Mandalay by boat, enjoying lunch on board as you make your way back to the city. Afternoon visit Amarapura with highlights of Mahamuni Pagoda, Bagaya Monastery, where you will find a collection of Buddha images from 16th to 20th centuries reflecting many different styles. Onto Mahagandayon monastery, when over one-thousand monks reside. Before departing Amarapura go to U Bein Bridge for a walk along this 200 year-old teak bridge. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Mandalay.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After early breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. From Heho, a scenic one-hour drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images. Start with a visit to the Nyaung Shwe morning market where locals gather every morning to buy and sell fresh produce from the lake and its surroundings. Continue by local trishaw down to the bustling canal which is a hive of activity in the morning as boats from the lake come in to unload tomatoes and other vegetables for distribution to the markets around the country. Watch as baskets laden with produce are transferred from boats to trucks and bikes. Hop back on the trishaw and wind through quiet streets. Make a stop at the ‘tomato house’, a warehouse-like structure where the tomatoes are sorted and priced for sale. Then continue past some of the many monasteries and nunneries in the town, stopping for photos as you go. Lunch at local restaurant in Nyaung Shwe (paid on your own account). Afternoon, biking toward to west side of the lake to the village of Khaung Daing. From there we head south for around 8 kilometers to Khaung Daing. Take time to explore this village- known for its production of soya bean products- and then catch a local ferry boat across the lake to Maing Thauk Village. The relaxing boat trip takes around 20 minutes and is the perfect break from your biking. From here turn north up the lakes eastern shores for around 10 kilometres to Red Mountain Estate. The ride is gorgeous, passing many local farms and villages as you pedal along quiet roads. Take a break to visit Red Mountain Winery, a collaboration between the Pa-Oh people and a French wine expert. Then descend to Nyaung Shwe, arriving in the late afternoon. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

After breakfast, visit the lake’s morning market. (Note: market is daily except on dark moon day and full moon day). Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf. Join the local host family to prepare your lunch will be another highlight of the trip to know more about tasty Burmese cuisine. Lunch will be simple and served in locals standard way. Rest of the day free for your own leisure. Overnight in Inle Lake. Make a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. Cruise down to a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of In Dein. Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village, visiting a local school, and wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Here you can climb the covered stairway to the top of a hill which is covered with picturesque ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below. Return to your boat and back to hotel. Overnight on Inle Lake.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: English speaking guide

This morning transfer to the Heho Airport for your flight to Yangon then connecting to your international flight home. End of services.

Meal: Breakfast
Tour guide: None