Impressive Golden Land Burma 14 Days, 13 Nights

Being isolated for so many years, Myanmar remains a land of less-touched highlights. Today you will arrive in Yangon Mingaladon Airport and be greeted by your private tour guide and driver.

Transfer to your hotel then check in and relax at your own leisure in Yangon.

Today you will take a city tour to explore quiet and charming Yangon city. Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes it one of the most fascinating cities in Southeast Asia.
The first stop is the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most famous attraction of Yangon. The professional English speaking local guide will show you around of the hidden messages of the Pagoda and tell you more about the history. Please note that you need to take off your shoes if you enter the pagoda and walk around.

Lunch at local restaurant. Then continue to the central area of Yangon, where most of the colonial buildings are standing. Walk around this area to explore Yangon City Hall, Independence Monument, former High Court Buildings, Telegraph Office and along the way you will see some street book stalls that sell the oldest books here.

You will visit Nanthida Jetty, where you can watch the busy life on the Yangon river and to see the daily communication of people from the suburbs of Yangon.

The last stop of the tour is a visit to Saint Mary’s Cathedral, an old Colonial building built in 1899. You will be transported back to your hotel safely after the tour.

Early morning drive to Kyaikhto at Kyaikhtiyo Township, transfer from your car to a special open truck for your ascent to Kinmon Base Camp (appr. 45 minutes drive). From here continue the journey up to the Golden Rock on foot. (This trail is sometimes steep, but is smooth, and there are covered shelters every 50-100 meters to rest, and have a cold drink. Porters will be available to assist anyone who wishes help, and a “sedan chair” conveyance is available for those who do not wish to walk.) Along the way, will be many pilgrims who have walked from the very base of the mountain. At the shrine, is a small stupa placed atop the Golden Rock, a massive granite boulder. Covered with gold leaf, and precariously balanced over the edge of the mountain, it is purported to be held in place, “balanced on hairs of the Buddha”. Enjoy the late afternoon activities at the shrine, before returning back to your hotel for overnight.

After breakfast continue the journey by air-con car to the small village of Kyaikhto. In Bago visit to the interesting Bago Market with varieties of vegetables, flower and commodity goods, the Shwetharhlaung Pagoda, with its giant reclining Buddha, having a history over 1000 years old; the nearby Monastic Education Center; the Mon Village, with its array of cotton weavers; the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, with 114 metres the highest pagoda in Myanmar and walk from there to the Hintha Gon Pagoda, the place where Bago was founded. Late afternoon drive back to Yangon and transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight.

In the morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. From Heho, enjoy a scenic drive to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar best-known sights. The Intha people, a tribe of Mon descent, mostly inhabit the lakeshores and floating villages. On arrival at Nyaung Shwe village, transfer by boat to start a sightseeing tour of Inle Lake including a chance to see the leg-rowing fishermen. Continue to see the floating gardens, built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. There are also floating villages like Ywama, the lake’s downtown, where a floating market is held every five days. In the afternoon continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the weaving village of Inpawkhon and the jumping cat monastery. Check into hotel in the afternoon.

After breakfast, transfer by motorboat to In Dein, an off-the-beaten-track site in the south of the lake. From Ywama, the boat leaves the lake and enters a narrow canal leading to a small Pa O tribe village. From the market place of the village, follow an old covered path to a 13th century monastery and the very impressive ruins of hundreds of ancient pagodas, some hidden in the vegetation. The main stupa-area on the top of the hill offers breathtaking views over the surrounding mountains and down to the valley and the lake in the far distance. Return to the lake and transfer back to hotel in the afternoon.

After breakfast at the hotel, leave by boat and car to enjoy a scenic drive to Pindaya through the picturesque countryside of Shan State. Visit Pindaya’s limestone cave with its maze of chambers displaying more than 8,000 Buddha statues and local handicraft workshops producing Shan paper made from mulberry bark and traditional umbrellas made from the same paper that are used by monks all around the country. Then transfer to Heho Airport for the short flight to Mandalay. Transfer to hotel on arrival.

After breakfast at the hotel depart for full day trip to the former capitals of Amarapua, Ava and Sagaing. The day begins with a visit to the 18th century capital, Amarapura. Attend the daily meal of over a thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery, Mahagandayon. 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. 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.

After breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board a private chartered boat for an excursion over the Irrawaddy River towards the former capital of Mingun. After a 45 minute cruise, arrive in Mingun famous for its huge unfinished pagoda also home to the Mingun Bell, considered as the world’s largest uncracked ringing bell. Also visit the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. Return by boat to Mandalay. In the afternoon visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book), Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite woodcarving and the impressive Kyauktawgyi Pagoda with its huge sitting Buddha. Enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill for panoramic view of city.

Leave Mandalay for a 3 hour drive to Monywa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. On the way, visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, where more than 500,000 Buddha images cover every wall and archway of this huge Buddhist temple. Also visit Bodihtataung Pagoda and the largest reclining Buddha image in Myanmar, 100m long and 27m high. Cross the Chindwin River and proceed to Po Win Daung . This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and contains what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South-East Asia. Recently opened to foreigners, Po Win Daung with its unique, precious frescoes, some dating from the early 17th century, is a must to see for anyone with an interest in Buddhist Arts. A few hundred metres from the caves is Shwe Ba Daung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs.

After breakfast at the hotel, leave Monywa 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. Stop in Pakkangyi to visit one of the oldest surviving wooden monasteries in Myanmar. Continue 20km south to Pakokku, a lively, typical Burmese city with a strong craftwork tradition producing colourful woven blankets, papier-mâché toys and traditional sandals. Continue across the river to arrive in Bagan at the end of the day.

Depart for a sightseeing excursion around the Bagan Archaeological Zone World Heritage Area. A comprehensive exploration of Bagan includes Nyaung Oo market; Shwezigon Pagoda, the prototype of later Myanmar stupas; Kyansittha Umin; Wet-kyi-inn Gubyaukgyi Temple with exquisite mural painting of 13th century and Htilominlo Temple. In the afternoon, continue to Manuha Temple built by exile King Manuha; Nanphaya, said to have been the residence of King Manuha; Ananda Temple, architectural masterpiece and Oak-Kyaung monastery decorated with multi colour mural paintings. Enjoy the breathtaking sunset from one of the temple of Bagan.

After breakfast at the hotel, Visit the monuments of Myinkaba village, Gubyaukkhi, an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mural paintings in Bagan, Manuha and Nanpaya temples. In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the countryside village of Minnanthu, the least visited temple area in Bagan. Observe the local farmers‘ way of life together with a visit to some of the most interesting temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya temples. In the late afternoon transfer to Nyaung Oo Airport for the flight back to Yangon. Transfer to hotel on arrival.

After breakfast at hotel, you will be transferred to Yangon International airport for your return international departure flight.