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Day 1 - Yangon
Your Ah Nyar Thar Tour Guide will meet you on arrival at Yangon International Airport to accompany you to your hotel. This afternoon, an orientation drive acquaints you to the Historic Buildings of Colonial-Days and the Sule Pagoda, in the heart of Yangon. Take a short walking tour of the downtown and browse the hundred stalls of Bo Gyoke Aung San Market also known as Scott’s Market). After lunch at a local restaurant, you will head for Chauk Htat Gyi Temple; there is time to marvel at a gigantic reclining Buddha image. Stop for photos at the Kandawgyi Gardens beholding the Karaweik Hall, a royal floating barge, and a backdrop of lush trees and an idyllic lake. The day ends at Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the fairest place and most spectacular religious monuments in the world, surrounded by an array of temples, shrines and pavilions. Take your time to be at this truly spectacular and remarkable highlight. Enjoy the dinner and overnight in Yangon.(L-D)
Day 2 - Yangon-Mandalay-Ava-Amarapura
Rise before daybreak and you will be assisted to the airport for your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival in Mandalay, experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including one of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, the MAHAMUNI PAGODA; the SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; the GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wooden building and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop as well as a Kalaga tapestries craftsmen’s shop. After lunch at local restaurant, excursion to the former Royal Capital of INWA (AVA), reached by a short boat trip. Visits by horse-drawn carriage to NANMYINT WATCH TOWER, the remains of the palace building nicknamed “the leaning tower of Ava“; MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN MONASTERY, built of brick and stucco; BARGAYAR MONASTERY, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts. On the way back to Mandalay, stop at 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 at the time when Amarapura was Royal capital. Enjoy a dinner at your hotel and overnight in Mandalay. (B-L-D)
Day 3 - Mingun-Sagaing-Mandalay
After breakfast, board your private boat on the AYEYARWADDY RIVER and travel upriver to MINGUN (about 1 ½ hour). Visits will start with the MINGUN BELL, a magnificent sight of the world's largest un-cracked bell weighing 90 tons, and will continue with HSINBYUME PAYA as well as the unfinished MINGUN PAYA, built as one of the world's largest chedis by King Bodaw Paya. Continue downriver by boat (about 2 hours) until you reach SAGAING, a retreat for Buddhist devotees. Lunch box will be provided. Visit KAUNGHMUDAW PAGODA, with its huge egg-shaped dome in Ceylonese style. Return to Mandalay and stop at the busy ZEGYO market on the way. Enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Mandalay. (B-L-D)
Day 4 - Mandalay–Bagan
After early breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board the Chinese-built ferry for your journey on the AYAYARWADDY River to BAGAN. The trip takes approx. 8 hours downriver, depending on river conditions and water level. Boxed lunch will be provided. Upon arrival in Bagan, transfer to your hotel. Enjoy a dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Bagan. Feb - April no river traffic flighs or overland options. (B-L-D)
Day 5 - Bagan
After breakfast, stroll through the colorful local market. Continue the day with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan including SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; see 12th century frescoes adorning the corridors of KYANSITTHA CAVE TEMPLE; KU BYAUK GYI, a temple with superb murals of Jataka scenes; HTILOMINLO, the last Bamar style temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes; ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images and THATBYINNYU TEMPLE, known as ‘temple of omniscience’ and dating from 1144.
After lunch at local restaurant, learn about one of Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts at a lacquerware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. Continue to DHAMMAYANGYI, a massive-looking temple dating from 1170 that is famous for its interlocking mortar less brickwork. Proceed to BUPAYA PAGODA or SHWESANDAW PAGODA to watch the sunset over the famous Ayeyarwaddy River. Enjoy a dinner and overnight in Bagan. (B-L-D)
Day 6 - Bagan
Bagan is not only the site of thousand year old temples and pagodas, but also of many quaint villages scattered throughout the temple plain. After breakfast leave from your hotel and bike over dusty lanes and tree shaded roads past temples and monasteries to Taung Bi village. Visit the noodle makers, a Myanmar-style movie theatre, the village hairdresser and the local tea shop. Bike to the Irrawaddy River and along the way pay a visit to some of the family businesses including blacksmiths, brick makers, dry snack ‘factories’ and bamboo roof producers. They pursue their trade since generations in the same traditional way. (B-L-D)
Day 7 - Bagan-Sale-Popa
After breakfast, drive to SALE (2 hours drive), a town which developed during the late BAGAN era. Visit of some typical local Myanmar villages on the way. Worth a visit is the YOKE SONE MONASTERY with its exceptional woodcarvings on the outside of the building.
Continue to MOUNT POPA (1 ½ hours drive), an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Its shrine is dedicated to animist spirits known as "nats" and you will have time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the peak. Transfer to the Popa Mountain Resort. Lunch will be served at local restaurant.
Enjoy a dinner and overnight at Popa. (B-L-D)
Day 8 - Popa-Kalaw
After breakfast, drive (252 km - 8 hours) to Kalaw. Lunch at simple local restaurant en route. The journey takes you through various agricultural landscapes before continuing on a narrow, winding and bumpy road up the Shan Hills. In the afternoon you will reach KALAW, a fresh and delightful hill station, on the rim of the Shan Plateau, which is a market center for ethnic minorities from surrounding regions. Enjoy a dinner and overnight in Kalaw. (B-L-D)
Day 9 - Kalaw–Inle Lake
After breakfast, trekking tour to one or several of the Palaung villages. The animist Palaung were amongst the earliest inhabitants in Myanmar and have kept the tradition to live with several families in 'long-houses', cultivating cash crops and tanapet for burmese cheroot cigars.
After lunch at local restaurant, drive to NYAUNG SHWE (62 km – 1½ hours) and proceed by boat to your hotel. Enjoy a dinner and overnight on Inle Lake. (B-L-D)
Day 10 - Inle Lake
After breakfast, a full day excursion by boat on Inle Lake will include the famous leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing, village life and magnificent scenery. Visit the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the main principle shrines in Myanmar and dating back to the 18th century; the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY, famous for its jumping cats trained by monks; the weaving village of INPAWKHON and one of the local markets in the Inle Lake region (on market days only). Lunch is served at a local restaurant on the lake.
Enjoy a dinner and overnight on Inle Lake. (B-L-D)
Day 11 - Inle Lake – Heho – Yangon
After breakfast, take an excursion by boat to the Indein Pagoda Complex. Follow a stair path lined up with magnificent columns to the top. After lunch at a local restaurant, transfer by boat and road to Heho Airport (25 km - 1 hour) for return flight to Yangon. Relax during the flight with distinctive and varied aerial views over the mountain ranges with lush trees, the fertile plain, the rivers and the paddy fields of delta region. Upon arrival, you will be assisted to your hotel. Enjoy a dinner at your hotel and overnight in Yangon. (B-L-D)
Day 12 - Yangon – Departure
The tour ends this morning after breakfast. Transfer to Yangon International Airport for departure. (B)
(B = Breakfast L = Lunch D = Dinner)
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