Golden Myanmar

You will be directly welcomed at the Yangon International Airport and your guide will accompany you to the city where your sightseeing will start. Yangon is the former capital of Myanmar. Compared with other Asian cities of similar size, it gives the impression of being green and full of trees, above which shimmering pagodas seem to float.

Today sightseeing includes Sule Pagoda, situated in the very centre of downtown Yangon. You'll also enjoy a nearby visit to British colonial era buildings of the City Hall, the Immigration office and High Court building. Then you'll have a stroll at Mahabandoola Park for a good photo stop.

Today you'll see Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha,  located in a large metal-roofed pavilion on Shwegondine Road, only a short distance east beyond the Shwedagon Pagoda. At the end of the day you will visit amazing Shwedagon Pagoda, the highlight of any trip to Yangon, and indeed to Myanmar itself. It's located in midtown Yangon between the People’s Park and the Kandawgyi Lake.

The 2,600 years old Shwedagon Pagoda appears most beautiful during the early morning or evening, when you are able to enjoy this gilded sight in different colours. Finally you'll drive to the hotel in the city and check in. Stay overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast and check-out, your tour guide will bring you to the airport. You will fly from Yangon to Mandalay.  You'll see Mahamuni Pagoda: its four meter high image is cast in bronze, but over the years it has been covered with a thick layer of gold leafs and also one of the major pilgrimage site in Myanmar.

In the Royal Palace you can visit the miniature palace and then stroll through the reconstruction, housing a lot of original artefacts. Shwe Inbin Monastery features exquisite wooden carvings along the balustrades and roof cornices. You'll also have the chance to admire Shwe Nandaw Monastery: this “Golden Palace Monastery” is a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Fort.

You'll then visit Kuthodaw Pagoda: the 729 marble slabs surrounding this pagoda are inscribed with the entire Tripitaka, earning this pagoda the moniker of “the world’s biggest book”. In the afternoon, you'll continue the tour with further sightseeing in the city. You will explore the Kyauktaw-Gyi Pagoda, famous for its huge seated Buddha image, carved from one single block of marble.

Crafts you'll admire in Mandalay include marble carving and wood carving, gold-leaf making in the south east of the city and silk weaving.

At the end of the day you are going to visit Mandalay Hill, a must that can be visited all day long, but enjoying the sunset from the pagoda on top of the hill is always a nice ending of a hot day. Finally, you'll be transferred to the hotel and the rest of the time is on your own leisure. Stay overnight in Mandalay.

After breakfast, you'll set off for an excursion to the ancient cities Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing. You can have a unique opportunity to attend the daily meal of over thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery, Mahagandayon in Amarapura before visiting a silk weaving workshop.

After that, you'll continue your visit to Ava, the capital from 14^th to 18^th centuries, which you'll cross in a horse carriage. Then, you'll visit to the old wooden Bagaya Monastery, the remains of the Royal Palace and fort.

In the afternoon, you will cross the bridge over the Irrawaddy River and continue to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hills are widely regarded as the religious centre of Myanmar and are home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centres. You'll visit Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and Umin Thonezeh Pagoda.

At the end the day you'll enjoy a sunset walk over the 200 years old U Bein Bridge, the longest teakwood bridge in the world (1.2 km). Stay overnight in Mandalay.

In the morning we will bring you to the jetty in Mandalay where you'll embark on the boat to Bagan. You will cruise the famous Irrawaddy River. On the way you will observe charming rural villages which are examples of the typical river community.

You will also pass the confluence of the Irrawaddy and the Chindwin River. You will reach Bagan probably in the early evening. Upon arrival, you'll meet the local guide who will escort you to the hotel in the city.

Bagan is Myanmar’s greatest wonder. This deserted ancient city alongside the Irrawaddy River is home to over 2,000 temples and pagodas, covering an area of around 40 square km. Myanmar’s greatest wonder, and by far its largest attraction, is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia and represents the spiritual heritage of ancient Burma. Stay overnight in Bagan.

Today you'll have the chance to experience a truly unique optional adventure: a breath-taking ride in a hot-air-balloon over the ancient temples and pagodas of Bagan during sunrise. Depending on weather conditions the flight usually lasts around 45 to 60 minutes. We strongly recommend an early booking as capacities are limited.

The day starts with breakfast in the hotel and continues with sightseeing in Bagan.  You'll visit Shwezigon Pagoda: the stupa is a graceful bell shape which became the prototype for Myanmar’s pagodas. You'll see Gu-Byauk-Gyi Temple from the 13th century, featuring amazingly fine frescos showing scenes of Buddha`s life.

You'll then admire Htilo-Minlo, a massive complex built in 1218 by King Nantaungmya. It features traces of old murals, original fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. Then Ananda Temple, one of the finest, largest and best preserved temples of Bagan. 

To avoid the heat of midday Bagan, check in to your hotel and have some refreshment and relax. You'll then continue your expedition in the afternoon with the following sights: Gawdawpalin Temple, Thatbyinnyu Temple, Dhammayangyi Temple and Dhammayazika Pagoda.

At the end of the tour you will admire a beautiful sunset from the top of Shwesandaw Pagoda. Then you will be transferred to the hotel and stay overnight in Bagan.

After breakfast, you are going to visit the colorful Nyaung U Market. You will continue to Myinkaba Village where you can observe workshops producing traditional lacquer ware, a specialty of Bagan.

After further exploration of Bagan you will drive by car to Popa. Mount Popa is also known as the “flower mountain”: 777 steep stairs lead up to the 737 meters high peak of its extinct volcanic vent (Taungkalat) with pagodas and small temples perched at the summit. Mount Popa is the home of the country’s most powerful Nats (sacred spirits) and offers an entrancing view across the plains of upper Myanmar.

After sightseeing around Popa, you'll be driven back to Bagan plain with beautiful sceneries and stay overnight in Bagan.

In the morning you will drive to the airport of Nyaung U. You will take a flight from Bagan to Heho. You will reach Nyaung Shwe at the Inle Lake where you will board a boat and be ferried to your hotel on the Inle Lake. Today your guide will take you on a full day excursion around the lake.

The lake is surrounded by high plateaus and overlooked by the misty Shan mountains. It is also the home of the Intha people, who have adapted to their environment by building entire villages rising on stilts from the shallow waters. Lake dwellers grow an array of flowers and vegetables in picturesque floating gardens and fields, tended by workers in canoes. They have become famous for their unique one-leg rowing technique.

You will have chance to experience the traditional handicrafts and silver works on the lake and then you will be transferred back to hotel with lovely sunset upon the lake. Stay overnight on Inle Lake.

In the morning you will start your sightseeing tour on the Inle Lake by boat. You'll see Five-Day-Market: these bustling markets around Inle Lake are mostly of interest for the variety of different products offered, mainly grown on the floating gardens. Additional local color is added by the presence of the different tribal groups such as the Pa-Oh, who come from far and wide to sell their items. The market rotates between different villages over five days.

You'll then see Indein village, located half way along the western side of the lake. The village is very interesting due to its 1,094 stupas surrounding the main pagoda, the Inthein Pagoda. This pagoda is the original home of the five famous Buddha images of Inle Lake. Some of the stupas were built during the 11th century and feature beautiful stone carvings.

You'll then move on to Kaung Daing village, situated on the northwest shore of the lake and  famous for the production of rice crackers, tofu snacks and fried beans. There are hot springs about 40 minutes walking distance from the village, a popular bathing place for locals and tourists alike. You'll then go back to lake, and the rest of the day is on your leisure.

Stay overnight in Inle Lake.

After breakfast you will have some free time on your own before flying back to Yangon. In the afternoon you will be brought to the Heho Airport and fly back to Yangon. We will accompany you to your hotel in Yangon for a last night in the South East Asian Garden City.

The rest of the day is free for your own leisure, with shopping and further sightseeing. Stay overnight in Yangon.

Today the tour ends. You'll depart Yangon.