13 DAYS MYANMAR ITINERARY

Visit the green Garden City of Yangon (Rangon), with its gorgeous mix of golden Pagodas and British Colonial architecture. Travel by train to Mandalay, the city of the last Myanmar King’s. Enjoy a river cruise on the mighty river of Ayeyarwaddy you reach Bagan. Thousands of decaying pagodas rises majestically from the plain to create a timeless scene, saluting a glorious past. Drive by car to Kalaw, a former British colonial town and starting point for your 2 days trekking trip to Inle Lake famous for its unique one-leg rowers and typical floating gardens.

YANGON – MANDALAY – MINGUN – AVA – SAGAING – MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – MANDALAY - BAGAN – KALAW – 2 DAYS TREKKING TO INLE LAKE – NYAUNG SHWE – HEHO – YANGON –

Available: from October till April
Departure: daily
Price based on 2 persons/per person:
01.10.09 – 30.04.10: from US$ 856 up

DAY 01 YANGON / arrival Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon drive to Mawtin Jetty and take a rickshaws for a short trip along the Yangon River, proceed to Botataung Pagoda, where sacred hair relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined in it and late afternoon visit China Town. Overnight in Yangon.
DAY 02 YANGON – MANDALAY (B) Early morning transfer to the train station for the day train to Mandalay, by 5 UP (Etd: 05:00 / Eta: 20:00). Upon arrival transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
DAY 03 MANDALAY  - MINGUN – AVA – SAGAING - MANDALAY  (B,L) After breakfast drive to Kywezon jetty to watch the busy riverside activity and take a local riverboat to the ancient capital of Mingun (appr. 1 hour per way). Visit the Settawya Pagoda, with a footprint of the Buddha, walk to the huge Mingun Bell, see the nearby unfinished Mingun Pagoda, built to be the world’s biggest pagoda and visit the Hsinbyume Pagoda, a reproduction of the mythological Mt. Meru. Then continue by boat to Ava (appr. 2 hours / lunch on the boat), the capital of the Burmese Kingdom from 1364 for nearly 400 years. Explore by horse carts the small island between the Irawaddy and Myittha rivers. Climb the 27-meter high masonary watchtower, visit the Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastary and the Bagayar Monastery, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts. Late afternoon drive over Ava bridge to Sagaing, 21 km southwest of Mandalay and visit the Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous Pagodas, monasteries and the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda built in 1312. The view of Sagaing from here is outstanding. After sunset come back to Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay.
DAY 04 MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – MANDALAY (B) After breakfast drive to Amarapura the “City of Immortals” and visit the 150 year old Mahagandayon monastery, and famous Buddhist learning center. It is home to a thousand monks, who will form a procession as they go to take their noon and final meal of the day. Apart from Pagodas that have survived, the ancient art of silk and cotton weaving, using handlooms, is very much alive and visit U Bein wooden bridge, over 150 years old, which is still in use. Then come back to Mandalay. In the afternoon visit the gold leaf making industry, Mahamuni Pagoda, originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784, hosting the revered Mahamuni image, cast in the 1st Century and now covered in thick gold leaves, arts and crafts center (bronze casting; stone carving, etc.), the Shwenandaw monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings; Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world’s Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures and sunset on Mandalay Hill, a vantage-point for panoramic view of the city. Overnight in Mandalay.
DAY 05 MANDALAY – BAGAN (by express boat) (B,D) Early morning transfer to the jetty for the river cruise to Bagan (Etd: 07:00 / Eta: 16:00). After a day river cruise on the mighty river of Ayeyarwaddy you reach Bagan. Thousands of decaying pagodas rises majestically from the plain to create a timeless scene, saluting a glorious past. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel for check-in. Rest of the day free at your own leisure; Overnight in Bagan.
DAY 06 BAGAN (by horse-card) (B) Known as the city of four million pagodas, is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia and the main tourist destination in Myanmar. It was also capital of the First Myanmar Empire. This enchanting city is situated on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River, about 193 km south of Mandalay. The ruins of Bagan City cover an area of 42 sq. km containing over 2000 edifices. The majority of these well-preserved temples and pagodas offer a rich architectural heritage from the 11th to 13th century era. Visit by horse-card some of the most important pagodas and temples, such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; the Gu Byauk Gyi Temple, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes; the Ananda Temple, with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior and the Shwe Gu Gyi Temple, noted for its fine stucco carvings and panoramic views of the area’s many monuments. In the afternoon visit Myinkaba, two km south of Bagan. This village is well known for its lacquerware workshops and has also a number of interesting temples, as Nanphaya Temple, said to have once been the residence of King Manuha and Gu Byauk Gyi Temple, which has very nice frescoes inside. Overnight in Bagan.
DAY 07 BAGAN (B) Free at your own leisure. Overnight in Bagan.
DAY 08 BAGAN – KALAW (B) After an early breakfast drive to Kalaw (appr. 8 hours), a former British colonial town. Kalaw, another hill station as well as peaceful summer resort nestled in pine-clad mountains, is 1,400 meters above sea-level. It is located 70 km west of Taunggyi. Many of the Tudor-style houses and English gardens of colonial days remain. In the neighborhood lie villages of Palaung and other hill tribes who come to Kalaw market held every five days in their colorful costumes, adding to the quiet attraction of Kalaw. Overnight in Kalaw.
DAY 09 KALAW – SHABIN – TEEIN (trekking) (B,L,D) Early morning drive by pick-up to Shabin a typical Danu village with 12th Century old wooden monastery. From here start your 2 days trekking trip to Inle Lake. The road and trail goes through beautiful scenery. On the way visit the villages of Palaung, Danu, Pao and Taung Yoe. Your local station tour guide will introduce you to the villagers and will show you the traditional ways of life. Lunch at Pawke a Pao village. After lunch you have to walk for another 3½ hours to Teetain a typical Pao village. Native along this way do the plantation especially for Ginger. Dinner and overnight in the village.
DAY 10 TEETAIN - THANDAUNG (trekking) – INLE LAKE – NYAUNG SHWE (B,L) After breakfast continue the 5 hours trekking trip to the shore of the Inle lake. The trail goes through beautiful scenery of Bamboo forest. The natives of Pao, Taung Yoe and Intha along the way grow fruits; Banana, Papaya, Potato and Beans. Lunch at lower Thandaung village. In the afternoon drive by boat to Nyaung Shwe, a small town at the northern end of Inle Lake und transfer to your hotel for check-in and overnight.
DAY 11 NYAUNG SHWE - INLE LAKE – NYAUNG SHWE (B) Full day excursion on Inle Lake (25 km) famous for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda housing five sacred and almost shapeless Buddha images, contorted because of the quantity of applied gold leaf, gifts from the believers. The Buddha images are purported to have come here in the 12th Century. In the afternoon excursion to Indein (appr. 1 hour drive) to see the ancient Bagan + Shan style pagodas, built during Bagan Period, passing the beautiful scenery with tall grasses and little water steps. The ruin pagodas, hide in the bushes will give you an impression of you were in the 12th - 13th Centuries ago. Overnight in Nyaung Shwe.
DAY 12 NYAUNG SHWE – HEHO - YANGON (B) After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight to Yangon. Upon arrival visit the Mae La Mu Pagoda, popular for all of its Buddha images, and a much more "folk oriented" feeling than other Pagodas. Tourists rarely visit it. Afternoon sightseeing starts with Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha), Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop and late in the afternoon, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda described by Somerset Maugham: "The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city." This massive bell-shaped stupa rises nearly 100 meters above its hill-top surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, Temples, and Buddha images, and see religious and secular visitors from all parts of the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the Pagoda. Overnight in Yangon.
DAY 13 YANGON / departure day After breakfast continue sightseeing of Yangon: Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years, the Mahabandoola Park with it's Independence Monument and walk around the downtown area and the sprawling Bogyoke Market. Wide streets, orderly town planning and neglected public buildings revive visions of British rule, while busy streets scenes and shimmering pagodas, bursting through a leafy canopy, hint at the rich local culture. Skyscrapers and glaring neon billboards have yet to overtake the capital. Afternoon free at your own leisure, till transfer to Yangon International Airport for your departure flight.

PRICE IN US$ PER PERSON VALID FROM 01.10.2009 - 30.04.2010
(except during the Thingyin Holiday from 13.04.2010 – 17.04.2010)

SERVICE:
- Bed & breakfast in double sharing room
- Lunch (L) and dinner (D) as indicated in our itinerary
- 16th person FOC in single sharing room
- Local guide throughout the tour
- Day train from Yangon to Mandalay (upper class)
- Express boat from Mandalay to Bagan
- Domestic flight from Heho to Yangon
- Air-con car/van/bus throughout the tour
- Entrance fees as indicated in our itinerary
- Boat to Mingun/Ava and on Inle Lake
- Horse-cart for Bagan and Ava
- Porter fees at the airports and for the 2 days trekking trip from Kalaw to Inle Lake
- Drinking water and refreshment tissues during the sightseeing

NOT INCLUDED:
- International air fare to/from Yangon
- Visa fees
- Intl. airport tax of US$ 10 per person
- Compulsory dinner for Christmas & New Year
- Lunch & dinners not included in our itinerary
- Beverage
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Personal expenses such as camera fees, tips, laundry service, ect
- Porter fees at the hotels

Send booking request
Contact us: 

^ Top ^
 

Travel-Myanmar.net
Shwe Gone Dine Tower 212, Building C, Apartment 006, Shwe Gone Dine Road, Bahan Township,
Yangon, Union of Myanmar.
Tel: 0095-1-552835
Fax: 0095-1-552654
E-mail: info@shweyoo.com.mm
Website: www.travel-myanmar.net, www.burma-exclusive.com