13 DAYS MYANMAR ITINERARY

YANGON – MANDALAY – AMARAPURA - MINGUN – MANDALAY – SAGAING – MONYWA – PAKOKKU – BAGAN – KALAW – PINDAYA – NYAUNG SHWE – INLE LAKE – NYAUNG SHWE – YANGON
 

Available: from October till April
Departure: daily
Price based on 2 persons/per person:
01.05.13 – 30.09.13: from US$ 1.362 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, enjoy “High Tea” at the Strand Hotel built in 1896, once described as the "leading hotel of the East" and proceed to Botataung Pagoda, where sacred hair relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined in it. 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 (B) After breakfast visit 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 and arts and crafts center (bronze casting; stone carving, etc.). In the afternoon visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Atumashi Monastery, the "Incomparable Monastery", the 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 04 MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – MINGUN - 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. In the afternoon 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. Late afternoon come back to Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay.
DAY 05 MANDALAY - SAGAING - MONYWA (B) After breakfast drive to Sagaing Hill, a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous pagodas and monasteries (including nunnery, Oo Min Thonese and Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda), visit Kaunghmudaw Pagoda and proceed to Monywa, a typical Myanmar town located on the bank of the Chindwin River. Upon arrival visit the Hindu Style Than Buddha Temple, unique in all of Myanmar, beautifully decorated with the most beautiful stucco work in the country, dating from the 17th century. In the Afternoon visit the cotton blanket weavers; the traditional lacquer ware workers at Kyauk Kar village and finally go for sunset to the Alantayar Pagoda, sight of the largest reclining Buddha image in all off South East Asia, over 300 feet in length. Overnight in Monywa.
DAY 06 MONYWA – PHO-WIN DAUNG - PAKOKKU - BAGAN (B) "Rise early to take the ferry to the other side of the Chindwin River where you board a pick-up to see the seldom visited 15th Pho Win Daung temple complex where more than 450,000 sandstone Buddha’s were carved in the hillsides in caves, alcoves, or tiny niches. The cave murals are still intact with indigo blues and soft pastels. Many of the Buddha’s can be seen without entering the caves or niches and footwear is permitted as long as one is not entering the sanctuaries. A stunning Buddha not to be missed is the reclining Buddha resting on a rectangular stone mosaic which shimmers with cut glass." Then continue to Pankangyi, a 19th century town with old city walls and an archaeological museum. Visit to the Pakhan-ngai Kyaung, a 19th century largest wooden monastery with 332 teak pillars. En route stop at some villages to study the daily life of the people in the rural area. After arrival in Pakokku, a bustling tobacco trading centre, take a private boat and cross the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River to Bagan (appr. 2 hours). Overnight in Bagan.
DAY 07 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 08 BAGAN (B) Free at your own leisure. Overnight in Bagan.
DAY 09 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 10 KALAW - PINDAYA – NYAUNG SHWE - INLE LAKE (B) After breakfast drive to Pindaya (appr. 2 hours drive), a charming village with its paper umbrella cottage industry. Visit the Pindaya cave, famous for its thousands of Buddha images and the paper umbrella cottage industry. In the afternoon continue to Nyaung Shwe (appr. 3 ½ hours) drive, a small town at the northern end of Inle Lake. From here take a boat for the transfer to your hotel, for check-in and overnight.
DAY 11 INLE LAKE (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 at Inle Lake.
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 01.05.2013 - 30.09.2013

SERVICE:
- Bed & breakfast in double sharing room
- 16th person FOC in single sharing room
- Local guide throughout the tour
- Day train from Yangon to Mandalay (upper class)
- Domestic flight from Heho to Yangon
- Air-con car/van/bus throughout the tour
- Entrance fees as indicated in our itinerary
- All boat excursions as mentioned in our itinerary
- Horse-cart for Ava
- Drinking water and refreshment tissues during the sightseeing

NOT INCLUDED:
- International air fare to/from Yangon
- Visa fees
- 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

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