Sacred Sites & Sancturaries

Your guide will meet you at the airport in Yangon and transfer you to your privately owned hotel. Along the way, observe Yangon's colonial-style red-bricked buildings. If you are interested and time permits, you may visit a local glasswork shop to observe the Burmese's unique way of making glass. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and perhaps a walk around the market area with your guide.

Meals: Dinner

Begin your tour today visiting the lively fish and vegetable markets. Afterward, visit Karaweik, known as a royal barge on the lake, for excellent photo opportunities. Continuing on, visit Chaukhtatgyi, the colossal reclining Buddha, Botatung Pagoda and Independence Monument. If you are interested, we can arrange a visit to one of the Buddhist monasteries to discuss Buddha's philosophies or a visit to the International Teravada Buddhist Missionary University (the highest university of Buddhist studies in the world) to observe their activities and exchange ideas with experts on the subject. After a coffee stop at the historic Strand hotel, proceed to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the world's richest and most famous golden stupa. More than 2,000 years old, Shwedagon is plated with 8,688 solid gold slabs weighing about 42 tons. In addition, the tip is inset with about 5,500 diamonds and over 2,000 rubies, sapphires and topaz. Shwedagon symbolizes how important Buddhism is to Burma and legend has it that the pagoda houses eight of the Buddha's hairs. If there is time, you may enjoy a fantastic sunset view from the hilltop. Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay, the spiritual, cultural and traditional capital as well as the commercial and cultural heart of central Burma. After a brief freshening up at your hotel, take a visit to observe some of the traditional workshops. Here you will see crafts such as woodcarving, marble masonry, kalaga tapestry and gold leaf hammering. In the late afternoon, visit the foot of Mandalay Hill to see the largest book, at Kuthodaw Pagoda, where the entire Buddhist Canon is recorded on 729 stone tablets. Visit the Shwe Nan Daw “Golden Palace Monastery” to observe the finest in Myanmar wooden architecture. Enjoy a sunset view from Mandalay Hill. Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to Kyawzun Jetty for your boat ride across the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun (approx. one hour). In Burma, the river is the highway, especially between Mandalay and Rangoon and this is an excellent opportunity to observe Burmese life along the way, such as water buffalo logging teakwood and locals using bamboo rafts to carry supplies. In Mingun, visit the world's largest un-cracked, functioning bell. Other highlights you’ll see here are the Settawya Pagoda, which contains a marble footprint of Buddha, and the Shinbume Pagoda, built in the 19th century. Return to Mandalay where you pay homage to the most revered golden-seated Mahamuni image covered in pure gold leaves. You then proceed on to Sagaing, with its 600 white painted pagodas and monasteries. Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar, being home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. Enjoy a fantastic sunset view from the 200 year old U Bein Teak Bridge, before returning to Mandalay for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Option A: Mandalay/Maymyo
Enjoy the lovely drive to Maymyo (two hours), famous for its climate weather and as a popular hill station of the British during colonial days. Along with its many churches, colonial style buildings, turrets and chimneys, Maymyo is very impressive. Horse-drawn royal carriages still play a major role in transport here. It will be worthwhile to visit the botanical garden, laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, former Governor of Burma. This 432-acre garden is a great way to study the preservation of diverse botanical species around the world. Continue on visiting the Pwekauk Waterfall along the Mandalay-Lashio road, formerly called the Hampshire Falls. This is also a pleasant picnic spot. Proceed on to the Peikchin Myaung Cave, which used to be the sacred site of the devotee of Lord Shiva. It is interesting to explore the local herbal medicine stalls along the site. Return to Maymyo for your overnight.

Option B: Mandalay/Monywar/Poe Win Taung
After breakfast, transfer to Poe Win Taung. This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills that contain what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South East Asia. You also visit the nearby Shwe Ba Taung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs. Return to Monywar to visit the very unique Thanbottay Pagoda, decorated with the most beautiful stucco work in the country. Return to Mandalay for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart for the ancient city of Amarapura, the "City of Immortality." Along the way, observe traditional handicraft workshops specializing in stone and woodcarvings, bronze castings and silk weavings. See the Maha Gan Da Yon Monastery, home to several thousand young monks. Here you will learn how they pay their respects to the sons of the Buddha, and how they play a major role in the daily roles of the people. Continue on with a stop in Ava, the capital of a Burmese kingdom for nearly 400 years for a look at the 88-foot high watchtower known as the "Leaning Tower of Ava." It is all that remains of the palace built by Bagyidaw. Afterwards, take the afternoon flight to Bagan where you will be transferred to your hotel for check in. Bagan is considered one of the most amazing sites in Asia, and though comparable to sites of worldwide importance such as Jerusalem and Rome, it remains virtually unknown. More than 2,200 temples remain of the 13,000 that once stood. Some were destroyed by invaders, others by earthquake and decay, but internationally funded restoration is under way and the major temples are in excellent condition. If time permits, you may enjoy the sunset from one of the archaeological ruins. Overnight at a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin your day visiting one of the nearby villages to observe the daily life of the Burmese people. You will see them weaving with traditional handlooms, producing oil manually and a blacksmith working the old-fashioned way. Afterward, visit one of the fisherman villages to observe the unique, centuries old Nat Htaunt Monastery made from teakwood and situated on the Ayeyarwady riverbanks. In the afternoon, visit some of Bagan's major monuments including the Dhammyangi, the "Temple of Evil Kings," where the double image of Buddha is most unique in all of Asia; Anandar, the best-preserved masterpiece of Mon architecture; Thabyinnyu, one of the tallest monuments in universal science; and Gawdawpalin, one of the largest and most imposing monuments in Bagan. If there is time, enjoy the breath-taking sunset view of the ruins from Mingalar Zedi Temple, said to be built just before the Mongols invaded.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart for Salay (one hour) to visit one of the best 18th century wood carving works at Yoke Son Monastery and a unique 13th century lacquerware Buddha Image nearby. Continue on to visit a number of other old monasteries and splendid colonial style houses. Upon your return to Bagan, visit the Wetkyi Inn Gubyaukgyi Temple to observe the 12th century mural paintings, frescoes and base relief works depicting the entire life of the Buddha and his disciples. Also visit the Htilominlo Temple where you can see the frescoes representing 28 Buddhas of the future, the Shwezigon Pagoda, built to enshrine one of the four replicas of the Buddha tooth in Sri Lanka. It is also one of the oldest stupa in Bagan. If you like, you can stroll around the enchanting Nyaung Oo Market. Enjoy the opportunity to visit some of the local villages, where you will observe traditional handloom weaving, production of edible oils out of sesame seeds and ground nuts, and local blacksmith work. Time permitting, enjoy a sunset view of the entire ruins.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, catch the flight to Heho. From there, begin a leisurely ride to Kalaw, formally a popular colonial hill station that sits high on the western edge of the Shan Plateau. One of the highlights of this area is the busy, colorful market that is a meeting place for many local tribes and ethnic minorities. Kalaw also offers extraordinary photography opportunities. Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to take a day hike to one of the surrounding ethnic Palaung tribal villages to see them in their colorful dress and observe their way of life. Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Pindaya is known for its extensive limestone caves and picturesque lake. The drive to Pindaya is especially nice as the road winds over the rolling hills of the Shan Plateau through mustard and wheat fields. You may have the opportunity to stop at a farmland for a social exchange with ethnic farmers and observe the Pa O's traditional making of paper umbrellas. If you prefer, you may opt for a Pindaya village trek instead. Overnight at a traditional style bungalow.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Embark upon a two-hour drive to Inle Lake. After freshening up at the hotel, board a traditional motorized boat for a sightseeing tour of the lake. Visit the Indein Ruins, whose Pagodas and Stupas were built in the eighth century. There are a number of shops along the hill for you to enjoy, or for trekking enthusiasts, climb up Mt. Shwe U Daung at about 3,000 feet above sea level. Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Board your own private, long lake boat and be treated to an insider's view of life in this unique community. Villages, farms and a monastery perch over the water on stilts and float on pads of reeds and earth. Observe the awkward-looking leg-rowers as they maneuver, balancing precariously on the tails of their narrow craft. Depending on market dates, see the famous floating market giving another insight into local life. (This part of the itinerary may be altered in order to see the tribal markets, which rotate from village to village.) Return to your hotel for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer to Heho (one hour) for your flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival, proceed to the National Museum to observe the Lion Throne of King Thibaw, the last king of Myanmar. Visit the Bogyoke Market, a sprawling 75-year-old shopping complex noted for its variety of handicrafts, providing an excellent chance for a shopping spree! Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

You will be transferred to the airport for your departing flight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch