Myanmar Uncovered

Welcome to Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar. Upon your arrival at the airport, our tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is free for you to explore the city. Overnight in Mandalay

Note*: The hotel room will be available at 2:00pm, and in case that you would like to secure an early-check in, an additional charge will be applied.

Meal: n/a

Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

After breakfast, you will be transfer for Jetty for a private boat across the river Ayeywarwaddy to visit Mingun. The dedications of King Bodawpaya such as the unfinished Pathodawgyi Pagoda a brick counterpart of pyramid in Egypt and the Mingun Bell, the second largest bell in the world are the most prominent religious heritages. Then visiting the Myatheintan Pagoda, the best representation of the Universe, will refresh your tiredness and fatigue. Return to Mandalay and then you will take a sightseeing tour of Mandalay which includes Mahamuni Pagoda, a life like Buddha image. Mandalay is the last capital of Myanmar and that make her to be the best place to see all the traditional arts and crafts. Start visiting gold leaf making work-place and see how the gold leaf is being made by hand in a traditional way. Continue visit the Old Palace grounds; Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world’s largest book for its 729 marble slabs inscribed with the Buddha’s Doctrine; Golden Palace Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings and enjoy the panoramic view of the city from Mandalay Hill..

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Hotel in Mandalay

The day begins with a visit to the 18th century capital, Amarapura. Attend the daily meal of over thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery; Mahagandayon. Visit a silk weaving workshop, the craft specialty of Amarapura. Then continue south of the city to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries, where a short ferry ride will take us across the river to where our horse and carriage are waiting. Visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort. There are many small villages located amid Ava’s ruins and as you travel by horse and cart you’ll get a glimpse of local life in the Burmese countryside. In the afternoon cross the bridge over the Irrawaddy River and continue to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious centre of Myanmar. It is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers and you will visit pagodas such as Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin and U Min Thone Sae. Finish the day return toward the Mandalay city and stop at Amarapura, continue to U Bein Bridge for a walk along this 200 year-old teak bridge. The bridge was constructed of 984 teak posts that were once part of the deserted Inwa Palace and it is 1.2 kilometers in length making it the world’s longest teak span. Enjoy a stroll along the bridge and the fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

After breakfast, the day begins with a visit to the Jade Market and then drive to Mt. Popa about 4 hours by car and stop on the way to visit village and walk for half and hour. On arrival excursion to the village of Mt. Popa. Tour highlights: toddy palm groves and jaggery cottage industry; Kyaukpadaung Market; Popa Village; and the famous Popa Taung Kalat, a tower-like volcanic plug lying on the south-western slope of Mt. Popa.). Before sunset, you will reach to Popa Mountain Resort and stop the car in the medic herbal garden. Go to the point view and the start walking for about 25 minutes all the way to the resort. Overnight in Popa Mountain.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Popa

After Breakfast at hotel, you will drive to Bagan stop on the way to visit village. Today sightseeing features the colourful Nyaung Oo Market, the Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa, Wetkyi-Inn, a cave temple with exquisite jatakas murals paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations.

In the afternoon, visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of the early-style temple with two original standing Buddha images show facial expression change depending on the distance the statue is viewed from. The Ananda Okkyaung is one of the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period and the next temple to be visited, Thatbyinnyu, is the highest in Bagan, rising to 61 meters. End the day with a horse and carriage tour among the temples passing by the traditional village of Taungbi, Sulamani Temple and the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. End the day with a enjoy sunset at some nice area where available places, one of the ancient temples in Bagan or at view mount area. After sunset return to hotel. Overnight in Bagan.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

Today, you are free to relax and explore Bagan and its temples.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

After breakfast at the hotel, you will transfer airport for a flight to Heho. Since arrive Heho airport your guide and car will welcome. Then enjoy a scenic drive to Kalaw, from there you will visit to the some village and the main attractions of Kalaw are the town itself, with its mock-Tudor colonial bungalows, its ethnic mix of people, and its setting within trekking distance of many ethnic minority villages. Kalaw is made up of a mixture of Shan, Palaung, Burman, Indian and Nepalese people. Many speak English well, having been taught in mission schools or by fluent parents. About 60,000 Palaung people inhabit the Plateau area. Return to hotel and overnight in Kalaw.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Kalaw

After breakfast at the hotel, From Kalaw , drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images.
Upon reaching the edges of Inle Lake, board a private motorboat to head out to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights. Pass villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses dozens of Shan Buddha Images, but is more famous for its unique ‘jumping cats’ who jump through hoops in the air! Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf.
Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. If time permits, there may be time to enjoy a short walk through one of the lakeside villages. Overnight on Inle Lake.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

After breakfast, visit the lake’s morning market. The market rotates its location around the lake’s villages in a 5 day rhythm and is visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes who come to sell and trade their wares. (Note: market is daily except on dark moon day and full moon day).
From the middle of the lake, continue down a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of In Dein. Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village, visiting a local school, and wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Alaung Sitthou is filled with picturesque ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below. In the late afternoon transfer to airport for your flight to Yangon. Upon arrival transfer to hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

After breakfast, pickup for full day city tour. You also have the option to visit Kandawgyi Lake and surrounding area, which offers numerous photo opportunities. You will visit Sule Pagoda (located on a roundabout in downtown Yangon, Yangon City Hall (featuring classic Myanmar architectural design), the High Court (noted for its British colonial architecture, including its clock tower and its red-bricked exterior). Next, you’ll visit Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, built in 1966 and famous for its huge image of the Reclining Buddha, which replaced the older image built in1907.

After lunch, you can go shopping in the Bogyoke market (formerly “Scott market”) where you can get a wide range of Myanmar handicrafts, jewelry, fabrics, lacquer ware and so on. You can also visit China town markets selling fresh fruits, flowers and local delicacies. In late afternoon, you will enjoy sunset at the famous Shwedagone Pagoda. Its massive bell-shaped golden spires are plated with 60 tons of gold, while the tip of the stupa is inset with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and topaz. You’ll have a restful overnight in Yangon

Meal: Breakfast/Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

After breakfast, you are free until your departure time. Our driver will take you to Yangon International Airport for your flight home. Tour ends…

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: n/a