Vibrant Myanmar with Pindaya Trekking

Mingalabar! Welcome to Myanmar, the land of Golden Temples.
Today, our guide will welcome you at Yangon International Airport at the Arrival Hall. Then drive through the city and enjoy a half-day private city tour. Your scenic drive will take you through the antique colonial buildings. Many of which are unique that you cannot find anywhere else in Asia. From the Post Office, a lovely historic building, passing by Strand Hotel, Mahabandoola Park, and Independent Monument, head straight to Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda where you will admire the massive 66 meters long reclining Buddha image, one of the most sacred Buddha images in the country.

After that, move to Kandawgyi Royal Lake, a beautiful artificial lake to take photos before transferring to the hotel for check-in. In the late afternoon, follow your guide to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most famous pagodas which is the pride of Yangon, if not the whole of Myanmar. As the sun immerses everything in golden light, enjoy the peaceful scenery and observe the daily homage of the local pilgrimages.
Meal: n/a

Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

Leave Yangon early this morning to take a drive to Golden Rock (5 hours). In the late morning, arrive at Golden Rock base camp and transfer to the transit junction with a small open truck for about an hour. Then you will take an hour’s walk to reach the top of Kaikhtiyo Pagoda where you will see the marvelous Golden Rock perched on a rock cliff. Enjoy the spectacular view of the mountain ranges chasing one after another in the sunset.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Hotel in Golden Rock.

Wake up early this morning to stroll around the hill site and enjoy the breathtaking sunrise in the peaceful scenery of the mountain area.
After that, drive back to Yangon and transfer to the airport to take a domestic flight to Bagan.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight at Bagan

Today is a full day to explore Bagan. Start the day with a visit to the Nyaung U Market, an authentic market where you will get a glimpse at the daily life of the local people. Next up, spend the whole day exploring the great treasure of Bagan. Your guide will take you to some of the most famous pagodas in the region to explore ancient art and architecture as well as get to know more about Buddhist teaching. You might visit Shwezigon, one of the most sacred temples in Myanmar containing the relic of Buddha; Ananda, an elegant temple dating back to the 12th century featuring the great architecture of Mon and India.

In the afternoon, visit a local lacquerware workshop where you will have first-hand experience of witnessing the skillful artisan creating the finest lacquerware in Myanmar.

Later on, drive through the countless temples and stupas to reach the sunset hill, a perfect place to enjoy the majestic sunset of Bagan. Sit back and be amazed by the magical beauty of the sun slowly going down behind the undulating temples.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

After breakfast, drive to Mount Popa, a spectacular extinct volcano that is home to 37 Nats of Burma. On arrival, hike up 777 steps to reach Taung Kalat Monastery. Listen to your guide to know more about the Nats worship and its role in the life of the Burmese people.
In the afternoon, drive to Mandalay.

Meal: Breakfast

Accommodation: Overnight at Mandalay

Start the day with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda, which is the second most sacred religious site next to the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon. Observe the daily homage of the locals and learn more about the process of carrying the Buddha image in the Mahamuni Museum.
What’s a better way to get better interaction with the locals than visiting an artisan’s workshop of gold leaf making, woodcarving and marble carving? Here you will see the clever artisan creating the intricate items entirely by hand.

Following your afternoon sightseeing with a visit to Golden Palace Monastery (also known as Shwenandaw Monastery), which used to be the residence of King Thibaw, the last Burmese King. Then proceed to Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to the world’s largest Buddhist book carved on 729 marble slabs.
Before sunset, drive to U Bein Bridge, the longest teak bridge in the world which gently curves across the serene Taungthaman Lake. It has gone through 200 years that become one of the most beautiful places to watch the sunset in Myanmar.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in a Mandalay.

The morning of day 7 delivers you to Mingun, an idyllic village in the northwest of Mandalay. Enjoy a scenic boat trip along the Irrawaddy River before visiting Mingun Bell, the second-largest ringing bell in the world. Transferring by tuk-tuk to visit the elegant Hsinbyume Temple, a white-washed temple built by king Bagyidaw as a way to show his love for Queen Hsinbyume, his wife, who unfortunately lost her life during childbirth.

Be amazed by the massive Mingun Pahtodawgyi, the world’s largest unfinished pagoda before getting a glimpse at several small crafting traditional basketry and other artistic items. Stop and interact with the craftsmen to gain more local experience. As you return to Mandalay in the afternoon, explore the Royal Palace, a large complex of dozens of impressive buildings. Leaving the palace we drive up to Mandalay Hill to marvel at the commanding view of the city.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

This morning, say goodbye to Mandalay to take a flight to Heho, the gateway to Inle Lake, the mesmerizing natural destination in Shan State. On arrival, we travel by road to Pindaya, a lovely hill town to visit Pindaya Caves, a unique site housing thousands of Buddha images placed by the local pilgrims over centuries. After that, drive to Nyaung Shwe to get on a private boat to transfer to your hotel.

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Pindaya

A full day to trek through the scenic landscape of Pindaya. After breakfast, walk to the market for a first glimpse of the local trading. Then walk through the hills to the Htut Ni village of the Danu tribe. Along the way, you will witness the farming land where the Danu cultivates cheroot, tea damsons, and mangoes. We will stop at See Kya Inn, another village of Danu for lunch. Afternoon trekking continues with 2 hours to Yasakyi village. Here you will explore the life of Padaung tribes’ life. Observe how they dry cheroot in a specially designed oven. This evening enjoys a simple dinner and accommodation at Yasakyi Monastery.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel in Yasakyi Monastery

Wake up in the sound of birds singing this morning. After breakfast, start the day with a 40-minute trek through the village of the Danu tribe. Along the way, you will catch images of people cultivating peanuts, corn, ginger, and other crops on the hillsides.

Danu people
As you arrive at the Danu Village of Lin Lai Inn, continue trekking about 40 minutes to Me Ne Taung, the village of Pa-oh people. Today enjoy a cozy lunch at Pin Sein Pinn Village and take this chance to chat with the people to share your own cultural experience.
This afternoon, take 2 hours trek to Kan Hla Kone overnight.
Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Overnight in Kan Hla Kone Village

Enjoy a scenic trek this morning through the hills leading up to several villages in which the people produce Shan tea in a traditional way. You will see many dry tea leaves while walking through the tea plantations. Moreover, the hill also offers great views of the surrounding Shan plateau. Later on, transfer to the hotel in Inle Lake by car.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Inle Lake

A full day for you to take amazing boat trips to explore the highlights of Inle Lake and discover the life of the Intha inhabitants who have lived for over 100 years on the lake. Morning is an ideal time for you to capture the iconic image of Intha leg-rowing fishermen. Pass through endless floating gardens and houses where your guide will give you an introduction to the way people create it.

Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest site in southern Shan State where enshrines five sacred golden images of the Buddha. Then stop for a visit to the local handicrafts of blacksmiths where you will see many beautiful accessories made by hand. Finally, proceed to Nampan village to discover the cheroot factory and canoe carving.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Inle Lake

The morning of day 3 delivers you to Indein, a remote village where thousands of magnificent stupas in Shwe Indein Pagoda are waiting for you to discover. Start the day with a visit to the market which rotates locations every five days.

Stroll around the market area to observe the local trading and see the hill tribes dressed in colorful attires barter for their goods. Your guide then also leads you to visit the “long neck” women who now still retain their traditional weaving on stilt houses.

In the afternoon, check out at the hotel and transfer to the airport to take a flight back to Yangon.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight in Yangon

After breakfast, enjoy your free time at leisure until the driver comes to pick you up to transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Trip ends. Thank you for making your 14-day trip to Myanmar with us!
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: n/a