Trails of Myanmar - 12D/11N

photo courtesy of Myanmar Tourist BoardMyanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, is one of the few truly original travel experiences remaining in this much-traveled world. Decades of social and economic isolation have preserved here many of the traditional features, physical and cultural, which have been lost in other Asian countries. Myanmar is a captivating travel destination - for its diversity of sightseeing, for the wealth of cultural and scenic attractions it can offer and, above all, for the warmth and friendliness of its charming people.

YANGON - Capital and main gateway to Myanmar. Perhaps the last remaining authentic example of an Asian tropical city still true to its former colonial origins. Most famous for the unique and glittering Shwedagon Pagoda, but a wealth of other sights await visitors, including diverse temples, markets, beautiful gardens and lakes as well as impressive colonial-era buildings.

MANDALAY - Second largest city and former Royal capital of Myanmar with many historical buildings and interesting sights, temples and pagodas . This is also a center for silk and cotton weaving, marble carving, bronze and silver crafts and kalaga tapestries. Excursions out of Mandalay include the monastery and pagoda covered hills of Sagaing, former ancient capitals of Amarapura and Ava, as well as the scenic trip upriver to Mingun, with its vast unfinished pagoda and world’s largest bronze bell.

MOUNT POPA - Mt. Popa is a solitary extinct volcano, rising to 737 m from the flat surrounding Myingyan Plain. A shrine dedicated to the legendary, feared and respected “Nat” spirits of Myanmar lies at the top of a steep-sided volcanic plug, which can be reached by ascending 777 steps.

photo courtesy of Myanmar Tourist Board Includes: Accommodation in shared twin rooms with daily breakfast. All meals as specified in the program on table d’hôte basis (breakfast only in Yangon, full board up-country). Entrance fees (mentioned in the program). Transfers and tours with English speaking local guides (or as specified). Transportation by air-conditioned van/minibus/coach from Mandalay to Pakokku & Bagan to Kalaw. Boat fare between Pakokku & Bagan. 1 Tourleader is free of charge as of a minimum of 15 full paying pax. Service charges, room tax and baggage handling.

Not Included: Domestic airfares Yangon-Mandalay & Heho –Yangon (see above, quoted separately). Travel insurance. Lunch and dinner in Yangon. Visa fee for Myanmar. International Airfare. Expenditure of a personal nature, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry etc. International airport tax in Yangon (US$10.- per person). Christmas and New Year’s dinner supplement (will be advised at time of booking). Services which are not mentioned above.

Accommodations
YANGON: CHATRIUM HOTEL OR SIMILAR.
MANDALAY: SEDONA HOTEL OR SIMILAR.
BAGAN: MYANMAR TREASURE RESORT OR SIMILAR.

Departs: Daily through October 31.

Itinerary

  • DAY 01 YANGON (No meals) - Upon arrival at YANGON airport, you will be welcomed by your Asian Trails guide and transferred to your hotel. Your journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon’s colonial-style city center. Visit SULE PAGODA, dating back over 2,000 years ago; the magnificent reclining Buddha CHAUK HTAT GYI; and after a photo stop at the KARAWEIK HALL, a ‘hamsa-bird-shaped’ floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake, stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET, a compound of hundreds of food, garment, handicraft and gem stores. Complete your first day in Myanmar with a visit to one of the world’s most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA. Overnight stay at Chatrium Hotel (Former Nikko Royal Lake Hotel) (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.

    • photo courtesy of Myanmar Tourist Board

  • DAY 02 YANGON – MANDALAY (B, L, D) - After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival to Mandalay airport, transfer to your hotel. Experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including some of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, MAHAMUNI PAGODA; SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wood work and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Mandalay is also a major arts and crafts center. A visit to Kalaga tapestry craftsmen’s shop before proceeding to MANDALAY HILL for sunset viewing. Lunch will be served at local restaurant. Dinner and overnight stay at Mandalay City Hotel (***, Superior room) or similar in Mandalay.
  • DAY 03 AMARAPURA - AVA – SAGAING (B, L, D) - After breakfast, excursion to Amarapura, 15 km from Mandalay. Visit MAHAGANDAYON, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study; continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 during the era when Amarapura was the Royal capital. Already from the early days the city was known for its silk- and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop before proceeding to BAGAYA MONASTERY, a compound with a superb collection of Buddha statues. After lunch at a local restaurant, embark for a short boat ride over a river and start exploring the former Royal Capital INWA (AVA) by horse cart. Visit NANMYINT WATCH TOWER, the remains of the ancient palace building, also know as “the leaning tower of Ava“; MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN MONASTERY, built of brick and stucco; BARGAYAR MONASTERY, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts. Continue to SAGAING HILLS, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, for sunset viewing. Dinner and overnight stay at Mandalay City Hotel (***, Superior room) or similar in Mandalay.
  • DAY 04 MANDALAY - MONYWA (B, L, D) - After breakfast, proceed to MONYWA (150 km – 2 ½ hours). Visit en route the THANBODDHAY PAGODA; where 845 small stupas surround and rise up to the richly decorated central stupa. The pagoda is built to remind of Mt Meru and has some similar characteristics to Borobudur of Java. Take a walk through the nearby banyan tree grove BODDHI-TATAUNG where thousand Buddha images rest at the feet of the trees. Enjoy the panoramic view from AUNG SETKAYA PAGODA, standing 130 meter high on the Po Khaung hills. After lunch at a simple local restaurant, cross the CHINDWIN RIVER by ferry boat and proceed by pick-up or jeep (40 km - 1 hour) to HPO WIN DAUNG, a network of impressive sandstone caves containing Buddha statues, wood carvings and fine mural paintings, some dating back to the 15th century. Dozens of large and small caves with about 450,000 images are hidden in the area of the Hpo Win Hills. Dinner and overnight stay at Win Unity Resort Hotel (**, Deluxe room with lake view) or similar in Monywa.
  • DAY 05 MONYWA – PAKOKKU - BAGAN (B, L, D) - After breakfast, drive to PAKOKKU (128 km – 3 hours), a port city set south of the Chindwin confluence. On the way you will stop in PAKHANGYI to visit one of the oldest ornate teak monasteries of the country. After lunch at a simple local restaurant in Pakokku you will visit a lively local market by traditional trishaw bicycle taxis (if available). There is also a possibility to observe weaving process of typical Myanmar cotton blankets. Continue by boat, on the AYEYARWADDY RIVER, to BAGAN where you will arrive in time for sunset. This down river trip takes approximately 2 hours. (Please note: travel time is subject to change depending on the water level) Upon arrival to Bagan, transfer to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Myanmar Treasure Resort (***, Superior room) or similar in Bagan.

    • photo courtesy of Myanmar Tourist Board

  • DAY 06 BAGAN (B, L, D) - After breakfast, stroll through the colorful local market and continue the day with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan: including SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its panoramic view of the area’s numerous monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images. In the afternoon learn of manufacturing Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts and visit a lacquer ware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. Later continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059 and explore the NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument which according to legends used to be palace site of the King Manuha. Visit ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM housing countless beautiful Buddha images of made of bronze, stone and lacquer. Complete the day by watching sunset over the majestic Ayeyarwaddy River from a temple top. Lunch will be served at local restaurant. Dinner at a riverside restaurant and overnight stay at Myanmar Treasure Resort (***, Superior room) or similar in Bagan.
  • DAY 07 BAGAN (B, L, D) - After breakfast, embark for visits to TAYOKEPYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village; PHAYA THONE ZU and NANDAMANYA TEMPLES noted for their exquisite murals of 13th century and KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan. In the afternoon, an excursion to farming villages around Bagan will give you an insight to the rural life of the local people. Late afternoon, a colorfully decorated ox-cart will take you through some of the more off the beaten track temple sites. Experience the traditional way of traveling and transportation still commonly used by the rural people of Myanmar. Lunch will be served at local restaurant. Dinner with puppet show at local restaurant and overnight stay at Myanmar Treasure Resort (***, Superior room) or similar in Bagan.
  • DAY 08 BAGAN – MT. POPA - KALAW (B, L, D) - After early breakfast, a 300 km drive (8 hours) will take you to Kalaw. En-route visit MT. POPA, an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Mt. Popa is a popular pilgrimage destination for Myanmar’s. The local people travel here from far away to worship various animist spirits known as “nats”. 777 steps lead up to the shrine placed on top of the steep Popa peak. After lunch at a simple local restaurant en route, the journey continues on a narrow, winding and bumpy road through the Shan Hills. You will reach KALAW, a fresh and delightful hill station, situated on the rim of the Shan Plateau, early evening time. Kalaw is a lively market town where many ethnic minority people of the surrounding areas buy and trade their goods. Dinner and overnight stay at Pine Hill Resort (**, Superior room) or Hill Top Villa (**, Superior room) or similar in Kalaw.
  • DAY 09 KALAW – NYAUNG SHWE - INLE LAKE (B, L, D) - After breakfast, set out for an excursion on foot (about 6 hours walk) to the TAR YAW village of the Palaung tribe. The animist Palaungs were amongst the earliest inhabitants in Myanmar and have kept to their traditions living with several families in ‘long-houses’, cultivating cash crops and tanapet for Burmese cheroot cigars. Take a walk to their plantations and visit the village before returning to Kalaw. After lunch at local restaurant, transfer to NYAUNG SHWE (61 km – 1 ½ hours) and proceed by boat to your hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Shwe Inn Tha Resort (**/*, Deluxe room, built on stilts over Inle Lake) or similar.
  • DAY 10 INLE LAKE (B, L, D) - After breakfast, full day excursion by boat on the Inle Lake. See the famous Inntha leg rowers, floating gardens, local methods of fishing, village life and magnificent scenery. You will visit the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the most sacred shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century; the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY, famous for its jumping cats trained by monks; the weaving village of INPAWKHON and one of the local markets in the Inle Lake region (on market days only). Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner and overnight stay at Shwe Inn Tha Resort (**/*, Deluxe room, built on stilts over Inle Lake) or similar.
  • DAY 11 INLE LAKE – HEHO – YANGON (B, -, -) - After breakfast, transfer by boat to NYAUNG SHWE and drive to Heho Airport (32km – 1 hour) for domestic flight to YANGON. Upon arrival to Yangon airport, transfer to your hotel. Complete your Yangon impressions with a visit to the KABA AYE (WORLD PEACE) PAGODA and the MAHAPASANA CAVE, where the sixth Buddhist synod took place. Proceed to Yangon’s oldest Chinese temple and at the riverside located BOTATAUNG PAGODA. Last but not least, see the 8 meter high Golden Lion Throne as well as the Mandalay Royal Regalia at the NATIONAL MUSEUM. Lunch and dinner to your own account. Overnight stay at Chatrium Hotel (Former Nikko Royal Lake Hotel) (****, Superior room) or similar in Yangon.
  • DAY 12 YANGON (B, -, -) - Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon airport for your departure flight.

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    Also tagged with: Escorted Journeys, Asia, Burma - Myanmar, Educational, Cultural, Art / Architecture, Religion, Private Escorted Journey


    Vantage World Strongly Recommends Insurance for all your Travel Programs

    Insure My Trip We provide, through TravelSafe Insurance, one of the nation's largest and most respected providers of travel insurance, a TravelSafe Custom Plan, where you decide the benefits YOU want and the levels of protection YOU desire including access to their 24-hour emergency assistance service from anywhere in the world. Click the link below the Plan Benefits table for plan details.