TRULY MYANMAR
This 13 day trip gives you the depth of the country with many chance to interact with locals. Beside the normal sightseeing to the musts, the experience on the historical Irrawaddy River, unique train ride from Kalaw to Shwe Nyaung will make the trip unforgettable.
DAY 1:Â YANGON ARRIVAL. BRIEF CITY TOUR (-/-/D)
Mingalabar! Up on arrival at Yangon International airport, our guide and driver will welcome you at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Â
After refreshment, enjoy guided city tour to discovery the most highlights of busting formal capital Yangon. Start with the visit to Sule Pagoda which is believed to enshrine a strand of hair of the Buddha & the nearby City Hall & Mahabandoola Park with Independent Monument. From Sule Pagoda, we embark on an orientation walk to Chinese Town, covering exotic streets of Yangon downtown and British Colonial building as Emmanuel Church, Inland Water Buildings.
Late afternoon, visit Shwedagon pagoda – the most prominent monument in Yangon which dominates the sky with golden flash, giant spires and holy relics.
Enjoy welcome dinner at Karaweik Palace, overlooking to the Royal Lake. The dinner is served with fine Burmese food and amazing cultural show.
Overnight at hotel in Yangon
Distance:
- Yangon Airport – Yangon center: 8 miles → 20 minutes driving transfer
DAY 2: YANGON – FLY TO MANDALAY. AMARAPURA – SAGAING – INWA (B/-/-)
Known as the hub of Buddhism in Myanmar, Mandalay is a realm of stupas, monks and monastery. The most fascinating visit will be the time to behold the monks doing their worship and having meals. Take the morning flight to Mandalay.
Upon arrival, meet our tour guide and head to Sagaing. Here, you will discover the monk education, visit Budda Cave, Uminthonze Pagoda, Sunooponnyashin Pagoda and enjoy the panoramic view of Mandalay. We then cross the river by ferry to Inwa (Ava), situated on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. Once a royal capital, Inwa is now a quiet rural oasis.
Enjoy a horse cart ride around the peaceful countryside, visiting Bagaya Kyaung, a beautiful teak wood monastery, Maha Aungmyay Bonzan Kyaung, and Nan Myint tower.
End of the day, walk over Ubein Wooden Bridge, the longest teakwood of its type & enjoy great sunset view here.
Overnight at hotel in Mandalay
Distance:
- Mandalay Airport – Mandalay city center: 27 miles → 1 hour driving transfer
DAY 3: MINGUN – MANDALAY CITY (B/-/-)
Drive to Mandalay pier, embarking on a private boat upstream to visit Mingun, famed for its huge and incomplete Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, Mingun Bell the 90 tons ringing bell and the white temple Hsinbyume.
In the afternoon, visit Shwenandaw Monastery – noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Kuthodaw Pagoda – known as the world’s biggest book and some handicraft workshops of gold leaf beating & silk weaving. Late afternoon, drive to Mandalay Hill to watch the sun-set and the panoramic view of the city.
Overnight at hotel in Mandalay
Distance:
- Mandalay city center – Shwenandaw Monastery: 5 miles → 15 minutes driving transfer
- Shwenandaw Monastery – Mandalay Hill: 5 miles → 9 minutes driving transfer
DAY 4:Â MANDALAY – BAGAN BY BOAT (B/-/-)
Take the day cruise downstream the Ayeyarwaddy River which offers the variations of the scenes of villages, the towers of pagodas here & there and local people making their livings…
The cruise is scheduled for 10 – 11 hours but sometimes can take up to 12 hours due to water flow.
Upon arrival in Bagan, our driver & tour guide are await to pick you up to transfer to your hotel. Rest of the time is at leisure.
Overnight at hotel in Bagan
Distance:
- Mandalay – Bagan → 9 minute10-12 hours transfer by boat
DAY 5:Â BAGAN SIGHTSEEING (B/-/-)
Spend the whole day exploring Bagan where over 3,000 ancient temples blossom from the countryside. Start our sightseeing today with the visit to lively & colorful market of Naung U. Our first temple visit is to Shwezigon Pagoda, which is believed to enshrine a bone and tooth of Gautama Buddha. Continue to Htilominlo Temple, Ananda Temple, housing four standing Buddha and then to Sulamani Temple.
This afternoon, enjoy the exotic horse cart to one of the biggest temple in Bagan: Nan Paya pagoda and many other interesting sites nearby. The highlight of today is the panoramic sunset view over Bagan.
Overnight at hotel in Bagan
Distance:
- Bagan center – Nyaung U market: 8 miles → 5 minutes driving transfer
- Nyaung U market – Shwezigon Pagoda: 3 miles → 10 minutes driving transfer
- Bagan center – Nan Paya Pagoda: 5 miles → 5 minutes driving transfer
DAY 6: BAGAN – SALAY – BAGAN – SUNSET BOAT TRIP (B/-/-)
After breakfast, set out for a scenic drive Southward, parallel to the Irrawaddy River to Salay. After first hour drive, we make a stop in Chauk which has a colorful morning market to explore. Few tourists visit this market and it is a great place for local interaction and photos.
Another half an hour, we reach Sale (Sa-lay), a sleepy town where various colonial buildings, monasteries and pagodas can be seen.
Amongst, we will visit Yoke-Sone-Kyaung Monastery which is a cultural heritage site in Salay, situated on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. It is famous for its beautiful artistic woodcarvings.
Return to Bagan to visit lacquerware workshop, discovering the traditional way that local people make the lacquer wares which features a part the Bagan fame.
We offer an hour beautiful sunset boat ride on Irrawaddy River.
Overnight at hotel in Bagan
Distance:
- Bagan – Salay → 1 hour transfer by boat
DAY 7: BAGAN – MT. POPA – KALAW (B/-/-)
After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive to Mt. Popa, known as the most sacred site for meditation in Myanmar. Our guide will lead you to Popa Kalat Monastery where you can enjoy the panoramic view of Popa national park.
Continue our driver of about 5 hour to Kalaw. Located on the mild highland of Shan state, Kalaw exposes a green natural beauty, combining the exotic life of ethnic minorities and pine plantations. Check in your hotel upon arrival and rest of the time is at leisure.
Overnight at hotel in Kalaw
Distance:
- Bagan center – MT Popa: 38 miles → 1 hour 25 minutes driving transfer
- MT Popa – Kalaw: 146 miles → 5 hours driving transfer
DAY 8:Â KALAW TREKKING (B/-/-)
Spend the morning trekking to the habitat of Pa-O tribes. You are offered to know about their unique lifestyles and join local for their farm works. As you walk through valleys and plantations, you will see local people work hard with their planting or harvesting wheat, ginger and a variety of other crops.
Overnight at hotel in Kalaw
DAY 9: KALAW – PINDAYA – AUNGBAN – TRAIN TO SHWE NAUNG – INLE LAKE (B/-/-)
After breakfast, drive to Pindaya through the picturesque countryside of Shan State. Visit Pindaya’s limestone cave with its maze of chambers displaying more than 8,000 Buddha statues and local handicraft workshops producing Shan paper made from mulberry bark and traditional umbrellas made from the same paper that are used by monks all around the country
Early afternoon, take a scenic train ride from Aungban to Shwe Nyaung. The journey is about 2,5 hours. Get picked up on arrival and drive to Naung Shwe Jetty and transferred to your hotel. Check in upon arrival and rest of the time is at leisure.
Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake
Distance:
- Kalaw – Pindaya: 30 miles → 1 hour 15 minutes driving transfer
- Pindaya – Shwe Nyaung: 40 miles → 5 hour transfer by train
DAY 10:Â INLE LAKE DISCOVERY (B/-/-)
This morning, you will visit the 5 days market which is hold in different villages surround the lake. This is definitely a fascinating place to enjoy the scene of local tribes in their colorful clothes and exotic market atmosphere.
The boat will then take you to beautiful temple of Indein, located on the hill overlooking the lake. It will be definitely relaxing to walk along the corridor and enjoy the giant columns which have been left to the nature for centuries.
Continue our sightseeing tour to Phaungdawoo Pagoda, famed for its richly gilded five small Buddha images, also is believed the holiest in Inle Lake. As you travel further to Nam Pan village; cotton and lotus weaving factory, cigar making houses will impress you with a sense of traditional Intha life.
Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake
Distance:
- Inle Lake – Nam Pan village: 10 miles → 25 minutes driving transfer
DAY 11: INLE LAKE – SAMKAR (SAGAR) – INLE LAKE (B/-/-)
Today, we venture to Sagar, located in the Deep South. The boat journey takes 2.5-3 hours but is full of fabulous views and home to many unique species of birds, both indigenous and migratory. Sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!
The area is so far protected and administered by PNO (Pa O National Organization). You may be granted to visit the village of Pa o, Shan and Intha people, to interact with the locals and discover its culture. The main highlight for many travelers are the ‘sunken’ stupas of Sagar- 108 stupas from the 16-17th centuries.
Another stop will be made in Sae Khaung Pottery Village to see the crafting of oil and water pots as well as the natural, underground kilns used by the villagers. On the western shores of the Sagar area is Tar Kaung, a series of more than 200 stupas which also make a fabulous photo stop. Late afternoon, enjoy the beautiful sunset while cruising along the stilt villages back to your resort.
Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake
Distance:
- Inle Lake – Samkar: 30 miles → 1 hour 25 minutes driving transfer
DAY 12: INLE LAKE – HEHO. FLY TO YANGON (B/-/-)
You are transferred to Heho Airport for the morning flight back to Yangon.
Enjoy a walking tour covering historic sites in the former commercial and administrative core. Start at City Hall & Mahabandoola Park with Independent Monument and through Yangon downtown for British Colonial building as Emmanuel Church, Inland Water Buildings and art gallery.
Spend last minute shopping at Bogyoke Market. Formerly named Scott’s Market, it is now the main tourist destination where you can find antique, Burmese handicrafts & jewelry shops, art galleries & clothing stores.
Overnight at hotel Yangon
Distance:
- Inle Lake – Heho Airport: 25 miles → 50 minutes driving transfer
- Yangon Airport – Yangon center: 8 miles → 20 minutes driving transfer
DAY 13:Â YANGON DEPARTURE (B/-/-)
You are free at leisure until getting transferred to the airport for departure flight. Trip ends. Have a good journey and see you again.
HOME SWWEET HOME!
Included / Excluded
To help you plan your trip, we have put together a list of what's included and what's not included in your tour package. This will give you a clear understanding of what to expect and help you make any necessary arrangements before your journey begins.
- 2 Domestic flights: Yangon – Mandalay & Heho – Yangon
- Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
- Private tours, transfers and all services as mentioned in the itinerary
- Services of a private driver and air–conditioned vehicles
- Service of English speaking guides in every location
- Meals are mentioned on program (B: Breakfast, Br: Brunch, L: Lunch, D: Dinner)
- Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
- International flights
- Meals other than those mentioned in the itinerary
- Early check-in and late check-out at hotels.
- Personal expenses (such as laundry, telephone, drinks, etc.)
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Personal travel insurance
- Myanmar visa fee
Tour Map
This comprehensive map is designed to guide you through an exciting journey filled with remarkable destinations and captivating experiences.
