8 Days Myanmar Discovery

^{8 Days / 7 Night}s

Itinerary ( Yangon - Bagan - Mandalay - Amarapura – Ava – Sagaing – Mandalay - Heho - Inle Lake - Heho - Yangon)

8 DAYS MYANMAR DISCOVERY

DAY 1 : SATURDAY: ARRIVAL YANGON (L)
Arrive in Yangon and transfer to your hotel. Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is still a relatively quiet and charming city. Its impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes Yangon one of the most fascinating and authentic capitals of South East Asia. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, a city tour includes Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda's 70m long reclining Buddha, a tour of downtown Yangon with its grand colonial buildings before reaching Myanmar’s holiest monument, the Shwedagon Pagoda, for sunset with its golden stupa covered with 60 tons of pure gold leaf. Overnight in Yangon.

DAY 2 : SUNDAY: YANGON – NYAUNG U (BAGAN) (B,L)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Yangon's Mingaladon Airport for the flight to Bagan (Nyaung Oo). Thousands of ancient stupas and temples in this area make Bagan, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia. From the 11th till 13th century, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers constructed huge stupas and temples, many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. On arrival, morning sightseeing features the Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa, Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jatakas murals paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. Lunch at a local restaurant. Check-in at your hotel and rest. In the afternoon, visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece of the early-style temple and Ananda Okkyaung is one of the few surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period. From Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan with 61 meters, depart for a horse and carriage tour among the temples passing through the traditional village of Taungbi, Sulamani Temple and the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. Enjoy the sunset over the site from one of the open upper terraces in Bagan. Overnight in Bagan.

DAY 3 : MONDAY: BAGAN (B,L)
After breakfast at the hotel, visit the colourful Nyaung Oo Market. Proceeding to Myinkaba village where we will stroll through the village to observe workshops producing traditional lacquer ware, a specialty of Bagan. We can also appreciate the monuments of Myinkaba village, Gubyaukkhi, an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mural paintings in Bagan, as well as the Manuha and Nanpaya temples. Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to the hotel for a rest. Mid-afternoon, transfer to the riverside and embark on a local boat for a leisurely mini-cruise on the Ayeyarwady River in view of the Bagan temples like Lawkananda, Bupaya and Shwezigon while the sun slowly sets. Overnight in Bagan.

DAY 4 :TUESDAY: BAGAN – MANDALAY (B,L)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Nyaung Oo Airport for the flight to Mandalay. On arrival, a sightseeing tour of Mandalay, Myanmar’s cultural capital, starts with the Mahamuni Pagoda, famous for its venerable statue of Buddha covered with gold leaf. Mandalay has also long been known as a centre of skilled craftsmanship and in former times supplied the Royal courts. A tour of traditional workshops includes crafts such as woodcarving, marble masonry, Kalaga tapestry and gold leaf making. Lunch at a local restaurant. Check-in at your hotel and rest. In the afternoon, visit the Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures (known as the world’s biggest book) and Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite woodcarving. Enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill to end the day. Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 5 :WEDNESDAY: MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – AVA – SAGAING – MANDALAY (B,L)
After breakfast at the hotel depart for full day trip to the former capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing. We begin with a visit to the 18th century capital, Amarapura where we attend the daily meal of over thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery; Mahagandayon. Proceed to Ava, the capital from the 14th to the 18th century and visit by horse carriage the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and fort. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch 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 and is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centres. Finish the day with a walk over the 200 year-old U Bein bridge, constructed entirely from teak. Overnight in Mandalay.