^{13 Days / 12 Nights}

Itinerary (Yangon - Kyaiktiyo - Bago - Yangon - Heho - Inle Lake - In Dein - Inle Lake - Pindaya - Heho - Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay - Amarapura - Ava - Sagaing - Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay - Moniwa - Po Win Daung - Moniwa - Pakkoku - Bagan -  Yangon)

THE VERY BEST OF MYANMAR 13 Days / 12 Nights (EMR/BM)

DAY 1 : Arrive Yangon
Arrive in Yangon and transfer to 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. In the afternoon, a city tour includes the National Museum, Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda's 70m long reclining Buddha and at the end of the day Myanmar’s holiest monument, the Shwedagon Pagoda with its golden stupa covered with 60 tons of pure gold leaf. Overnight in Yangon.

DAY 2 : Yangon-Kyaiktiyo (B)
Leave Yangon in the morning for a journey by road to Kyaikhtiyo, 190km to the north-east (5 hrs). Late morning, arrive at Kyaikhtiyo base camp and transfer to the transit junction by local open truck (45 mins). From here it is a steep one-hour walk up to the site itself. Possibility to rent some chair porters for people with difficulties walking. A huge boulder covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff, Golden Rock is one of Myanmar's main pilgrimage sites. The pagoda at the Golden Rock is said to hold a hair of the Buddha. Overnight near Golden Rock.

DAY 3 : Kyaiktiyo-Bago-Yangon (B)
After breakfast, return to the base-camp by open truck and head back in the direction of Yangon. Stop after 3 hrs in Bago, an ancient capital dating back to the 6th century. Visit the beautiful 55 meter long reclining Buddha at Shwethalyaung and the Mon style Shwemawdaw Pagoda, one of the most venerated in Myanmar. Its spire stands 114m high and is taller even than the Shwedagon Pagoda. Visit also the old Palace “Kambozathadi” and the huge 4 sitting Buddha’s “Kyaikpun”. Just before Yangon, stop at the Allied War Cemetery near Htaukkyan, the final resting place for over 27,000 allied soldiers. Overnight in Yangon.

DAY 4 : Yangon-Heho-Inle Lake (B)
In the morning transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. From Heho a 1-hour scenic drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery on the way. Board a private motorboat to head out onto Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights. We pass villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by Intha people, the leg-rowing fishermen of the lake and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Stops for visits at the Nga Hpe Chaung (jumping cats) Monastery and its Shan Buddhas and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary. Other visits include the weaving village of Inpawkhone, a cheroot factory where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. If time allows we go for an improvised walk through one of the villages. Overnight Inle Lake.

DAY 5 : Inle Lake-In Dein-Inle Lake (B)
After breakfast, we head to the morning market on the lake. Rotating around villages on and near the lake in a 5 day rhythm, a colorful market visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes is held daily (except on new and full moon days). From the middle of the lake, continue down a small canal leading to the Paoh village of In Dein. After a walk around the village, passing a local school, take the covered stairway to the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area where ancient stupas are partly covered by vegetation. From here there is a magnificent view over the lake. Return to the lake and finish the visits of the lake in the afternoon. Overnight Inle Lake.

DAY 6 : Inle Lake-Pindaya-Heho-Mandalay (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, leave by boat to Nyaung Shwe and continue by car for a scenic drive to Pindaya through the picturesque hills of Shan State (2hr30). Visit Pindaya’s limestone caves 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. Transfer to Heho airport (1hr 30 min) for a domestic flight to Mandalay. On arrival in Mandalay transfer to hotel (1 hr). Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 7 : Mandalay-Amarapura-Ava-Sagaing-Mandalay (B)
After breakfast at the hotel depart for an excursion to the former capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing. We attend the daily meal of over thousand monks at the country’s largest monastery; Mahagandayon in Amarapura before visiting a silk weaving workshop. We continue to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries and visit by horse and carriage the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and fort. In the afternoon, we 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 center of Myanmar and is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. Finish the day with a walk at sunset over the 200 year-old U Bein Bridge, constructed entirely from teak. Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 8 : Mandalay-Mingun-Mandalay (B)
After breakfast, transfer to the jetty and board a private local boat for a 1-hr cruise on the Irrawaddy River towards the site of Mingun. Mingun, famous for its huge unfinished pagoda, is also home to the Mingun Bell, considered as the world’s largest uncracked ringing bell. Also visit the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. Return to Mandalay. In the afternoon visit Mahamuni Pagoda, famous for its venerable statue of Buddha covered with gold leaf and tour the nearby workshops including crafts such as woodcarving, marble masonry, Kalaga tapestry and gold-leaf making. Stop at Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite woodcarving before ending the day with a sunset view over town from Mandalay Hill. Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 9 : Mandalay-Moniwa-Po Win Daung-Moniwa (B)
Leave Mandalay for a 3 hour drive to Moniwa, a typical Burmese town on the banks of the Chindwin River. On the way, visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, where more than 500,000 Buddha images cover every wall and archway of this huge Buddhist temple. Also visit Bodihtataung Pagoda and the largest reclining Buddha image in Myanmar, 100m long and 27m high. Cross the Chindwin River by ferry and proceed to Po Win Daung by local open jeep. This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and contains what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South-East Asia. Recently opened to foreigners, Po Win Daung with its unique, precious frescoes, some dating from the early 17thcentury, is a must to see for anyone with an interest in Buddhist Arts. A few hundred metres from the caves is Shwe Ba Daung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs. Overnight in Moniwa.

DAY 10 : Moniwa-Pakkoku-Bagan (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, leave Moniwa along the rarely visited east bank of the river passing traditional villages where farmers climb the palm trees to extract the juice from which they produce palm tree sugar. Stop in Pakkangyi to visit one of the oldest surviving wooden monasteries in Myanmar. Continue 20km south to Pakokku. A lively, typical Burmese city with a strong craftwork tradition producing colourful woven blankets, papier-mache toys and traditional sandals. Short rikshaw ride through town. In the afternoon we board a local boat for a 2-hr leisurely cruise downriver to Bagan. In Bagan transfer to the hotel. Overnight in Bagan.

DAY 11 : Bagan (B)
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. We start our visits with the Shwezigon Pagoda and its magnificent golden stupa, followed by 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. 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. End the day with a horse carriage tour among the temples starting at Ananda and passing Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan, the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork and Sulamani. Sunset over the site from one of the open upper terraces in Bagan. Overnight in Bagan.

DAY 12 : Bagan-Yangon (B)
OPTION: from October to March, early morning hot-air balloon flights over the plain of Bagan and its 3000 sites. An unforgettable and unique experience!
After breakfast at the hotel, visit the colorful Nyaung Oo Market before proceeding to Myinkaba village. We go for a walk through the village and have the opportunity to visit the local sites (Gubyaukgi, with some of the oldest mural paintings, Manuha and Nanpaya) as well as look into the production process of lacquer ware, one of the best-known Myanmar handicrafts in one of the local family workshops. In the afternoon, visit to the countryside village of Minnanthu, the least visited area in Bagan with temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamanny. In the late afternoon transfer to Nyaung Oo airport for the flight back to Yangon. On arrival in Yangon, transfer to hotel. Overnight in Yangon.

DAY 13 : Depart Yangon (B)
After breakfast, interesting visit to Bogyoke Aung San Museum, located in the independence hero’s former house (closed on Monday), before exploring downtown Yangon with a walk through streets filled with faded colonial atmosphere and busy everyday life. In the afternoon, free time at the Bogyoke Market, formerly Scott Market (closed on full moon days and public holidays) before transferring to Mingaladon Airport for your onward flight.


*B : Breakfast, L : Lunch, D : Dinner