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12 days Myanmar, a mix of everything

12 DAYS / 11 NIGHTS - A MIX OF EVERYTHING

(YANGON - HEHO - KALAW - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE - MANDALAY - MINGUN - SAGAING - MONYWA - PAKOKKU - BAGAN - MT. POPA - SALE - BAGAN - YANGON)

 

DAY 01: YANGON

Arrive at Yangon Airport. Welcome by our local guide and transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, sightseeing of Yangon start with Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years, the Mahabandoola Park with it’s Independence Monument and walk around the downtown area. Wide streets, orderly town planning and neglected public buildings revive visions of British rule; while busy streets scenes and shimmering pagodas, bursting through a leafy canopy, hint at the rich local culture. Skyscrapers and glaring neon billboards have yet to overtake the capital. Then drive to Mawtin Jetty and take a rickshaw for a short trip along the Yangon River. Overnight in Yangon.

 

DAY 02: YANGON - HEHO - KALAW (1/2 day Hiking)

Take a morning flight to Heho. On arrival, drive to Kalaw (appr. 1 hour), a beautiful pine-clad hill station. In  Kalaw, visit the market and downtown area. In the afternoon drive about 15 minutes to the north-west of the town. At a certain place, the car will stop and time to hike. The road and trail goes through beautiful scenery, as well as, orange and tea plantations. After 1½  to 2 hours you arrive Pane Hne Pin, a Palaung Tribal Village with a population of 600 people. These people make their living from agriculture and occasionally from hunting, and live in long houses, with 4-5 families sharing the single storied structures. From Pane Hne Pin you have to walk for 1 hr to reach another place on the highway to meet the car. Drive back to Kalaw  (appr. 20 min.). Overnight in Kalaw.

 

DAY 3: KALAW - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE 

In the morning, drive to Pindaya (appr. 1½ hours drive), a charming village with its paper umbrella cottage industry. Visit the Pindaya cave, famous for its thousands of Buddha images and the paper umbrella cottage industry. After your lunch time continue to Nyaung Shwe (appr. 3 hrs. drive), and visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, which is more than 150 years old. This monastery is a favorite spot for photographers because of its unusual oval shaped windows. You should also not miss the Shwe Yan Pyay Pagoda just beside the monastery. There is cave like corridor around the stupa and the walls are decorated with amazing glass mosaic which also have Buddhas in the niches. From Nyaung Shwe, take an Inthar style motorized sampa to Inle Lake. Overnight at Inle Lake.

 

DAY 4:  INLE LAKE

Enjoy a full day excursion on the Inle Lake (25 km) famous for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda housing five sacred and almost shapeless Buddha images, contorted because of the quantity of applied gold leaf, gifts from the believers. The Buddha images are reported to have come here in the 12th Century. In the afternoon, proceed to the silk weaving village of In Phaw Khon and visit Nga Phe Chaung (the biggest and oldest monastery around Inle Lake). Overnight at Inle Lake.

 

DAY 5: INLE LAKE - HEHO - AMARAPURA - MANDALAY
After breakfast transfer to Heho airport for your flight to Mandalay. On arrival,  continue to Amarapura the "City of Immortals". Amarapura was the capital of upper Burma until 1850. As was the custom, most of the important wooden palaces and monasteries were taken down and transported to the new capital in Mandalay. On the way, visit Bagayar monastery, in which variety of Buddha images from 16th to 20th century are displayed. You can also visit to a library, where they stored the old palm leaf books on which Buddha scriptures were written. Visit a house of hand weaving looms, where they produce silk and cotton textiles. Amarapura’s silk has a very unique pattern, sometimes; some patterns even take 3 months to finish a longyi. Have a leisurely walk on the U Bein teak wood bridge, which is over 150 years old.  Overnight in Mandalay.

DAY 6: MANDALAY - MINGUN - MANDALAY 
After breakfast, drive up to Mandalay Hill, a vantage-point for panoramic view of the city. One famous song in Myanmar said "if you want to live long, you have to go Mandalay Hill". Then visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Atumashi Monastery, the "Incomparable Monastery", and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world's Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures. Then proceed to Mahamuni Pagoda, with its spectacular Buddha image covered in thick layers of gold leaf. In the afternoon, drive to Kywezon jetty to watch the busy riverside activity and take a local riverboat to the ancient capital of Mingun (appr. 1 hour per way). Visit the Settawya Pagoda, with a footprint of the Buddha, walk to the huge Mingun Bell, see the nearby unfinished Mingun Pagoda, built to be the world’s biggest pagoda and visit the Hsinbyume Pagoda, a reproduction of the mythological Mt. Meru. Return to Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay.

 

DAY 7: MANDALAY - SAGAING - MONYWA

After breakfast, drive to Sagaing, 21 km southwest of Mandalay. Visit Kaunghmudaw, an enormous dome shape Pagoda and after a short visit to the silversmith home industry proceed to Sagaing Hills, a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous Pagodas, monasteries and nunneries. Then proceed to Monywa (appr. 3 hrs. drive), a typical Myanmar town located on the bank of the Chindwin River. In the afternoon visit the Hindu style Than Buddhay Temple, unique in all of Myanmar, beautifully decorated with the most beautiful stucco work in the country. Finally go for sunset to the Alantayar Pagoda, sight of the largest reclining Buddha image in all of South East Asia, over 600 feet in length. Overnight in Monywa.

 

DAY 8: MONYWA - PAKOKKU - BAGAN 

In the morning, drive to Pakokku, a bustling tobacco trading town. On the way stop at Yesagyo, where you can also see some home industries producing incense stick, used all over Myanmar to offer to  Buddhas and "nats". Stop at some villages, to learn the daily life of the people in the rural area. On arrival at Pakokku  visit  a house where they produce papier-mâché toys. It is also interesting to visit a weaver's home. In the later afternoon take a private boat and cross the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River to Bagan (appr. 1 ½ hours). Thousands of decaying pagodas rises majestically in the sunset from the plain to create a timeless scene, saluting a glorious past. Overnight in Bagan.

 

DAY 9: BAGAN

Full day sightseeing tour of Bagan with a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples, such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; the Gu Byauk Gyi Temple (Wetkyi-in), a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes; the Ananda Temple, with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior and the Shwe Gu Gyi Temple, noted for its fine stucco carvings and panoramic views of the area’s many monuments... and continue sightseeing of Bagan including Manuha Temple built in Mon style from 1059; Nanphaya Temple, said to have once been the residence of King Manuha and Gu Byauk Gyi Temple (Myinkabar), which has very nice frescoes inside. Enjoy sunset over terraces of the Shwesandaw Pagoda. Overnight in Bagan.

 

DAY 10: BAGAN - SALE - MT. POPA - BAGAN

After breakfast drive to Sale (appr. 1 ½ hours), a religious centre with many more working monasteries than found in Bagan today. Visit the Payathonzu, with three shrines containing mural paintings, Nan Paya, the largest lacquer Buddha image in Myanmar, said to date to the 13th century and the Yoke Sone Monastery, the oldest surviving wooden monastery in Bagan area.) Then drive to Mt. Popa and visit the great extinct volcano. Rising out of the shimmering heat, the solitary volcanic crag of Mt. Popa is home to Myanmar's most powerful "nats ". Visit the Nat Museum with its life-sized statues of the 37 Nat Gods. Walk up the steps to the stupas and shrines that top the hill above the museum, seeing many pilgrims along the way. In the afternoon, drive back to Bagan (appr. 1 hr). On the way visit some villages and watch the collection of juice from the palm trees and its conversion into palm sugar. Overnight in Bagan.

 

DAY 11: BAGAN - YANGON

After breakfast transfer to the airport for the flight to Yangon. Afternoon sightseeing starts with the Chaukhtatkyi Pagoda (a huge reclining Buddha), Karaweik Hall, a Royal floating barge on the Royal Lake for a photo stop. Late in the afternoon, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda described by Somerset Maugham: "The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city." This massive bell-shaped stupa rises nearly 100 meters above its hill-top surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, Temples, and Buddha images, and see religious and secular visitors from all parts of the globe. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the Pagoda. Overnight in Yangon

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DAY 12: YANGON / DEPARTURE

After breakfast continue sightseeing of Yangon: the splendid National Museum, including the gem-studded royal regalia and the Lion Throne of King Mindon and King Thibaw, the last kings of the Myanmar Kingdom. In the afternoon you have enough time to wander around the sprawling Bogyoke Market through fascinating local neighborhoods. Transfer to the Yangon International Airport for the departure flight.

Inle Lake, one leg rower, Myanmar
Monywa, Myanmar
Bagan surrise, Myanmar

             All prices in US$ per person; Validity: 01.10.17 to 12.04.18                      Price  incl. English, German, Spanish, Italian, French or Russian Guide    

 

No. of pers.          English              German               Sp/It/Fr           Russian

                    

5 Star (View Hotels)

1 pers.                     6,695                   6,815                    6,865            on request

2 pers.                     3,665                   3,730                    3,760            on request

 

Deluxe (View Hotels)

1 pers.                     4,645                   4,765                    4,815            on request

2 pers.                     2,590                   2,655                    2,685            on request

 

First Class (View Hotels)

1 pers.                     4,115                   4,235                    4,285            on request

2 pers.                     2,295                   2,360                    2,390            on request

 

Superior (View Hotels)

1 pers.                     3,490                   3,610                    3,660            on request

2 pers.                     1,985                   2,050                    2,080            on request

                  PLEASE ASK FOR SUMMER SPECIALS FROM MAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 30

 

Tour Duration: 12 Days / 11 Nights
Tour Operates: Year Round / On Demand
Tour Price for more than 2 Persons: Available upon Request

 

PLEASE NOTE:

A.m. prices are a guide line only. Please kindly contact us to get the best price as due to the fluctuation of the exchange rate as well as hotels might be already fully booked on your requested date (we then have to switch to a similar hotel category) the rates vary. Best is to get your travel period and your specific travel requirements.

 

Also during Christmas and New Year time some hotels charge compulsory Christmas and New Year Eve Dinners. Some hotels only announce these shortly before the Christmas holidays. Please contact us for further information.

 

SERVICE INCLUDED:

Bed and breakfast in double sharing room, local guide throughout the tour, domestic flights by Air Bagan, Air Mandalay, Asian Wings, Yangon Air or Air Kanbawza, air-con car/van/bus throughout the tour, entrance fees as indicated in our itinerary, boat to Mingun and on Inle Lake, porter fees at the airports and jetties.

 

NOT INCLUDED:

International flight to/from Yangon, visa fees, early check-in and late check-out, porter fees at the hotels, tips, beverages, bank handling fees, Balloon over Bagan, etc.              

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