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BURMESE EMOTION
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Code: |
MAD 05 |
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Routes: |
Yangon -
Mandalay - Bagan - Mount Popa - Kalaw -
Pindaya Cave - Taunggyi - Kakku - Scenic
Inle Lake. |
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Duration: |
14 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1 : ARRIVAL - YANGON
Day 2 : YANGON - MANDALAY
Day 3 : MANDALAY - MINGUN - SAGAING
- AVA
Day 4 : MANDALAY - AMARAPURA - PYIN U LWIN
Day 5 : PYIN U LWIN - MANDALAY
Day 6 : MANDALAY - BAGAN
Day 7 : BAGAN
Day 8 : BAGAN - MOUNT POPA
Day 9 : MOUNT POPA - KALAW
Day 10 : KALAW - PINDAYA - TAUNGGYI
Day 11 : TAUNGGYI
- KAKKU - INLE LAKE
Day 12 : INLE LAKE
Day 13 :
INLE LAKE - YANGON
Day 14 : YANGON - DEPARTURE
Our expeditions are designed to accommodate the
special needs and desires of travellers- whether it's
getting up early for sunrises or spending extra time in
markets or festivals. The trips are rugged in nature and
some are exploratory. But there is a chance to glimpse
one of the last unspoiled, exotic areas of the world.
Its incredible pagodas, temples, and monasteries are
elegant reminders of earlier ages, and its vibrant
peoples and cultures are still deeply rooted in
centuries-old traditions.
Detail Itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVAL - YANGON
Arrive at
Yangon International Airport. Meet and transfer to
Hotel. After check-in hotel, lunch at a restaurant.
After lunch, start orientation tour of Yangon City
including visits to: Sule Pagoda - the heart of the
Yangon City surrounded by various colonial style
buildings, Botataung Pagoda - the land mark of Yangon's
river-front, Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha Image - a
colossal reclining Buddha Image, and end of the tour at
Shwedagon Pagoda - over 2500 years old the world famous
stupa. Dinner and your first night of stay in capital of
Myanmar.
DAY 2: YANGON - MANDALAY
The
following destination of our trip is Mandalay. After a
short flight we arrive in this city and enjoy our
sightseeing tour. Here is plenty to see, some of which
are the Mahamuni Pagoda, the fabulous Kuthodaw Pagoda
often called “ the world's largest book “ and the wooden
monastery of Shwenandaw Kyaung. This strcuture is still
standing over centuries, despite of all vicissitudes of
the city. A visit to Mandalay would be not complete
without seeing some famous traditional handicraft
workshops such as woodcarving, marble masonry, Kalaga
tapestry and gold leaf making. The perfect way to round
off the day is to climp us the Mandalay hill for sunset
view over the surrounding areas. O/N in Mandalay. (B)
DAY 3: MANDALAY - MINGUN - SAGAING
- AVA
Heading
out of the town, we transfer to the jetty for a boat
trip on the mighty Irrawaddy River. The lively
waterfront with working buffaloes offers a spectacular
backdrop as we cruise upriver towards Mingun, home to
the unfinished huge pagoda, the world’s largest bell and
the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda. Upon leaving this
site , we continue our boat trip down the river via the
Ava Bridge to Sagaing. This ancient city is covered in
600 white painted pagodas and monasteries, and is
therefore considered as the religious centre of Myanmar.
After seeing Sagaing, we transfer to the ruin of Ava and
embark on a horse and carriage to explore the old wooden
Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace.
O/N in Mandalay. (B)
DAY 4: MANDALAY - AMARAPURA - PYIN U
LWIN
The great
cultural city of Mandalay was an ancient capital of
Burma; however many outlaying towns could lay claim to
the same title at some stages in the past. Today we head
out of the town to one of these ancient cities,
Amarapura. The spectacular teak bridge of U Bein and the
famous Mahaganda Monastery are a highlight of our visit
to Amarapura. We then make our way to the famous hill
station of Pyin u Lwin , formerly called Maymyo. The
influence of the British is prevalent as Pyin u Lwin was
founded to enable the colonials to escape the heat of
the plain. O/N in Pyin u Lwin. (B)
DAY 5: PYIN U LWIN - MANDALAY
The
pleasant way to get around this hill station is on a
horse carriage. This local transport will take us to the
national garden of Kandawgyi and the botanical garden
where vegetables as well as “ English” fruits still
flourish. We spend our time to walk around the downtown
seeing numerous colonial buildings and a colourful local
market. Close to the town is the picturesque Pwekauk
Waterfalls. We also visit this sight before
setting off on our trip back to Mandalay. The remainder
of the day is free for your own exploration of the town
and catching up on some shopping areas. O/N in Mandalay.
(B)
DAY 6: MANDALAY - BAGAN
An early
morning transfer to the jetty for a leisurely trip the
mighty Irrawaddy River north towards Bagan, one of
Asia’s most impressive archeological wonders. The river
trip can take anything from 7 or 9 hours depending on
water conditions. No matter how long it takes us, this
is still a wonderfull experience as we pass by the
spectacular landscape and see the rural life close up.
Along the way our boat makes several stops allowing
passenger to stretch their legs and buy local snack. We
arrive in Bagan late afternoon and enjoy a walk around
to catch our first glimpse of the town. O/N in Bagan.
(B)
DAY 7: BAGAN
The
charming town of Bagan flourished from the 11th
till 13th century when religious fervors
launched a 200 year building of thousands huge stupas
and temples, many of which are still standing today on
the banks of the Irrawaddy River. We visit the vibrant
market of Nyaung U before taking a short drive to the
archeological zone. The sightseeing tour enables us to
explore many magnificent sights including Shwezigon,
Nanbaya, Htilominlo, Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Sulamani,
Dhammyangyi. These temples and pagodas bear statement to
a glorious past. The perfect way to round off the day is
to watch the spectacular sunset from the upper terrace
of Myaukguni Temple. O/N in Bagan. (B)
DAY 8: BAGAN - MOUNT POPA
This
morning we continue our tour of Bagan, seeing some
temples scattered around the tranquil village of
Minnanthu. These structures are Tayokepyay, Payathonezu
and Namdamanya which reveal some exquisite murals of
the13th century. The following sight is Kyat Kan Cave
Monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan. Heading
out of the town, we make our way to the imposing Mount
Popa. This extinct volcano boasts the region’s highest
peak, but the main attraction in this place is the
smaller one, Popa Taungkalar, dedicated to the local
legendary "nat" spirits. After a scenic drive, we arrive
in this site and ascend the Popa Taungkalar for a
beautiful panoramic view over the surrounding areas.
There are 777 steps which wind around the outcrop,
leading to the gilded stupa and monastery at the summit.
O/N in Mount Popa. (B)
DAY 9: MOUNT POPA - KALAW
Upon
leaving Mount Popa, the roads begins to deteriorate as
we climb up to the Shan Plateau; however many villages
dot the hillsides and undulating terrains make for an
interesting journey. Along the way we can make stop at
our pleasure to stretch our legs and take some wonderful
photographs. Arriving at the pleasant hill station of
Kalaw by mid afternoon we have time to wander
around the town or simply to relax. The weather in this
place is much cooler due to its high altitude. O/N in
Kalaw. (B)
DAY 10: KALAW - PINDAYA - TAUNGGYI
The
journey continues with a next stop being Pindaya.
This magnificent cave in a tranquil setting of limestone
outcrops and scenic lakes, houses thousand Buddha images
of various shapes and sizes, all brought there by
devoted pilgrims over centuries. On arrival at this site
we enjoy a walk to discover the sacred cave as well as
the traditional production of local paper and parasols
at a nearby village. We then make our way to Taunggy,
the capital of Shan State. The main attraction in this
hill town is the Shan museum. We visit this sight before
strolling around to explore different local ways of
life. O/N in Taunggy. (B)
DAY 11: TAUNGGYI - KAKKU - INLE LAKE
Today we
head south of town and drive towards Kakku, a hidden
treasure surrounded by undulating mountains and trees.
There are more than 2,000 stupas which have been
constructed here in a very small area of just one square
kilometer. Using the local track, we walk through the
breathtaking mountain landscape to this complex of
temples. This fascinating adventure will also gives us a
chance to visit the Pa O ethnic minorities people , who
are very poor but have an interesting culture and a
colorful history. In the afternoon, we travel by roads
to Inle Lake, a famous wander of Myanmar. O/N in Inle
Lake. (B,L)
DAY 12: INLE LAKE
The picturesque
scenery blending with the sky and floating gardens
rising from the clear water of the lake is nothing short
of spectacular. We board our boat for a leisurely trip
on Inle Lake to explore some gardens and catch a glimpse
of the local Intha fishmen famous for their rowing
technique. These people power their narrow boats by
twisting their legs
around their oars, a remarkable feat of agility and
control. Along the way, we anchor to visit the Phaung
Daw Oo Pagoda, the Jumping Cat Monastery with a
beautiful collection of antique Buddha statues and the
local market. This colourful congregation is held in
different villages every five days, and attracts
numerous ethnic minorities who converge from the
surrounding villages to trade their goods. O/N in
Yangon. (B)
DAY 13: INLE LAKE - YANGON
After
breakfast we transfer to Heho airport for a short flight
back to the capital city. We complete our impression of
Yangon with a visit to the colossal reclining Buddha of
Chaukhtatgyi in a quiet, open air pavilion and the
National Museum with a lovely collection of artefacts
reflecting the richness of Burmese culture. Upon leaving
this landmark, we embark on rickshaw excursion through
the colonial area and the famous Strand road to the
bustling harbour, giving a chance to explore the city
close up. The next stop is the oldest Chinese temple of
Kheng Hock Keong in China Town. We visit this sight and
spend the remainder of the day at the lively Bogyoke
Aung San Market, formerly Scott’s market. O/N in Yangon
(B)
DAY 14: YANGON - DEPARTURE
There is a
free time for your own exploration of the city or
catching up on some shopping areas. The trip ends after
transfer to Mingaladon airport for departure. (B)
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HOTELS USED ON THIS TRIP |
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CITY/ AREA
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Standard Class
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First Class
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Superior Class
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Yangon
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Panorama hotel, Yuzana Garden hotel or
similar one
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Summit Park View hotel or similar one
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Grand Plaza Park Royal
, Kandawgyi Palace or Nikko hotel
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Pyin U Lwin
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Royal Park View hotel or similar one |
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Bagan
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Thirimarlar hotel or similar one
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Thazin Garden hotel or similar one
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Bagan Golf Resort , Bagan hotel
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Mandalay |
Wood Land Hotel or similar one
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Swan hotel or similar one
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Mandalay Hill Resort, Sedona hotel
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Inle Lake
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Paradise Ny. Shwe hotel, Royal Orchid hotel
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Shweinntha hotel or similar one
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Paradise Inle Resort, Golden Island Cottages
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Taunggyi
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Taunggyi hotel or similar one |
Aye Thar Yar Golf hotel or similar on |
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Mount Popa
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Popa Mountain Resort ( superior
room) |
Popa Mountain Resort ( superior
room) |
Popa Mountain Resort ( deluxe
room) |
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Kalaw
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New Shine hotel or
similar one
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Hill top Villa,
Pine Hill Resort |
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HOTEL NOTES
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+ The higher hotel category in Yangon, Bagan
, Madanlay and Inle Lake can be
arranged upon request. + The hotels in
Inle Lake and Bagan do not match tour
classification since some of them may be
simple but remember that Myanmar is a
developing country.
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