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BURMESE TREASURES
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Code: |
MAD 02 |
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Routes: |
Yangon -
Mandalay - Pyin U Lwin - famous Bagan -
Mount Popa - Pindaya Cave - wonder of
Inle Lake. |
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Duration: |
15 Days |
Itinerary in brief
Day 1 : ARRIVAL - YANGON
Day 2 : YANGON
Day 3 : YANGON - BAGO - KYAIKTIYO
Day 4 : KYAIKTIYO - TAUNGOO
Day 5 : TAUNGOO - KALAW
Day 6 : KALAW - PINDAYA - INLE LAKE
Day 7 : INLE LAKE
Day 8 : INLE LAKE - MEIKHTILA - MANDALAY
Day 9 : MANDALAY - MINGUN
Day 10 : MANDALAY - AMARAPURA - SAGAING - AVA
Day 11
: MANDALAY - MOUNT POPA - BAGAN
Day 12 : BAGAN
Day
13 : BAGAN - PYAY
Day 14 : PYAY - YANGON
Day 15 :
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 Airport by flight. Welcome by our local
tour guide and transfer to Hotel for check-in. Lunch at
local restaurant. After lunch, sightseeing to
SHWEDAGON PAGODA
- world famous golden stupa in the dome shape rises 98
meters above its base and covered with 60 tons of pure
gold. Welcoming Dinner and Cultural show at KARAWEIK
PALACE FLOATING RESTAURANT built in a style of Royal
Barge used by the old days Kings. Your first night of
stay in Yangon.
DAY 2: YANGON
Today we spend a full day
exploring Yangon. The enormous reclining Buddha of
Chaukhtatgyi in a quiet, open air pavilion and the
National Museum with a display of treasures and
artefacts reflecting the richness of Burmese culture,
are not to be missed. We visit these sights before
continuing on to Mahabandoola Park where the colonial
courthouse and the city hall are standing. Upon leaving
this landmark, we embark on rickshaw excursion through
the colonial area and the famous Strand road to the
bustling harbour, giving us a chance to explore the town
close up. Our next stop is the oldest Chinese temple of
Kheng Hock Keong in China Town. After seeing this sight,
we also have time to wander around the lively Bogyoke
Aung San Market, formerly Scott’s market. Here
everything and anything is for sale. O/N in Yangon (B)
DAY 3: YANGON - BAGO -
KYAIKTIYO
An early morning departure to
Kyaiktiyo.The first stop enroute is Bago, which was once
the capital of a former Mon Kingdom. The colossal
reclining Buddha of Shwethalyaung boasts the most
impressive sight in this town while the pagoda of
Shwemawdaw is extremely venerated. After seeing these
landmarks , we head out to Kyaiktiyo. On arrival at the
base camp of Kinpun, we board an open truck for a rugged
drive before we take a walk on a very steep pathway to
the famous Golden Rock, one of Myanmar great pilgrimage
sites. This huge boulder covered by gilded leaves and
delicately perched on the cliff has a very interesting
history. The walk uphill is strenuous; however the
spectacular sunset view from the summit makes the
hardship all worthwhile. O/N in Kyaiktiyo. (B)
DAY 4: KYAIKTIYO -
TAUNGOO
The journey north begins as we
depart Kyaiktiyo and pass through timeless villages
linked to the road which is the main artery of trade
between the north and south. This is our first glimpse
of rural Burma and sets the tone for the days ahead.
Depending on road and traffic conditions our drive will
leave us with a mid to late afternoon arrival in
Taungoo. This tranquil town does not retains much
interesting sights of its glorious past , but many
travellers spend the night here to break their long
overland trip to the Inle Lake or Mandalay. After
checking into hotel, we have time to walk around this
seldom visited rural town. O/N in Taungoo. (B)
DAY 5: TAUNGOO - KALAW
Upon leaving this town, the
roads begins to deteriorate; however many hill villages
dot the hillside and the undulating terrain makes for an
interesting journey. There are some enjoyable stops to
visit hill tribe villages who still retain their age old
cultural traditions and are recognisably distinct from
each other by their dress. We arrive in the pleasant
hill station of Kalaw by late afternoon and have time to
take a look around the town. The weather in this place
is much cooler due to the high altitude. O/N in Kalaw.
(B)
DAY 6: KALAW
- PINDAYA - INLE LAKE
This morning we can soak up the
fresh climate as much as we want by spending our time
strolling around this hill station and seeing the
colourfull market. The next stop of our trip is 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. After a scenic drive we
arrive at Pindaya and enjoy a walk exploring the sacred
cave as well as seeing the production of local Shan
paper and parasols at nearby village. The journey
continues on to Inle Lake, a famous wonder of Myanmar.
O/N in Inle Lake. (B)
DAY 7: 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
the lake which also gives us a chance to visit 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 rotating rural 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 Inle Lake. (B)
DAY 8: INLE LAKE -
MEIKHTILA - MANDALAY
Today we descend through some
verdant and rugged mountain scenery of the Shan Plateau
to Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar. These
back roads are a great way to explore the real Myanmar.
We pass by many hill villages and are sure to attract
attention since this part of the country receives very
few visitors. The journey is very long, but you can make
stop as you please , to stretch your legs and get in
touch with local people. On arrival in Mandalay, we
stroll around to catch our first glimpse of the town. An
interesting option is seeing the fascinating local
puppets which tell the stories of myth and days gone by.
O/N in Mandalay. (B)
DAY 9: MANDALAY - MINGUN
After breakfast, 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 to Mingun,
home to the unfinished huge pagoda, the world’s
largest bell and the beautiful white Hsinbyume
Pagoda. After exploring this site we then return to
Mandalay and enjoy our city 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 structure is still standing over centuries, despite
of all vicissitudes of the city. The perfect way to
round off the day is to climp us the Mandalay hill for a
beautiful sunset view of the surrounding areas. O/N in
Mandalay. (B)
DAY 10: MANDALAY -
AMARAPURA - SAGAING - AVA
The great cultural city of
Mandalay was a former 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 cross over the mighty Irrawaddy River
to the picturesque Sagaing Hill. This lush area is
covered in 600 white painted pagodas and monasteries,
and is therefore regarded 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 11: MANDALAY - MOUNT
POPA - BAGAN
Heading out of the town, we
travel by roads to Bagan with stopover at the imposing
Mount Popa. This extinct volcano boasts the region’s
highest peak , but the main attraction in this site is
the smaller one, Popa Taungkalar, which is dedicated to
the local legendary "nat" spirits. On arrival, we embark
on a climb to the top of Popa Taungkalar for a beautiful
panoramic view of the surrounding area. There are 777
steps which wind around the outcrop and lead to the
gilded stupa and monastery at the summit. We continue
our drive to Bagan, one of the most impressive
archeological wonders of Asia. O/N in Bagan. (B)
DAY 12: 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 landmarks including Shwezigon,
Gubyaukgyi, Htilominlo, Ananda, Thatbyinnyu, Sulamani,
Dhammyangyi. These temples and pagodas bear statement to
a glorious past.The perfect way to round off the day is
watching the spectacular sunset from the upper terrace
of Myaukguni Temple. O/N in Bagan. (B)
DAY 13: BAGAN - PYAY
A very long day drive to Pyay,
formerly called Prome. This lively town is situated near
the ancient capital of Thayekhittaya, which dates back
from the 5th to 9th century, many years before Bagan.
The journey is long and road conditions are very poor. A
part of the pleasure of travelling in this region is the
simple joy of seeing the rice fields and the smiling
faces of the people. We arrive in Pyay by late afternoon
and take a look around this riverside town. O/N in Pyay.
(B)
DAY 14: PYAY - YANGON
The ancient capital of
Thayekhittay becomes a popular attraction in Pyay
although remains only few pagodas of glorious past.
After breakfast we begin exploring this nearby ruin with
a visit to the most accessible pagoda of Payagyi and the
significant Bawbawgyi Pagoda which has a
cylindrical shape like most of the pagodas at Pyay. The
following landmarks are the sacred Bebe Gyi and
Lemyethna Temples. We also visit the Archeological
Museum at the Hmawzar Village before we make our way
back to Yangon and complete our expedition. O/N in
Yangon. (B)
DAY 15: YANGON -
DEPARTURE
There is 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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Kyaiktyio
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Golden Rock hotel ( standard room) or similar |
Golden Rock hotel ( deluxe
room) or similar
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Taungoo
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Best standard hotel available |
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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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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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Pyay
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Mingalar Garden
hotel or similar one |
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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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