Day 01: Arrive Yangon and Sightseeing

Upon arriving at the Yangon Airport, our guide will welcome you and escort you to the hotel for check-in. The day will begin with sightseeing around the delightful city of Yangon. The city was formerly known as Rangoon and is one of the most important and flourishing cities of Myanmar. You will be taken to visit the Botataung Pagoda, on the riverfront. It is a serene and spiritual place which showcases a number of ancient artifacts and relics depicting the life of Buddha. From there, you will visit the city centre where you can see a number of buildings from colonial era. Enjoy shopping at the vibrant walkway market of the district. In the afternoon, visit the Chaukhtatkyi Paya which enshrines an enormous statue of reclining Buddha and the neighbouring monasteries. In the evening, you will visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most sacred Buddhist temples.

The setting sun gives a flaming orange colour to the golden stupas of the pagoda, providing an enchanting site. Retire to your hotel for an overnight stay at Yangon.

Day 02: Yangon – Kyaikthiyo

After breakfast, you will be taken to visit Kyaikhtiyo which is a five hour car drive from Yangon. It is a sacred Buddhist site in the Mon State, renowned for its ‘Golden Rock’. It is the third most sacred religious site of Myanmar. This granite precarious boulder is covered with gold leaves which are pasted by the pilgrims. The legend says that the rock rests on the strand of the hair of Buddha. The tour will continue to the base camp from where a local truck ride will take you to the starting point of a forty five minutes trek to the top. Enjoy the mountain views, stunning landscape and beautiful Golden Rock from the top. The day will end with an overnight stay in Kyaikhtiyo.

Day 03: Kyaikhtiyo – Bago – Yangon

Start your day with dazzling and tranquil sunrise in Kyaikhtiyo before descending from the top of the mountain to take another flatbed truck ride to the base camp. From there you will be driven back to Yangon via Bago, by private car. Bago is one of the finest cities of Myanmar with a rich history. At Bago, behold the remnants of the glorious past of the city in forms of various monasteries and pagodas. Reach Yangon in late afternoon and spend the rest of the day at your leisure. You will be staying at Yangon hotel for the night.

Day 04: Yangon/Heho (flight) and Pindaya – Kalaw

You will be transferred to the Yangon airport to take a flight to reach Heho. From there you will be taken on a drive to the town of Pindaya renowned for its limestone caves with thousands of Budhha images. While driving, enjoy the beautiful view of Pa-O and Danu villages. Pindaya caves are located at a forty five minute walk from the city. These caves enshrine more than eight thousand of Buddha images sanctified by the devotees over the centuries. At every part of the caves, you can find these images of various sizes and materials. You will also be taken to visit the Shan paper and umbrella workshop where you can see the procedure of umbrella and paper making from mulberry tree. From there you will be driven to Kalaw, a famous hill station on the Shan Plateau. It is a serene and beautiful place which still has the vestiges of colonial period. You will spend rest of the time sightseeing in Kalaw, including a visit to Nee Paya which enshrines the lacquered and gilded Buddha statue, which is believed to be wish granting. The day will end with an overnight stay in Kalaw.

Day 05: Kalaw soft trekking and Inle lake transfer

After breakfast head to the beginning point of a two hour trekking to Painnebin village, in our private car. Painnebin village is located at a height of 1500 meters above sea level with pleasant climate. Along the way, enjoy the spectacular scenic beauty and view the simple yet beautiful life of the villages. You will also find fruits and vegetable gardens while passing through these villages. Tea and cheroot plantation can also be seen on the way. Upon reaching Painnebin village, enjoy a simple lunch at the local monastery. You can also find different scriptures about Palaung and can also study various traditional laws and cultures. After sightseeing, you will be taken back from the same route to reach the initial point. From there, you will be driven to Inle Lake in our private car. This tranquil lake is located at 900 meters above sea level and has a breathtaking mountain surrounding. Here dwells the Intha people who are best known for the floating gardens. You will stay overnight in Nyaung Shwe/Inle Lake.

Day 06: Inle Lake

Today’s tour will start with a private boat ride on the Inle Lake to visit the Phaung Daw Oo pagoda. It is one of the most important religious sites of the Shan State. This magnificent pagoda enshrines five Buddha images, which are covered with golden leaves by the devotees. In fact, with so many golden leaves, the real structure of these images cannot be seen. During the famous Phaung Daw Oo festival, four of these images are carried in large ceremonial boats all the way through the lake. You will also be taken to the neighbouring Inn Paw Khon Village with stilted houses. Here you will see workshops demonstrating the traditional way of silk weaving using hand loom. You will also see the workshops where the strands of lotus roots are woven to make traditional clothes. Enjoy the lunch on the lake before visiting various other crafting shops like cheroot rolling. From there the boat ride will continue to the Kaylar village and Ngaphae Chaung Monastery. Return back to the hotel at Nyaung Shwe/Inle Lake for overnight stay.

Day 07: Indainn and Heho/Mandalay (flight)

The day starts in the morning with a trip to the moving 5 days market and will continue to reach Indainn and visit its enchanting pagodas of seventeenth century. You will be taken to visit Indainn and neighbouring villages on a boat ride on a small cove running on the lake. Most of these pagodas are still abandoned, but a few of them have been refurbished. After having lunch, the boat ride will continue to Ywaman village where you can see and admire the craftsmanship of the local villages working on traditional papermaking and silversmith. In the late afternoon, you will be transported to the airport to take a flight to Mandalay, a city of rich history and culture. Upon reaching Mandalay, you will be escorted to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 08: Amarapura – Inwa – Sagaing

You will be taken to the Amarapura which was the ancient capital of Myanmar. Take a walk on the teakwood U Bein Bridge and enjoy the time-honored cotton and silk weaving procedure. After lunch, you will be taken to visit Inwa, a small island, by a short ferry ride. There you can see old palace, leaning tower of Ava, Maha Aungmye Bonzan and Bagaya Kyaung monasteries. The tour will reach Sagaing, known for its attractive stupas, speckled all over the Sagaing hill. Return back to your hotel in Mandalay for staying overnight.

Day 09: Mingun – Mandalay

Start your day with a breakfast in your hotel at Mandalay before taking an excursion to the remnants of Mingun pagoda. The excursion will start at the city quay from where our private boat will wait for you. The boat will take you through the Ayerwaddy River to reach Mingun. Mingun pagoda could have been the largest pagoda of the world. However, unfortunately all the work halted after the death of King Bodawpaya. Furthermore, an earthquake reduced the remains to rubbles. In the afternoon, the tour will continue with sightseeing in Mandalay, including a visit to the sacred Mahamuni Pagoda, gold leaf workshop and Kuthodaw Pagoda. From there pay a visit to the Shwenandaw Monastery known for its beautiful decorative woodcarving. The tour will head towards the pinnacle of Mandalay Hill before sun set. Enjoy the spectacular view of setting sun from the top of the hill and surrounding beauty. Return to Mandalay to stay for the night.

Day 10: Mandalay – Bagan (express ferry boat)

The day will begin with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, whereupon you will be transferred to the dock to take a boat trip to the ancient city of Bagan. The boat trip will take much of your day time. However, enjoy the scenic beauty alongside Irrawaddy River and have a glance at the passing villages and their way of life. In the late afternoon, the boat will arrive at Bagan, from where you will be taken to your hotel at Bagan for overnight stay.

Day 11: Bagan sightseeing

Bagan is a spectacular archeological site in Myanmar, with over two thousand pagodas scattered along the plains of Ayerwaddy River. After breakfast, pay a visit to some of the most distinguished pagodas of the city like Ananda Pahto, Shwezigon and Wetkyi-in- Gubyaukgyi. In the afternoon, visit the Sulamani temple, Dhammayangyi Temple and Thatbyinnyu Temple. By the evening, you will be taken to an ideal site for sunset viewing.

Day 12: Popa – Bagan sightseeing

After breakfast, a one hour drive through the countryside will take you to Mount Popa, believed to be the abode of spirit gods. It offers a comprehensive view of the surround natural beauty. You can also take 777 steps to reach a temple on the volcanic plug. You will also be taken to a local farmer of toddy palm, after which a return drive to Bagan will be taken. After lunch and some leisure time, you will be take to lacquer ware crafts shop and then to sightseeing the Bagan temples.

Day 13: Bagan/Yangon (flight) and Yangon sightseeing

After breakfast you will be transported to the airport to board a flight to Yangon. Upon arrival you will be taken to Kandawgyi Lake. You will also pay visit to the Scott Market from where you can shop for beautiful handicrafts. Spend the rest of the day leisurly walking through the china town before heading back to hotel in Yangon for overnight stay.

Day 14: Departure

On the last day, you are free to spend the time at your leisure until you are transported to the airport for departing flight.