The journey begins in Yangon , a city which has retained the grit, charm and splendor of old Asia and is the site of the fabulous golden Shwedagon Pagoda. You will travel around the north of Myanmar seeing the enchanting town of Mandalay, the hidden Bagan and explore the Shan Hills. You embark on a walk to a remote villages populated by Pa-O tribal people, and spend a dreamy day on Inle Lake, boating to the floating gardens, to a weaving village on stilts, and to the Pagoda of Jumping Cats.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival - Yangon
On arrival at Yangon airport, you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon has been the capital city only since 1885 although some settlements in this site date back about 2,500 years. This colorful metropolis features an intriguing mix of the scenes from a bygone era and the modern tempo of bustling streets punctuated by serene temples and impressive colonial edifices. After checking into hotel, we start our city tour, seeing the old colonial stlyed city center, the gilded Sule Pagoda and the impressive Karaweik Hall on the Royal Lake. We follow these with a visit to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda, which dominates the skyline of city. This masterpiece houses an intricate complex of smaller pagodas and Buddha images. O/N in Yangon.

Day 2: Yangon - Mandalay
The following destination of our trip is Mandalay via a short flight from Yangon. On arrival you are met and transferred to hotel. The delightful town of Mandalay has 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. 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 - Mandalay
Heading out of the town, we set off on a short drive to the jetty for a boat trip along 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. Afterwards we drive towards the ruin of Ava and embark 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 Mandalay City was a former capital of Burma; however many outlaying towns could lay claim to the same title at some stages in the past. Today make our way to visit one of these ancient cities, Amarapura. The spectacular teak bridge of U Bein and the famous Mahaganda Monastery are some of the major attraction in Amarapura. Upon leaving this sight we embark on a drive following the winding roads 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 from the unbearable heat in the plain. O/N in Pyin u Lwin. (B)

Day 5: Pyin u Lwin - Mandalay
The pleasant hill station of Pyin u Lwin has been claimed as an ideal place for retreat. Today we can soak up the fresh climate as mush as you want and enjoy a horse carriage ride. 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 enjoy a 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 journey back to Mandalay. The remainder of our 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 along the mighty Irrawaddy River north towards Bagan. This enchanting town is one of the world most impressive archeological wonders. The river journey can take anything from 7 or 9 hours depending on water conditions. No matter how long it takes us, but it is still a wonderful experience as we pass by the spectacular landscape and see the rural life close up. There are several stops along the way, allowing passenger to visit the bustling piers and buy local snack. Upon arrival at Bagan pier, you are met by our guide and embark a waiting vehicle for a short drive to hotel, past a part of the archeological filed. O/N in Bagan. (B)

Day 7: Bagan
The impressive archaeological wonder in Myanmar is Bagan. This enchanting town 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 pay a short visit to the vibrant market of Nyaung U before spending our time in 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
The sightseeing tour of Bagan continues with 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 as we please to stretch our legs and catch some wonderful pictures. The exciting drive will deliver us to Kalaw by mid or late afternoon depending on road and traffic conditions. We enjoy a walk around this hill station and soak up the fresh climate. The weather in place is much cooler due to the high altitude. O/N in Kalaw. (B)

Day 10: Kalaw - Pindaya - Taunggyi
The magnificent cave of Pindaya is a next stop of our trip. This landmark located in a tranquil setting of limestone outcrops and scenic lakes, houses thousand Buddha images of various shapes and sizes. They are all brought there by devoted pilgrims over centuries. On arrival at Pindaya we enjoy a walk to explore this sacred cave and visit the traditional production of local paper as well as parasols at a nearby village. We follow the local track towards Taunggy, the capital of Shan State. The main attraction in this hill town is 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
The exciting journey continues southwards to Kakku, a hidden treasure surrounded by undulating mountains and forest. 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 gives us a chance to visit the Pa O ethnic minorities. They are very poor but have an interesting culture and a colorful history. We are sure to attract their attentions since this part of the country receives very few travellers. By mid afternoon we drive towards 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
Today we set off on a short drive to Heho Airport for a flight back to Yangon. We complete our exploration of Yangon with the colossal reclining Buddha of Chaukhtatgyi in a quiet, open-air pavilion and the National Museum which displays a lovely collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Burmese culture. Afterwards we enjoy a rickshaw excursion through the colonial area and the famous Strand road to the bustling harbour, giving a chance to see the city life close up. We follow it with a visit to the oldest Chinese temple of Kheng Hock Keong in China Town and a walk around the lively Bogyoke Aung San Market, formerly Scott's market which everything and anything is for sale! 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)

INCLUSIONS: Transportation in private air-conditioned vehicle with driver + Accommodation: twin sharing room at mentioned hotels or similar one + English speaking guide + Entrance fees to indicated sights - Yangon: Shwedagon Pagoda, National Museum - Bagan: zone fee , archeological museum - Mandalay zone fee, Mingun zone fee, Sagaing Hill, National garden of Kandawgyi - Pindaya cave - Kakku zone fee, Inle Lake zone fee + Meal as indicated : B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner + Domestic flights Yangon - Mandalay, Heho - Yangon + Boat trip in Mingun and Inle lake + Public ferry Mandalay - Bagan + Horse cart trip in Bagan and Ava
EXCLUSIONS: Other meals, tip, drinks, airport tax, single room supplement, personal expenses, travel insurance, visa, flight in / out of Myanmar, any optional additional tours or activities during free time + Surcharge for peak season, local holiday days and gala dinner

TRIP NOTES

-MYANMAR IS A DEVELOPPING COUNTRY WHOSE INFRASTRUCTURE MAY DIFFER FROM WHAT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR HOME LAND. THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE POOR AND THE ACCOMOODATION IS SIMPLE IN REMOTE AREAS.

-THE ITINERARY IS CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF VIEWING. OCCASIONALLY, THE PROGRAMME CHANGES AS WE MAKE IMPROVEMENT STEMING FROM OUR PAST TRAVELLERS' COMMENTS AND OUR OWN RESEARCH OR DUE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL. THIS INCLUDES FESTIVAL, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, WEATHER AND FLIGHT DELAY,.. THAT MAY EFFECT THE ITINERARY.

-THE TRIP INCLUDES SOME MEALS AS MENTIONED AT THE ITINERARY HOWEVER OUR GUIDE WILL BE ON HAND TO ADVISE YOU AS FAR THE AVAILABLE RESTAURANTS WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY LOCAL FOOD AT YOUR OWN BUDGET. THE MEAL COST IS ALL DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICE OF EATING PLACE. THE PACKAGE TOUR WITH FULL BOARD MEAL IS ARRANGED UPON REQUEST .

-THE DRESS STANDARDS ARE CONSERVATIVE THROUGHOUT ASIA. LOOSE , LIGHTWEIGHT, LONG CLOTHING ARE ALL RESPECTFUL COOL IN ASIAN HOT CLIMATE. IN ADDITION TO YOUR ITEMS OF PERSONAL CLOTHING, WE SUGGEST YOU TO BRING TRAINER OR SNEAKER SHOES, TORCH/FLASH LIGHT, HAT, RAIN COAT FOR WET SEASON, SUN CREAM, SUNGLASSES, DAYPACK, TOILETRIES AND SMALL TOWER, INSECT REPELLENT.

Customize tour

- Your group includes: *	Adult (s)
	Child (ren)

First name: *
Last Name: *
Gender	Male Female Other
Country: *
Address: *
Email: *
Telephone:
You are: *	A counple A family A group of friend A company Other
More:
	Now click SEND to submit your request to us. We will reply to you with a quote within 24 hour.