Inspiration Myanmar 4

DAY 1: YANGON ARRIVAL

You are warmly welcome to Myanmar, Golden Land! Upon arrival at the Yangon International airport, you will be greeted by our tour guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. Evening at your own leisure.

Meal: Non
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

DAY 2: YANGON SIGHTSEEING

With your private guide enjoy a tour of the city’s highlights and a ride on the circle train. This is a great chance to interact with the local people, who will be interested to chat to you. The day ends with a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

DAY 3: YANGON – BAGO – GOLDEN ROCK BY PRIVATE CAR

After breakfast at your hotel, start the road trip to the Golden Rock. On the way, you will get to Bago and upon arrival to Bagan, you are to visit the studies of Buddha’s teachings with the monks of Kyakhatwaing monastery where over 1000 Buddhist monks reside. Then, take another 2hours drive to get to Mountain view restaurant for lunch break nearby Kin Pun base Camp. There you will have to get on the open truck to be transferred to “Yathetaung Camp” for other vehicles are not allowed to driving up the steep way. Start your light trekking to the famous “Golden Rock Pagoda”. This miracle pagoda is situated in Mon State, regarded as one of the most sacred pagodas along with Shwedagon pagoda from Yangon and Mahamyatmuni Pagoda from Mandalay. It is also believed the hair relic of the Buddha was enshrined in the huge rock which is hanging and balancing on the edge of the cliff. Enjoy and overlook the magnificence view of the surrounding area and overnight stay in Kyaikhtiyo.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Golden Rock

DAY 4: GOLDEN ROCK – MAWLAMYING SIGHTSEEING

After early breakfast, drive to Mawlamying, crossing Thanlwin Bridge. Upon arrival in Mawlamying, check in at hotel. In the afternoon, sightseeing will cover Mahamuni Pagoda, Seindon Mibaya Kyaung, Zyegyi Market and the first Baptist church.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mawlamying

DAY 5: MAWLAMYING – THANPHYZAYAT - KYAIKKAMI

Today visit the terminus of the Death Railway at Thanbyuzayat as well as the interesting Yele Pagoda at Kyaikkami.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mawlamying

DAY 6: MAWLAMYING TO HPA-AN BY PRIVATE CAR

After breakfast, drive to Hpa-An. On the way, visit the caves of Kawgon and Payon well known for their countless Buddha images, stalactites and stalagmites. Upon arrival to Hpa-An, check in at the hotel and pay a visit t Kantharyar Lake famous for its small island with interesting rock structure with pagoda atop.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hpa-An

DAY 7: HPA-AN TO YANGON

Continue your journey from Hpa-An to Yangon where you will spend the night.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

DAY 8: YANGON – MANDALAY – PYIN OO LWIN BY PRIVATE CAR – SIGHTSEEING

After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Bagan Airport for domestic flight from Bagan to Mandalay. Upon arrival to Mandalay, drive up into the hills from Mandalay to Pyin Oo Lwin, a former British Hill Station. The road winds steeply through flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. Visit the local market. Drive through Maymyo on a horse drawn “stage coach”, giving you the chance to admire the birck and timber houses, complete with English style gables, turrets and chimneys. Lunch a good local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the National Kandawgyi Gardens, which were laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, the former governor of Burma flower beds are similar to those you would find in an English country garden. The garden has recently been renovated and is now called “Kandawgyi National Botanical Garden”. Take a short “jungle” walk on a wooden path leading through rain forest trees. Then proceed to the Candacraig Hotel, built in 1905 in the style of an English country home.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Pyin Oo Lwin (May Myo)

DAY 9: PYIN OO LWIN(MAY MYO) – HSIPAW

Breakfast and depart for Peik Chin Myaung cave, used to be the sacred site of devotee of Lord Shiva, later developed and maintain with many Buddha Images and replica of sacred monuments such as Shwedagon and Kyaikhtiyo etc along with 600meter path. It is interesting to explore the local herbal medicine stalls along the site. Proceed to Hsipaw twisting and turning drive through Shan mountains. Hsipaw was once the center of a small Shan state of its own with cool climate, friendly people and relaxed atmosphere. Upon arrival at Hsipaw transfer to local guesthouse.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hsipaw

DAY 10: HSIPAW SIGHTSEEING BY BOAT

Breakfast and visit morning market with Shan and other tribal people from nearby villages usually come to trade. A beautiful boat ride along the Dottawadi river to tribal village along the river. Afternoon bike Shan Buddhist monastery, leave the bike here and walk through paddy field towards Shan mountain and a short and deep hike we get to this waterfall. The fall is quite high, water is clean, and good spot for diving and swimming. Return to hotel.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Hsipaw

DAY 11: HSIPAW TO PYIN OO LWIN BY TRAIN – RETURN TO MANDALAY

Early in the morning transfer to train station for your Pyin Oo Lwin bound train. A leisurely train rides through mountains, valley, exciting tunnels and bridges. Train ride in this route can be very much entertainment as it stops every small station where people load and unload their farm products. Above all crossing through Goke Hteik viaduct will get you a thrilled experience. The unusual railway viaduct was considered one of the greatest railway viaducts in the world at the time but still stands ad the second highest railway bridge in the world. Built by Pennsylvania Steel Co and was the only American built span in the British Raj. Upon arrival at Pyin Oo Lwin transfer by coach and proceed to Mandala to conclude this unique experience.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 12: MANDALAY – MINGUN – SAGAING – AMARAPURA SIGHTSEEING

Around Mingun areas including Mingun Pagoda, Unfinished Religious Monument in height of 50 meter. And the world’s largest bell in weight of 90tons and Hsinbyume Pagoda which is archeologically unique among religious monuments in Myanmar. And thein stream down to Mandalay and lunch at local restaurant.After lunch visit to Shwe Inn Bin monastery which was built of teak wood completely in early 20century and stop Shwe Kyatyat to take a photo of Sagaing hill and then drive straight to Sagaing where about 500 monasteries and 200 nunneries as a retreat for Buddhist devotees are built all over Sagaing Hill. Viewing from Sagaing hill over the Ayeyarwaddy river. Then continue to 200year old U Bein Bridge, built in 1782 and U Bein Bridge is one of the interesting spot for mystical sunset. Enjoy sunset from U Bein Bridge.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 13: MANDALAY – MONYWA SIGHTSEEING

This morning you depart Mandalay for the quaint town o Monywa, stopping en route at Sagaing. This an important seat of Buddhist learning with monasteries and nunneries dotted all over the hillside with views out over Mandalay. Early afternoon you arrive in Monywa where you have the rest of the day to explore this sleepy riverside town on the banks of the Chindwin River.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Monywa.

DAY 14: MONYWA – PAKOKKU – BAGAN SIGHTSEEING

Departing Monywa by road you visit Shwe Ba Hill and Po Win Temple, two wonderful and relatively untouched sites in the area, before you drive south to Pakokku, a trading town on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. Have you board a boat and joujey downstream to Bagan, where thousands of temples scatter the landscape.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan.

DAY 15: BAGAN SIGHTSEEING

Today you will have the most impression from the beginning of the day from the Dhammarazaka Pagoda to enjoy panoramic view of Bagan and different religious monuments built in different architectural styles. Then will explore the local village to see how their living life is and daily work and chatting with local people, participating in their daily life. Afterward learn how to make the Lacquerware which is the main regional products of Bagan. Afternoon the most highlight temple is the Ananda, the masterpiece is architecture with four standing Buddha images in the central core. If time permit, take horse carriage in the small dirt roads where you can get a different viewpoint of the ancient sites to get a real feeling of the desert landscape. This evening you can enjoy a small river cruise on the mighty Ayeyarwaddy

River in the sunset time with Run sour. This will provide you with excellent views of the amazing archaeological sites in relax as well as all local people bathing and working along the riverside before sunset

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan .

DAY 16: BAGAN – HEHO – KALAW

Fly to Heho and transfer to the former colonial hill station of Kalaw. You have the afternoon at leisure.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Kalaw.

DAY 17: KALAW SIGHTSEEING

Today you are to visit to the Green Hill Valley Elephant Centre for a chance to interact with these incredible creatures and learn about the work of this worthwhile project.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Kalaw.

DAY 18: TREKKING

You depart Kalaw for a nearby village where your two-day trek begins. Walk through ethnic villages and stop off for local delicacies before staying the night at the village monastery.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight at Monastery.

DAY 19: KALAW – INLE LAKE

After breakfast continue your trek through Shan State and numerous villages heading for the temples of Indein and Inle Lake for lunch and afternoon sightseeing will include jumping cat monastery, floating garden areas where seasonal vegetables are mainly grown on hand made floating garden and overnight stay in Inle Lake.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

DAY 20: INLE LAKE SIGHTSEEING BY BOAT

Enjoy a day exploring the serene nature of Inle Lake visiting floating communities, markets and interacting with the local Intha people and black smith workshop, hand weaving factory, hand rolled cheroot locally made by young girls living in the lake and Padaung women (a woman with brass neck rings on their neck).

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

DAY 21: INLE LAKE – HEHO – YANGON – DEPARTURE

Today you are to get up early to catch the flight back to Yangon and upon arrival to Yangon. Your guide will bring you to Bogyoke Market formerly known as Scott Market where you can do shopping and observe all handmade souvenirs from different parts of Myanmar, precious stones and other interesting local products until you experience the memorable moments of your trip to Myanmar. In the afternoon you will be sent off at Yangon International Airport by your guide for your departure.

Meal: Breakfast