Myanmar Magnificent Tour 13Days

DAY 1: YANGON ARRIVAL – CITY TOUR

Upon arrival in Yangon International Airport by morning flight, you will meet our guide transfer to the hotel. After check in the hotel and refreshment, we will start orientation tour in Yangon. First, we will visit Sule Pagoda. Well-known as the Land Mark in city centre, legend said that the Pagoda is 2,000 years old and the central Stupa is still enshrining a hair of the Buddha. Then from Pagoda, we will take the walking tour to the charming and interesting area with its old colonial architecture buildings such as City Hall, High Court, etc. This area is really reflecting the special identity of the city from old British colonial time.

You also will have time to visit Bogyoke Aung San – the central market of Yangon with interesting collection of Jade, Petrified wood and local handicraft.

Evening great sunset at marvellous Shwedagon Pagoda& its pagoda bazaar. The massive and magnificent gold-encrusted Shwedagon Pagoda (100 meter high), is one of the wonders of the world. It was built 2500 years ago and enshrined with hair relics of the Buddha and is the holy place for local people to meet devoted Buddhists at meditation and pray.

Meal: Non
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

DAY 2: YANGON – MANDALAY SIGHTSEEING

In the morning transfer to the airport for flight to Mandalay, which was founded in 1857-1860 as the capital by King Mindon and remained the capital city of the Konboung, Myanmar’s last dynasty. Upon arrival in Mandalay, visit Mahamuni Paya, home to a highly venerated Buddha image, one of the most sacred in Burma. Over the centuries, devout Buddhists have been applying gold leaf to the 13-foot-high seated Buddha; that gold surface is now estimated to be about six inches thick.

We will also come to visit Jade market – the biggest market for wholesales selling Jade and precious stone in Mandalay. This is unique and very interesting market o discover.

After lunch, we will visit Shwenandawkyaung or Golden Palace Monastery – a very magnificent building beautifully carved in wood, dating back to 19thcentury. It is of great interest, not only as a fine example of a traditional Burmese wooden monastery, but also as a fragile reminder of the old Mandalay Palace that had been totally destroyed by bombs. And then visit to Kuthodaw Paya – the world’s largest book of 729 marble slabs inscribed the entire Tripitaka, that have been recognized by Guinness book.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 3: MANDALAY – PYIN OO LWIN SIGHTSEEING

After your breakfast, we will transfer to Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), a former British Hill Station. The road winds steeply through flower, fruit and vegetable gardens. You arrive at Pyin Oo Lwin then visit Pwe Kauk waterfall and enjoy the countryside. You can also around the village by horse drawn “stage coach”, giving you the chance to admire the brick and timber houses, complete with English style gables, turrets and chimneys.

In the afternoon, visit Peik Chin Myaung Waterfall and Caves, filled with Buddha images. The road from Maymyo is very bumpy but the scenery is worth for your effort. And then you can also visit the National Kandawgyi Gardens, which were laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, the former governor of Burma – flowerbeds are similar to those you would find in an English country garden! The garden is recently renovated and the name has changed to “Kandawgyi National Botanical Garden”.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Pyin Oo Lwin

DAY 4: PYIN OO LWIN – DRIVE BACK TO MANDALAY

In the morning, last stroll on the markets and visit a vineyard on the way back to Mandalay. Upon arrive back to Mandalay, check in your hotel. The rest of the day is free at leisure.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 5: MANDALAY – MINGUN SIGHTSEEIGN

In the morning transfer to the jetty for boat trip to Mingun which is 11 km upriver from Mandalay on the western bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River. It is noted for the MingunPaya, a huge unfinished pagoda, Myatheindan Pagoda and a gigantic 90-ton bell – the largest uncracked ringing bell in the world. The 45 minute boat trip to Mingun is a very pleasant way to see the life along the Ayeyarwaddy River.

Return back to Mandalay and in the evening, you will be taken to Mandalay Hill, 230 meters in elevation, is the natural landmark of Mandalay, a vantage-point for a full panoramic sunset view of the city.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 6: MANDALAY – AMARAPURA – SAGAING SIGHTSEEING

In the morning, we take a short drive to the ancient royal capital of Amarapura. Upon our arrival, we’ll visit the world’s longest teak bridge. The U Bein footbridge stretches almost three-quarters of a mile over Thaungthaman Lake, and is heavily utilized by the local monks in maroon robes who carry alms bowls back and forth to monasteries. Constructed of more than 1,000 teak posts, the U Bein has withstood the elements for over two centuries. Then we can observe the life of over 1000 monks at Mahagandaryon Monastery. It is not only the most reputed and well-known monastery in Myanmar but also known by all tourists from all over the world for its unique value like a person with good perfume attracts people all around without being seen. The name of the monastery means “The sense of perfume”.

Drive to Sagaing, visit Ywahtaung village, Kaungmudaw Pagoda; an enormous solid dome-shaped Pagoda and sunset at picturesque Sagaing Hills, a religious centre for Buddhist devotees a retreat for Buddhist devotees with numerous pagodas and monasteries.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay

DAY 7: MANDALAY – BAGAN BY DAY CRUISE

In the morning transfer to the jetty for a boat trip to Bagan. As it sails southwards, the riverboat passes many villages offering a glimpse into the way of life along the Irrawaddy River. Arrive in Bagan late in the afternoon. On the dry plain of central Myanmar by the banks of the Irrawaddy River stands Bagan, one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Asia. The 230 years, from 11th to 13th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, were marked by a religious favorite and building frenzy resulting in the thousands of stupas and temples many of which are still standing today.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

DAY 8: BAGAN SIGHTSEEING

Today we will have the whole day to discover Bagan – the place also known as the “City of Four Million Pagodas.” Many of the pagodas and temples are small and simple—but the number of them is staggering. Although Bagan’s centuries-old shrines, pagodas, and stupas do not actually total in the millions, there are well over 2,000 of them scattered along the remote 16-square-mile plain, flanked on one side by the Irrawaddy River. This qualifies Bagan as the largest temple city on the planet, as well as one of the most important archaeological areas in all of Asia. The majority of ruins in Bagan were constructed between the eleventh and 13th centuries, a time when Bagan was the capital of the First Burmese Empire.

We will wake up early today to get to Shwe Sandaw Pagoda – the best location where we can have the amazing panorama views of Bagan and it’s pagodas and Stupas in the dawn. This is also the best place for taking photos of Bagan. Witnessing the morning sun illuminating the ancient temples of Bagan is an unforgettable experience. After that, return to the hotel for breakfast.

Our tour to Bagan will continue by the visit of village market in the town of Nyaung-U: a great opportunity to mingle with the locals and wander among stalls that feature locally-grown crops, rattan items, tea leaves, and colorful traditional clothing. Then we make a short stop to see Shwezigon Paya, a beautiful gold-domed pagoda constructed early in the twelfth century that is believed to enshrine a bone and tooth of Gautama Buddha. Our guide then will take you for the walk to visit the Lacquer ware village where you can learn how the local people manufacture this well-known handicraft of Myanmar.

After lunch in local restaurant, we will have time for resting in the hotel before continue the tour to visit Anada Temple – one of the finest in architecture and most revered temples with its four standing Bagan style Buddha images and huge carved teak doors from thousand years ago. There are different Pagodas to visit today but the will be no repetition, as they all beautiful, interesting and different. Then visit Dhammayangyi Temple – the widest temple in Bagan. From a distance it resembles the early step pyramids of Egypt. The sides at the base of the structure are almost 78 meters long, while the central core of the temple measures 25 meters long. There are four entrances that each contain a seated Buddha image on a pedestal, the main entrance is the Eastern one. The Western sanctum contains images of the Gautama Buddha and the future Maitreya Buddha, side by side. The temple grounds are surrounded by a wall with huge arched gates that lead to the pagoda. To prevent further deterioration the terraces of the temple are closed to the public.

Then we will have very pleasant walk to discover the area of Khayminga Temple for a panoramic view and visit of the beautiful complex of the Pagoda and Stupas on the beautiful site in the sunset time in the great harmony with nature.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan

DAY 9: BAGAN – KALAW BY PRIVATE CAR

Morning drive to Kalaw a charming hill station that is a marketing center for hill-tribe folk from surrounding regions. In the late afternoon, arrive in Kalaw and transfer to the hotel. Check in the hotel and the rest of the day is free at leisure. You can take the walk around this small but charming town and visit the impressive central market in the town.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Kalaw

DAY 10: KALAW TREKKING – HTITAIN VILLAGE

Kalaw to Inle Lake trekking tour (2 days/1 night)
Kalaw to Lamaing Village – By Taxi (Exclude, You can hire yourself)
Lamaing to Pinnwe Village – One and half hour
Pinnwe to Pawke Village – 45 Minutes
Pawke to KhoneHla Village – One hour (lunch)
KhoneHla to Pattupauk Village – Two and half hour
Pattupauk to Htitain Village – One Hour (Night stop)
Htitain to Kyauksu Village – One Hour
Kyauksu to Nanyoke Village – One and half hour
Nanyoke to Thankamauk – Three Hour
End services at Indain Boat Station

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight at Local Home

DAY 11: TREKKING – ARRIVE INLE LAKE

Arrive at Inle Lake, a traditional long boat (motorized) will take you to Inle Lake, the vast, beautiful and picturesque nature lake, 900 meters above sea-level, 22 km long and 10 km across. Inle Lake is surely the highlight of your Myanmar Trip. We will take the brief visit of Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda – famous for 800 years old Five Buddha statues which are enshrined in the center of the building. Millions of local people have come to pray and stick the gold leave around the Buddha statues. Images that are so laden with gold their features are unrecognizable.

The boat then will take you to visit the workshop of weaving by the Padaung tribe – very famous as long neck lady tribe. They came from their village on the other side of the lake, but you can meet, interact as well as learning about their interesting custom in this workshop.

The last place to visit in our long but interesting day on Inle Lake is Mine Thauk Brige – over one kilometer wooden bridge built by local people on the side of the lake. It is very scenic place for watching the sunset, taking photograph and mingle with local people.

Transfer to hotel by private boat in the beautiful sunset on Inle Lake and check in.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Inle Lake

DAY 12: INLE LAKE BOAT TRIP – HEHO – YANGON

In the morning, we will drive to Nyaung Shwe village, the starting point of the trip into the Inle Lake, passing through breath-taking scenery in many ways, with great panoramic picturesque landscaping. You can see the local fish men fishing on the traditional boat with typical way of rowing their boat by one leg – the most well-known image of Inle Lake, witnessing the local traffic on the lake as well as other ways of fishing by local people. Inle lake is vast area but you always can see some activities on your on your boat ride. It is ideal way for taking the photos of the lake. We will cross the lake then and visit Nga Hpe Kyaung – a stunning wooden Pagoda and monastery built on the stilts with beautiful selection of Buddha statues inside. From the pagoda, you also can have the great view of the floating garden – very amazing way of local people growing their vegetable on the surface of water with very well-known tomato farm. Then we continue to Nampan, a village built on stilts over the water. Here, we’ll visit workshops to learn about cheroots, popular cigars made by hand and wrapped in tree leaves, and see how Inle Lake canoes are built. We also will come to visit one of the typical families living on the house on the stilts in the village before cruising to In Paw Khone village- well-known for silk weaving workshops and the technique and creation of the fascinating design of the silk products from unique material from special silk taken from lotus stem.

In the afternoon transfer to the Heho airport for flight back to Yangon.

Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon

DAY 13: FLY BACK HOME

After breakfast, free time at leisure. You can be relaxing at the hotel or discover Yangon on your own until the departure time to the airport for the flight home. End of Myanmar Tour 13 Days : Temples and Hills Trek.

Meal: Breakfast