(21) YANGON-BAGO-GOLDEN ROCK-TAUNGOO-KALAW-INLE LAKE-MANDALAY-BAGAN-PYAY-YANGON

Day (01) Yangon arrival

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon, drive through the colonial style buildings downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian quarter. Visit Sule Pagoda with its golden chedi which makes a useful landmark in downtown Yangon. Continue to Botahtaung Pagoda, located close to Yangon River and said to contain Buddha relics. Stop alongside Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake to take photographs over the lake towards Shwedagon. Enjoy the sunset at Shwedagon Pagoda; famous world wide – its golden stupa is the ‘heart’ of Buddhist Myanmar. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and the central stupa in surrounded by dozens of intricately decorated buildings and statues. There are always many Myanmar people praying and making offerings at Shwedagon, and it’s a fascinating place to spend time watching the go by. Overnight at Yangon. 

Day (02) Yangon-Bago-Golden Rock

Breakfast. Early morning, drive out of Yangon to the ancient capital of Bago (Pegu), about 2 hours drive north drive east of Yangon. Just outside Bago, visit Kyaikpun Pagoda with four 30-meter high Buddha figures seated back to back. On arrival Bago, visit the local market and then go to see Shwemawdaw Pagoda which has a stupa inlaid with diamonds and is Bago's golden landmark. Continue to Shwethalyanung Buddha, which dates from 994 and is revered throughout Myanmar as the most beautiful Reclining Buddha. Take a look at wood carving, and then see Kalyani Sima Ordination Hall. Visit Kyaikpun Pagoda with four 30 metre high Buddha figures seated back to back. From Bago, drive through seemingly endless paddy fields to the small town of Kyaikto (approx 3 hours) and on to the 'base camp' of Kinpun. In the afternoon, take a truck up a bumpy track about half way up the mountain. From here, walk up the path which climbs steeply to the legendary 'Golden Rock'. (The climb takes around 1 hour and those unwilling, or not fit enough to walk can hire four porters to carry them in seadan chair). The climb offers magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and the opportunity to make friends with the many local people who make the pilgrimage to Kyaiktiyo. The incredible 'Golden Rock' sits precariously on top of the mountaing, and is said to balance thanks to a precisely placed hair of Buddha. Weather permitting, sunset views from Mount Kyaiktiyo are amazing. Overnight in Golden Rock. 

Day (03) Golden Rock-Taungoo

Breakfast. Early risers may enjoy returning to the Golden Rock; to watch the sunrise. After then, walk down the mountain and return by truck to your car or alternatively walk all the way down to the base camp at Kinpun. Drive continues to Taungoo (approx 8 hours) seeing the country sides. At the evening arrive at Taungoo, Overnight in Taungoo. 

Day (04) Taungoo-Kalaw

Breakfast. Start your trip drive through main land in Myanmar to Kalaw (appose 8 hours). The road is very bumpy but the scenery is interesting – endless paddy fields in the morning and rolling hills in the afternoon, as the road climbs into the mountains of southern Shan State. Kalaw is formers British hills station town, cool, spring-like weather, pine forests, tea plantations and colorfully clad hill tribes make this town to a natural magnet for tourists. Overnight in Kalaw.

Day (05) Kalaw Trekking

Enjoy a walk through the hills, 2 hours (short way) or 4 hours, to a village of the Palaung tribe. At first a steep track leads down into a narrow valley where the palaung cultivate cheroot leaves, tea, damsons and mangoes on the hillsides. The track crosses the valley floor before climbing very steeply again to the Palaung village of Pinnabin, which sits on the top of a hill. The village has an interesting long house for eight families. Formerly animists, the Palaung people have mostly converted to Buddhism. Observe tribal village life and how the Palaung people dry cheroot in a specially designed oven. Return to Kalaw. Overnight at Kalaw.

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Day (06) Kalaw-Pindaya-Inle Lake (by coach/boat)

Breakfast. Observe Kalaw ethnic market. Drive to Pindaya (approx 1:30 hours), an interesting drive up into the hills and across the Shan Plateau, through fields of mountain rice. Visit magnificent Pindaya Caves, set in a limestone ridge overlooking a picturesque lake, where thousands of different types of Buddha images are on display in the various cave chambers. Visit some local houses where families produce Shan paper and parasols. You may have opportunity for a social interaction with ethnic farmers along the way. Proceed to Inle Lake (approx 4 hours). If time permits you may visit Joss house of ruling Shan Sawbwa who was the first president at Myanmar independent. Overnight at Inle Lake.

Day (07) Inle Lake excursion (by boat)

Breakfast. Full day boat trip on Inle Lake – a photographer's dream, its calm waters are dotted with floating vegetation and fishing canoes, to which scenic high hills provide the perfect backdrop. See the lake's unique "leg rowers" – the Intha people row standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. You will see the floating gardens, growing vegetables and flowers. Continue by boat to visit Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, famous for its "jumping cats". Stop to see silk weaving on wooden handlooms. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in southern Shan State. Stop at a blacksmith shop and other places as time allows. This afternoon, we enjoy another boat tour to Indaing, at the western end of the Lake. The boat takes you through a long channel where you watch the farmers cultivate their produce. This ride is one of the most scenic boat tours on Lake Inle. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day (08) Inle Lake – Mandalay

Breakfast. From Inle Lake, drive up into the hills and across the Shan Plateau, through fields of mountain rice. And then continue drive up to main road of Myanmar to Mandalay [appose 5 hours]. In the afternoon arriving at Mandalay, sightseeing tour with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda, home to Mandalay's holiest Buddha statue. Visit Shwenandaw Monastery, and ancient wooden building with intricate carvings, which was once King Mindon's home. Continue to see the 'world's largest book', being the Buddhist Scriptures inscribed on marble slabs, at Kuthodaw Pagoda. Visit Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda to see a large Buddha a large Buddha statue carved out of a single block of local marble. Enjoy spectacular views at sunset from Mandalay Hill, where there are interesting glass-studded temples. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day (09) Mandalay-Amarapura-Ava-Mandalay (by coach)

Breakfast. A full day of sightseeing starts with a visit to the ancient city of Amarapura. Visit Mahagandayon, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study. A full day of sightseeing starts with a visit to the ancient city of Amarapura and to nearby U Bein Bridge, which is over a kilometer long and made entirely of teak. Continue across Ava Bridge, built by British engineers. Later, return across Ava Bridge to take the local ferry to visit Innwa (Ava), located on an island between the Ayeyarwaddy and the Myitnge Rivers. You will visit Innwa by horse carts and pass through the ancient city walls to visit a brick and stucco monastery called Maha Aungmye Bonzan (also known as Ok Kyaung). Continue to Nanmyin Watch Tower – the climb to the top offers lovely views over the river. See also the impressive wooden monastery of Bagaya Kyaung. Time permitting; visit some village homes to see local handicrafts, such as silk weaving, cane mats and alms bowls. Return to Mandalay in the early evening. Overnight in Mandalay.

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Day (10) Mandalay-Monywa-(Po Win Taung) Hills

Breakfast at hotel.This morning, drive out of Mandalay and cross Ava Bridge, which was built by British engineers and continue by road to Monywa (approx 3:30 hours). In the afternoon, take a local ferry across the Chin dwin River and drive to visit a sandstone cave system in the Po Win Hills, named after a famous 'zawgyi' (alchemist) who once lived here. The Caves of Po Win Daung, numbering more than one hundred, is full of Buddhist statues and murals. Most exhibit the Innwa style but some may date from the 14^th century. Nearby, visit Shwe Ba Daung, which features unique pavilions cut fro the surrounding sandstone and filled with Buddha images. Return to Monywa. Also visit a village which main business is the extraction of copper. Overnight in Monywa. 

Day (11) Monywa –Sagaing- Mandalay

Breakfast. This morning, visit local market. Before Monywa, visit Thanboddhay Pagoda, about 20 Kilometers out of Monywa road. The richly decorated central stupa has no less than 845 smaller stupas aroud it. Inside the pahto, you will see thousands of Buddha images (reportedly over 5000, 000) decorating every wall, archway and niche. The buildihngs in the compound have interesting jataka reliefs and there is ahuge Reclining Buddha nearby. Visit Kaunghmudaw Pagoda, which is pained white and has a huge egg-shaped dome in Ceylonese style. Continue to picturesque Sagaing Hill. This is perhaps the living center of Buddhist faith in Myanmar today and hillsides are dotted with numerous pagodas and monasteries. From Sagaing, return across Ava Bridge. Overnight in Mandalay. 

Day (12) Mandalay – Bagan (By Boat)

Breakfast. You will have a day cruise along the Myanmar life span majestic Ayeyarwady River to Bagan (approx 13 hours). Bagan, the 10th century archaeological site is considered one of the richest and most amazing site in Asia, comparable to the sites of worldwide importance such as Jerusalem, and Rome, Bagan remain virtually un-known. Among Bagan’s more than 13,000 temples once stood there are some 2,200 remain today. Some were destroyed by invaders, others by earth quake and decay but internationally funded restoration is under way and major temples are in excellent condition. If time permit you will have an enjoyable sunset in the archaeological ruin, otherwise just transfer to your hotel. Accommodation at Bagan. 

Day (13) Bagan sightseeing

Breakfast. Start your full day Bagan Sightseeing tour with a visit to see the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda, which is Bagan's most important reliquary shrine – look out for images of the 37 'nats' housed in a small hall. See 12^th Century frescoes adorning the corridors of Kyansittha 'Cave' Temple. Next stop is Htilominlo, the last Bamar style temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes. Pass through Tharaba Gateway into Old Bagan. Continue to Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddhas, and the adjacent brick monastery from the Early Bagan era with well-preserved murals. Make photo stop at the tallest temple measuring 61 metres – Thatbyinnyu known as 'temple of omniscience' and dating from 1144. Check into your hotel late morning. In the afternoon, visit the Archaelolgical Museum (if open). Continue to Dhammayangyi, a massive-looking temple dating from 1170 that is famous for its interlocking mortarless brickwork. Next, visit Mingalazedi, the last of the large Pagodas built in the 13^th Century, representing the pinnacle of Bamar pagoda architecture. Late afternoon, stop at Lacquer ware factory to watch craftsmen skillfully making this most famous of Bagan handicrafts. At sunset, climb to the top of one of the monuments to enjoy magnificent views over Bagan's temples and the Ayeyarwady River. Overnight in Bagan.

Day (14)Bagan-Salay-Mt. Popa-Bagan (by coach)

Breakfast at hotel. A full day to explore the countryside around Bagan (exact itinerary is subject to road conditions). Drive along the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River through Chauk, where you will see old Burma Oil installations ('nodding donkey's), and then to Salay (approx 2:30 hours). Visit Yokesone monastery, which is the oldest surviving wooden monastery hall built on 154 teak posts with beautiful wood carvings decorating the outer walls. And see Nan Paya a larage lacquer Buddha image, said to date from the 13^th century. Continue to drive to Mt. Popa, an extinct volcano with its shrine dedicated to animist spirits, known as “Nats”. For the energetic, time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the hill. The steps and path climb steeply up Mt. Popa- an energetic climb rewarded by fabulous views from the top. Return to Bagan, on the way continues to Payathonzu, a complex of three brick shrines with mural paintings from the Bagan period, accommodation at Bagan.

Day (15) Bagan – Yangon (By Flight)

Breakfast. Visit the Nyaung Oo Local Market, before boarding our return flight to Yangon for our night in this magnificent country. Walk through the colonial style buildings downtown. Visit a useful landmark in downtown Yangon. Overnight in Yangon.

Day (16) Yangon S/S

Breakfast. This morning, visit Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda to see a huge reclining Buddha image. Continue to the newly renovated National Museum (if open) and see the lion's Throne. A stop at Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Mondays and Public Holidays) gives you the opportunity to see Myanmar's wide range of handicrafts. This afternoon visit Yangon's unique Glass Factory, which has changed very little over the years. See skilled craftsmen hand-bowling glass and creating original glassware which is sold to hotels and restaurants all over Myanmar. Continue to Kaba Aye Pagoda (World Peace Pagoda). Late, take a walk along Yangon River to see the busy harbor area. Overnight in Yangon. 

Day (17) Yangon departure

Breakfast. Travelers having arrived mid-day on Day 1 will transfer to Yangon International Airport for departure. For those having arrived in the afternoon, a morning of sightseeing will include city highlight as shown on Day 1 of the itinerary, then transfer to Yangon International Airport for departure.

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~~~ Sightseeing ~~~
 

Yangon
 

Mandalay
 

Bagan

Inle Lake

Taunggyi
 

Mrauk U

Kyaikhityo