GTM-(03) YANGON-BAGAN-MANDALAY-KALAW-INLE LAKE-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. Enjoy a sumptuous welcoming dinner at the beautiful Karaweik Palace Restaurant, accompanied by a live performance of traditional Burmese dancing. Overnight at Yangon.

Day (02) Yangon-Bagan (By Flight)

Breakfast. Early morning transfer to Yangon Airport. Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan flight from Yangon to Bagan (approx 2:10 hours with via and 1:25 hours with direct flight). From the airport, start your full day Bagan Sightseeing tour includes visit to Nyaung-U Market 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 ‘nots’ housed in a small hall. See 12th 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 Mingalazedi, the last of the large.Pagodas built in the 13th Century, representing the pinnacle of Bamar pagoda architecture. Continue to the Myinkaba area and Gubyaukgyi Temple, with its fine stucco work. Visit Nanpaya Temple, built in the Mon style with intricate stone carvings, and said once to have been Manuha’s residence. See the four Buddha images in Manuha Pagoda and then stop at Myazedi Stuppa to see Myanmar’s “Rosetta Stone”, bearing inscriptions written in four languages. 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 at Bagan.

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Day (03) Bagan-Mandalay (by flight)-Amarapura-Mandalay (by coach)

Breakfast. Transfer to Bagan Airport. Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan flight from Bagan to Mandalay (approx 1:10 hours). Upon arrival at Mandalay Airport proceed directly to 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.With a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda, home to Mandalay’s holiest Buddha statue, Stop to see stone carving and, later, to see gold leaf being beaten into wafer thin pieces. In the afternoon, visit Shwenandaw Monastery, an 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 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 at Mandalay.

Day (04) Mandalay-Pyin Oo Lwin-Mandalay (by coach)

Breakfast. Overland to Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo), 1905 meter above sea [approx 2 hour], Maymyo is famous for its climate weather, and used to be a popular hill station of the British during colonial days in Myanmar. Maymyo impresses with its many churches, colonial styled buildings with English style gables, turrets and chimneys etc and horse-drawn royal carriages. While you are in this unique hill station visit National Garden of 432 acres [laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, former Governor of Burma] to study a conservation of diverse botanical species around the world. Visit enchanting Maymyo Market with colorful ethnic minority with their multicolor flowers and vegetables. Late afternoon return to Mandalay. Overnight at Mandalay.

Day (05) Mandalay-Heho (By Flight)-Pindaya-Kalaw (by Coach)

Breakfast. Transfer to Mandalay Airport. Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan flight from Mandalay to Heho (approx 1:05 hours). Transfer from Heho airport to Pindaya (approx 2:30 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. Contuinue drives to Kalaw [approx 2 hours] through twisting and turning hilly drive through Shan plateau. 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 at Kalaw.

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

Breakfast. From Kalaw, drive down into the valley to Nyaung Shwe on the edge of Inle Lake (approx 3 hours) and board your own local boat to take you to your hotel on the lake. 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 at Inle Lake.

Day (07) Inle Lake-Heho-Yangon (by flight)

Breakfast. This morning, leave your hotel by boat and drive down to Heho Airport. Air Mandalay or Yangon Airways or Air Bagan flight from Heho to Yangon (approx 2:10 hours). Arrival at Yangon Airport and then transfer to your hotel check in. This afternoon, you can visit Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda to see huge reclining Buddha image. Continue to the newly renovated National Museum (if open) and see the Lion’s Throne. Visit Yangon’s unique Glass Factory, which has changed very little over the years. See skilled Craftsmen hand-blowing glass and creating original glassware which is sold to hotels and restaurants all over Myanmar. Continue to Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Public Holidays) gives you the opportunity to see Myanmar’s wide range of handicrafts. Also visit the adjoining FMI Center. Later, take a walk along Yangon River to see the busy harbor area, from where ferries leave for Pathein in the Delta and for upcountry towns along the Ayeyarwady River. Overnight at Yangon.

Day (08) 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