GTM-(08) YANGON-TAUNGOO-INLE LAKE-MANDALAY-BAGAN-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-Taungoo

Early morning, drive out of Yangon to the ancient capital of Bago (Pegu), about 2 hours drive north east of Yangon. On arrival Bago, first 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. An optional visit is included on the way continue to Taungoo (approx 5 hours) through main land in Myanmar. Overnight in Taungoo.

Day (03) Taungoo-Inle Lake

Breakfast. Start your trip drive through main land in Myanmar to Inle Lake (approx 10 hours). Drive up through pine-clad hills to Taunggyi, capitial of Southern Shan State and a former British hill station. Visit the small hill tribe museum, a cheroot factory and drive to the top of the hills for views over the city and surrounding countryside. Late afternoon, drive to Nyaungshwe on the edge of Inle Lake. 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 (04) 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 at Inle Lake.

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Day (05) Inle Lake-Pindaya-Mandalay

Breakfast. This morning, leave your hotel by boat and drive to magnificent Pindaya Caves, (appose 4 hours), 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. And then continue drive up to main road of Myanmar to Mandalay (appose 6 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 (06) Mandalay- Sagaing-Mingun -Mandalay

Breakfast. This morning drive 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. Continue across Ava Bridge, built by British engineers, to visit picturesque Sagaing Hill which is perhaps the living centre of Buddhist faith n Myanmar today. Hillsides are dotted with numerous pagodas and monasteries. In the afternoon, visit Kaunghmudaw Pagoda, with its huge egg-shaped dome in Ceylonese style. Later, return across Ava Bridge,  to visit Mingun, Boat excursion (one hour each way) up the Ayeyarwaddy River to Mingun, site of the world’s largest intact bronze bell( Mingun Bell), 3.7 meters high and weighing 87 tons, Also visit the huge but unfinished Mingun Paya (built with the intention of being the world’s biggest pagoda) and the beautiful Hsinbyume Paya. After seeing enjoy the sunset along the Ayeyarwaddy River on the boat. Late evening return to Mandalay, accommodation at Mandalay.

Day (07) Mandalay-Mt. Popa-Bagan

Breakfast. Drive to Mt. Popa (approx 8 hours), 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. For less energetic may blend your self with local pilgrimage with their festivities at the bottomProceed to 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 (08) Bagan sightseeing

Breakfast. Start your full day Bagan Sightseeing tour includes a 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 ‘nats’ 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. Accommodation at Bagan.

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Day (09) Bagan-Pyay-Yangon

Breakfast. Depart your hotel early morning for the long drive to Pyay (approx 9 hours). Late Afternoon, arrive in Pyay. This afternoon, visit the Shwemyetmhan Pagoda which is home to most unusual Buddha image-one who wears gold-rimmed spectacles. After then busy market, a cheroot making factory and Shwesandaw Pagoda. This pagoda is similar in design to Shwezigon in Bagan, and is one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage spots in Myanmar. An enormous seated Buddha figure rises up from the tree line adjacent to Shwesandaw. Continue to drive to Yangon (approx 5:30 hours) to see the paddy field and countryside's. Late evening arrive at Yangon, overnight in Yangon.

Day (10) 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