Myanmar Highlight & Loikaw

The detailed program(11 Nights/12 Days)

DAY (1)-Mandalay Arrival & Sightseeing
  • Arrive Mandalay the second largest city and the last royal capital of Burma.
  • Our guide/driver will welcome at the airport with your name board after cleaning immigration.
  • Then, transfer to hotel and check in.
  • In the evening, visit Ku Tho Daw Pagoda also known as world’s largest book, surrounded by 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist scriptures. Proceed to Golden Palace Monastery, which was once part of the palace complex where King Mindon lived.
  • Evening panorama view from Mandalay Hill.
  • Overnight at Hotel in Mandalay.
DAY (2)-Mandalay-Mingun-Mandalay-Amarapura Sightseeing
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Drive to jetty. Take a boat trip about 1 hr to Mingune, located on the western bank of the Ayeyarwady River.
  • Arrive at Mingune, visit huge unfinished Mingun Pagoda built between 1790 and 1797 which was split by earthquake in 1838. It is possibly the world’s largest pile of bricks.
  • World’s largest working bell of 87 tons cast in 1808 by Bodawpaya.
  • Mya Thein Tan pagoda an image of Sulamani Pagoda at the peak of Mount Meru in Tavatimsa plane of nats.
  • Back to Mandalay and Visit Mahamyatmuni Buddha Image, bronze casting and marble stone cutting craftsmen quarters and gold leaf beaters.
  • Visit one of Myanmar famous marionette workshop where you can participate how to make performance.
  • Drive to Amarapura. Visit to U Bein Bridge, 6km long wooden bridge said to be the longest teak bridge in the world, built over 150 years.
  • Back to Mandalay and overnight at hotel.
DAY (3)- Mandalay-Sagaing-Pho Win Taung-Monywa Sightseeing
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • After breakfast, check out from the hotel.
  • Dive to Sagaing. (24Km, 35 minutes driving). In Sagaing,  U Min Thonze (Hall of thirty Buddhas), Soon Oo Ponya Shin Pagoda, perched on the highest hill which offers panoramic views of the valleys and wide Ayeyarwady River, Kaunghmudaw Pagoda styled after the domed shape of the famous Mahacedi Pagoda in Sri Lanka.
  • Drive to Po Win Taung, located on western bank of Chindwin River. Drive across the Chindwin Bridge for visiting Po Win Taung and Shwe Ba Taung Pagoda cave complex about 16 miles (26km) west of Monywa. These complexes of 492 cave temples are packed with 2588 Buddhas and there are beautiful 16th century wall paintings in some cave.
  • Overnight at Hotel in Monywa.

Note: Guide should walk with the clients from one cave to another

DAY (4)-Monywa-Bawditataung-Pakokku-Bagan Sightseeing
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Visit Thanbodday Pagoda complex with more than 580,000 Buddha Images, all in seated or standing poses, Bodhi Tataung complex.
  • Drive to Pakokku is a flourishing trading town on western banks of Ayeyarwaddy River.
  • Stop at Ma-U village to see incense stick industry.
  • Arrive at Bagan and the hotel check-in.
DAY (5)-Bagan Sightseeing

OPTIONAL-BALLOONS OVER BAGAN FLIGHT (USD-280/-per person):

Floating over thousand year old pagodas and the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River, allows passengers a serene and peaceful bird’s-eye view.

Around 05:30 hours the Balloon over Bagan shuttle bus will pick you up at your hotel (your guide will tell you the exact pick up time). You will drive to the departure ground of the Balloons. While the team makes the Balloon ready to go, you enjoy some refreshments, but you can also take great pictures of this event. Then, depending on the wind, you will over fly Bagan for about one hour, and enjoy spectacular views of the ancient Kingdom of Bagan in your hot air balloon! The tour ends…..where ever the wind has brought you. A glass of sparkling wine ends this fantastic event….and the shuttle bus then brings you back to your hotel.

  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • BAGAN – on the banks of the Ayerwaddy River is home to the largest area of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world, many dating to the 11th and 12th century. The shape and construction of each building is highly significant in Buddhism with each component part taking on spiritual meaning.
  • Start for highlight sightseeing in Bagan.

Choice will be made out of the 2800 pagodas and temples to visit the most interesting ones like:

  • Eg>>>Visit Shwezigon Pagoda, prototype of later Myanmar stupa& of the famous pagoda of Myanmar.
  • In the evening, enjoy 1 hour horse cart or bike ride among the beautiful temple of old Bagan.
  • The day is always finished off by going to one of the suitable places to get an incredible sunset view of the entire area; a truly magical experience.
  • Overnight at hotel in Bagan.
DAY (6)- Bagan-Heho By Flight & Pindaya-Kalaw
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Transfer to the airport and depart for Heho by scheduled flight.
  • Arrive at Heho, drive to Pindaya Cave -believed to contain more than 8000 Buddha Images of all sizes, caved in wood, stone, marble and bronze thickly glided.
  • Shan papers production cottages are also interested to visit where handmade papers are produced from the plup of mulberry bark dried in the sun. Other cottage industry interesting to visit is oiled paper umbrellas used by monks and nuns. Every part is worked by hand.
  • Drive from Pindaya to Kalaw, 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.
  • Walking up the hill to see the Old Catholic Church, Kalaw Railway Station (built in 1918), the colonial buildings on East Circular Road.

Overnight at hotel in Kalaw.

DAY (7)- Kalaw-Aung Ban-Tikyit By Train & Loikaw By Car
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Drive to Aung Ban. It is a town in the Shan State of eastern Burma. It is at an elevation of 4219 feet above sea level. This morning, visit 5 days market (or) local market.
  • You will see local lifestyle and these markets to sell their goods.
  • Transfer to railway station. The train leaves about 09:30 am.
  • Drop off at Tikyit railway station. Our driver will wait you at the station and drive to Loikaw.
  • After refreshment at hotel, sightseeing around Loikaw, is the capital of Kayah State in Myanmar. It is located in the Karen Hills area, near the State’s northern tip, just above an embayment on the Pilu River. The inhabitants are mostly Kayah.
  • Overnight at Hotel in Loikaw
DAY (8)- Loikaw – Htaykho Village – Panpet Village
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • After breakfast, visit Htaykho village where Kayaw people live. It is 2 and half hours’ drive from Loikaw and if you meet with Phruso market day can visit the market place.
  • You will have a chance to visit Kayan or Padaungs living in Panpet Village. It is 45 minutes’ drive from Loikaw where you can see Padaung women traditionally wearing brass rings around their necks. Panpet is village which starts to establish community-based tourism.
  • Back to Loikaw and relax at hotel.
DAY (9)-Loikaw-Phe Kone By Car & Inle Lake By Boat
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Loikaw’s Thirimingalar Market is a place where colourful several tribal groups like Kayan, Manu, Padaung, Shan and Pa-O used to come and buy for their needs. Most interesting places to visit are Taungkwe Zedi on a twin-peaked mountain on the edge of the town.
  • Drive to Phekon and take a boat trip to Inle Lake.
  • Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake.
DAY (10)-Inle Lake Sightseeing (By Boat)
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Sightseeing by boat on the beautiful Inle Lake second largest lake in Myanmar stretches 11 miles (17.7 km) home to Inthar national race, many of whom live in stilted houses built over the water.
  • On the boat trip you will visit floating villages and floating gardens, lotus stems weaving.
  • You can also see Inthar technique of leg-rowing where one leg is wrapped around the paddle to drive the boat and also their traditional way of fishing.
  • Visit the famous Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. 
  • Overnight at hotel in Inle Lake.

Optional Wine Tasting at Red Mountain Vineyard

Evening, visit Red Mountain Winery/Vineyards and Sunset over Shan Mountain ranges.

(We will transfer you by fantastic way of local transport – TOKE TOKE)

Enjoy fantastic experience of various local wines tasting at the restaurant during Sunset time.

DAY (11)-Inle Lake-Heho-Yangon By Flight & Sightseeing
  • Breakfast at the hotel.
  • Transfer to the airport and depart for Yangon by scheduled flight.
  • Take a short drive to visit China town market and photo stop around Sule Pagoda & old colonial buildings district and City Centre.
  • Visit to Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on every Monday & Public Holidays) and it has the largest selection of Burmese handicrafts.
  • Evening visit Shwedagon Pagoda rises 326ft (99.3m) above its base. Erected more than 2500 years ago and enshrining eight hairs of Buddha placed in a treasure chamber deep under its base. It is the highest symbol of the people’s devotion to Buddha.
  • Overnight in hotel Yangon.

OPTIONAL FAREWELL DINNER AT LEPLANTEUR RESTAURANT – 55 USD/PERSON (including transfer)

Le Planteur is situated in a more than 1 hectare of landscaped luxurious tropical garden. Its colonial era mansion is a unique blend of colonial design with charming Myanmar influences. The tall slender palms waving their fronds in the cool breeze, the relaxing music and diffuse lighting all serve to make the garden a little corner of paradise.

The restaurant offers excellent service & has received numerous awards.

DAY (12)-Yangon Departure
  • Breakfast at hotel.
  • Free and Leisure until departure time.
  • Transfer to the airport and depart from Yangon for home country.