Burma: Ruins and Rivers

Your guide will meet you at the airport in Yangon and transfer you to your privately-owned hotel. Along the way, observe Yangon's colonial-style red brick buildings. If you are interested and time permits, you may visit a local glasswork shop to observe the Burmese unique way of making glass. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and perhaps a walk around the market area with your guide.

Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Kandawgyi Palace or similar

Begin your tour today visiting the town's lively fish and vegetable markets. Afterward, visit Karaweik, known as a royal barge on the lake, for excellent photo opportunities. Continuing on, visit Chaukhtatgyi, the colossal reclining Buddha, Botatung Pagoda, and Independence Monument. If you are interested, we can arrange a visit to one of the Buddhist monasteries to discuss Buddha's philosophies or a visit to the International Teravada Buddhist Missionary University (the highest university of Buddhist studies in the world) to observe their activities and exchange ideas with experts on the subject. After a coffee stop at the historic Strand hotel, proceed to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the world's richest and most famous golden stupa. More than 2,000 years old, Shwedagon is plated with 8,688 solid gold slabs weighing about 42 tons. In addition, the tip is inset with about 5,500 diamonds and over 2,000 rubies, sapphires and topaz. Shwedagon symbolizes how important Buddhism is to Burma, and legend has it that the pagoda houses eight of the Buddha's hairs. If there is time, you may enjoy a fantastic sunset view from the hilltop. Return to your local hotel for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Kandawgyi Palace or similar

In the morning, catch the flight to Heho. From there, begin a leisurely ride to Kalaw, formally a popular colonial hill station that sits high on the western edge of the Shan Plateau. One of the highlights of this area is the busy, colorful market that is a meeting place for many local tribes and ethnic minorities. Kalaw also offers extraordinary photography opportunities. Overnight at a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Pine Hill Resort or similar

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to take a day hike to one of the surrounding ethnic Padaung tribal villages to see them in their colorful dress and observe their way of life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Pine Hill Resort or similar

Pindaya is known for its extensive limestone caves and picturesque lake. The drive to Pindaya is especially nice as the road winds over the rolling hills of the Shan Plateau through mustard and wheat fields. You may have the opportunity to stop at a farmland for a social exchange with ethnic farmers and observe the Pa O traditional making of paper umbrellas. If you prefer, you may opt for a Pindaya village trek instead. Overnight at a traditional style bungalow.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Conqueror Hotel or similar

Embark upon a two-hour drive to Inle Lake. After freshening up at the hotel, board a traditional motorized boat for a sightseeing tour of the lake. Visit the Indein Ruins, whose pagodas and stupas were built in the eighth century. There are a number of shops along the hill for you to enjoy, or, for trekking enthusiasts, climb up Mt. Shwe U Daung at about 3,000 feet above sea level. Overnight at a local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Khaungdaing Resort or similar

Board your own private long lake boat and be treated to an insider's view of life in this unique community. Villages, farms, and a monastery perch over the water on stilts and float on pads of reeds and earth. Observe the awkward-looking leg rowers as they maneuver, balancing precariously on the tails of their narrow craft. Depending on market dates, see the famous floating market, giving you another insight into local life. (This part of the itinerary may be altered in order to see the tribal markets, which rotate from village to village.) Return to your local hotel for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Khaungdaing Resort or similar

Transfer to the airport in Heho for your flight to Mandalay, the spiritual, cultural, and traditional capital as well as the commercial and cultural heart of central Burma. After a brief freshening up at your hotel, head out to observe some of the traditional workshops. Here you will see crafts such as woodcarving, marble masonry, kalaga tapestry, and gold leaf hammering. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Mandalay Hill Resort or similar

After breakfast, transfer to Kyawzun Jetty for your boat ride across the Irrawaddy River to Mingun (approx. one hour). In Burma, the river is the highway, especially between Mandalay and Rangoon (Yangon), and this is an excellent opportunity to observe Burmese life along the way, such as water buffalo logging teakwood and locals using bamboo rafts to carry supplies. In Mingun, visit the world's largest un-cracked, functioning bell. Other highlights you’ll see here are the Settawya Pagoda, which contains a marble footprint of Buddha, and the Shinbume Pagoda, built in the 19th century. Return to Mandalay, where you pay homage to the most revered golden-seated Mahamuni image covered in pure gold leaves. You then proceed on to Sagaing, with its 600 white painted pagodas and monasteries. Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar, home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. Enjoy a fantastic sunset view from the 200-year-old U Bein Teak Bridge before returning to Mandalay for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Mandalay Hill Resort or similar

After breakfast, transfer to Poe Win Taung, an extraordinary complex consisting of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills that contain what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in Southeast Asia. You also visit the nearby Shwe Ba Taung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs. Return to Monywar to visit the very unique Thanbottay Pagoda, decorated with the most beautiful stucco work in the country. Return to Mandalay for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Mandalay Hill Resort or similar

After breakfast depart for the ancient city of Amarapura, the "City of Immortality." Along the way, observe traditional handicraft workshops specializing in stone and woodcarvings, bronze castings, and silk weavings. See the Maha Gan Da Yon Monastery, home to several thousand young monks. Here you will learn how they pay their respects to the sons of the Buddha and also how they play a major role in the daily roles of the people. Continue on with a stop in Ava (Inwa), the capital of a Burmese kingdom for nearly 400 years, for a look at the 88-foot high watchtower known as the "Leaning Tower of Ava," all that remains of the palace built by Bagyidaw. Return to your hotel for your overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Mandalay Hill Resort or similar

This afternoon, board a flight to Bagan, considered one of the most amazing sites in Asia. Although comparable to sites of worldwide importance such as Jerusalem and Rome, it remains virtually unknown. More than 2,200 temples remain of the 13,000 that once stood here. Some were destroyed by invaders, others by earthquake and decay, but internationally-funded restoration is underway, and the major temples are in excellent condition. Enjoy sunset from one of the archaeological ruins.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Thande Hotel or similar

If you're up early, enjoy the fantastic sunrise view from the ruins or, for the more adventurous traveler, take a hot air balloon ride over Bagan (not included in land cost -- $300 additional). This is the best way to get exceptional aerial views of Bagan with the sunrise in the background. Return to the hotel for breakfast and then depart on a two hour drive to Mt. Popa, located about 30 miles from Bagan. , make the drive to Mt. Popa with a stop at a palm village along the way. Mt. Popa is thought to be the core of an extinct volcono and is considered the home of most powerful Nats (spirits) as well as an important Nat worship center. It is also a major pilgrimage site. From Mt. Popa, there are stunning views of Popa Taungkalat Monastery, which sits atop an outcrop.

Upon your return to Bagan, visit the Wetkyi Inn Gubyaukgyi Temple to observe the 12th century mural paintings, frescoes, and bas relief works depicting the entire life of the Buddha and his disciples. Also visit the Htilominlo Temple, where you can see frescoes representing 28 Buddhas of the future and the Shwezigon Pagoda, built to enshrine one of the four replicas of the Buddha tooth in Sri Lanka. It is also one of the oldest stupa in Bagan. If you wish, you can stroll around the enchanting Nyaung Oo Market. Enjoy the opportunity to visit some of the local villages, where you will observe traditional hand loom weaving, production of edible oils out of sesame seeds and ground nuts, and local blacksmith work. Time permitting, enjoy a sunset view of the entire ruins. Return to your hotel for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Thande Hotel or similar

Begin your day with a visit to one of the nearby villages to observe the daily life of the Burmese people. You will see them weaving with traditional hand looms, producing oil manually, and a blacksmith working the old-fashioned way. Afterward, visit one of the fishing villages to observe the unique, centuries-old Nat Htaunt Monastery, made from teakwood and situated on the Irrawaddy riverbank. In the afternoon, visit some of Bagan's major monuments, including the Dhammyangi, the "Temple of Evil Kings," where the double image of Buddha is unique in all of Asia; Anandar, the best-preserved masterpiece of Mon architecture; Thabyinnyu, one of the tallest monuments in universal science; and Gawdawpalin, one of the largest and most imposing monuments in Bagan. If there is time, enjoy the breathtaking sunset view of the ruins from Mingalar Zedi Temple, said to be built just before the Mongols invaded. Return to your Bagan hotel for the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Thande Hotel or similar

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, proceed to the National Museum to observe the Lion Throne of King Thibaw, the last king of Myanmar. Visit the Bogyoke Market, a sprawling 75-year-old shopping complex noted for its variety of handicrafts, providing an excellent chance for a shopping spree! Overnight at local hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Kandawgyi Palace or similar

Spend the morning doing some last-minute sightseeing or shopping before you are transferred to the airport for your onward  flight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: None