Classic Myanmar – beaten the moderns APT*EM 15: 21 Days – Travel Myanmar

THEME VISITS: history & cultural heritage | adventure, trekking & wildlife | religious beliefs | local scenery | amazing leg rowers | white sandy natural beach, exploring by domestic flights/ boats/ car trips along with local tour guide assistance (language choice upon availability).

Yangon/Mandalay/Mingun/Sagaing/Innwa/Monywa/Bagan/Popa/Heho/Pindaya/Kalaw/Inle/Indein/Taungoo Elephant Camp/Bago/Kyaikhtiyo/Mawlamyine/Yangon/Ngapali

DEPARTURE/RETURN LOCATION

Yangon Mingalardon International Airport

DEPARTURE TIME

Please arrive at least 2 hours before the flight.

INCLUDED

Hotel	Car
English speaking guide	Sightseeing boat, horse/ox cart/elephant rides(if any)
Entrance fees	Meal as specified
Domestic flight tickets	Tax

NOT INCLUDED

Visa fee	Beverages
Soft drink	Personal expenses
Int’l airport taxes	Tips
Those not stated in program

Idea rate for year round : High Season – OCT to APR, Low Season – MAY to SEP

TOUR PRICE EM 12	HIGH	LOW	Single supplement	Remarks
Minimum 02 Person	3800	3680	1500	Per pax rate in USD
Group 15 person + 1 FOC	3500	3350	1500	Per pax rate in USD

Tour Price inclusive full board package service such as hotel, car, English speaking guide, sightseeing boat, cruise, horse/ox cart/elephant rides(if any), entrance fees, meal as specified, domestic flight tickets, tax ( Price not included for visa fee/soft drink/beverages/personal expenses/Int’l airport taxes/tips/those not stated in program ).

Day 1: Arrival (Yangon) L+D

Upon arrive, assist by our guide,drive to Yangon Railway Station for sightseeing around the city by circular train.Then visit to National Museum, this museum exhibits the treasures of the last king of Myanmar.And then visit to Saint Mary’s Cathedral,is one of the beautiful Catholic Cathedral in Yangon. This has a very colorful interior – transplanted Victorian Gothic revival in the far east. It also has some good stained glass.Shopping and sightseeing at China Town ( local fruits market ). Transfer to hotel for check in and free at leisure.

Day 2 ( Yangon ) B+L+D

Breakfast at hotel , take a tour through Rangoon’s colonial city centre visit to the Sule Pagoda and Maha Bandoola Garden,This is a perfect spot also for taking photos of City Center.Then sightseeing to highlight historical buildings(primarily in downtown Yangon) like as The Minister’s Office ,YCDC City Hall ,Bogyoke Market (Scott) and TheingyiZay Market.Yangon boasts one of the widest arrays of historical buildings in Southeast Asia. Then visit to Kandawgyi Park and Karaweik Hall, floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake.Complete your day with a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda, the most popular pagoda in Yangon due to its size, hilltop location and incredible beauty.

Day 3: ( Yangon-Mandalay ) B+L+D

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay. The country’s second largest city and the cultural and religious centre for Buddhism in Burma.Mandalay Hill, which overlooks the city, is home to the world’s largest book, a ‘Buddhist Bible’ carved into 729 slabs of stone housed within a white stupa. Visit to the Shwe Inbin Monastery, the Golden Palace Monastery, the Kuthodaw Pagoda and the Mahamuni Pagoda. Mandalay is also a major arts and crafts centre where you can visit the Kalaga tapestry craftsmen’s shop. Later you will head to Mandalay Hill to witness a beautiful sunset.

Day 4: ( Mandalay-Mingun-Sagaing-Innwa ) B+L+D

Visit to Mingun,is famous for many Buddhists shrines,monastries,meditation centers and monuments of historical and cultural importance.Site of a brick pagoda towering 50meters above the Ayarwaddy river and home to the world’s largest intact bell.Then transfer back to Mandalay by boat.Visit to Sagaing,numerous buddhist monasteries is an important religious and monastic center.Visit to Soon U Ponya Shin,Kaungmudaw Pagoda and U Min Thonze Caves and Myanmar Traditiaonal Silver shop.Continue visit to royal capital of Inwa,visit Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery,the hand-made workshop industry producing lacqure alms for Monks.Drive back to Mandalay and overnight at hotel.

Day 5: ( Mandalay-Monywa ) B+L+D

Visit to Monywa; visit to famous of Shwezigone and Thanboddhay Pagoda,It has a very colourful and decorative appearance,Inside you will find million Buddha complex.A riot of colours,architectural styles and Buddha images-(very) small and large.Then visit to Bodhi Tataung, The standing Buda of 130 meters and a reclining Buda of 95 meters length. The place is surrounded by millions if identical Buda statues. Take the time to be impressed by the massive statues. It is not to equal to any other Myanmar temple.Also visit the gardens with thousands of boddhi trees and thousands of Buddha’s. Then drive back to Mandalay.Visit to U-Bein bridge(across a big Taung-Tha-Man Lake).Return to hotel and overnight at the Hotel.

Day 6: ( Mandalay-Bagan ) by ferry boat-day trip B+L+D

After breakfast transfer to the Gawwein Jetty and board the RV Shwe Keinnery for a cruise to Bagan. The journey on Ayeyarwaddy (Irrawaddy) River lets you have a memorable experience. The river providesyou an opportunity to see one of the most interesting areas in Myanmar.Relax and having sunburn offerthe spectacular views of historical monuments and the ways of local livings along the famous Irrawaddy River.Between two ancient capitals, it stops at Myinmu and Pakkoku respectively able to join the passenger en-route.About 4pm,will arrive to Nyaung U Jetty and transfer to hotel for check in.

Day 7: ( Bagan ) B+L+D

After breakfast tour including famous temples and Archeological sites , visit Htilo-Minlo Temple (famous for its plaster carving),Kyansittha-U-Min(a tunnel with interesting mural painting),Mingala Zedi (the last of the large pagodas built in 13thCentury, representing the pinnacle of Myanmar Pagoda architecture)Ananda Temple ( An architectural masterpiece) Shwezigon Pagoda(built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century).Then visit to Sulamani Guphaya,Thatbyinnyu and Ananda Temple.Travelling in the traditional way in a colourfully decorated ox cart around some of Bagan’s temples.

Day 8: ( Bagan-Popa ) B+L+D

After breakfastvisit to Mount Popa,is considered the earthly font of power for the mystical world of the nats(Sprit gods) on the way visit to a local traditional laquerware workshop.When reach the top the views are fantastic. Nyaung Oo Market, a cheroot factory where Myanmar cigars are produced, the Tayokepyay temple in Min Nan Thu village and a local school.visit to Gawdawpalin Temple,Myazedi and Nanbaya temples,local traditional laquerware workshop.

Day 9: ( Bagan ) B+L+D

After breakfast visit to another remarkably large temple in Bagan,Manuha Temple with the fine carvings temple and Gubyaukkyi Temple with fine mural paintings of Jataka scenes.Dhammayangyi Temple( the highest and the massive one) the inside of temple remains unknown up to this day as it is covered by thick and fine brick walls and hence inaccessible.Then visit to Tharabar Gate,Nyaung Oo Market and lacquer ware house. In the evening ,sun set viewing at Buphaya near Ayeyawaddy River.

Day 10: ( Bagan-Heho-Pindaya-Kalaw ) B+L+D

Transfer to the airport for flight to Heho,arrive Heho and continue to Nyaung Shwe and Visit to magnificent Pindaya Cave containing thousands of Buddha images,is the main destinations in this region.The most attractive place in Pindaya is the ancient Shwe U Min Pagoda wich contains about 8,000 Buddha statues,which are collected over the centuries.Then visit to traditional Shan Papers and Umbrella making villages.Then continue drive to Kalaw City and overnight.

Day 11: ( Kalaw Trekking-Taryaw Village/View Point) B+L+D

Kalaw area trekking is one of the most tourist attraction in Myanmar.Trekking can see gorgeous Scenery beauty of forest capped hill along the way and observe the tradition,culture and cultivation system of enthnic groups.After breakfast at the hotel, 7:30 am start trek to Palung tribes village called Ywar Thit.It will take about 2hrs and 30mins to reach Ywar Thit village.On the way you will see tea plantation,Madrine orange and so on. View point have a small shop of Nepalies nation.At the view point place you can enjoy beautiful sceneries and panorama view.And then trekking trip back to hotel. At evening Kalaw City sightseeing,local market and colonial building.

Day 12: ( Kalaw-Inle ) B+L+D

After breakfast ,drive to inle lake by car and sightseeing by board boats for an excursion into the beautiful Inle Lake which is known for the local fishermen, nicknamed leg rowers for their distinctive style of rowing and its lush floating gardens. Enjoy winding through the lake’s waterways which are surrounded by reeds and other floating plants. Move onto the Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda, one of the principle shrines of Burma.

Day 13: ( Inle- Inndein ) B+L+D

Visit to Inn-Dein pagoda complex ,consists of hundreds of stupas abandoned to the elements, overgrown with moss, crumbling around the edges and utterly charming,reached by private boat and short walk through the village and the covered colonnade walkway.Visit to Alodaw Pauk Pagoda and Zakah village,silk weaving village of Inpawkhone, village of silversmiths.Visit to Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, famed for its jumping cats trained by the monks. Enjoy two nights at the Hotel. (If time available, visit to southern part of Inle Lake by boat )

Day 14: ( Heho-Yangon-Taungoo ) B+L+D

Transfer to the airport for flight to Yangon City,then continue drive to Taungoo City take a time about 5 hours drive from Yangon.Evening arrived to Taungoo and visit to Shwesandaw Paya is one of the grandest pagodas of Taungoo,the King of ancient Sri Lanka gave to Bayint Naung eight precious hairs of Lord Buddha. After that, Bayint Naung kept four strands. The rest was divided equally among his four brothers- Lord of Martaban, Lord of Pyay, Lord of Taungoo and Lord of Inwa. Min Khaung, the Lord of Taungoo, constructed a stupa named Shwesandaw in 1570 to keep his part.

Day 15: ( Taungoo-Phoe Kyar Elephant Camp ) B+L+D

Phoe Kyar Forest Resort is located in Yedashe Township of Thargara. From Thargara to Phoe Kyar Resort the drive by car is 10 miles all seasons. Like many other forest resorts,it has a great opportunity to study natural forest plants including different species of hardwood,large forests teak wood. Other valuable forest plants different life span bamboos.,cane and different flora, Riding elephants, taking elephant ride or feeding them are the most unique and unforgettable experience in here. Moreover, the Elephant Show attracts the attention of visitors. The lovely elephants line up, walk on the teak stumps and coordinate to perform under the instructions of Sin Oo Zie. After the end of show, they are taken to the stream for bathing.

Day 16: ( Taungoo-Bago-Kyaikhtiyo ) B+L+D

After breakfast drive back to Bago (approx. 4hours).Continue drive to Kyaikhto’s Kin Pun base camp and then on to one of Burma’s famous landmarks, Kyaiktiyo the ‘Golden Rock’. Covered in gold leaf and perched on the edge of a cliff it is said to balance on a single strand of Buddha’s hair. The journey from the base camp to the pagoda is made in open-top trucks followed by a walk (approx. one hour) up a steep path to the sacred site. There is also an indulgent option of being carried by porters in a sedan hair.

Day 17: ( Kyaikhtiyo-Bago-Yangon ) B+L+D

Early morning sightseeing around the pagoda and drive back to Rangoon, on the way visit to the capital city of Bago,it was built in 825 AD by two Mon brothers from Thaton: Thamala and Wimala. Formerly known as Pegu. Visit to Shwemawdaw Pagoda, the reclining Buddha of Shwethalyaung Pagoda and Kanbawzathadi Palace, a destination included in the Archaeology Department of Bago. Return to Rangoon and visit to Htauk Kyant War Memorial Cemetery.