Myanmar Exploration (14 Days/ 13 Night)
Day 1. Yangon - arrival
Day 2. Yangon - Mandalay (by flight and car)
Day 3. Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay (by boat and car)
Day 4. Mandalay - Monywa (by car)
Day.5 Monywa - Pakokku - Bagan (by car and boat)
Day 6. Bagan (by car)
Day 7. Bagan (by car)
Day 8. Bagan - Mt. Popa - Kalaw (by car)
Day 9. Kalaw (hiking)
Day 10. Kalaw - Pindaya - Nyaung Shwe / Inle Lake (by car and boat)
Day 11. Inle Lake (by boat)
Day 12. Inle Lake - Sanghar (by boat)
Day 13. Inle Lake - Nyaung Shwe - Heho airport - Yangon (by car and flight)
Day 14. Yangon - International departure
 

Day 1. Yangon Arrival

Upon arrival at YANGON airport you will be welcomed by your Life Umbrella guide and transferred to your hotel. Your journey begins with an afternoon tour through Yangon’s colonial-style city center. Visit SULE PAGODA, dating back over 2,000 years ago; the magnificent reclining Buddha CHAUK HTAT GYI; and after a photo stop at the KARAWEIK HALL, a 'hamsa-bird-shaped' floating barge on Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake, stroll through the BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET, a compound of hundreds of food, garment, handicraft and gem stores. Complete your first day in Myanmar with a visit to one of the world’s most spectacular monuments, the SHWEDAGON PAGODA.  Overnight stay in Yangon.
Meal : On your own account
 

Day 2 YANGON – MANDALAY

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for domestic flight to MANDALAY. Upon arrival to Mandalay airport, transfer to your hotel. Experience the sights and sounds of Mandalay including some of the most revered religious monuments in Myanmar, MAHAMUNI PAGODA; SHWE INBIN MONASTERY; GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wood work and KUTHODAW PAGODA the world’s largest book, made of marble. Mandalay is also a major arts and crafts center. A visit to Kalaga tapestry craftsmen’s shop before proceeding to MANDALAY HILL for sunset viewing. Overnight stay in Mandalay .Meal : On your own accont

Day 3 AMARAPURA - AVA – SAGAING

After breakfast, excursion to Amarapura, 15 km from Mandalay. Visit MAHAGANDAYON, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study; continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 during the era when Amarapura was the Royal capital. Already from the early days the city was known for its silk- and cotton weaving. Visit a traditional hand-woven silk workshop before proceeding to BAGAYA MONASTERY, a compound with a superb collection of Buddha statues. After lunch at a local restaurant, embark for a short boat ride over a river and start exploring the former Royal Capital INWA (AVA) by horse cart. Visit NANMYINT WATCH TOWER, the remains of the ancient palace building, also know as “the leaning tower of Ava“; MAHA AUNGMYE BONZAN MONASTERY, built of brick and stucco; BARGAYAR MONASTERY, famous for its impressive ornate woodcarvings and teak posts. Continue to SAGAING HILLS, a retreat for Buddhist devotees, for sunset viewing.  Overnight stay in Mandalay.  Meal : On your own account.

Day 4 MANDALAY - MONYWA

After breakfast, proceed to MONYWA (150 km - 4 hours). Visit en route the THANBODDHAY PAGODA; where 845 small stupas surround and rise up to the richly decorated central stupa. The pagoda is built to remind of Mt Meru and has some similar characteristics to Borobudur of Java. Take a walk through the nearby banyan tree grove BODDHI-TATAUNG where thousand Buddha images rest at the feet of the trees. Enjoy the panoramic view from AUNG SETKAYA PAGODA, standing 130 meter high on the Po Khaung hills. After lunch at a simple local restaurant, cross the CHINDWIN RIVER by ferry boat and proceed by pick-up or jeep (40 km - 1 hour) to HPO WIN DAUNG, a network of impressive sandstone caves containing Buddha statues, wood carvings and fine mural paintings, some dating back to the 15th century. Dozens of large and small caves with about 450,000 images are hidden in the area of the Hpo Win Hills.  Overnight stay in Monywa.  Meal : On your own account

Day 5 MONYWA – PAKOKKU - BAGAN

After breakfast, drive to PAKOKKU (110 km – 4 hours), a port city set south of the Chindwin confluence. On the way you will stop in PAKHANGYI to visit one of the oldest ornate teak monasteries of the country. After lunch at a simple local restaurant in Pakokku you will visit a lively local market by traditional trishaw bicycle taxis (if available). There is also a possibility to observe weaving process of typical Myanmar cotton blankets. Continue by boat, on the AYEYARWADDY RIVER, to BAGAN where you will arrive in time for sunset. This down river trip takes approximately 2 hours. (Please note: travel time is subject to change depending on the water level) Upon arrival to Bagan, transfer to your hotel. Overnight stay in Bagan. Meal : On your own account .

Day 6 BAGAN

After breakfast, stroll through the colorful local market and continue the day with visits to the most significant pagodas and temples of Bagan: including SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century as a religious shrine; KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its panoramic view of the area’s numerous monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE, with four standing Buddha images. In the afternoon learn of manufacturing Myanmar’s most treasured handicrafts and visit a lacquer ware craftsmen’s workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. Later continue to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059 and explore the NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument which according to legends used to be palace site of the King Manuha. Visit ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM housing countless beautiful Buddha images of made of bronze, stone and lacquer. Complete the day by watching sunset over the majestic Ayeyarwaddy River from a temple top.  Overnight in Bagan.  Meal : On your own account

Day 7 BAGAN

After breakfast, embark for visits to TAYOKEPYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village; PHAYA THONE ZU and NANDAMANYA TEMPLES noted for their exquisite murals of 13th century and KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation retreat in Bagan. In the afternoon, an excursion to farming villages around Bagan will give you an insight to the rural life of the local people. Late afternoon, a colorfully decorated horsecart will take you through some of the more off the beaten track temple sites. Experience the traditional way of traveling and transportation still commonly used by the rural people of Myanmar. Overnight stay in Bagan. Meals: On your own account.

Optional: Experience the magic of Bagan and a thousand years of history from the enchanting platform of a hot air balloon, for the first time ever. ‘Balloons over Bagan’ offers visitors exclusive sunrise champagne flights over the ancient pagodas of Bagan from late October to April. (Details see ‘Balloons over Bagan’)

Day 8 DAY 08 BAGAN – MT. POPA - KALAW

After early breakfast, a 300 km drive (8 hours) will take you to Kalaw. En-route visit MT. POPA, an extinct volcano with spectacular views. Mt. Popa is a popular pilgrimage destination for Myanmar’s. The local people travel here from far away to worship various animist spirits known as “nats”. 777 steps lead up to the shrine placed on top of the steep Popa peak. After lunch at a simple local restaurant en route, the journey continues on a narrow, winding and bumpy road through the Shan Hills. You will reach KALAW, a fresh and delightful hill station, situated on the rim of the Shan Plateau, early evening time. Kalaw is a lively market town where many ethnic minority people of the surrounding areas buy and trade their goods.Overnight stay in Kalaw . Meal : On your own account

Day 9 KALAW – NYAUNG SHWE - INLE LAKE

After breakfast, set out for an excursion on foot (about 6 hours walk) to the TAR YAW village of the Palaung tribe. The animist Palaungs were amongst the earliest inhabitants in Myanmar and have kept to their traditions living with several families in ‘long-houses’, cultivating cash crops and tanapet for Burmese cheroot cigars. Take a walk to their plantations and visit the village before returning to Kalaw.  After lunch, transfer to NYAUNG SHWE (62 km, 2 ? hours)and proceed by boat to your hotel. Overnight stay on the lake. Meals: On your own account .

Day 10 INLE LAKE 

After breakfast, full day excursion by boat on the Inle Lake. See the famous Inntha leg rowers, floating gardens, local methods of fishing, village life and magnificent scenery. You will visit the PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, one of the most sacred shrines in Myanmar, dating back to the 18th century; the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY, famous for its jumping cats trained by monks; the weaving village of INPAWKHON and one of the local markets in the Inle Lake region (on market days only). Lunch in a local restaurant. Overnight stay on the Lake.Meal : On your own account .

Day 11 INLE LAKE-INDEIN

This morning you'll browse among stalls at the lake market, where residents of the region's Shan hill tribes come to shop and show their wares. Afterward, you'll visit the village of In Dein, where you'll be guided to see ancient stupas at Alaung Sitthou.

Day 12 INLE LAKE – HEHO – YANGON

After breakfast, transfer by boat to NYAUNG SHWE and drive to Heho Airport (32 km–11/3hour)for domestic flight to YANGON. Upon arrival to Yangon airport, transfer to your hotel. Complete your Yangon impressions with a visit to the KABA AYE (WORLD PEACE) PAGODA and the MAHAPASANA CAVE, where the sixth Buddhist synod took place. Proceed to Yangon’s oldest Chinese temple and at the riverside located BOTATAUNG PAGODA. Last but not least, see the 8 meter high Golden Lion Throne as well as the Mandalay Royal Regalia at the NATIONAL MUSEUM. Overnight stay in Yangon. Meal : On your own account

Day 13 DEPARTURE

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon airport for your departure flight. Itinerary is subject to changes depending on flights, road conditions and availability of rooms. A supplement for changes might apply.