Arrive Yangon

Upon arrival at Yangon Airport, you will be greeted by our executive and transferred to your pre-booked hotel.

In the late afternoon, visit the renowned Shwedagon Pagoda, famous worldwide for its golden stupa, which is considered the ‘heart’ of Buddhist Myanmar. The pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old, and the central stupa is surrounded by dozens of intricately decorated buildings and statues. The Shwedagon Pagoda is a bustling place of worship where many Myanmar people come to pray and make offerings. It’s a fascinating spot to spend time, observing the local culture and the serene atmosphere.

After sunset, explore the nearby markets and immerse yourself in the vibrant sights and sounds of Myanmar.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Yangon.

Yangon – Loikaw (By Flight)

After breakfast at the hotel and checking out, you will be transferred to Yangon Airport for your flight to Loikaw. Loikaw is the capital of Kayah State in Burma, located in the Karen Hills area near the northern tip of the state, close to the Shan State border. The Kayah people, also known as the Karenni (Red-Karen), include several tribes, with the Kayan Padaung (Long Necked women) being the most notable.

Upon arrival in Loikaw, you will be greeted and transferred to your pre-booked hotel.

Start your sightseeing in Loikaw with a visit to Taung Kwe Pagoda, the landmark pagoda of Loikaw, perched on twin-peaked limestone mountains. Explore the Cultural Museum to learn about the nine different Kayah tribes and their traditions. Visit a Buddhist monastery, an old Catholic church, and the old “Haw,” the former residence of the Kayah chieftain, now converted into a monastery.

In the afternoon, take a walk through Htanee La Lei Kayah village, visiting two homes. First, stop at a local musician’s house to listen to traditional instruments and try playing them yourself. Then, visit another home to learn about traditional Kayah dress. You can even rent a Kayah costume to try on for an additional 5,000 Kyat per costume. Later, visit the seven legendary lakes of Kayah State and enjoy a stunning sunset from Mt. Mya Sein Taung, offering panoramic views of the town.

End your day with an overnight stay at your hotel in Loikaw.

Loikaw

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Today, we will support the local community with a visit. Drive south of town to explore Demawso Market.

After breakfast, embark on a journey from Loikaw to the villages of the long-neck ladies in Pampet by car. Along the way, you will pass through Rang Ku and Salong Kana, reaching Prem Song village. Park the car and take a short walk to Salong Kana village, home to the long-neck ladies. Visit with the local women, explore their homes, and observe their home industries like bamboo weaving, traditional textile weaving, carvings, and the processing of millet wine (Khaung Ye). This authentic rice wine is brewed locally, and you can take a sip of freshly made millet wine. Engage in conversations with the families and learn about their way of life. Return to Demawso and stop for lunch.

In the evening, take a different route for a trek through Shan villages such as Phaung Pyin and Paya Phyu for about two hours. Return to Loikaw by longtail boat along Bilu Creek.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Loikaw.
Note: Demawso Market is open only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Loikaw – Phekone – Inle Lake

Your guide will transfer you to Phekone, which is about an hour’s drive. At the pier, your guide will bid you farewell. You will then board a private long tail boat to Inle Lake.

On the way, stop to visit the Tharkhoung sinking pagodas in Sakar township. This journey, including the stop at Sakar village, will take about six hours. Please prepare lunch and water in advance for the trip. During the journey, you can also halt at Kyaing-Kham village to witness the rare and traditional lotus thread weaving, an exquisite and expensive craft of the Intha people. These woven materials are used for Buddha statues’ robes and shawls.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Inle Lake.

Inle Lake

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Embark on a traditional long and tall motorized boat for a sightseeing tour of Inle Lake. Traveling on the lake offers an exhilarating experience for nature lovers and a chance to observe the unique traditions of the Intha people. Marvel at the unique leg-rowing fishermen, floating farms, and houses and monasteries on stilts.

Visit the floating village of Ywama, the lake’s downtown and largest village. Explore the 11th-century PhaungdawOo Pagoda, which houses five sacred Buddha images. Take a walk to Lechae village to see the craftsmanship of tin smiths creating tiers for pagodas and the art of molding Buddha statues from flower powder.

Continue to the weaving village of Inpawkhon, famous for traditional silk weaving, and Se Gaung Village, renowned for its blacksmith work. Visit Nan Pan Village to observe cheroot making and boat-building dockyards.

End your day with a visit to the famous Nga Phe Chaung Monastery, a museum-like monastery where old belongings of many monasteries are preserved.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Inle Lake.

Inle Lake – Indein Pagoda Complex

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Today, visit one of the local markets, which rotates its location around the lake’s villages. After exploring the market, take another boat tour to Indein, located at the western end of Inle Lake. The boat ride takes you through a long channel where you can watch farmers cultivating their produce. This journey is one of the most scenic boat tours on Lake Inle.

Upon arriving at Indein village, continue by a stair path leading to the hidden and lesser-known Indein Pagoda Complex, which features approximately 1,050 stupas from the 15th century. The market here is one of the most attractive in the region, with rows of shops lining the walkway.

Return to Inle Lake and transfer back to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Inle Lake.

Inle Lake – Pindaya – Kalaw (Drive)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check out.

Later, transfer to Pindaya, an interesting drive up into the hills and across the Shan Plateau, through a mountainous route (approximately 2½ hours). Have lunch at a local restaurant specializing in “Danu” food (at your own expense).

Visit the magnificent Pindaya Caves, set in a limestone ridge overlooking a picturesque lake. Inside, you’ll find thousands of different types of Buddha images on display in various cave chambers. Afterward, visit some local houses where families produce traditional Shan paper and parasols.

Continue your drive to Kalaw (approximately 1 hour). This charming town is known for its cool, spring-like weather, pine forests, tea plantations, and the colorfully clad hill tribes that make it a natural magnet.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Kalaw.

Kalaw – Pindaya– Heho (Drive) & Heho – Mandalay (Flight)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Spend the day at your leisure exploring the charming town of Kalaw. Take a walk through the town and visit the vibrant Kalaw market.

In the afternoon, drive to Heho Airport to catch your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival at Mandalay Airport, you will be greeted and transferred to your pre-booked hotel.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Mandalay.

Mandalay – Mingun – Mandalay

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Later, proceed to Mayan Chan jetty and board a local wooden boat for a trip to Mingun across the Ayeyarwady River (approximately 11 km, about 1 hour). The boat trip is fascinating, offering views of various wooden boats and bamboo rafts carrying goods up and down the river.

In Mingun, observe the world’s largest ringing bell, cast by Bodawpaya in 1800, weighing 90 tons. Visit the Mingun Pahtodawgyi, an enormous pile of bricks that was intended to be the world’s largest Buddhist stupa. Afterward, explore the beautiful Myatheindan Pagoda before returning to Mandalay.

In the afternoon, continue your tour of Mandalay with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda, which features 729 marble stone slabs inscribed with Buddhist scriptures, earning it the title ‘World’s Biggest Book’. Next, visit Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19th-century Royal Palace, known for its exquisite teak woodcarving.

As the sun begins to set, head to the top of Mandalay Hill for magnificent views of the city and the Irrawaddy River.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Mandalay.

Mandalay – Amarapura – Sagaing – Mandalay

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

Later, embark on an excursion to Amarapura and Sagaing. Start by visiting Phayagyi to see the revered Mahamuni Image, brought by King Bodawpaya in 1784 from Rakhine. This 4-meter seated image, believed to have been cast in the 1st century AD, has grown 15 cm thicker over the years due to gold leaf offerings. Afterward, observe the intricate processes of stone carving, bronze casting, and silk weaving.

Continue to the ancient capital of Amarapura, meaning “city of immortality.” Visit Mahagandayon Monastery, home to several hundred Buddhist novices and monks, and observe their lunch process.

In the afternoon, proceed to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar, home to 6,000 monks and nuns and 100 meditation centers. On the way, visit traditional bronze casting and silver smith workshops, for which Sagaing is famous. Sagaing became the capital of the independence of Shan around 1315 after the fall of Bagan.

Visit the Tilawkaguru Cave Temple, filled with impressive mural paintings dating back to 1672, and Umin Thounze Cave Temple, which houses a multitude of seated Buddha statues. Further west towards Monywa, visit the enormous white dome of Kaungmudaw Paya, which rises 64 meters high.

End your day with a fantastic sunset view from the 200-year-old U Bein Teak Bridge, which spans across Thaungthaman Lake, dating back to when Amarapura was the royal capital. Return to Mandalay.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Mandalay.

Mandalay – Bagan (By Boat)

Bagan

Optional: Balloon Ride Over Bagan

This morning, you have the option to experience a breathtaking balloon ride over Bagan. Between 05:30 and 06:00, a bus from the Balloon Flight Operator will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the launch site. The exact time will be provided the evening before your flight. The balloon ride lasts between 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the wind conditions. You will be returned to your hotel around 08:30 after a light breakfast.

Sightseeing in Bagan

After breakfast, begin your exploration of the ancient capital of Bagan, renowned for its stunning architecture from the 10th to 13th centuries AD. As you explore Bagan, you will see how Buddhism flourished alongside Bagan culture.

Start with a visit to Nyaung Oo Market, a vibrant village market where you can find everything from fresh fish and meat to household items like rattan baskets, cotton wear, and antiques. Next, visit the golden Shwezigon Pagoda, a prototype golden stupa.

In the afternoon, visit Ananda Temple, known as the most beautiful temple in Bagan, featuring four standing Buddhas facing the cardinal directions and intricate Terra-Cotta warriors in green glaze plaques decorating the exterior. Explore a local lacquerware home industry and stroll around the village of Myinkaba. Visit Manuha Temple, built by the captive king of Tha-ton, and Dhammayangyi Pahto, the largest temple in Bagan.

End your day with a stunning sunset view from one of Bagan’s temples or a special location.

Note: Due to the earthquake on August 24, 2016, approximately 350 temples were slightly damaged and about 15 were severely damaged. Regional authorities have restricted access to some temples for sunset viewing, such as Pyattadagyi Temple and Shwesandaw Pagoda. However, with more than 3,500 temples, stupas, and monasteries in Bagan, you will still be able to enjoy the famous sunset from a special place.

Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Bagan.

Bagan – Popa – Kyaukku Boat

Morning: After breakfast, drive to Mount Popa, located about an hour from Bagan. Rising 4,981 feet above sea level, Mount Popa is considered the center of Nat worship (mystical spiritual beings) and the core of an extinct volcano, often referred to as the “Oasis” of the dry zone. Visit the towering volcanic plug, home to a picturesque complex of monasteries and Nat shrines, accessible by climbing 777 steps. After exploring Mount Popa, return to Bagan.

Afternoon: At around 14:30, take a boat to Kyauk-Ku Umin. Walk along a small path through the mountains to reach the 12th-century meditation cave made of sandstone. Explore the area to see the stone-relief and stucco of the temple. Return to Bagan at sunset.

Evening: Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Bagan.

Bagan – Yangon (By Flight)

Morning: Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, you will be transferred to Bagan Airport to board your flight to Yangon. Upon arrival at Yangon Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your pre-booked hotel.

Afternoon: Proceed for a sightseeing tour of Yangon. The guided tour with a private car will take you along Strand Road and into Mahabandoola Street, passing through India-town and China-town. Make a photo stop near Sule Pagoda with its golden chedi, which serves as a useful landmark in downtown Yangon. Admire the impressive colonial-style government buildings such as the City Hall, Immanuel Baptist Church, High Court, central fire department, and many pastel-painted shops and apartments.

Later, visit Bogyoke Market, formerly known as Scott Market. This sprawling 75-year-old shopping complex is noted for its variety of handicrafts and other items, providing an excellent opportunity for a shopping spree.

Evening: Enjoy an overnight stay at your hotel in Yangon.

Leave Yangon

This morning, you will be transferred to Yangon Airport to board your flight for your onward journey. Safe travels and we hope you have had a memorable experience in Myanmar!