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Myanmar Adventure

Myanmar

Starting From

$2,399/person

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Book this tour through our partner: World Expeditions

Discover the natural beauty of Myanmar; explore Yangon's colonial charm, Bagan's magical temples, the tranquil Lake Inle & step off the beaten path in Mon State.

Itinerary

Arrive Yangon, Shwedagon Pagoda

Upon arrival in Yangon you will be met by your guide and transferred to your centrally located hotel. If you arrive early you may have time to head out for some sightseeing. Yangon downtown is unique with much of its colonial-era architecture still standing. You find one of Asia’s most impressive collections of late nineteenth and early twentieth- century buildings, religious and secular. This evening we will have a Yangon after sunset tour. At the end of the day many Yangonites leave their office and on the way back home they stop for some shopping, catch up with friends at a teashop, visit a pagoda or go to a beer station. This is exactly what you are going to do as well tonight. The highlight of the tour will be the evening visit to the illuminated Shwedagon pagoda – a magic and mystical moment at a time it’s not very busy on the main platform. After the pagoda visit there will be local snacks to be tasted as well as a local draft beer or a fresh lime juice. The tour includes drinks, a walk over the night market in downtown, tea and snacks as well as a tasty bowl of noodles shared with some locals. Overnight: Yangon, Clover City Centre Hotel or similar

Golden Rock

This morning you will have breakfast at the hotel. We will leave the hotel at approx. 8:30am by private car and visit the war cemetery in Taukkyan in commemoration of the thousands Allied soldiers from the British Commonwealth in Myanmar. On arrival in Kyaiktiyo basecamp we leave the main luggage behind in the car and take our bags to go up the hill by trucks serving mainly local pilgrims. One of the most important pilgrimage sites for Myanmar Buddhist and maybe one of the strangest (or unbelievable) sites for foreign tourist: the Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo Pagoda). A big rock with a small pagoda built on top of it, is balancing on the edge of a mountain and looks as if it could tumble into the ravine below at any moment (luckily some hairs of Buddha have been precisely placed in the pagoda to prevent the rock from falling). The site can be reached by a truck ride on an open truck, after a short walk (1.5 hours) or a long walk (about 7 hours) and apparently taking the long route 3 times in a lifetime will bring good luck. Surrounding the Golden Rock are numerous local teashops, rest places and monasteries as well as local souvenir shops (many of them offering traditional Myanmar medicine made off indigenous animals found by Kayin hunters living in the jungle in this region). Overnight at Golden Sunrise or similar

Mawlamyine to Hpa An

After breakfast, we will meet our driver and transfer early in the morning (07:00am) to Mawlamyine 2 hours away. Upon arrival at the colonial city Mawlamyine we will explore the town. Driving through Mon State towards Mawlamyine we pass the area which is supposed to be the seat of the last capital of the Mon kingdom: the city called Suvannabhumi. Burmese archaeologists have recently started the search again for the exact location of this ancient city. We also pass the ancient city Thaton which is famous for its durian and betel nut (as is the whole of Mon state). We start with the Mon Museum which has some interesting displays to show the rich Mon culture. We walk around the area which boasts impressive buildings from the colonial times, when writers like Orwell and Kipling where living in this city, and visit the first Baptist church. Afterwards, we continue to the Seindon Mibaya Monastery. The last king of Myanmar, at the palace in Mandalay, came to power by killing many of the rival heirs to the throne at the end of the 19th century. Queen Seindon escaped and moved to what was called Moulmein in that period and became a Buddhist nun till her death (her tomb is in the compound in one of the nunneries). She built the Seindon Mibaya Monastery in Mawlamyine which is very fine example of architecture in the original Mandalay palace and has magnificent woodcarvings and other decorations. It’s a monastery so beautiful that one could actually call it a museum. Here we visit the home of a local Mon family who has prepared an excellent lunch with fish and vegetables. The Mon culture, which was once one of the first civilizations in South East Asia, is slowly fading, some traditional Mon dishes should be shared with the rest of the world and there is no better way than tasting these in the home of a Mon family. After lunch, we drive to Hpa An and on the way we will stop at U Na Auk village to visit the amazing carvings and decorations or the temples and ordination hall donated to the village by Mr Na Auk. Mr Na Auk was a Mon trader, living in this area in the British period and he was famous for his intelligence to trade and win from the big British companies and has been a symbol of being patriotic, having good trading sense and being kind to his fellow country man. In modern schoolbooks his story is taught and everybody in the country knows his name and stories of how he offered free transportation for the local people in his area, offered food and managed to compete with the British traders.Overnight at Hotel Gabana or similar

Hpa An

Breakfast is enjoyed at the hotel this morning before we take off for a full day. Be prepared for a soft adventure day with a lot of activities and impression to experience real Kayin life style. We start in kayaks and go for a leisurely trip by kayaking through the paddy fields for half an hour or so. We leave the kayaks behind and continue on foot through the forest visiting Kayin villages for a leisurely walk of about an hour. This is a great trip to get a feel for the real Kayin life in the jungle. From here we continue on foot (about 1.5 hours) passing several other Kayin villages. A leisurely kayak trip of half an hour brings us to a beautiful traditional local house where a home cooked lunch is being served by a local host. Please note: as the creeks in this rural part are quite shallow we use small kayaks to travel around which means that you could get wet – slippers, shorts and a t-shirt are recommended. We are pleased to support local communities therefore the tour is accompanied by local people who have limited English skills but love their area and will lead you though their community with pride. From here we continue by private car to explore the famous Saddar cave. Overnight at Hotel Gabana or similar

To Bago and train to Yangon

The day begins with breakfast at the hotel. Today we drive back to Yangon passing through the rural villages and towns of Mon and Kayin State. Just after leaving Hpa An we will visit the Kawgun cave. The artwork of clay Buddha statues dates back from the 7th century, the period of the Mon kingdom. After about 3 hours we stop for a visit to the former Royal palace in Bago. From Bago we arrive at the train station around 2:30pm to take a train back to Yangon. This journey is approx. 3 hours and a different way to see the scenery in this part of the country, that’s connecting to the famous circular train in Yangon. You will be picked up from Yangon Main station by car to taken to your hotel.Overnight at Clover City Centre Hotel or similar

Fly to Bagan, visit Bagan

After breakfast at the hotel you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bagan. On arrival, you will meet your guide and driver then start to explore the ancient city. This is Bagan. It is a full day tour by car, with an experienced guide through Bagan, who will show you the best known temples of the area. Bagan is a stunning landscape of ancient temple ruins that seem to be spread around randomly in between toddy palms and bamboo huts. First we start the day climbing a pagoda for an impressive view over the whole area. From here the guide plans his way to some of the other amazing temples that have been here for hundreds of years. Places like the Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Thatbyinnyu will certainly impress you. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant and around 4:00pm we continue the tour by horse cart to sunset points for sunset with some refreshing drinks served!Overnight at Zfreeti Hotel or similar

Visit Bagan Temples

First we enjoy breakfast at the hotel and then, from the hotel, start biking (mountain bikes) at 08:30am through the small lanes (unpaved) and visit some less visited temples on the way. During this full day tour by bike, your guide will show you some of the most spectacular scenery of ancient temples and the best of all is that you can stop any time, any minute to take some beautiful pictures. The guide leads you by bike to Minnanthu area is a quiet and beautiful area where serve you a great picnic lunch in this historical setting. We continue by bicycle back to the hotel, visiting some more temples.Total biking time today is between 4 - 5 hours.Overnight at Zfreeti Hotel or similar

Bagan to Pindaya

After breakfast at the hotel around 8:00 am we will drive to Pindaya around 6 hours drive. On arrival we will visit the cave that is filled with thousands of Buddha statues. See how the typical Shan paper and umbrellas are made before heading to your hotel in Pindaya.Overnight at Pindaya Golden Cave Hotel or similar

Pindaya to Kan Hla Kone

Breakfast again this morning is at the hotel. In the early morning, we will walk to the market and buy all the provision for your forthcoming 2 days trek. This morning, we also enjoy a walk through the hills (approx. 1 hour) to Htut Ni, the village of the Danu tribe. You will pass through farmlands where the Danu cultivates cheroot, tea plantations, damsons and mangoes on the hillsides. The track crosses the valley floor before climbing very steeply again to another Danu village of See Kyat Inn, where we stop for a simple lunch. After lunch we continue to Shaw Pin Village about 30 mins by jungle path and down to another Danu village Taung Paw Gyi about 30 mins. Then, we keep walking to Pin Sein Pin village (about 45 mins). It takes another 1 hour to reach Kan Hla Kone where we will stay for the night. Tonight is a simple dinner and accommodation is at Kan Hla Kone Village Monastery. Overnight at village monastery

Walk from Kan Hla Kone Village to Pindaya and transfer to Nyaung Shwe

This morning begins with a simple local breakfast. We continue walking through the hills (around 3 - 4hours). The path leads through several villages, which produce Shan Tea in the traditional way. You will see the drying of the tea leaves and pass through the tea plantations. From the hills there are great views of the surrounding Shan plateau. At the end of the trail, we transfer to Inle Lake and explore the beautiful Nyaung Shwe town, the gate way of Inle lake.Overnight at Hotel Maineli or similar

Inle Lake

Inle Lake in southern Shan State is a vast natural lake surrounded by traditional Shan villages. On the lake itself the Intha people have been living for many centuries in villages built entirely on stilts. Today you ride a private motorboat around the lake. Discover its natural beauty, visit the floating gardens, see some of the famous leg rowers, and have a cup of tea at a local family’s house. On and around the lake, traditional markets are held in different villages according to a 5-day rotating schedule. Today we take you to visit one of these colourful markets frequented by Shan and PaO people. While the Shan and the Pa O people live around the lake, the Intha people traditionally live ON the lake, literally in houses built on stilts on the lake. A home-cooked Intha style lunch including noodles, salads, soup and exotic looking food wrapped in banana leaves is prepared for you in a pop-up restaurant created to support the Intha community. We will also visit a local cheroot factory (where the Burmese cigars are made), floating tomato gardens, Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and, if wanted, we can visit a weaving factory. Overnight at Hotel Maineli or similar

Inle Lake - bike, boat and kayak

Today is a full day of exploration by bike, boat and kayak, with a fantastic traditional lunch in an exclusive Shan house on the lake. A somewhat challenging day, but filled with the rewards of outstanding scenery and genuine connections.We start the tour in the morning at around 7:45 am, after breakfast at the hotel. We bike ride alongside fields of flowers tended by friendly villagers, pass remote monasteries and cycle through peaceful bamboo forests. The journey continue with a long-tail boat, which takes you to secret cycling destinations and to a traditional Shan House for a sumptuous feast of local cuisine.After lunch, it’s time for kayaking, paddle along narrow waterways and through stilt-house villages to gain a new perspective on life in these unique communities.We return to the lunch house, drop off the kayaks and take the long-tail boat takes us on a journey back to Nyaung Shwe. On arrival in Nyaung Shwe, it is a 3 minute walk to the hotel (Hotel Maineli).Biking distance is 25km (4.5 hours in total), duration for kayaking is between 45mins - 1hourNote: there is an alternative for the people who do not care to bike, you can pay for a car & guide transfer to the Shan House (20USD per person) Overnight at Hotel Maineli or similar

Fly to Yangon, trip concludes

After breakfast at the hotel you will have a transfer to the Heho airport for the flight back to Yangon, where the trip concludes. Please Note: If you have onward travel plans, the duration should be minimum of 3 hours between a domestic flight & an international flight.

Additional Information

Now is the right time to visit this beautiful and still untouched corner of South East Asia. Offering the absolute best of Myanmar, this wonderful journey will take you right into the heart of a friendly land where genuine hospitality abounds. Our adventure begins in the charming colonial city of Yangon, before exploring the colonial city Mawlamyine. Learn about Mon culture and cuisine and discover the U Na Auk village. The trip highlights are numerous - hike in the forest visiting Kayin villages and through several villages producing Shan Tea, with an overnight stay at the Kan Hla Kone Village Monastery. Bagan is considered by many to be the finest collection of temples in Asia, and savouring the views by bike is an experience not soon forgotten. At Inle Lake we get off the beaten track and see the real culture and traditions of Myanmar. It is the grand finale with its bustling local markets, handicrafts, stilted villages and breathtaking views before flying to Yangon where your Myanmar adventure concludes.

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Starting From

$2,399/person

Book Now

Details

Duration

13 Days

Starts

Myanmar

Group Size

5-16

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