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| Bur 01 : YANGON ... , 9 days | Bur 02 : YANGON - BAGAN - MANDALAY , 5 days | Bur 03 : YANGON ... , 8 days |
| Bur 01 : YANGON - BAGAN - MANDALAY - KALAW - INLE LAKE - PINDAYA - HEHO - YANGON, 9 days |
 Day 1 : Day 1 Yangon Arrival in Yangon Transfer Sightseeing in Yangon (full day)
Visit Sule Pagoda SULE PAGODA: this 48 meter high golden dome was used by the British as the nucleus of their grid pattern for the city when it was rebuilt in the 1880s. The pagoda's peculiarity is its octagonal-shaped stupa, which retains its shape as it tapers to the spire.Visit the Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake KANDAWGYI LAKE: also known as the Royal Lake, this natural body of water located in the city center is a good place for strolling and picnicking. The lake is attractive at sunset when the glittering Shwedagon pagoda is reflected in its calm waters.Visit Bogyoke Aung San Market BOGYOKE AUNG SAN MARKET: also known as Scott Market, this building contains over 2000 stalls and is the best place in Yangon to browse through the complete range of local handicrafts.Visit Shwedagon Pagoda for sunset SHWEDAGON PAGODA: the highlight of any visit to Yangon, this pagoda dates back about 2500 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its original shape has changed beyond all recognition over the centuries. Its bell-shaped superstructure, resting on a terraced base, is covered in about 60 tons of gold-leaf, which is continuously being replaced. Overnight in Yangon. Day 2 Yangon - Bagan Transfer Flight from Yangon to Bagan Transfer Sightseeing in Bagan Bagan is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden period with the conquest of Thaton in 1057 AD. ANANDA PAHTO: one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples. Thought to have been built around 1105 by King Kyanzittha, this perfectly proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the Early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. SHWEGUGYI: built by Alaungsithu in 1311, this smaller but elegant pahto is an example of the Middle period, a transition in architectural style from the dark and cloistered to the airy and light. THATBYINNYU PAHTO: this 'Omniscient' temple is one of the tallest in Bagan, rising to 61m and built by Alaungsithu around the mid-12th century. PITAKA TAIK: following the sacking of Thaton, King Anawrahta carted off some 30 elephant-loads of Buddhist scriptures and built this library to house them in 1058. The design follows the basic Early Bagan gu plan, perfect for the preservation of light-sensitive, palm-leaf scriptures. NATHLAUNG KYAUNG: Bagan's only Hindu Vaishnavite temple probably built in the 10th century to serve Bagan's Indian community of merchants and craftsmen. PAHTOTHAMYA: probably built during the reign of Kyanzittha (1084-1113), although it is popularly held to be one of the five temples built by the non-historical King Taunghthugyi (931-964). Painting remnants along the interior passages may rate as the earliest surviving murals in Bagan. GAWDAWPALIN PAHTO: one of the largest and most imposing of the Bagan temples, it was mostly built during the reign of King Narapatisithu but was finished by his son, King Htilominlo. The name literally means Platform to which Homage is Paid. BUPAYA: right on the bank of the Ayeyarwady, this cylindrical Pyu-style stupa is said to be the oldest in Bagan. Local residents claim it dates to the 3rd century. The distinctively shaped bulbous stupa stands above rows of crenellated terraces.Watch the sun set over Bagan Overnight in Bagan. Day 3 Bagan - Mandalay By vehicle from Bagan via Mt Popa to Mandalay MOUNT POPA: rising 737 meters from the flat surrounding Myingyan Plain, Mt Popa is said to be an extinct volcano last active 250,000 years ago. It is considered the abode of Myanmar's most powerful nats and, as such, is the most important nat worship center in the country. Overnight in Mandalay. 
Day 4 Mandalay
Sightseeing in Mandalay (half day)
Visit Maha Gandayon Monastery
Visit Mahamuni Paya MAHAMUNI PAYA: originally built by King Bodawpaya in 1784 when a road paved with bricks was constructed from his palace to the paya's eastern gate. The centerpiece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni image that was transported to Myanmar from Mrauk U in Rakhaing in 1784.Visit Mandalay Palace Visit Shwe In Bin Kyaung Shwe In Bin: A Chinese merchant, U Set Shwin, married a local Burmese lady and with his newly acquired fortune built a monastery for his religious wife. It is built of teak, has Burmese carved doors and paintings depicting General Prendergast negotiating with court ministers prior to King Thibaw's exile.Excursion to Sagaing SAGAING: located on the right bank of the Ayeyarwady River, it is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is popularly known as 'Little Pagan' as the Sagaing ridge is crowded with around 600 pagodas and monasteries in which there are more than 3000 monks. There are also around 100 meditation centers in the area. THABYEDAN FORT: fort built by the Burmese as their final resistance against the British forces in the third Anglo-Burmese war in 1886. KAUNGHMUDAW PAYA: this is Sagaing's most important temple. It was built by King Thalun in 1636 and styled after a Ceylonese (Sri Lankan) pagoda in commemoration of the re-establishment of Ava as the royal capital. TUPAYON PAYA: constructed by King Narapati of Inwa in 1444, Tupayon is of an unusual style for Myanmar: it consists of three circular stories each encircled by arched niches. AUNGMYELAWKA PAYA: situated on the river front, this zedi was erected by Bodawpaya in 1783 on the site of his home before he became king. It is built of sandstone and based on Shwezigon Pagoda. DATPAUNGZU PAYA: a comparatively recent pagoda which houses many relics from other older temples that were demolished when the railway was built through Sagaing. HSINMYASHIN PAYA: built in 1429 and known as the Pagoda of Many Elephants because of the elephant statues stationed at each entrance-way. Overnight in Mandalay. 
Day 5 Mandalay
Excursion to Mingun by vehicle and boat Mingun is located a short distance upriver from Mandalay on the opposite bank of the Ayeyarwady River. It is a pleasant trip and gives one a glimpse of river life fishing villages, bullock carts, corn fields, market boats and laundering. MINGUN PAYA: thousands of slaves and prisoners of war labored to build the massive stupa, beginning in 1790. Work halted in 1819 when Bodawpaya died, leaving a brick base about a third of its intended height. The earthquake of 1938 damaged the stupa but there is still a lot to see. PONDAW PAYA: 5 meter high working model of Mingun Paya. It gives a clear picture of just what Bodawpaya intended to achieve with Mingun Paya. MINGUN BELL: in 1808 Bodawpaya had a gigantic bell cast to go with the gigantic zedi. Weighing 90 tons, it is claimed to be the largest bell in the world. HSINBYUME PAYA: built by King Bagyidaw in 1816, three years before he succeeded Bodawpaya as king, this stupa was constructed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinbyume princess. SETTAWYA PAYA: located close to the river bank and upstream from the Pondaw Paya, this hollow, vaulted shrine has a footprint of the Buddha that was brought to Mingun by King Bodawpaya.Excursion to Amarapura AMARAPURA: the name means City of Immortality, but its period as capital was brief. It was founded by Bodawpaya as his new capital in 1783, not long after he ascended the throne, on the advice of court astrologers. His grandson and successor, Bagyidaw, moved back to Ava in 1823. The four pagodas that marked the four corners of the city walls still remain, as well as the watch tower and treasury building. PAHTODAWGYI: built by King Bagyidaw in 1820, this well preserved pagoda stood outside the old city walls. The lower terraces have marble slabs illustrating jatakas (scenes from the Buddha's life). BAGAYA KYAUNG: built when Bodawpaya moved the capital to Amarapura, it was destroyed by fire in 1821. It was rebuilt several times and it is now no longer a monastery, but houses a museum and library, of interest for its collection of palm-leaf manuscripts. PALACE RUINS: little remains of the palace except for two masonry buildings - the treasury building and the old watch tower. King Bagyidaw and King Bodawpaya were both burnt here on the site of their 'tombs' and their ashes placed in velvet bags and thrown into the Ayeyarwady River. U BEIN'S BRIDGE: the shallow Taungthaman Lake is crossed by a long and rickety teak bridge, curved to withstand the wind and waves. During the dry season, the bridge crosses mostly dry land. Overnight in Mandalay. Day 6 Mandalay - Kalaw By vehicle from Mandalay to Kalaw Overnight in Kalaw. Day 7 Kalaw - Pindaya - Inle Lake By vehicle from Kalaw to Pindaya Journey north along Highway 41 past Aungban and the Danu villages of Pwehla and Ji-Chanzi in Shan State. The Aungban-Pindaya road is scenic and there are fields of dry-cultivated mountain rice along the way and potato fields where the tuber is grown in red mud mounds.Visit the Pindaya Caves PINDAYA CAVES: these caves are ensconced in a limestone ridge overlooking the lake. Inside the cavern there are more than 8000 Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement and are arranged in such a way as to form a labyrinth throughout the various cave chambers. SHWE U MIN PAYA: this is a cluster of low stupas just below the ridge near the Pindaya Caves. Beginning on the full moon of Tabaung (February/March), Pindaya hosts a colourful pagoda festival at Shwe U Min.By vehicle from Pindaya to Inle Lake Journey south past Pwehla on Highway 41, then due east at Aungban on Highway 4 past Heho and finally due south at Shwenyaung on Highway 43. Overnight in Inle Lake. Day 8 Inle Lake - Heho - Yangon Boat trip on the Inle Lake Inle Lake, located in Shan State, is beautiful, with very calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and busy fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake on all sides. The lakes shore and islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and observe the skilled fisherman using their "leg-rowing" technique to propel themselves around the lake. Visit a local market and a Intha village around the lake.By vehicle from the Inle Lake to Heho Journey north to Shwenyaung and continue west on highway 4 to Heho.Flight from Heho to Yangon Transfer Overnight in Yangon. Day 9 Yangon Transfer |
ATTA Registration No.01168