Day 1. Arrival at Yangon Airport.
Day 2. Have breakfast at your hotel. Enjoy a full day excursion in the colonial city of Yangon culminating in a visit to the breathtaking Shwedagon Pagoda.
Day 3. An early start today to transfer to the airport for your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival check into your chosen hotel before continuing by car to the mighty Ayeyarwady River for the one hour boat ride to Mingun, home of the huge and famous unfinished Pagoda. Return to the city via Kuthodaw Pagoda, ‘the world’s largest book’ and enjoy the panoramic sunset views over the city from Mandalay Hill.
Day 4. Enjoy your breakfast then embark on a tour of the ancient cities area to the South of Mandalay. Continue in the afternoon onto Sagaing, the religious centre of Myanmar home to some 500 pagodas. Sunset photographs at the famous U Bein Bridge.
Day 5. Your car will pick you up for a full day visit to the colonial hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin, formerly known as Maymyo. Wander around the market, gaze at the beautiful colonial-era mansions and relax and admire the famous botanical gardens.
Day 6. Have breakfast at your hotel before making your way to the station take the narrow gauge railway through the Shan Hills to the country town of Hsipaw via the famous, 318 feet high Gokteik Viaduct. We will meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel.
Day 7. A full day today to explore the landscape around Hsipaw. Depending on the time of year you can trek, bike or boat in the surrounding countryside and visit local ethnic villages.
Day 8. Return to Mandalay today by car or ‘chicken bus’. The journey passes through unspoilt small towns such as Kyaukme along the way.
Day 9. Sit back, relax and unwind today on the day boat to Bagan. A transfer car will meet you on arrival to take you to your chosen hotel.
Day 10. Optional dawn champagne balloon ride over the pagodas of Bagan. Enjoy your breakfast then meet your guide and driver for day of discovery in the archaeological zone. Take in such sights as Gawdawpalin and the Thabyinnyu Pagoda. At sunset climb one of the tallest pagodas for a fantastic photo opportunity.
Day 11. Have breakfast at your hotel. Commence your second full day tour of Bagan, a ‘tentative’ world heritage site. Today you could explore Shwezigon, dating from the 11th Century and the Mon masterpiece of Ananda Pagoda. Sunset photographs from a different pagoda.
Day 12. After breakfast today your air-conditioned car will bring you out of Bagan to the less-visited monasteries of Salay. Continue on to Mt Popa, the ‘Nat’ worship centre of Myanmar; the shrine atop a volcanic tower.
Day 13. Transfer to the airport in the morning for your short flights to Heho. On arrival a car will meet you and transfer you to your chosen hotel at Kalaw. Spend the day exploring the markets and meeting the people of this colonial hill station.
Day 14. Begin your 3 day trek to Inle Lake. Today visit Taunggyi Chae village at the foot of Mt Myin Ma Hti (5,602 feet). After lunch continue to La Maing and finally Binn Nwe village. We overnight at a local home or monastery.
Day 15. After breakfast we continue to Kone Hla village, about 16 kilometres walk. After lunch we trek onto Hti Thein village along the valley. Dinner and overnight at a local home or Buddhist Monastery.
Day 16. Enjoy breakfast and then set off for Ngoke village, about six kilometres away. After some lunch we continue to Taung Mauk followed by the final stretch to the lakeshore. A boat will be waiting to take you to your chosen hotel.
Day 17. After breakfast set off for a full day’s exploration of the Inle Lake area. Photograph the Intha fishermen’s leg-rowing technique, meet the local tribal people and observe the fascinating local cottage industries. Visit the now famous ‘jumping cat’ monastery and Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda with its five sacred gold-covered Buddha images.
Day 18. Have breakfast and meet your driver for the journey through hills and farmland to the famous cave pagodas of Pindaya. Spend a few hours of discovery here before continuing onto Heho airport and your flight to Yangon. We will meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel.
Day 21. A beautiful river journey awaits you today, down the Thanlwin River to Mawlamyine, formally known as Moulmein.Explore this interesting city, the capital of British Burma until 1852.
Day 22. Have breakfast at your hotel followed by the drive back to Yangon. We can stop en-route at Taukkyan War Cemetery to pay respects to the 27,000 soldiers laid to rest here.
Day 23. Depart from Yangon Airport.
Have breakfast at your hotel. There may be time for a little last-minute shopping at Scott Market before your transfer back to the airport for your onward flight. If you are departing on an evening flight we can arrange another excursion for today.
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