15 Days Myanmar – Our special offer

Day 01 YANGON / Arrival

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport: welcome by our local tour guide and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day free at your own leisure. You will spend the night in Yangon.

Day 02 YANGON (B)

On a walk through the city centre of Yangon and to the riverbank, you will see many notable sites from the colonial and religious past of this garden city. Old Rangoon was built based on designs by Dr William Montgomerie. He was a senior military physician who learnt about construction planning from Sir Stanford Raffles in Singapore. All culturally significant buildings in Yangon are listed as historic monuments. You’ll visit the Sule Pagoda, which dates back over 2000 years, pass by the town hall designed by U Tin in 1925, and then stroll through Maha Bandula Park, where you’ll see its independence monument before continuing onto the Supreme Court which was built in 1911 and is an extravagant red-brick architectural masterpiece designed by architect John Ransome. Next up on the tour is the red-brick Custom House which was built in 1902 for the Port Authority and is housed in a large building on the corner of Strand Road and Pansodan Street. You’ll then enjoy ‘high tea’ at the Strand Hotel which was built in 1896 and was formerly known as the ‘the finest hostelry East of Suez’, and late afternoon, climb up the steps to the world-famous Shwedagon Pagoda, which Somerset Maugham described as follows: “The Shwedagon rose superb, glistening with its gold, like a sudden hope in the dark night of the soul of which the mystics write, glistening against the fog and smoke of the thriving city”. This massive, bell-shaped stupa rises 100 metres above its hilltop surroundings. Wander through this magnificent structure and its courtyards, stupas, bells, temples and Buddha images and observe religious and secular visitors from all over the world. Shwedagon has become the symbol of Myanmar. Enjoy the sunset over the pagoda. You will spend the night in Yangon.

Day 03 YANGON - MANDALAY (B)

Early morning transfer to train station for your day trip to Mandalay on the 11UP (Departure around 06:00 / Arrival around 21:00). The train mostly rattles along at walking speed on the old tracks. Those who can endure the ordeal of this 15-hour journey are rewarded with exceptionally beautiful landscapes and warm acquaintanceships with the local travellers. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel, check-in and overnight stay.

Day 04 MANDALAY (B)

Early morning walk through the city centre and go for a stroll around the vast Zegyo Market, which was originally designed in 1903 by an Italian architect. The Zegyo Market is a trading centre that connects the cities of upper and lower Myanmar. Various local and imported goods (mostly from China and Thailand) are traded here. The old, Italian-style market was destroyed and rebuilt with a modern design. The clock tower next to the Zegyo Market was built to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1903. Afterwards, visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, which was originally built in 1784 by King Bodawpaya; its gilded Mahamuni Buddha, the oldest Buddhist statue in Myanmar; and some of the famous craft workshops (wood carvings, marble workshops or gold leaf production). In the afternoon, visit the Shwenandaw Monastery, which is famous for its exquisite wooden carvings, and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, which, owing to its stone tablets with Buddhist inscriptions, is famous for containing the world's largest book. Later on, enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill, a vantage point offering panoramic views of the city. You will spend the night in Mandalay.

Day 05 MANDALAY – SAGAING – AMARAPURA - MANDALAY (B, L)

After breakfast, cross the Ava Bridge towards Sagaing, located 21 kilometres south-west of Mandalay, and visit the Sagaing Hills, a place of refuge for devout Buddhists, with its various pagodas, monasteries and convents. Visit the village of Sagaing at the foot of Sagaing Hill, with its markets, shops and restaurants; the Tilawkaguru Cave Monastery, with its murals; the Umin Thounzeh cave complex, with its 45 Buddha statues; and the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda, which was built in 1312. This location offers outstanding views of Sagaing. Lunch with the monks or nuns, who will provide you with a glimpse of everyday life within a monastery. In the afternoon, travel to Amarapura: the ‘City of Immortality’. Along with the surviving pagodas, the ancient silk- and cotton-weaving tradition using handlooms is very much alive there. You will visit a mill where weaving is still performed using handlooms, take a rowing boat across Taungthaman Lake to the picturesque village of Taungthaman, and return at sunset to Amarapura via the U Bein bridge, which, at 1,200 metres in length, is one of the world’s longest teakwood bridges. You will spend the night in Mandalay.

Day 06 MANDALAY – PAKOKKU - BAGAN (B)

After breakfast travel to Pakokku (approx. six hours). En route stop in some villages to get a glimpse of the everyday lives of the people in this rural area. Upon arrival in Pakokku, a bustling tobacco trading centre, travel by private boat along the mighty Ayeyarwady River towards Bagan (approx. two hours). You will stay overnight in Bagan.

Day 07 BAGAN (B)

Explore Bagan by bike or horse-drawn carriage--a city whose foundations were laid in the 2nd century AD and which was the Burmese royal capital until the 14th century. Here you will find the greatest historical buildings and richest ruins in Southeast Asia, which many view as surpassing even the temples of Angkor in Cambodia in size and presence. Nowadays, Bagan is a village that exudes an endless sense of tranquillity. The local inhabitants mostly make their living from agriculture and the production of lacquerware. You will constantly have wonderful views of the Bagan plains; countless pagodas and temples line the riverbanks. Overnight stay in Bagan.

Day 08 BAGAN (B)

Free at your own leisure. You will stay overnight in Bagan.

Day 09 BAGAN – KALAW (B)

Transfer to bus station in Nyaung Oo and bus journey to Kalaw (approx. seven hours), a former British colonial town. Kalaw, another hill station and peaceful summer holiday destination, lies approximately 1,400 metres above sea level among pine-covered mountains. It is situated 70 kilometres west of Taunggyi. Many Tudor-style buildings and English gardens still remain from colonial times. Every five days, people in bright traditional costumes come from the Palaung villages and other mountain communities to the market at Kalaw, further adding to the attractiveness of this peaceful town. Upon arrival at the bus stop in Kalaw, transfer to hotel, check-in and overnight stay.

Day 10 KALAW – SHABIN – KYAUK SU (trek 19 km, approx. 6 hours) (B, L, D)

Rise early and start the journey from the hotel at 8:00 am. Ascend uphill for two and a half hours (approx. seven km with an altitude difference of 150 m), through pine forest and another half an hour uphill (with an altitude difference of 100 m) to Shabin, a typical Danu village with a 12th-century wooden monastery. People from this village grow cabbages, cauliflowers, bananas, avocados and papayas. Have a hearty lunch at the home of a local family or at the monastery. After lunch, proceed along the hill, with its gorgeous scenery, for two hours before coming to a beautiful Pa-O village called Linpain. The last trek of the day will be for another hour to Kyauk Su, another Pa-O village, for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 11 KYAUK SU – NANTAIN – YAY KHAUNGTOE – PATTUPAUK (trek distance17 km, 5 ½ hours) (B, L, D)

After breakfast, walk downhill for one and a half hours to Nantain. Continue on a flatter route for one hour to Letpainbin, another Pa-O village with chili and rice fields. Trek along the hills for half an hour to Yay Khaung monastery for lunch. After lunch, proceed for two and half hours to Pattupauk. On the way, you’ll see ginger plantation and rice terraces, set against a beautiful limestone hill range. The path between Yay Khaungtoe and Pattupauk is a little steep and goes up- and downhill. Dinner and overnight stay at Pattupauk village.

Day 12 PATTUPAUK – NGOKE – THANDAUNG – INLE LAKE (trek distance 16km, approx. 5 hours) (B, L)

Start at 7:00 am for your final day’s trek to Inle Lake. The way leads first uphill for one hour (with an altitude difference of 100 m) to Htithein. From here, walk downhill for one and a half hours (with an altitude difference of 150 m) to Ngoke, a small Pa-O village. After a short tea break, continue (somewhat steeply) downhill for one and a half hours to the shore of Inle Lake, where you will take a trail through the bamboo forest for 45 minutes until reaching Thandaung, an Inthar village. Lunch in Thandaung and take a thrilling boat ride to the hotel. You will stay overnight on Inle Lake.

Day 13 INLE LAKE (B)

Boat trip along Inle Lake (25 kilometres in length), which is known for its unique one-leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life out on the water. Today, you will also learn why the famous Shan crackers are so popular with the Burmese people. You will visit a small Intha village to help a family make the popular Shan crackers, which will then be offered for sale at the market. In the afternoon, take a canoe trip through the floating gardens. The floating flowerbeds are tied together in shallow water, which is mostly only around three metres deep, and produce abundant fruits which can be harvested several times a year. Overnight stay on Inle Lake.

Day 14 INLE LAKE – HEHO - YANGON (B)

Morning boat excursion to Indein (approx. one-hour journey) through a beautiful countryside of tall grasses and little water steps, to view the historical Bagan- and Shan-style pagodas built during the Bagan period. The decaying pagodas, hidden in bushes, officially date back to the 12th-13th century. Afternoon transfer to Heho Airport and return flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, transfer to hotel, check-in and overnight stay.

Day 15 YANGON / Departure (B)

You will have the morning free. Explore the Burmese metropolis on your own! If you’re feeling in the mood and want to experience the Burmese culture up close, then just take a trip on the public ferry across the Yangon River to Dala or a leisurely stroll through the Bogyoke market (closed Mondays and public holidays) for some last-minute shopping. There is a wide range of items for sale, including: wooden carvings, bronze statues, lacquer, mother-of-pearl cutlery, longyis and much more. Afternoon transfer to airport for your return flight.