8 Days – 7 Nights (Yangon/ Bagan/ Mandalay/ Inle Lake/ Yangon)

Day 1 – Arrival Yangon

Meals Provided: L, D

On arrival to Yangon International airport you will be greeted by one of our staff members and transferred to your hotel. After a brief freshening up at your hotel we will begin the orientation tour of Yangon. Currently Yangon is the biggest city in Myanmar with a population of over 5 million people. Yangon was the capital of the country last 4 years ago. Although Yangon is not a capital anymore, we’re still using Yangon as a capital as it still has everything. Yangon is full of culture and natural beauty. With its tree lined avenues and shady green parks you will quickly fall in love with one of the most charming and lively cities in Asia.

Your tour will include a visit to the old colonial part of downtown, the heart of the city, Sule pagoda photo spot point where you can see city life, and we can wonder around by foot to see how Rangoon, the colonial city is. You will also get a visit to Chaukhtatgyi Temple which houses the biggest reclining Buddha image in Southeast Asia. After this you will be taken to the National Museum which hosts a vast collection of priceless artefacts and cultural heritages. Your visit to the museum will leave you with a better understanding of the history, culture, ethnicities, arts & crafts, and lifestyle of the country and its people. Your day will end with a trip to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda; here you will enjoy the sunset which will overwhelm the heart and soul of all visitors.

Overnight at the Hotel – Yangon.

Day 2 – Yangon- Bagan (AM Flight)

Meals Provided: B, L, D

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Bagan. Began is one of the most culturally historic places in all of Myanmar. This remarkable site began its development in the 12th century and prospered nearly two and a half centuries before being overrun by Kublai Khan. It was once known as the “the city of four million pagodas”, but due to vandalism and natural disasters that number has been reduced. What remains of this location is known as the world’s largest area of Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins. Bagan is one of Asia’s holiest cities which can be compared to Varanasi and Jerusalem. The religious importance of Began has made it the melting pot of Buddhist studies, attracting monks and students from around all around Southeast Asia. The immense amount of history will leave you thinking about the past cultures for hours.

On arrival to Bagan Grand Lotus assures to take you to the most interesting temples with various different cultural aspects and the most distinct architectural styles. You will spend the day visiting temple after temple, but this will not bore you because each one is unique with its own style. Your tour guide will fill you with cultural knowledge of each of the temples visited. We will be sure to take you to the most significant temples which are: Shwezigon pagoda, Ananda, Gubyaukgyi Htilominlo and Sulamani temple. These sites are lavishly decorated with mural paintings and plaster carvings that illustrate the lifestyles of the people and remarkably they have lasted for over 900 years.

To finish your day in Bagan you will be taken on a private boat tour down Myanmar’s main river the Ayarwaddy. On the boat you will get to see the lavish landscape of Began and its surrounding hills. This is one of the best ways to enjoy a sunset in Began. Right before the sun goes down the boat will stop and turn off the engine so you can relax and listen to the sound of nature.

Overnight accommodations at the Hotel – Bagan

Day 3 – Bagan

Meals Provided: B, L, D

Start the day with a trip to the local markets (Bagan and Nyaung Oo) full of local people selling and buying local products, here you will get a chance to purchase some priceless souvenirs. Be sure to pick up some lacquer wear which is still made by hand like it was in the 11th century. You will really get a feel of the culture and the people with a visit to the markets.

In the afternoon we will visit the lacquer ware factory where you can get a first hand look at how this beautiful table wear is created. After the factory we will visit a few of the more popular pagodas. Before sunset we will catch a ride on a pony cart and be taken around the city to get abetter view of the lifestyle of the local people. After your long day of experiencing new things we will take you to one of the tall temples where you can relax and enjoy one of the most magnificent sunsets in all of Myanmar. As you relax and enjoy the views you can let your imagination take you back 1000 years while looking at the spectacular landscape that is sprinkled with temples.

Overnight accommodations at the Hotel – Bagan

Day 4 – Bagan / Mandalay (PM Flight)

Meals Provided: B, L, D

Today, after breakfast you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Mandalay, which is the second largest city in Myanmar. The city gets its name from Mandalay Hill, which is a 246m high knoll to the northeast of Mandalay Fort. The city is filled with conservative culture and traditional art which will give you a good a representation of a Buddhist city, and nearly 60% of all the monks in Myanmar reside within the Mandalay area.

On the way to Mandalay city you may wander through Paleik which is an unspoiled site that is home to hundreds of temples and pagodas. You will also visit the famous Mahagandayon monastery may be the largest Buddhist University in the country where you can witness thousands of monks studying together. Upon arrival at your hotel you will have time to check in and freshen up. In the late afternoon, visit Golden Palace Monastery which is the most well known wooden monastery in the country, famous for its intricate carvings. The monastery is the only original building from Mandalay Palace, and miraculously it survived the bombings of WWII. You’re sure to feel enlightened after your visit. For a real treat you will visit Kuthodaw pagoda which is know as the biggest book in the world. With hundreds of marble slabs inscribed with the entire Buddhist Canon. Here you can let the power of richness and splendour overwhelms you. After a day of exploring the infinite amount of culture we will take you to Mandalay hill where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the plain during sunset.

Overnight at the Hotel – Mandalay

Day 5 – Mandalay

Meals Provided: B, L, D

The day begins with the colourful Zegyo market where you can stroll around and experience the daily life of the people. After exploring the market we will visit Mahamuni Temple which houses a huge bronze Buddha image covered in thick layers of gold. This site is one of the three holiest places in Myanmar, and it is always crowded with pious devotees from all over the country. Here you will get a good idea of some of the lifestyle differences of the people.

Mandalay is the centre of arts and crafts, and we will be sure to show you that first hand. Here you will visit the gold leaf making workshop, where 24K gold is transformed into super thin gold leaves using only precise hammer blows. This is a technique which even modern day hi-tech equipment cannot match. We will also take you to witness the marble carving street where you can see how the people have transformed marble into figurines for hundreds of years. Use the rest of your day visiting shops where puppets and Kalaga (tapestries) are made or head to other handicraft places such as wood carving and bronze casting workshops. Before the sunset you may also want to visit the traditional cotton and silk weavers whose ancestors used to weave beautiful robes for the royalties. The weaving of silk longyis is so intricate and colourful that they can only finish an inch a day and it is truly astounding. At sunset you will visit the most picturesque U Bein Bridge on Taungthaman Lake, a half-mile long teak span also known as the longest teak bridge in the world.

Overnight accommodations at the Hotel – Mandalay

Day 6 – Mandalay / Heho – Inle Lake (AM Flight)

Meals Provided: B, L, D

This morning you’ll be transferred to the airport for the flight to Heho which is the gateway to the Southern Shan State. The elevation here is over 3000 feet. Helo is a one hour drive away from Inle Lake, which is thriving with cultural heritage. On your drive to the lake you will go through the scenic countryside of the Shan Hills, also along the way you will have the opportunity to stop at the Shan handmade paper umbrella factory and the Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery. Once on Inle you will be chauffeured via long tail boat around the 22 kilometre lake. Here you can witness first hand the deep rooted culture of the local peoples. Of all of the places you visit in Myanmar Inle will be the one you remember most fondly. The friendly hill tribe people, ancient pagodas, colourful festivals, and natural beauty will give you a life time of memories.

Overnight accommodations at the Hotel – Inle Lake.

Day 7 – Inle

Meals Provided: B, L, D

Today’s full day sightseeing begins with the market which is held once in every five days. This is one of the best opportunities to see hill tribe’s people coming down to sell and buy their products. You will see a way of life that you will not experience anywhere else in the world. After the market you will wander around the scenic lake by boat; witness the unique leg-rowing of the Inthas and their unique fishing method. You will also see the floating gardens, the floating villages, and the holiest Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda with extraordinary Buddha images. You will go home with a new standpoint on life after seeing the marvellous way the people live here.

Overnight accommodations at the Hotel – Inle.

Day 8 – Inle Lake – Heho/ Yangon (AM Flight) – Departure (International Flight)

Meals Provided: B, L

Transfer back to Heho for your flight to Yangon. Before your departure flight, if time permits, go shopping at Bogyoke Market (formerly called Scott Market). Here you can see largest collection of souvenirs from all over Myanmar. Be sure to get a souvenir that represents the culture and way of life in Myanmar. After shipping visit Karaweik Royal Barge in the Kandawgyi Park, or Sein Lan So Pyay Garden where you can see beautiful landscape. To end your trip you will be transferred to the Airport for your International Flight home.

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