12 DAYS, MYANMAR EXPLORER

Itinerary

Itinerary in details:

DAY 01: ARRIVE YANGON (L/D)

Arrive at Yangon International Airport. Welcome by our tour guide. Transfer to Hotel. Yangon sightseeing tour includes the old colonial style city center with the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2,000 years. Bogyoke (Scotts) market with hundreds of stores and of gems shops. The tour continue to Chaukhtatgyi, a huge reclining Buddha image, extended visit to Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments and the golden dome of Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold., will conclude the tour of this picturesque garden city. Dine and overnight in Yangon.
 
DAY 02: YANGON – KYAIKHTIYO (B/L/D)
After an early breakfast, drive to Kin Pun “ base camp ” ( 194km- 5hours ).Continue to Kyaikhtiyo, the Golden Rock, a huge boulder completely covered by gold leave sand delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. From Kin  Pun, a steep and rough 11 km dirt road leads to the upper staging point, a journey made in open trucks, which are very crowded. From the “upper area”, travelers must at present walk the final stage, approximately 4 km up steep paths, which ascend some 500m to the Golden Rock. As an easier alternative to walking, visitors can be carried in sedan chairs by four porters at an extra cost of approximately US$ 10 p.p. On arrival, Lunch at local restaurant en route or at base camp and watch the beauty of sunset or dawn at this important pilgrimage site. Dine and overnight at Kyaikhtiyo.
 
DAY 03: KYAIKHTIYO (B/L/D)
After breakfast, Kyaikhtiyo full day sightseeing. Dine and overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.  
 
DAY 04: KYAIKHTIYO – BAGO – MANDALAY (B/L/D)
After breakfast, visit the Golden Rock and the surrounding area. Return to Bago (110 Km – 3 ½ hours). Sightseeing includes the SHWEMAWDAW Pagoda, over a thousand years old, its spire is even taller than SHWEDAGON Pagoda. The 55 meter long reclining SHWE THALYAUNG Buddha image is among the country’s most revered. Proceed to Mandalay by night train. Overnight on train.
 
DAY 05: MANDALAY (B/L/D)
Arrive Mandalay, transfer to hotel. Drive to Amarapura. Visit about 200 years old U BEIN'S TEAK WOOD BRIDGE. Then proceed to MAHAGANDARYON MONASTERY where there are more than 1500 buddhist monks. Then proceed to MAHAMUNI PAGODA with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, Gold-leaf beating, SHWE NAN DAW KYAUNG or GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a traditional wooden building and KUTHODAW PAGODA, known as the world' s biggest book, consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. Among the historical buildings craftsmen’s workshop like Bronze casting, Marble stone carving, Kalaga tapestries, should be seen. Sunset from MANDALAY HILL. Dine at a local restaurant and overnight in Mandalay.
 
DAY 06: MANDALAY – MT. POPA – BAGAN (B/L/D)  
After breakfast, Drive to Bagan, Sightseeing at Mt. Popa on the way. Proceed to Bagan. On arrival, check into your hotel. Dine and overnight in Bagan. 
 
DAY 07: BAGAN (B/L/D)
After breakfast, tour start with the busy local market and continuing with visits to a diverse selection of the most important Pagodas and temples, such as Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, Kubyanuk Gyi, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, and Ananda Temple with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior. Lunch is followed by a visit of a lacquer craftsmen’s workshop in near by Myinkaba village. Continue sightseeing to Manuha Temple, built in Mon Style in 1095, Nanbaya Temple, a unique sandstone monument, said to have been the palace of King Manuha and Myingaba Gu Byaukgyi Temple,noted for its ancient mural paintings under the protection of UNESCO. Proceed to Bupaya Pagoda or Mingalazedi Stupa to watch sunset over the Ayeyarwaddy River. Dine and overnight in Bagan.
 
DAY 08: BAGAN – HEHO – PINDAYA (B/L/D)
After breakfast, transfer to airport for domestic flight to Heho. Arrive the Heho airport. And then drive (60 km-1 ½  hrs) to Pindaya. After Lunch, visit to Pindaya Cave, unique for the thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims over many centuries. Dine and overnight in Pindaya.
 
DAY 09: PINDAYA – TAUNGGYI – INLE (B/L/D)
After breakfast, drive to Taunggyi sightseeing- wish fulfilling Pagoda and colorful Taunggyi Market. Proceed to Nyaung Shwe. Dine and overnight in Inle Lake.
 
DAY 10: INLE (B/L/D)
After breakfast, an excursion by boat on Inle lake will include sights of the famous leg-rowers, typical Floating gardens, typical and traditional ways of  fishing and village life. Lunch at a local restaurant on the lake. Further visits are made to PHAUNGDAW OO PAGODA, the weaving village of NPAWKHON and other sights. Dine and overnight in Inle Lake.
 
DAY 11: HEHO – YANGON (B/L/D)
After breakfast, fly back to Yangon. Transfer to hotel and Yangon City sightseeing short visit to 
Botataung Pagoda, Nan Thida Jetty, Sule Pagoda. Dine and overnight in Yangon.
 
DAY 12: DEPARTURE (B/-/-)
Time at leisure to pursue individual interests until your transfer to the airport. Your guide will 
pick you up the hotel and accompany you to the airport. Departure from Yangon.