20 DAYS, MYANMAR OVERLAND

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 a 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 - PYAY (B/L/D)

After breakfast drive to Pyay, sightseeing in Pyay includes the Payagyi and Payama styled in influential Indian arts, the Srikshetra, an old capital of Pyu Kingdom, flourished in 5th to 7th Century A.D. In the evening sightseeing to Shwesandaw Pagoda and enjoy the sunset and panoramic view over the surroundings from there. Dine and overnight in Pyay.
 
DAY 03: PYAY - BAGAN (B/L/D)

After breakfast drive to Bagan [350km – 9hours], arrive Bagan and check in to hotel. Enjoy the sunset and panoramic view the surroundings. Dine and overnight at hotel in Bagan.
 
DAY 04: BAGAN (B/L/D)

After breakfast, tour starts 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 05: BAGAN (B/L/D)

After breakfast, visit the major temple and monuments of the town, the local Nyaung U market, monasteries and caves then stop at lacquer workshop to learn about the fascinating technique of this art. Dine and overnight in Bagan.
 
DAY 06: BAGAN - MT. POPA – MANDALAY (B/L/D)

After breakfast, Drive to Mandalay, Sightseeing at Mt. Popa on the way. Proceed to Mandalay. On arrival, check into your hotel. Dine and overnight in Mandalay. 
 
DAY 07: MANDALAY (B/L/D)

After breakfast, 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. After breakfast drive to Mahamuni Buddha Image with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, Gold-leaf beating, Shwe Nandaw 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 and panoramic view from Mandalay Hill. Dine at a local restaurant and overnight in Mandalay.
 
DAY 08: MINGIN - MANDALAY (B/L/D)

Morning transfer to boat jetty to visit Mingun Region. Take a boat tp Mingun. Visit Pahtodawgyi unfinished huge pagoda that was supposed to have 150m height. Then proceed to Mingun Bell which has about 90 tons in weight and the world's biggest bell among the ringing ones. Then continue to Myatheindan Pagoda - the most beautiful arciheological style. Then take a boat and back to Mandalay. Drive to Shwe Inbin which is very magnificent traditional teak wood monastery. Then observe the daily life of the local people in the down town by visiting Zegyo Market, and river bank. Dine at a local restaurant and overnight in Mandalay.
 
DAY 09: INNWA (AVA) - SAGAING - MONYWA (B/L/D)

After breakfast, excursion by road to the former Royal Capital of Innwa [Ava], take a small boat for a few minutes and  visit Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, ruins of ancient Ava Watch Tower, fort walls and brick causeway asnd Bargaya Teak wood Monastery. Then proceed to Sagaing by driving over 1 kilometer long bridge across the Ayeyarwaddy River to Sagaing Hills, with numerous Pagodas and monasteries and a retreat for Buddhist devotees..  Then drive to Monywa for about 3 hours and half. Dine and overnight in Monywa.
 
DAY 10: MONYWA (B/L/D) 

After breakfast, cross the Chindwin river by ferry boat and proceed by pickup or jeep [40 km - 1 hours] to Hpo Win Daung, a system of impressive sandstone caves containing Buddha statues, wood carvings and fine mural paintings mainly in Innwa-style, some dating back to 15th century.  Dozens of large and small caves with about 450,000 images are hidden in the area of the Hpo Win Hills. Then  back to Monywa. After lunch drive to Thanboddhay Pagoda; 8465 small stupas are rising up to richly decorated central stupa, which is reminding a bit of Borobudur in Java. Then proceed to Boditahtaung and take a walk through the nearby banyan or Bo tree together with the thousand Buddha images sitting at the foot of each tree and enjoy the view from Aung Setkaya Pagoda, standing 130 meter high on the Po Khaung hills. Then drive back to Mandalay. Dine and overnight in Mandalay.
 
DAY 11: MANDALAY - PYIN OO LWIN (B/L/D) 

After breakfast, drive [80 km 2 hrs] on a scenic route to the cool hill station of Pyin Oo Lwin [May Myo], with its lovely lake and waterfalls, botanical garden and colonial buildings.  Visit to Peik Chin Myaung Caves, since ancient times a Buddhist shrine and proceed to Pwe Kauk Waterfalls, a favorite picnic spot for local people.  Dine and overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin.
 
DAY 12: PYIN OO LWIN – KALAW (B/L/D)

Drive to Kalaw, Wandering around the town. Dine and overnight in Kalaw. 
 
DAY 13: KALAW TREKKING (B/L/D)  

After breakfast, trekking to Palaung Hills in Kalaw surrounding area and visit the hill tribes’ villages in their colourful costumes. Then, drive about 1:30 to the small quiet town Pindaya enjoying the great scenic beauty of the countryside along the road to Pindaya. Lunch and dinner at the local restaurants. Then return to hotel and overnight. [Trekking can normally be started early in the morning so it is necessary for an overnight stay in Kalaw before trekking. And closet tribal village would take at least 2 hours to and for apart from visiting hours in the village. 
 
DAY 14: KALAW - PINDAYA (B/L/D)

The journey continues on a narrow, winding and bumpy road through the Shan Hills.  On a fresh and delightful hill station, on the rim of the Shan Plateau, which is a market center for ethnic minorities from surrounding regions. Visit Pindaya caves, unique for the thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims over many centuries. Dine and overnight in Pindaya.
 
DAY 15: PINDAYA – INLE (B/L/D)

Proceed by road to Nyaung Shwe [ 95 km ].  Arrive and transfer to hotel for check- in. Dine and overnight in Inle.
 
DAY 16: INLE LAKE (B/L/D)

After breakfast, an excursion by boat on Inle Lake [ about 54 hrs ], to see the Intha-fishermen rowing with their legs, Pagoda on artificial islands in the lake, floating gardens and floating market [ on market's day only ], continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, one of the main principle shrines in Myanmar and dating back to the 18th century; the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, famous for its jumping cats trained by monks and the weaving village of Inpawkhon. Dine and overnight in Inle.
 
DAY 17: INLE – TAUNGOO (B/L/D)

Morning, drive to Taungoo. On the way, you may observe the natural landscapes and the ways of life of rural areas. Dine and overnight in Taungoo.
 
DAY 18: TAUNGOO – KYAIKHTIYO (B/L/D)

Morning, drive to Kin Pun “base camp”. Continue to Kyaikhtiyo the "Golden Rock", a huge bolder completely covered by gold leaves and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff. From Kin Pun, we have to drive 11km to the intermediate point. From the upper area, travelers must, at present, walk the final stage, approximately 4km, up steep paths, which ascend some 500 m to the Golden Rock.  As four porters can carry an easier alternative to walking, visitors in sedan chairs, an extra cost have to be paid by the clients themselves. On arrival, watch the beauty of sunset or dawn at this important pilgrimage site. Dine and overnight in Kyaikhtiyo.
 
DAY 19: KYAIKHTIYO - BAGO – YANGON (B/L/D)

After breakfast, return to Bago [110 km/8 hours]. Sightseeing includes the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, over a thousand years old, its spire is even taller than Shwedagon Pagoda.  The 55m long reclining Shwe Thalyaung Reclining Buddha image is among the country's most revered. Then, return to Yangon. Dine and overnight in Yangon.

DAY 20: 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.