Enchanting Myanmar: A 15-Day Journey

Followed by your transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you and lead you on a tour through this historic city. We'll start by admiring the expansive plains of Bagan en route to the magnificent Shwezigon Pagoda, where you'll gain insights into Bagan's vibrant history. Next, visit the nearby Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple adorned with exquisite jataka mural paintings, and the elegant Htilominlo Temple, renowned for its intricate plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. After lunch (not included), our exploration continues to the Ananda Temple, an architectural marvel and one of Bagan’s most exquisite religious structures. You’ll also have the opportunity to taste local Burmese delicacies. Our journey then leads us past Bagan's tallest temple, Thatbyinnyu, the grand Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its impressive brickwork, and the splendid Sulamani Temple. The day concludes with a mesmerizing sunset over this ancient city, marking the perfect end to our discoveries in Bagan. Overnight in Bagan.

Our exploration of Yangon continues along its waterfront. We will begin with a visit to the Botataung Pagoda, an iconic landmark known for its unique stupa that can be explored internally. Afterward, we will stop at Nanthida Jetty, where locals commute across the Yangon River.

Returning to the hotel, you'll have some free time to relax. In the evening, we will marvel at the majestic Shwedagon Pagoda, a structure with a history dating back 2,500 years. Covered in 11 tonnes of pure gold and adorned with 4,350 diamonds weighing 1800 carats, the pagoda is particularly enchanting at sunset, offering a stunning display of light and shadow.

Upon arrival, we will journey by coach to Inle Lake. After checking in at our hotel, we will embark on private longboats to explore the captivating water world of Inle. Highlights include witnessing the unique ‘one-legged’ rowing technique of the local boatmen, observing the floating gardens, visiting villages perched on stilts above the lake, and exploring traditional local crafts such as silversmithing, cheroot making, and weaving.

A visit to the renowned Paungdaw Oo Pagoda is also on our itinerary. This pagoda houses five solid gold images, which are said to have been transported to Inle Lake following the decline of Bagan in the 13th century.

Additionally, we will explore the lively ‘5-day market’ where Pa’O and Intha communities gather to trade their goods.

We will embark on a guided walking tour through bamboo groves lining streams where children and young monks can be seen playing. Our route will lead us to the Shwe Indein pagoda complex, home to small temples and stupas dating back to the 11th century.

Following our exploration, we will return to the main area of Inle Lake for lunch. After checking out from our hotel, we will enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside at the northern end of the lake. Along the way, we will make a stop at the Red Mountain winery before continuing to the quaint town of Pindaya, where we will spend the night.

Today, our exploration begins with a visit to the quaint local market in Pindaya, offering a glimpse into rural village life.

Next, we will embark on a tour of the remarkable Shwe Oo Taung cave complex, which dates back over 200 million years and houses more than 8,000 Buddha images.

In the afternoon, we will transfer to Heho airport for our flight to Mandalay.

This morning, we will travel to the riverbank to embark on our privately chartered boat journey upriver to Mingun. Our first stop will be the colossal pagoda often referred to as ‘the largest pile of bricks in the world’, believed to have been abandoned before completion. A delightful stroll along the riverbank brings us to the Mingun Bell, recognized as the largest ringing bell globally.

Next, we will visit the remarkable Mya Thein Tan Pagoda, also known as the Taj Mahal of Myanmar. Following this, we will return by boat to Mandalay for lunch.

In the afternoon, a city sightseeing tour awaits, encompassing the revered Mahamuni Pagoda, a workshop where traditional gold leaf is made, the Shwenandaw Monastery celebrated for its exquisite wood carvings, and the Kuthodaw Pagoda, distinguished as the world’s largest book comprising 729 stone slabs containing the complete Buddhist scriptures. If time permits, we will also visit Mandalay Hill to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the Ayeyarwaddy River.

Our itinerary proceeds with a coach journey to the former British Hill Station, now called Pyin Oo Lwin, renowned for its cooler temperatures and stunning landscapes. Our sightseeing will encompass elegant colonial residences, Myanmar’s expansive 237-acre National Botanical Garden, and the picturesque Pwe Kauk waterfall.

Our day starts with a visit to the bustling Pyin Oo Lwin market before we return to Mandalay for lunch.

In the afternoon, we will explore the Bagaya monastery and visit a silk weaving workshop in the historic royal capital of Amarapura. Later, we will drive to Lake Taungthaman to witness the sunset at U Bein’s Bridge, the world’s longest teak bridge built in 1782 from salvaged teak pillars of the former royal capital.

Today, we travel to the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River to embark on our vessel for a full day’s cruise to Bagan. If conditions allow, we will make a stop at Yandabo village, known for its pottery and historically significant as the site where the peace treaty ending the First Anglo-Burmese War was signed in 1826. Here, we will observe the traditional pottery-making process. Afterward, we will return to the boat for lunch and continue our cruise down the Ayeyarwaddy River to Bagan.

Upon disembarking around sunset at Nyaung U, we will transfer to our hotel located in the historic center of Old Bagan.

Today, we embark on our exploration of Bagan, renowned for housing the world’s largest and most densely packed collection of temples, pagodas, stupas, and Buddhist monuments. Many of these structures date back to the 11th century and remain actively used today. Bagan is celebrated globally as a premier archaeological site, with its distinctive architecture and exquisite frescoes being the main highlights of our journey through Myanmar. Our itinerary includes visits to various temples, stupas, and monasteries, an exploration of the impressive Bagan Archaeological Museum, and a climb to the top of one of the temples to witness the sunset over the sprawling plains.

This morning, our journey takes us southeast of Bagan to explore Mount Popa, an ancient volcano now cloaked in dense forests. Following its eruption millennia ago, the volcanic plug that formed on the surrounding plain became known as Popa Taung Kalat, standing at 2,418 feet high. This natural marvel is adorned with numerous Buddhist and other shrines, frequented by pilgrims and monkeys alike.

During our return drive to Bagan, we will pause at a local farm to observe the traditional production of jaggery and palm wine liquor.

In the late afternoon, we will enjoy a pony cart ride through the temples near our hotel, visiting Taungbi village and its charming 18th-century teak monastery.

Our exploration of Bagan ends with a morning excursion to the Nyaung U market, ideal for picking up unique souvenirs. Next, we'll visit a renowned lacquerware workshop to witness the intricate process of creating Myanmar’s celebrated lacquerware items by skilled artisans.

Our journey comes to an end today.