Burmese Meditation going with the flow

Highlights of tour:

Discover the wonders Burmese from south to north with 7 days by cruise through beautiful and unique passages within an exotic itinerary. Private car, foot, bike, boat, carriage. A route that gives it time … From Bagan to Inle Lake you will feel strong experience of the magnificence of life when time stops. Mandalay, both cultural and active. A romantic week and sailing on Irrawaddy aboard with an authentic ship and its private cabins until Bamaw: forest of pagodas, stupas and temples with golden domes.

Day 1: : Arrival in Yangon (D)

Arrival Yangon in the morning welcomed by your guide from Exotic Myanmar Travels and led to your hotel. Sightseeing in Yangon will be commenced after a brief rest at the hotel. You’ll be taken to the downtown sections to see the colonial buildings; the ’Botataung Hair Relic Pagoda’ on the bank of Yangon River; the Sule Pagoda located at the heart of the city & the City Hall; and the Chauk-htat-gyi colossal reclining Buddha Image. In the afternoon, visit will be made to the World Famous Shwedagon Pagoda until sunset. Stay overnight in Yangon.

Day 2: Yangon – Bagan by flight (B,L,D)

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon Airport for domestic flight to Bagan. Upon arrival in Bagan, transfer to hotel and proceed on a sightseeing tour, starting with the busy local market Nyanung U and continuing with visits to a diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples such as Shwezi Gon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century. See 13th Century frescoes adorning the corridors of Kyansittha ’Cave’ Temple.

Continue to Gubyaukgyi (Wetkyi In village), another ’cave’ temple with fine frescoes of the ’Jataka Tales’. Next stop is Htilominlo, the last Bamar style temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes. Visit the Taungphi village to see old monasteries, which have beautiful Khone Baung dynasty frescoes. Continue to Dhammayangyi, a massive-looking temple dating from 1170 that is famous for its interlocking mortar less brickwork. Next, visit Sulamani, one of Bagan’s great two-storied Bamar style temples, which has 4-seated Buddha images.

In the afternoon, your visits continue to Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddhas, and the adjacent brick monastery from the early Bagan era with well-preserved murals. Make a photo stop at the tallest temple measuring 61 meters – Thatbyinnyu known as ’temple of omniscience’ and dating from 1144. Continue to Mingalazedi, the last of the large Pagodas built in the 13th Century, representing the pinnacle of Bamar pagoda architecture. Enjoy sunset at one of the monuments along Ayeyarwady River. Stay at hotel in Bagan.

Day 3: : Bagan – Popa mountain (B,L,D)

In early morning, drive to Mt.Popa which rises 1518 meter from the flat surroundings. It is a core of an extinct volcano and believed to be the abode of the legendary ’Nats’ or the Spirit gods which the annual festival is held during the Myanar month Nayon (May/ June). On top of the mountain, there are monasteries, pagodas and shrines in different style.

In the afternoon, we drive back to Bagan. Upon arrival at Bagan, visit MINANTHU VILLAGE to observe the life of the people: visite the KYANSITTA U MIN CAVES TEMPLE and Kyaukgu Umin temple. We continue to visit Shwesandaw pagoda, build in 11th century. Discover Lawkahteikpan ; Sulamani, one of Bagan’s great two-storied Bamar style temples, which has 4-seated Buddha images; and Payathonzu temple. Stay overnight in Bagan.

Day 4: Bagan – Heho (flight) – Pindalay – Inle lake (B,L,D)

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for domestic flight to Heho. Transfer from Heho airport to Inle Lake.Then drive about 2 hours to the small quite town, Pindaya and to enjoy the great scenic beauty of the countryside along the road to Pindaya. Visit Pindaya Caves: these caves are ensconced in a limestone ridge overlooking the lake. Inside the cavern there are more than 8000 Buddha Images-made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement and are arrange in such a way as to from a labyrinth throughout the various cave chambers.

Then proceed to Shwe U Min Paya: this is a cluster of low supas just below the ridge near the Pindaya Caves. And then pay a visit to Traditional Shan Paper Making Workshop and Umbrella Making workshop. We go down into the valley to Nyaungshwe on the edge of Inle Lake and board your own local boat to take you to your hotel. Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 5: Inle-Indein-Inle (B,L,D)

Breakfast at the hotel. First excursion in the Inle Lake, very famous for its unique leg-rowers, scenic beauty, floating houses and wide life on water. In afternoon, we visit Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda, wonderful floating gardens, floating markets, Nga Phe Chaung (Jumping cats’) Monastery, silversmith workshops, traditional weaving industry Inpawkhon. Cruise to the impressive ruins of Inn Dein village , while on the boat tour, you will also observe the unique lifestyle of Inn Thar people… the leg rowers, floating gardens, fishermen with strange fishing gears etc. Stay overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 6: Inle Lake – Heho – Mandalay (B,L,D)

Flight to Mandalay from Heho in the afternoon and full day tour of Mandalay to see all major highlights: A full day to explore in Myanmar’s last royal capital Mandalay… the Mahamuni temple, the most important religious site of all upper Myanmar: upper Myanmar’s trade center Zaycho market: the intricate wood-carved Golden Palace monastery: the world biggest stone books: the huge Kyaukdawgyi Marble image carved-out from a single block of stone: King Mindon’sMyanansankyaw Palace site of Kaunbaung dynasty: Wind up the tour by visiting Mandalay Hill pagoda where you can enjoy the panoramic view to the city, palace & surrounding area atop from it just before sunset. Since Mandalay is known for the Myanmar premier cultural city where the religious arts and old traditions lingers; you will also see woodcarving, tapestry making, gold beating, and stone carving in between the major highlights.

Day 7: Mandalay sightseeing (B,L,D)

Have breakfast at the hotel, drives to directly to Amarapura. Visit to a typical Burmese village on the way to Amarapura, in time to visit Mahagandayon Monastery with over 1000 Buddhist monks while they queue for their last meal of the day at 10:15am. You will also see one of traditional Burmese silk weaving looms that have been the major production center in Amarapura for more than 150-yrs.

Afterwards, drive to Inwa ferry port, where you’ll take a short ferry ride across “Small River” and take a horse cart ride along bumpy jolting trail passing scenic farms dotted with pagoda ruins and typical Burmese villages. In Inwa, you will see an old huge wooden monastery, the site of the Inwa Palace and the leaning tower of Inwa, and the beautiful masonry monastery of Queen Maenu.

Return to your car and proceed to Sagaing to see unusually shaped KaungmudawPaya, the silversmith of Ywahtaung village producing impressive Burmese traditional silverwares, and some pagodas of Sagaing hills. Lastly, enjoy watching an unforgettable sunset view at centuries-old U Bein Bridge, known as the world’s longest span built by the teak wood. Proceed to Mandalay for overnight stop.

Day 8: Mandalay – Mingun – Bamaw (B,L,D)

Breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the jetty and embark RV AMARA at 08:00am. Sail north and visit some incredible monuments of Mingun village – continue sail north till the town of Sheinmaga for overnight stop. Stay overnight in a private cabin.

Day 9: Amara Cruise (B,L,D)

Leave Sheinmaga at 0600hr – visit New Nyein (KyaukMyaung) the biggest pottery production site in Myanmar – and Experience Third Defile and dense teak forests. Overnight on board.

Day 10: Amara Cruise (B,L,D)

Set sail at 0600hr leaving Thabeikkyin for Tagaung, one of the oldest capitals of Myanmar dating back to the time of Pyu’s – visit the ruins of Tagaung and overnight.

Day 11: Amara Cruise (B,L,D)

Set sail at 0600hr to reach Katha, a beautiful old colonial town with colorful market, friendly people and a unique atmosphere. The settings of the George Orwell’s book “Burmese Days” begun here and also the place where hundreds of Irrawaddy Flotilla’s ships were scuttled in 1942 before Japanese could seize them.

Day 12: Amara Cruise (B,L,D)

At 0600hr, the vessel sails to reach Shwegu, a place renowned for Ayarwaddy Dolphins, which is quite common to this area. Also visit to Shwe Baw Kyunn pagoda complex where thousands of pagodas were built around 10th century. Stay overnight on board.

Day 13: Amara Cruise (B,L,D)

Today, Amara will sail along the amazingly beautiful landscape as she passes through the Second Defile. In the afternoon, Amara will reach to her most northern place, Bamaw – overnight on board after strolling around the town.

Day 14: Bamaw and flight to Myitkyina (B,L,D)

Disembark RV Amara after breakfast – drive to airport for flight to Myitkyina, capital of Kachin State. Arrival and transfer to the hotel.

Day 15: Myitkyina sightseeing (B,L,D)

Full day tour of Myitkyina including: the local market place, and the beautiful Kareinaw, where the mighty Ayarwaddy River begins by the confluences of two rivers, Maykha& Mali Kha. Stay overnight in the hotel.

Day 16: Myitkyina-Yangon by flight (B,L,D)

Breakfast at the hotel. And then transfer to Heho Airport for flight to Yangon. Arrive Yangon, you can go for shopping at Bogyoke (Scott’s) Market (closed on Monday) : which is a great place to pride up traditional and not traditional handicrafts, artworks, small antiques, junk jewellery and other souvenir shops. Stay overnight in Yangon.

Day 17: Myitkyina-Yangon by flight (B)

Have you breakfast at the hotel. Depending on the time of your departure flight from Yangon, you can visit some remaining highlights or stroll around the bustling city center on your own (or) transfer to Yangon Intl’ airport in the morning.