Welcome to Myanmar! Upon arrival at the Yangon Airport, you will be greeted by your driver, who will be holding a sign with your name on it for easy identification. They will assist you in the transfer directly to your hotel, where you will be provided with all of the necessary travel documents for the duration of your trip in a welcome packet. Check into your room, get settled and spend the first evening of your adventure as you wish! (This service is on a private basis.)

Yangon

Yangon, also known as Rangoon, is Myanmar’s largest city and most important commercial hub, located at the convergence of the Yangon and Bago Rivers. This former Burmese capital, creatively blends tradition, culture and modernity. It is home to the stunning Shwedagon Pagoda, which dates back more than 2,000 years. From pilgrimages and pagoda festivals, to ubiquitous tea shops and cosmopolitan avenues, you can find it all in Yangon. Often called the "Garden City of the East", nature lovers will enjoy the city’s pristine lakes, verdant tropical trees and spacious parks.

Spiritual Shwedagon Pagoda

Interested in discovering what is behind the golden facade of the Shwedagon Pagoda? During this interactive half day tour, you will be guided through the back door, to reveal what is usually hidden from travelers. Understand the full history of the pagoda, the daily life of the people living in the immediate surroundings, and gain a deeper insight in the Buddhist religion and how their spiritual belief is mixed with the belief in nats – the Myanmar spirits. This intriguing adventure will begin from the bottom of the hill, passing the workshops, markets and monasteries, which will be useful, or even essential, to have a true understanding of the country during the rest of your journey. This excursion includes a traditional Burmese breakfast, offerings to monks and the pagoda, a visit to a fortune teller and a Burmese lunch. (This service is on a private basis.)

Heritage Walk

Yangon's downtown is unique, with much of its colonial-era architecture still standing. You will find one of Asia’s most impressive collections of late nineteenth and early twentieth- century building here, both religious and secular. This half day walking tour will take you through downtown Yangon, focusing on its old colonial buildings. Your expert guide will lead you through the back streets at a relaxed pace, as they explain to you the history of each building. Some of them sit empty, as others are getting restored and some are used for different purposes than when they were originally built. After the tour, you will have time to enjoy a drink at Rangoon Tea House, a cozy restaurant on lower Pansodan street, a new place where many of Yangon’s expatriates of today meet up for a drink or a meal. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today, you will be picked up at your hotel in 4:00PM and transferred to the airport in good time to board your domestic flight to 4:00PM. Upon arrival in 4:00PM, you will be greeted at the airport by your driver and transferred to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

Orientation Tour

This tour is the perfect introduction to Mandalay. Start at 2 pm with the Mahamuni pagoda and have a look at this century’s old Buddha statue originating from Mrauk Oo. It is a very lively temple compound where men are sticking gold leaves to the Buddha statue. The Mahamuni is also an excellent place to shop around for the perfect Buddha statue (bronze or wood). Can’t find what you are looking for? Find a marble statue at the next stop which is the marble carving street.

The old capital of Amarapura is a quiet village where you hear the sound of the weaving machines. Walk through the famous Mahagandayon monastery complex with hundreds of monks, visit a 100 year old weaving vocational training institution and walk over U-Bein Bridge where we taste a sip of Mandalay rum which has been produced since 1886!. (This service is on a private basis.)

Mandalay

Mandalay, the last royal capital of Burma, lies in central Myanmar on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River. The name "Mandalay" evokes visions of rich history and exotic cultures. However, this relatively young royal city, considered by many to be the heart of Burmese culture, was actually built in 1857. The locals are known for their generous and charitable nature, primarily due to the fact that the area holds the world's largest number of monks to be found in any one place.

Cruise to Mingun

Enjoy the morning at leisure.

If you have limited time in Mandalay but still want to have the river cruise experience, we suggest you visit Mingun. A short ride from the hotel brings you to the Mingun jetty where your boat is ready to cruise upstream.

In Mingun you visit the bell as well as the cracked temple.

Return by boat to Mandalay. (This service is on a group basis.)

Journey to Yandabo

Travelling through Myanmar is all about getting to know village life and discover communities that have lived in the same traditional ways for many centuries. It’s a lot about getting out of the cities and explore the country side where the majority of the population lives. During this overland trip from Mandalay to Bagan we take you to Yandabo village for an experience of typical country style village life in Myanmar.(This service is on a private basis.)

Today you will be picked up at your Mandalay accommodation and transfer 3-4 hours through rural Myanmar to get to Yandabo.

Walk around Yandabo on foot. It’s a beautiful pottery village, historically recognized for the signing of the Yandabo Treaty which took place under a tree on the riverbank in 1826, between the British and Royal Burmese Household of Ava. We continue by local ferry to Pan Nyo village for a look around this village famous for the buffaloes. A trip with many unique picture opportunities!

Palm Trees, Monasteries and Hidden Cave Temples

Enjoy the morning at leisure.

Go by private by car to Pakkoku (2-3 hours) and visit a local slipper factory, the market and see where the famous Pakkoku blankets are made. A private boat is ready for you at the jetty in Pakkoku for a leisurely trip while lunch is being served on board. Visit Kyauk Gu Ohnmin cave temple that rarely sees foreign visitors and continue cruising to Bagan where you arrive around 5 pm. (This service is on a private basis.)

Bagan

Located on the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River in central Myanmar, Bagan is famous for its picturesque Buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins. More than 2,000 of these extraordinary treasures cover an area of 16 square miles, many of which date back to the 11th and 12th centuries. Bagan is the ultimate photographer's paradise. No matter if it's the colorful hour of dawn or the balmy late afternoons, the impressive pagodas that decorate the landscape, is truly picture perfect.

Full Day Orientation Tour

Today, you will embark on a full-day tour by car through Bagan. Learning through the eyes of your experienced guide, the focus of this tour introduces the best-known temples of the area. Your adventure begins with a climb to the top of a hill from where you can genuinely appreciate the iconic temple views. From the top, you will see the ancient ruins rising from the rice plains in every direction. It is this enchanting scenery that puts Bagan on the map. After time for plenty of photos, your exploration continues to other nearby temples, including some that are several centuries old. Places like the Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Thatbyinnyu will certainly impress you.

This afternoon, you will stop for lunch at a local restaurant, before riding by horse cart to your next location. You will arrive just in time to admire the colorful sunset. Enjoy the enchanting scenery, as your guide serves refreshing beverages and another beautiful day in Bagan comes to an end. This tour includes a contribution to local charity initiatives. (This service is on a private basis.)

Off the Beaten Track to Local Villages

Today you will hop in your 4X4 vehicle and set off the beaten track to experience the daily life of the surrounding local villages. In the village you may see local women carrying firewood to the market against the stark sun. Your first stop will be at the Nyaung Gyi village you where you will visit a blacksmith workshop.

Continue to the Se Ywa village where you will visit several local workshops such as a plum purifier, cooking oil producers and a wooden slipper maker. If you like you can even get a haircut in an open air saloon (only 400 Kyats)! Moving on you will visit the Taung Kong village where majority of the people are farmers but also make beautiful pottery. It’s a two hour drive each way by jeep or pajero. A great trip to capture striking photographs and anyone interested in daily life of traditional people. (This service is on a private basis.)

Minnanthu Temple Tour & Picnic Lunch

This afternoon, you will visit Minnanthu Temple. A favorite among frequent Bagan visitors, this historic temple is set in a quiet area, that is often entirely deserted. In this enchanting forgotten part of Bagan, your guide will lay down a blanket for a nice picnic lunch surrounded by the ancient ruins. After lunch, you will have time to visit a few other ancient temples in the area before heading back into the city. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today you will transfer to Kalaw by private car, with a visit to the elephant camp enroute. (This service is on a private basis.)

Elephant Encounter in the Forests of Kalaw

Today, a specially trained elephant conservation guide will take you on a rewarding adventure in the Kalaw forest, to encounter elephants, their mahouts, and locals from the surrounding areas. Young tourism professionals from Kalaw town decided to set up Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp, a project that is focused on protecting nature, providing care for elephants no longer fit to work, and preserving the traditions of local people living in and around Kalaw – a former hill station that today is popular for trekking. In a large part of this privately protected forest, a natural habitat has been set aside for animals that would otherwise be vulnerable to hunting and poaching. The tour begins with a private car ride to the main camp where the specialized staff will explain the project and the camp's daily activities. A delicious lunch of Nepalese food will then be served to you. In the afternoon, you will be introduced to the resident elephants! You will learn about the elephants and their individual stories while having an opportunity to feed them a variety of specially prepared foods. You can then assist a local mahout with bathing one of these incredible creatures in the nearby river. After this unforgettable experience, you will be invited to plant a tree before saying goodbye to your new friends and heading back to your hotel.

Kalaw

Sitting at an elevation of 4300 feet, the peaceful hill station of Kalaw offers a lush, cool respite from the heat of the plains. Known for its trekking, Kalaw is also interesting culturally with a diverse population of Shan, Indian Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims as well as Nepali Gurkhas who came to Kalaw to build the roads and railway line under British rule. Kalaw is the main setting of the novel “The Art of Hearing Heartbeats” by Jan-Philipp Sendker.

Trekking, Tribes and Train

Start trekking early in the morning (07:00 AM) from your hotel in Kalaw, the trekking takes about 3 hours passing through Danu Village where you will see the Danu hill tribes and their daily activities, a mix of forest and fields where products like sesame, tea, cauliflower and rice are cultivated. We arrive Myin Dike at 10:00 AM and from here we take a fantastic train ride through the picturesque colonial Kalaw train station that brings you over the mountains and through the valleys towards Inle Lake.

A simple lunch will be served on the way. A unique local experience that offers great views and a glimpse of local life in the Shan hills. Arrival in Shwe Nyaung is planned around 2:00 PM and could be delayed if the trains stops longer than normally in local hill tribe villages to on or off load local goods – a colorful sight! On arrival in Shwe Nyaung a transfer is arranged to your hotel. Not only a more sustainable way to travel, certainly also a more interesting one!”

Inle Lake

Magical Inle Lake is a vast natural freshwater lake located in the heart of Shan State, part of Shan Hills in Myanmar bordering Laos and Thailand. It is the second largest lake in Myanmar with an estimated surface area of 44.9 square miles, and one of the highest at an elevation of 2,900 feet. A wonderful watery world of floating gardens, stilted villages and crumbling stupas, Inle Lake is a place to be savored. Watch the unique leg-rowers of the Inthas, the native lake dwellers. Revel in colorful floating markets, meditative monasteries and interesting hill tribe villages in the surrounding mountains.

Inle Lake Culture, Scenery & Markets

Inle Lake is surrounded by traditional Shan Villages, where the Intha people have been living for many centuries, in villages built entirely on stilts above the water. Today's tour begins with a ride on a private motorboat around the lake. This offers the chance to truly appreciate the natural beauty of the lake, visit the floating gardens, observe some of the famous leg rowers and enjoy some tea at a local family’s home. On and around the lake, traditional markets are held in various villages according to a 5-day rotating schedule. During this excursion, you will visit one of these colorful markets, frequented by the local Shan and PaO people. You will also stop at a local cheroot factory, where Burmese cigars are made, before visiting a floating tomato garden and the beautiful Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda. This afternoon, you will be invited into a local Intha home for a traditional lunch, served to your liking. Your guide can also take you to a weaving factory if you are interested, before returning to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

Full Day Trekking & Pa O Village

The Pa O are one of the distinctive hill tribes from the Shan State, known for their navy blue attire, colorful red turbans and their incredible farming and trading skills. On this full day trek adventure, you will receive an exclusive look into the unique life of the Pa O. The tour includes visits to their hillside villages, samples of their traditional cuisine and the opportunity to even dress like them. Depending on the location of your hotel, this excursion will either begin with a short horse cart ride or scenic boat ride. Upon arrival at the starting point, you will embark on a 2.5 hour walk towards the Pa O villages. Please note that parts of this trek are slightly uphill.

Once you have made it to your first Pa O village, you will be introduced to some of the village monks, visit a local school and learn more about their traditional dress. From there, your trek continues about another 30 minutes, on mainly flat land. Upon arrival in the next village, you are invited to enjoy a traditional Pa O lunch. Your authentic dishes may include ginger soup, pumpkin leaf salad and sukini leaf salad. After some time to relax, you will follow your guide on the last 2.5 hour hike of the day. The scenery showcases breathtaking views of the lake and vast plantations of crops, featuring ginger, garlic and turmeric. Admire the pristine and peaceful setting, on the way back to your hotel transfer. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today you will transfer to the Heho airport for your flight to Sittwe via Yangon.

On arrival meet your local guide and transfer by car to Mrauk U – a scenic road with interesting stops on the way to meet local life and take pictures of the breathtaking scenery of green paddy fields and the river. Road conditions are very local and not very smooth but worth doing this off the beaten part of the trip – it takes about 4-5 hours from Sittwe to Mrauk U. Arrival Mrauk U in the late afternoon, directly transfer to hotel.(This service is on a private basis.)

Mrauk U

Mrauk U, an abandoned city home to hundreds of temples and pagodas is an off the beaten path destination located across the rolling hills of Northern Rakhine. This destination offers an awe-inspiring sight, providing a unique experience unlike anything found in Bagan and the rest of Myanmar. A mighty Arakan Kingdom capital in the 15th and 16th century, with visits from Portuguese and Dutch, the prosperity of its time can be seen in the majestic temple and pagoda structures.

Biking Among the Temples

Together with your guide you enjoy and interactive tour by local bicycle to discover some of the Mrauk U temples and the local town. Since the area is flat, Mrauk U is very suitable to go from one temple to the other one by bike. Car and guide available during the whole day to go around the temples of Mrauk U with an expert guide on the archaeological site and general history of Rakhine Dynasties. (This service is on a private basis.)

Chin Village Visit

A 1.5 hour trip by boat over the Lemro River brings you to a Chin village where you will meet and have a simple lunch with a local host family. Your guide will show you the traditions and culture of the Chin people and you will meet some of the older women who still have their face tattooed and the always curious family members will be given the chance to ask more about your home country, your family, and your own traditions. A very interesting trip with a focus on ethnic villages and nature. Return to Mrauk U by boat and car. In the afternoon visits of the main temples of Mrauk U (This service is on a private basis.)

Mrauk U Cruise to Sittwe

Early morning start a 4-hour cruise over the Kaladan River which stunning views of the surrounding fields and mountains in the distance – certainly a highlight of the trip to Mrauk U. Because the banks on both sides are very low the cruise offers an excellent opportunity to watch daily life passing by while sitting in a comfortable chair and sip a drink. (This service is on a private basis.)

Today you will check out of your accommodations and transfer to the airport to board your flight to Thandwe via Yangon. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your accommodations in Ngapali Beach. (This service is on a private basis.)

Ngapali

Ngapali is an idyllic, charming village with pristine beaches on the Bay of Bengal where you can relax under palm trees, snorkel, cycle lazily in the rural surrounds and enjoy the quietude of a magnificent sunset. This beach has not quite developed into a tourism hot spot yet, but that's a good thing. After slogging through temples, hiking through mountains, and generally running around Myanmar's busiest areas, you will be more than ready to have a white sand beach to yourself for a few days.

Enjoy this free time at your leisure.

Today, you will be met and transferred to Thandwe airport for your flight to Yangon. On arrival, check into your international departing flight. We hope you enjoyed your experience and we wish you a safe and pleasant flight home.