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Discover the sacred stupas, ancient traditions and spiritual reverence of mystical Burma. On this trip, you'll explore some of the world's holiest Buddhist sanctuaries and the captivating story of the country now officially known as Myanmar.
Discover the sacred stupas, ancient traditions and spiritual reverence of mystical Burma. On this trip, you'll explore some of the world's holiest Buddhist sanctuaries and the captivating story of the country now officially known as Myanmar.
Frozen in time, the colourful streets of what was once the capital of Myanmar provide a captivating introduction to a land that has remained unchanged and almost inaccessible to visitors for decades. On arrival at Yangon International Airport, you'll be transferred to your hotel. Later, meet your fellow adventurers and Travel Director for a Welcome Reception drink with local appetisers.
Explore the remnants of British colonial rule as you embark on a walking tour of Yangon. At its centre lies the City Hall and the beautiful colonial heritage building that once housed the Immigration Department. View the High Court and the red brick General Post Office before continuing to the luxurious Strand Hotel, built in 1901, for a well earned refreshment. After a lunch of Mohinga – a fish broth with noodles served with various accompaniments – you’ll visit a local monastic school. Then head to nearby Ngar Htat Gyi Pagoda with its huge sitting Buddha. Return to your hotel later and relax before this evening’s special visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda. During this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you'll take part in an oil lamp lighting ceremony before enjoying the sunset over the glistening pagoda.
This morning, fly to Heho, the gateway to Inle Lake and on arrival, head to Nyaungshwe. Board your private longtail boat bound for Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in the area and home to five gold-leaf covered Buddha figures. Following lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll Dive Into Culture with a visit to a boat construction workshop. Admire the local handicrafts of the area next with visits to several workshops where you'll witness first-hand the traditional methods of weaving silk, making cheroots and talented smiths forging metal at a blacksmiths’ forge. Your final stop today is Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries on the lake. Take a quiet moment to contemplate this wooden spiritual centre, sharing its tranquility with the resident cats and centuries-old Buddha statues. As the sun sets over another glorious day on the lake, return to your hotel, slicing through the calm waters and admiring the changing light.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Novotel Inle Lake
Dive Into Culture with a visit to a local market offering insights into the life of the ethnic Pa-O, Danu and Intha people who visit the market to buy and sell goods. There are more cultural experiences to enjoy. Embark on a scenic boat ride to the northern part of Inle Lake for a hands-on cooking class with a Local Specialist in a traditional stilt house. Here you’ll learn how to prepare a range of traditional dishes which you’ll enjoy with your fellow travellers for lunch. Later return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. Keep an eye out for the lake’s characteristic leg rowers, the Intha fishermen. See how they row standing up with one leg wrapped around a single oar, leaving their hands free to manipulate the conical fishing net.
Travel by long-tailed boat across the lake and through a narrow canal en route to Indein village with its spellbinding pagodas along the banks of the lake. Pass through the busy village of Ywama, the largest on the lake, with its many channels and tall teak houses on stilts. Marvel at the alluring scenery of leg-rowing fishermen and floating gardens along the way. Disembark at the jetty and take a short walk along a lovely shady path through Indein village to reach the 14 th -18 th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Oak. Many pagodas here remain charmingly non-renovated, with plants and even small trees growing out of them, making the area very atmospheric. A covered walkway popular with souvenir stallholders leads up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather-beaten 17 th -18 th century zedi (stupas); some are newly reconstructed. Return to the river and continue by boat downstream past Yethar village, watching local life on the banks and birds in the trees until re-joining the lake and returning to your hotel. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $14.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 5
Journey to Mandalay
This morning, transfer to Heho Airport for the short local flight to the exotic city of Mandalay. Your first stop today is a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda, one of the holiest sites in all of Myanmar. Here you'll observe local devotees applying gold leaf to the already thick layers of gold adorning the spectacular Buddha image. Next, stop at local workshops to see ornate Kalaga tapestries being embroidered and gold leaf being beaten into paper-thin pieces by a Local Specialist. Afterwards, visit to Shwe Kyin Monastery and enjoy lunch alongside the student monks who live there; a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Then cross the Ayeyarwady River to Amarapura. Visit the impressive wooden Bagaya Monastery, with its superb collection of Buddha statues. Then, take a sunset stroll on the U Bein Bridge, believed to be the longest teak bridge in the world.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Mercure Mandalay Hill Resort
Dine under the stars and enjoy traditional Burmese music and dance at the spectacular outdoor Kinsana Garden Theatre, set in lush tropical gardens amongst swaying palm trees. Enjoy a sensational alfresco BBQ buffet with everything from grilled river prawns and satays to Burmese salads, creamy curries, fresh fruits and traditional Burmese sweets. The performance showcases the dance, music and costumes from assorted Burmese dynasties, from medieval Bagan right through to the 18 th century Kongbaung dynasty. Due to local weather conditions, this outdoor spectacular is available only between mid-October and the end of March. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $35.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Optional Experience
Dinner in Mandalay
Enjoy a tasty dinner of Burmese and Chinese specialities in a local restaurant. The meal includes an appetizer, soup, salad, a selection of main dishes, steamed rice and dessert all washed down with a choice of 2 glasses of wine, beer or soft drinks. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $20.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 6
Cruise up the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun
Enjoy some free time this morning to uncover the splendours of Mandalay on your terms. This afternoon, board your own private boat and cruise up the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun, in the heart of Myanmar. This is a rare opportunity to witness local life along the river first-hand. Watch the small longtail boats, bamboo rafts and ferries going up and down the river and admire the beautiful golden stupas that emerge from the dense river-front forest along the river’s banks. On arrival, you’ll visit the Mingun Bell which, at 87 tonnes, it’s the world's largest ringing bronze bell. Continue to Hsinbyume Paya, which rises in seven terraces representing the seven mountain ranges around Mt. Meru. See the unfinished but mighty Mingun Pagoda, which was built to be the world's largest but never completed due to local superstition. Later, cruise downriver back to Mandalay, where this evening you’ll Connect With Locals and join a local family for an exclusive Be My Guest dinner in their home.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest
Day 7
Continue to Bagan via Pakkoku
This morning, drive to Pakkoku, an unspoilt village famous for its tobacco trade. The village also brims with small family-run businesses producing a variety of goods, such as traditional Burmese slippers, checked cotton blankets, paper mâché animals and dolls and wood carvings. After lunch in a local restaurant, Dive Into Culture with a visit to a small market selling Thanaka, a traditional yellowish-white cosmetic made from ground bark. The locals apply this mixture to their faces and arms to protect their skins from the harsh sun. Later, take a private boat and cruise down the Ayeyarwady River to Bagan as the sun sets over the numerous pagodas, which dot the landscape.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - The Hotel at Tharabar Gate
After a visit to a local market this morning, you’ll head to the golden Shwezigon Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century. See the 13th century frescoes adorning the corridors and walls of the Gubyaukgyi Temple before heading to the Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddhas. Learn from a Local Specialist how lacquerware is produced in one of Bagan's famous workshops. Then, enjoy a relaxing afternoon or choose one of our Optional Experiences to see more of Bagan. Dinner this evening is at your hotel.
Bagan is famous for its temples and out of the 10,000 that were constructed between the 11 th and 13 th centuries, the remains of over 2,200 of these still survive to the present day. First drive to a more remote area of the Bagan plains and see the magnificent Dhammayazaka Pagoda. It was built by King Narapatisithu towards the end of the 12 th century to enshrine a number of sacred Buddhist relics given to him by the King of Sri Lanka. Continue to Lemyethna Temple, whitewashed and topped by an Indian-style apex. Then continue with a visit to Tayoke Pyay and the Payathonezu Complex, a set of three interconnected shrines linked by passageways and adorned by murals. Visit the small Nandamannya Temple with its fine frescoes and murals representing Buddha’s life and the ‘Temptation of Mara’ erotic frescoes. Afterwards wander through the village of Minnanthu; an agricultural village which specialises in the production of sesame and peanut oil. See how the local people live and observe the cow-driven seed grinders at work before returning to your hotel. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $10.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Day 9
Return to Yangon
This morning, proceed to Bagan Airport for your return flight to Yangon. You’ll have some leisure time at your hotel, before taking a stroll around Bogyoke Aung San Market to buy some last-minute souvenirs. The market was named in honour of Myanmar's national leader, who was assassinated in 1947. However, many people still refer to it as Scott's Market, its original name. On your last evening in Myanmar, you’ll want to celebrate special memories and new friends at a rousing Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.
Say a fond farewell to Myanmar as your adventure comes to an end. After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
All optional experiences for this trip
Book with your travel director when you travel
Available on day 4
Boat Trip to Indein
Travel by long-tailed boat across the lake and through a narrow canal en route to Indein village with its spellbinding pagodas along the banks of the lake. Pass through the busy village of Ywama, the largest on the lake, with its many channels and tall teak houses on stilts. Marvel at the alluring scenery of leg-rowing fishermen and floating gardens along the way. Disembark at the jetty and take a short walk along a lovely shady path through Indein village to reach the 14 th -18 th century pagoda ruins of Nyaung Oak. Many pagodas here remain charmingly non-renovated, with plants and even small trees growing out of them, making the area very atmospheric. A covered walkway popular with souvenir stallholders leads up to Shwe Inn Thein Paya, a complex of weather-beaten 17 th -18 th century zedi (stupas); some are newly reconstructed. Return to the river and continue by boat downstream past Yethar village, watching local life on the banks and birds in the trees until re-joining the lake and returning to your hotel. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $14.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 5
BBQ Dinner with Cultural Show
Dine under the stars and enjoy traditional Burmese music and dance at the spectacular outdoor Kinsana Garden Theatre, set in lush tropical gardens amongst swaying palm trees. Enjoy a sensational alfresco BBQ buffet with everything from grilled river prawns and satays to Burmese salads, creamy curries, fresh fruits and traditional Burmese sweets. The performance showcases the dance, music and costumes from assorted Burmese dynasties, from medieval Bagan right through to the 18 th century Kongbaung dynasty. Due to local weather conditions, this outdoor spectacular is available only between mid-October and the end of March. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $35.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 5
Dinner in Mandalay
Enjoy a tasty dinner of Burmese and Chinese specialities in a local restaurant. The meal includes an appetizer, soup, salad, a selection of main dishes, steamed rice and dessert all washed down with a choice of 2 glasses of wine, beer or soft drinks. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $20.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Available on day 8
Bagan Temple Explorer
Bagan is famous for its temples and out of the 10,000 that were constructed between the 11 th and 13 th centuries, the remains of over 2,200 of these still survive to the present day. First drive to a more remote area of the Bagan plains and see the magnificent Dhammayazaka Pagoda. It was built by King Narapatisithu towards the end of the 12 th century to enshrine a number of sacred Buddhist relics given to him by the King of Sri Lanka. Continue to Lemyethna Temple, whitewashed and topped by an Indian-style apex. Then continue with a visit to Tayoke Pyay and the Payathonezu Complex, a set of three interconnected shrines linked by passageways and adorned by murals. Visit the small Nandamannya Temple with its fine frescoes and murals representing Buddha’s life and the ‘Temptation of Mara’ erotic frescoes. Afterwards wander through the village of Minnanthu; an agricultural village which specialises in the production of sesame and peanut oil. See how the local people live and observe the cow-driven seed grinders at work before returning to your hotel. The price shown is in US dollars.
Adult Price: $10.00*
* The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
All Optional Experiences
The Optionals and pricing listed here are a guideline only and subject to change.
Flights: Prices include internal airfares and taxes for flights: Yangon to Heho, Heho to Mandalay and Bagan to Yangon.
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA). Does not apply to trips operated by Inspiring Journeys & our Mini-stays.
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless travelling as part of a family group.
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Your selected departure date will feature some seasonal itinerary changes to what is displayed. Click 'VIEW ITINERARY' below to see full details.
Active Trip Details
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What is an Active Trip? This is an "Active" lifestyle itinerary, with walks and hikes most days. Hikes will range from easy/moderate to strenuous. No technical climbing skills are required but a reasonable level of fitness is required to make the trip more enjoyable. Understanding that not all people want to hike at the same pace or even on the same trail we will, where possible, host map orientation and then let everyone disperse to enjoy the trails best suited to them.
What to Pack Guests should bring lightweight hiking shoes or boots, broad brimmed sun hats, sunglasses, layered clothing, reusable water bottle(s), a hiking day pack and hiking poles (optional)
Weather & Altitude While the itinerary is laid out below, we are at the mercy of the weather and so reserve the right to adjust the program as necessary. Please keep in mind that the higher elevations and possible variations in weather and temperature can increase the perceived level of difficulty of our activities. Elevation ranges up to 9,000 feet for Utah’s Mighty Five and up to 11,000 feet for California High Country Adventure.
Everyone reacts differently to altitude and so if you do have any health issues you should check with your doctor that this trip is suitable for you.
