Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Yagon
Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, you will be warmly welcome by a trusted station guide and accompanied to your hotel in the city. Once checked in you are then free to relax and enjoy the remainder of your day.
Day 2: Yangon Sightseeing
Today start your excursion in Yangon including the following attractions:
Sule Pagoda: Situated in the very centre of downtown Yangon, the tall zedi of Sule Pagoda makes an excellent landmark. It is used as a milestone from which all addresses to the north are made.
You can also visit nearby British colonial era buildings such as the City Hall, Immigration office and High Court building as well as the Mahabandoola Park. This historical stroll provides ample photo opportunities for the keen photographer.
Scott Market: This expensive 70-year-old market has the largest selection of Burmese handicrafts found under one roof. Even if you do not wish to purchase its goods, a ramble through the different stands provides a pleasant addition to your itinerary.
Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha: This Buddha is located in a large metal-roofed pavilion on Shwegondine Road, only a short distance east beyond the Shwedagon Pagoda.
Shwedagon Pagoda: The highlight of any trip to Yangon, and indeed to Myanmar itself is a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda. The 2,600 years old gilded Shwedagon Pagoda located in midtown Yangon between the People’s Park and the Kandawgyi Lake, appears most beautiful during the early mornings or evenings. You will then be driven to your hotel in the city your overnight stay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Guide: included
Overnight: Savoy hotel – Deluxe room
Starting time: 8:00am
Day 3: Yangon/Mandalay
Today, you will leave to the airport and board the morning flight to Mandalay.
Upon arrival, you will visit the Royal Palace, built by King Mindon in 1857 when he decided Mandalay to be the Royal city. You can visit the miniature palace and then stroll through the reconstruction, housing a lot of original artefacts. Afterwards, you can climb the 33-meter-high watchtower with views over the whole palace compound and the city. The fort also contains the tomb of King Mindon and the Sabbath Hall.
Mahamuni Pagoda features the Mahamuni Buddha image that was transported to Mandalay from Mrauk Oo in 1784, with four-meter-high image cast in bronze, and be covered with a thick layer of gold leafs. In the courtyard, there are six bronze Khmer figures that were brought back from Mrauk Oo and have their actual origins in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.
Shwe Inbin Monastery, dating 1895, features exquisite wooden carvings along the balustrades and roof cornices.
Shwe Nandaw Monastery, “Golden Palace Monastery” was once part of the palace complex and used as an apartment by King Mindon.
You will visit Kuthodaw Pagoda, the 729 marble slabs surrounding this pagoda are inscribed with the entire Tripitaka.
Kyauktaw-Gyi Pagoda is famous for its huge seated Buddha image, carved from one single block of marble, until a couple of years ago it was the biggest single carved image in the world.
You will continue by a pleasant climb to Mandalay hill, topped with a temple style pagoda of mirrored hallways, offering a fantastic view all over the city and the central plain. The Mandalay Hill is a must and can be visited all day long, but enjoying the sunset from the pagoda on top of the hill is always a nice ending of a hot day (driving up halfway, missing no important sights, cuts the walk to only 20 minutes).
Alternatively, a visit to the U Bein Bridge, a longest teak wood bridge in the world, will be most rewarding during the sunset.
You will also have chance to explore crafts in Mandalay including marble carving, wood carving on Sagaing Mandalay Road, bronze foundries, gold-leaf making in the south east of the city and silk weaving as time allows. Your overnight stay will be in Mandalay.
Day 4: Mandalay/Pyin Oo Lwin/Mandalay
Today you will drive to Pyin Oo Lwin, a former British hill station, located in the Shan hills east of Mandalay at the altitude of 1,070m. It features many examples of colonial architecture, transport in traditional stage coaches and a beautiful botanic garden covering 170 acres of land and 70 acres of water. You will stroll around the National Kandawgyi Garden before a visit to Naung Kan Gyi Paya for a hilltop view to the town, Colonial town centre, continue to Church of the Immaculate Conception, the 100-year-old brick church, Chinese temple by Yunnan immigrants. Candacraig hotel, a colonial mansion, was built by British Bombay Burma Trading Company in 1904, in a beautiful garden setting. You will then return to Mandalay for overnight stay.
Day 5: Mandalay/Bagan
Another early morning start as you will leave to the airport for flight to Nyaung Oo (Bagan).
You will spend this day and the next one to explore Bagan. You can choose which sites to visit among thousands of pagodas and temples in the area, considering the outstanding sights. Ananda temple is one of the finest, largest and best-preserved temples of Bagan, fully restored after suffering damage in the 1975 earthquake. Built around 1105 by King Kyanzittha, this perfectly proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. Dhammayangyi Temple was built during the 12th century and resembles a pyramid from the side with impressive mortar-less brickwork. Htilo-Minlo Temple is a massive complex that features traces of old murals, original fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations. Shwezigon Pagoda, built to enshrine one of the four replicas of the Buddha tooth from Kandy, Sri Lanka, and to mark the northern edge of the city. Upali Thein is one of the few ordination halls still standing. Mingalazedi, known as the “blessing stupa”, was built in 1277 by Narathihapati. Mingalazedi is noted for its fine proportions and for the many beautiful glazed Jataka tiles around its terraces, also an excellent spot for a nice afternoon view, as it is located far on the western side of the pagoda plain. Your overnight stay will be in Bagan.
Day 6: Bagan/Popa/Bagan
This morning, you will drive to Mt. Popa, about 48km south east of Bagan, home of the country’s most powerful Nats (sacred spirits) and offers an entrancing view across the plains of upper Myanmar. Mount Popa is also known as the “flower mountain”, which houses 37 life-size nat statues sculpted from teak, 777 steep stairs lead up to the 737 meters (2.417ft) high peak of its extinct volcanic vent (Taungkalat) with pagodas and small temples perched at the summit. After hiking up and down, you will have a rest and continue to Thatbyinnyu, a temple with 61 meters highest building in Bagan. Dhammayazika Pagoda was built by Narapatisithu in 1196 and almost looks like the Shwezigon Pagoda, however, it was built on a pentagon terrace with five little temples, each containing a Buddha image. The pagoda offers a nice view over the Bagan Plain. You will stay overnight in Bagan
Day 7: Bagan/Heho/Inle Lake
In the morning, you will drive to the airport of Nyaung Oo and board the flight from Bagan to Heho.
As you reach Nyaung Shwe at the Inle Lake, you will board a boat and be ferried to your hotel on the Inle Lake. The Inle Lake is 22 km (14 mi) long, about 11 km (7 mi) wide and lies a comfortable 875 m (2.871 ft) above sea level. It is very shallow, only two to three meters deep. The lake is surrounded by high plateaus and overlooked by the misty Shan mountains. It is also the home of the Intha people, who have adapted to their environment by building entire villages rising on stilts from the shallow waters. Lake dwellers grow an array of flowers and vegetables in picturesque floating gardens and fields, tended by workers in canoes. They have become famous for their unique one-leg rowing technique. You will visit Nga Phe Monastery, the "Monastery of the jumping cats", where monks have trained their cats to jump through hoops. The different ancient Buddha images inside make this monastery a worthwhile stop. You will spend your overnight at Inle Lake.
Day 8: Inle Lake Discover
Today, you will have a full day sightseeing on and around Inle Lake. The Five-Day market rotates in different villages around over five days, offers variety of products grown on floating gardens, with the presence of different tribal groups. You will call in at Indaing pagoda in Indaing Village, the pagoda is original home of the five famous Buddha images of Inle lake. Phaung Daw U pagoda complex is the holiest religious site in the southern area of the Shan state. Kaung Daing Village on the northwest share of the lake is famous for rice crackers, tofu snacks and fried beans. You will also have chance to explore traditional crafts such as silk weaving at Inbawkhone, gold and silver smithing or paper making at Ywama, boat making and cheroot making at Nam Pan.
Day 9: Inle Lake/Heho/Yangon
Free time at leisure follow by the morning flight will take you back to Yangon.
Arriving in Yangon, you will have sightseeing for the rest of the day. Botataung Pagoda was named after the 1.000 military soldiers escorted relics of the Buddha brought from India over 2.000 years ago.
This ancient monument was destroyed during World War II and is one of the few pagodas in Myanmar which allows visitors to step inside. You will stroll around the China town with Kheng Hock Keong – the largest Chinese temple in Yangon. Your overnight stay will be in Yangon
Day 10: Yangon/Bangkok
Your time will be yours until the time to drive to the airport for your flight (TG 304 09:50 ~ 11:45) to Bangkok. When you arrive, you’ll be met by our driver and driven to the hotel in Bangkok Center for your overnight stay.
Day 11: Bangkok Free
Your time will be yours to do anything you wish
Day 12: Bangkok/Paro/Thimphu by Bhutan Airlines
Be ready at 09:30am for a very early start today as you will board the only morning flight B3 701 (06:30 ~ 09:55) to Paro by Bhutan Airline. In clear weather, you will be able to enjoy magnificent views of the world’s highest peaks, give way to the lush green Paro valley as you land. Upon arrival at Paro, our local guide will receive you at the airport and drive to Thimphu for one hour. After checking in at the hotel you can rest for a while. Later, you will visit the folk Heritage museum, to see the replica of a traditional farm house in some of the rural areas or the farm house in olden days. Visit the Memorial stupa which was built in the memory of the beloved 3rd King in 1974. Overnight at the hotel in Thimphu.
Day 13: Thimphu sightseeing
After breakfast at hotel, you will drive for half an hour (12 km) towards north of Thimphu valley and then you will have a hike for almost 2 hours. Tango Goemba (monastery) was founded by Lama Gyalwa Lhanampa in the 12th century. The present building was built in the 15th century by the Divine Mad Man “Drukpa Kuenly”. In 1616 Shabdrung Nawang Namgyel visited Tango Goemba and meditated in a cave nearby. Today Tango is the residence of an important young Trulku (reincarnate lama) who is recognized as the 17th reincarnation of highly respected forth Desi, Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, whose previous reincarnation passed away in 1830. Also at present the monastery serves as the prestigious Buddhist University for the monks of the state religion. You may also see some birds around this vicinity.
After hiking, you will return back to the city for lunch and drive 10 minutes to the Buddha point to see one of the largest statues of the Buddha in the world. Thimphu city is best viewed from the Buddha point as well. Followed is a visit to the mini zoo to see the Takins which is Bhutan’s national animals. You will visit the paper factory where you will see how they make Bhutanese handmade papers and gifts made from traditional papers. Overnight in Thimphu.
Day 14: Thimphu/Punakha
Today, you will drive to Punakha for 2.5 hours with short stop at Dochula pass. If the weather is clear, you could have a superb view of the Bhutan’s Himalayas. Upon your arrival in Punakha, you will be taken to your hotel for checking in. Have lunch in Punakha town and visit beautiful Punakha Dzong built in 1637 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Based on the prophecy of Guru Padmasambava the dzong is situated between two famous rivers, Pho Chu (Male River) and Mo Chu (Female River). Later in the evening you can hike to Khamsum Yuelley Namgyel Chorten. The hike is wonderful posing its fascinating view of Mochu River and valley. Dinner will be in one of the typical villages. You can taste their distilled local wine (Bhutanese Ara), traditional butter tea with snacks and eat traditional food. Overall you can enjoy conversation with them and know more on their life and their subsistence farming. You will then return back to your hotel in Punakha for overnight stay.
Day 15: Punakha White Water Rafting
Today after your easy breakfast, you will drive to the Rafting starting point of Phochu or Mochu River to start your river rafting for about 2-3 hours through beautiful basin of Punakha River and its unique ancient capital’s valleys. You’ll then get back to your hotel after lunch and spend the rest of time for your free.
Day 16: Punakha/Paro
You hike for an hour to Chime Lhakhang; this temple was built by Lama Drukpa Kuenley, who is known as Divine Mad Man. He subdued the demons with his “Magical Thunder bolt". The Temple is also known as "the Temple of Fertility". It’s believed that the childless women can be conceived after they are blessed from the temple. Later, you will drive back to Paro for 4 hours and have lunch in the town. In the afternoon, visit Kyichu monastery dating back to the 7th Century. This is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan built by Tibetan king Songtshen Gempo to pin down the ogress. Afterwards drive and visit the historical Drugyel Dzong which is a ruin fortress now, built by Shabdrung in 1649 to commemorate the winning victory over the Tibetans in 1644. Thus Drugyel Dzong means the Bhutanese victorious fortress. You’ll then get back to your hotel and spend your night there.
Day 17: Paro Tiger’s nest hike
You will have car drive till the road end and begin your hike up hill to the famous Paro Tiger’s nest. Walking time will be around 5 hours for a round trip so you will need some effort and break, also for photo opportunities, enjoy the mountain view (horse ride is available upon request and surcharge). Taktsang monastery is perched on the face of a cliff 800 Mts, above the Paro valley. It is a memorable spiritual journey. It was heard that the great Tantric master, Guru Padmasambhava flew in from Tibet on the back of a flying tigress to propagate his teachings in Bhutan. Lunch at the cafeteria or you will be served catering from a restaurant. You will then return to Paro where you’ll spend your night.
Day 18: Paro/Bangkok/Departure
Your guide and driver will pick up at good time to the airport for your international departure flight. Tour ends!