Excellence Tour

Yangon - Mandalay - Amarapura - Mingun - Sagaing - Inwa- Bagan - Mt. Popa- Bagan- Heho - Kakku - Inle -Pindaya-Yangon - Bago - Kyaikhtiyo- Yangon (15D / 14 N)

Brief Itinerary

Day – 01:Yangon arrival and sightseeing (by car)
Arrive at Yangon International Airport to be welcomed upon arrival by your gracious tour guide. Transfer and check into your hotel. In the afternoon, take a tour of Yangon including a photo stop at Karaweik Hall (named after a sacred mythological bird) which is a royal barge floating in Kandawgyi ("Royal") Lake and then stop at the Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda (Reclining Buddha) a colossal reclining Buddha (which is only surpassed in size by the one in Bago). Later that afternoon, visit to the city center and see the gilded 2,500 year-old Sule Pagoda (a magnificent octagonal golden pagoda which is said to enshrine a hair of Buddha). Then, you will visit the beautiful colonial-style buildings surrounding Mahabandula Park, take a tour of the Naga (hand blown) Glass Factory and stroll through the quaint and narrow streets of Chinatown including the short visit to Tao Temple. Spend the night at your hotel in Yangon.

Day – 02: Yangon full day sightseeing
After breakfast your at hotel, you will be driven to the Botahtaung Pagoda, to the National Museum and to the Nanthida jetty to watch the traffic on the Yangon River. Luxury cruise liners often come to dock at this jetty. In the afternoon, you will visit the Kaba Aye (World's Peace) Pagoda, the Mahapasana Cave and the Lawka Chanthar Arbayar Laba Muni Buddha Image (Kyauktawgyi), which was carved from the one piece of white is marble rock and which is flawless, and the White Elephant Camp where three white elephants are kept (in Myanmar, the white elephant is regarded with great veneration). Spend the night at your hotel in Yangon.

Day – 03: Yangon-Mandalay (by flight & car)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the Yangon airport for your flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel where you will check in. Your sightseeing will begin with a visit to the Mahamuni Pagoda (Mandalay’s most fabled pagoda built in 1784 by King Bodawpaya to house the Mahamuni Image). Then, you will visit the tapestry making home cottage, marble carving workshop, gold-leaf pounding workshop and the silk weaving factory. Afterwards, you will be taken to the Kyauktawgyi Pagoda, which has a large Buddha image carved out of a single block of marble, to the Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace) noted for its exquisite woodcarvings, and to the Kuthodaw Pagoda known as the World's Biggest Book for its stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures. In the evening, enjoy the sunset from Mandalay Hill with the panoramic view of Mandalay below. Spend the night at your hotel in Mandalay.

Day – 04: Mandalay - Amarapura- Mingun (by car & boat)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to Amarapura, an ancient capital of Myanmar, which was founded in the 18th century. You will visit the Mahagandayon Monastery to observe the daily lives of the Buddhist monks who live there. Next, you will visit U Bein Bridge (a teak bridge, which is the longest wooden bridge in the world). You will then be transferred to a jetty to take a private boat along the Ayeyarwaddy River to visit Mingun, a village on the west bank of the river. You will visit to the Mingun Pahtotawgyi (a 162 ft. pagoda built by King Bodawpaya that was never finished, but if it were, it would have reached a height of some 500 ft.), the Mingun Bell (which is the world's biggest ringing bell) and the Myatheintan Pagoda (which is one of the prettiest pagodas in Myanmar built as a representation of the Buddhist plan of the cosmos). Then you will explore the surrounding village. In the evening, you will return to Mandalay. Spend the night at your hotel in Mandalay.

Day – 05: Mandalay - Sagaing – Inwa (by car)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to Sagaing Hill, which is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar and is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers. The landscape around Sagaing Hill is dotted with numerous white-painted pagodas and monasteries. You will continue your tour with a visit to Kaungmudaw Pagoda, to the Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and to the Pottery Making Village and the to Silversmith Workshop. You will proceed to Inwa, another ancient capital, known as the kingdom of Inwa during the Second Myanmar Empire. It is a small town south of Amarapura. The sites that you will see in Inwa include: the Nan Myint Watch Tower, the Maha Aungmyae Bonzan Monestery, the Bagaya Monestery and the Inwa Bridge spanning the Ayeyarwaddy River. Late in the day, you will be driven back to Mandalay. Spend the night at your hotel in Mandalay.

Day – 06: Mandalay – Bagan (by express boat & car)
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to a jetty to take a whole-day express boat trip to Bagan. While onboard, you will observe the boat traffic and many bustling activities on the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River. The boat will arrive in Bagan in late afternoon (Bagan was the first and most beautiful capital of the Burma, founded in the eleventh century by King Anawrahta. Along with Angkor in Cambodia, this is the most important temple and pagoda complex in Asia). Upon your arrival in Bagan, you will be transferred to your hotel. Spend the night at your hotel in Bagan.

Day – 07: Bagan full day sightseeing (by car)
After an early morning breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to the Yangon airport for your flight to Bagan. You will be transferred to your hotel to check in. You will then have a full day of sightseeing including a visit to the colorful Nyaung U Market, to the Shwezigon Pagoda (with its magnificent golden stupa), to the Htilominlo Temple (noted for its fine plaster carvings and glazed stone decoration) and to the Gubyaukgyi Temple (with its superb mural paintings of jataka scenes). Next, you will visit the Myinkaba Village where you will observe the Traditional Lacquer-ware Industry, which is one of Myanmar's best-known handicrafts. Your tour will continue to the Manuha Temple, erected over huge Buddha-images and to the Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece and an excellent example of an early-style Myanmar temple with four impressive standing Buddha images. Next, you will be taken to the Thabinnyu Temple, the highest temple in Bagan and, last but not least, to the Dhamayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. Cap off a perfect day by enjoying the dramatic sunset from the terrace of Shwesandaw Pagoda. Spend the night at your hotel in Bagan.

Day – 08: Bagan – Mt. Popa – Bagan (by car)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will stroll through Nyaung-U (Bagan) Market and get a glimpse of the lifestyle of the local people. This market is different from other markets in Myanmar because one-fifth of the market area is occupied by tourists who are attracted by the many souvenirs and antique shops. You will then be driven to Mt. Popa, which is an extinct 5,000 ft. high volcano covered with a forest. The name “Popa” is believed to have derived from a pali word meaning “flower”, so Mt. Popa literally means a mountain of flowers. It is to be considered the residence of Myanmar's most powerful nats (spirits), so it is the most important nat worship center. Many pilgrims visit Mt. Popa every year, especially at festival season. You will climb to the summit of Mt. Popa to see the magnificent panoramic view. After lunch, you will be driven back to Bagan and will proceed to Lawkananda Pagoda, which was built in 1059 by King Anawrahta on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River. The pagoda is one of the four sacred Tooth Relic Pagodas in Myanmar (containing a replica of Buddha’s tooth). Lawkananda’s elongated, cylindrical golden dome is a distinctive landmark of Ayeyarwaddy-fishermen. You will end the day by viewing the dramatic sunset over Bagan from a pagoda. Spend the night at your hotel in Bagan.

Day – 09: Bagan -Heho- Taunggyi - Kakku –Nyaungshwe (by flight, car & boat)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the Bagan airport for your flight to Heho. Upon arrival, you will be driven to Taunggyi, which is the capital of the Southern Shan State and is 1,430 meters above the sea level and surrounded by many pine trees. Due to its high altitude, it has a moderate climate. You will visit the colorful Taunggyi Market where you can see the local hill tribe people going about their daily lives shopping for fruits and vegetables and their regional products. You will then proceed to Kakku, a unique temple complex of more than 2,000 stupas that has been hidden for centures in the Pa-O heartland of Southern Shan State. Late in the day, you will be driven back to Inle Lake where you will be taken by boat toyour hotel. Spend the night at your hotel on Inle Lake.

Day – 10: Inle Lake full day sightseeing ( by boat excursion)
After breakfast at your hotel, your sightseeing will begin with a boat excursion on the lake including a tour of a Blacksmith and a Silversmith Workshop, then, you will continue by boat to the floating islands, to the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda (where worshippers apply gold leaf to the Buddha), to the floating gardens, to see the unique one-legged rowers (who row with one leg, while standing on the other as they are fishing), to see the "traditional fishing method" and a silk weaving factory. At the end of the day, you will visit the Nga Phe Chaung Monastery, also called "jumping cats monastery" because trained cats stay there with the monks. Spend the night at your hotel on Inle Lake.

Day – 11: Inle - Pindaya sightseeing (by boat & car)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to Nyaung Shwe by boat. From there, you will be driven to Pindaya which is situated at 1,164 meters above sea level and which is famous for its extensive limestone caves set deep in the hillsides which are full of thousands of Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement. These Buddha images have been placed there over the centuries and are arranged to form a labyrinth throughout the various cave chambers. You will visit the 15-meter high Shwe U Min Paya cave, which overlooks the picturesque Boutaloke Lake. Pindaya itself is a center for the Myanmar-speaking Taung-yo people. Local handicrafts in Pindaya include Shan paper and parasols made from mulberry bark. At the end of the day, you will be driven back to Inle Lake. Spend the night at your hotel on Inle Lake.

Day – 12: Pindaya – Heho – Yangon – Bago (by flight & car)
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be transferred to the Heho airport for your flight back to Yangon. Upon arrival at Yangon, you will be driven to Bago. Spend the night at your hotel in Bago.

Day – 13: Bago – Kyaikhtiyo (by car)

After breakfast at your hotel, you will be driven to the Kyakhatwine Monastery where there is a procession of a thousand monks (who take their meal every day at 10 AM in total silence) and the Kanbawza Thardi Palace (built by Bayinnaung). Then you will continue on the pilgrimage road runs 10 kilometers to the 1,200 meter high Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda (also known as Golden Rock Pagoda) which is one of the most famous pagodas in this region and is the crown jewel of the Mon State. It is located high in the forested mountains above the Mon capital, Mawlamyaing. The Golden Rock Pagoda stands on a gold-gilded boulder precariously perched at the edge of the cliff 1,100 km. above sea level. The boulder, which appears to be constantly in danger of plunging down the mountainside, seems a miracle in itself. The Golden Rock Pagoda is a small stupa measuring only 5.5 meters high, enthroned with Buddha's hair. The gold covered boulder is in the rough shape of a man's head, representing the head of a hermit. You then will be transported on a truck to a camp from which is approximately one hour on foot to the Golden Rock, which you will visit in the soft light of late afternoon, the best time for taking pictures there. Spend the night at your hotel in Kyaikhtiyo.

Day – 14: Kyaikhtiyo (Golden Rock) – Bago – Yangon (by car)
After breakfast at hotel, you will be driven back to Yangon. On the way, you will do some sightseeing of the most important sights of Bago (the old capital of the Mon people), including: the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, which is the tallest pagoda in Myanmar rising 114 meters high, and the Shwethalyaung Pagoda, which is the world's most beautiful reclining Buddha. Then, you will stop at the Kyaikpun Pagoda, also known as the “Four Faces” pagoda with its four sitting Buddha images, facing the cardinal directions. In the late afternoon, you will be driven back to Yangon. Spend the night at your hotel in Yangon.

Day – 15: Yangon departure
After breakfast at your hotel, you will be taken to the Gems Mart and Handicrafts shops for morning shopping. You will also be taken to the Bogyoke Aung San Market (well known for gems & jewelry, arts & crafts, fabrics & fashions and local products) where you can buy you last-minute souvenirs. You will then be transferred to airport for your departure.

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