Program 2. Discover Myanmar

Arrive in Yangon and transfer to your comfortable hotel. Begin your exploration of the city with a visit to its colonial quarter, pier, the Sule Pagoda, and the impressive 70-meter-long reclining Buddha statue. Enjoy the wonderful Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset.

Fly to Mandalay and discover Myanmar’s last royal capital. Observe a variety of artisans creating beautifully crafted items of marble, wood, bronze, and gold leaf in their workshops. You will also have the opportunity to visit the city’s famous Jade Market, the lovely Mahamuni Pagoda, Shwenandaw monastery, and Kuthodaw pagoda. Watch the sunset from Mandalay Hill and admire the panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.

Take a two-hour round-trip boat cruise to Mingun village where you will explore the great unfinished pagoda, the world’s largest ringing bell, and the lovely white Myatheindan pagoda. Return to Mandalay and continue on to visit the pagoda-covered hills of Sagaing, crowded with a thousand pagodas and monasteries. Observe talented weavers creating traditional silk and cotton handicrafts in Amarapura, and then take a stroll along the U Bein Bridge, the longest teak bridge in the world.

Morning departure to Ava, a former royal capital. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city’s various cultural districts and visit its rice paddies and beautiful ancient monasteries. Continue to Monywa by car. Check in at your hotel, then depart for the fascinating Powin caves carved into the sandstone mountains. These caves contain thousands of statues of the Buddha as well as paintings from the 14th to 17th century.

Visit the Thanbode temple and then on to Pakoku by road (three hours). Experience the colorful market of Pakkoku before traveling by private boat to Bagan. There, you will explore one of the most impressive archaeological sites in Asia. Enjoy the sunset and a beautiful panoramic view of Bagan at the Shwesandaw pagoda. Stay overnight in Bagan.

Visit the bustling market of Nyaung U, the Shwezigon Pagoda, and the principal monuments of the Bagan site. Observe artisans in a traditional lacquer workshop and stroll through a typical Myanmar village to learn about the lifestyle of the country’s rural inhabitants. Admire the sunset from a beautiful temple.

Drive to volcanic Mount Popa, known as a cool oasis because of its lovely green forest. Stop at a farm to observe the production of sugar and alcohol made from palm trees. Visit a Nat’s Shrine (nats are protective spirits) before climbing 777 steps to reach the top. Stay overnight in Bagan.

Fly to Heho and continue by road to Pindaya (a two-hour drive). This trip will take you through the hills where you will encounter various examples of the culture of the Pa O ethnic minority. Visit the Pindaya natural cave, which houses 8,000 statues of the Buddha. Observe artisans manufacturing traditional umbrellas in their workshops. Return to Heho and continue on to Inle Lake (three hours). Stay overnight at Inle Lake.

Spend the whole day exploring the stilt villages and floating gardens of Inle Lake by boat. You will visit a local lakeside market, the beautiful Paung Daw Oo Pagoda, and a variety of craft workshops. You will also visit the monastery famous for its jumping cats.

Travel by motorboat to Sagar, the former royal city of the Shan ethnic group. This six-hour round trip boat ride along narrow waterways will take you through many villages. You will also have the opportunity to observe the manufacturing of rice alcohol before returning to your comfortable hotel.

Fly to Yangon. Shop for souvenirs and enjoy people-watching as you take a stroll through the famous Bogyoke Market and Chinatown. Stay overnight in Yangon.

Travel by road (four hours) to the mountains. After arriving at the starting point, you will continue on foot for a 10-minute climb to reach Golden Rock. This popular pilgrimage site features spectacular views and a huge gravity-defying gilded rock, which teeters precariously on the edge of a cliff. Stay overnight at a hotel on Golden Rock.

Drive back to Bago, a former capital of the Burmese kingdom. Enjoy a walk around the colorful market before visiting the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, the Shwethalaung reclining Buddha statue, and the Kyeinpun pagoda. Stay overnight at Yangon.

Transfer from your comfortable hotel to the airport for international departures.