Myanmar Experience

Min Gala Ba! Welcome to Myanmar. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. You can arrive at any time during the day as there are no activities planned until this important meeting. Please check with hotel reception for where and when the meeting will take place.

Start the day with an orientation tour of Yangon. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to explore the city at your own pace.  
In the afternoon, transfer to the railway station and board an overnight train to Bagan. Overnight train travel in Myanmar is a real adventure. Trains are one of the safest travel options around the country, and you’ll get to experience travelling the way the locals do. Cabins are basic four-berth compartments with doors to a corridor. There are no showers but there is a toilet at the end of each carriage. While the trains aren't air conditioned, there is usually a ceiling fan and plenty of airflow.

Arrive at Bagan after an overnight train ride. Please note that this train ride usually takes 17 to 20 hours and rarely runs to schedule. Although the scheduled arrive time is 11.00 am, you can expect to arrive closer to midday. 
The afternoon is yours to explore your new surrounds in Bagan. 

Spend the entire day sightseeing in Bagan. You’ll be given a bicycle and toured through the site by a local guide. You’ll get to see many of the large and impressive temples such as Ananda Pahto, Dhammayangyi Pahto and Shwesandaw Paya, as well as some of the smaller hidden gems. Exploring the temple site by bike is a great way to take in the atmosphere of this amazing place. There are also many opportunities to climb stairs to vantage points and capture some magical views. To fully enjoy the day out, please make sure you wear comfortable clothes and adequate protection from the sun (long sleeves, sunglasses and hat).
If you have some free time at the end of the day.

Board a public ferry before dawn and cruise up the Ayeyarwady River to Mandalay. Depending on the daily schedule, the ferry departs at either 5:00 am, 6:30 am or 7:00 am. You'll likely spend most of the day on deck watching riverside life go by, a wonderful way to experience Burmese local life. Some ferries also have a cafe/bar on the upper deck for drinks and simple meals, but you may also like to bring your own food with you. 
Arrive at Mandalay at 5:30 pm and transfer to a simple hotel where you’ll be staying for the next two nights.

Travel further along the Ayeyarwady River this morning to the archaeological site of Mingun. Here you’ll see the Mingun Pahtodawgyi, an incomplete stupa which would have been the largest in the world. You’ll also see the world’s largest ringing bell and the nearby beautiful white Hsinphymae Pagoda. 
The rest of the day is a free day to explore the amazing city of Mandalay. Once known as The Golden City, Mandalay was the last capital of the former Kingdom of Myanmar. Perhaps see the city by taking a local van or bus to Mahamuni Buddha Temple, an important pilgrimage site famous for its 2000-year-old golden Buddha statue. You may also like to visit the nearby cottage industries where gold leaf is made or go to Shwe In Bin Kyaung, the intricately carved teak monastery. Alternatively, take a half-day trip up to the hill town of Pyin Oo Lwin. 
In the evening, perhaps head to Mandalay Hill for a sunset view over the town, or see a puppetry or dance performance at the Mandalay Marionettes or Mintha Theatre.

Rise early this morning, and travel to Kalaw by private bus along the Great Road of China – the new superhighway built by the Chinese (approx. 8 hours). On the way we stop in at the impressive U Bein Bridge. At 1.2km long it is the world’s longest teak bridge. 
Kalaw is located in the mountains of Shan state and features stunning scenery.

Today head to the hills and explore the villages, farms and forests in the area near Kalaw. Kalaw provides welcome relief from the heat of Myanmar's low-lying areas and is home to various ethnic minority groups, including the Palaung, Danu and Pa-O, as well as Indians and Nepalese who moved here during the British rule. We stop for a simple lunch at one of these local villages.

Enjoy some free time this morning to see some more of the sights of Kalaw. In the afternoon, travel by bus for about three hours to Inle Lake. The calm waters of Inle Lake are the life-blood for many ethnic minority communities. They live in stilt houses along the lake's shallow fringes and surrounding areas.

Start the day by heading out in a motorised boat. You’ll see local life on the lake including fisherman who use a distinctive leg-rowing technique on their boats, floating tomato plantations and cottage industries such as silversmiths, weavers and cigar makers. If you’re lucky, you might even see the floating market which circles the lake every five days. Here you can buy traditional wares produced by the locals. 
Later in the day, you’ll visit some villages where locals greet you with a smile and you can browse the various handicraft items. At the end if the day, make your way back to the base in Nyaungshwe.

Enjoy a free day at Inle Lake. 

Bid farewell to the splendour of Shan state and make your way to the airport in Heho. From here, take a one-hour flight back to the hustle and bustle of Yangon. 
Your trip ends upon arrival at Yangon airport and you’re free to leave at any time.