10Days Comprehensive Myanmar Tour

Arrive at Yangon airport in the morning. Meet with your guide at Yangon international Arrival Hall after clearing immigration and custom formalities. He or she will welcome you or your group with welcome signboard. Then transfer to your hotel for check-in (if early check-in is available). If early check-in is not available then drive through the Colonial Style Buildings downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian quarter. Enjoy your photo stop at Sule Pagoda and City Hall.

In the afternoon, drive around the Kandawgyi Park and pass through the Karaweik Royal Barge. Then visit to the reclining Buddha at Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, is almost as large as the enormous figure in Bago Shwethalyaung. Enjoy sunset at Shwedagon Pagoda, the ‘heart’ of Buddhist Myanmar. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and there are always full with many people praying and making offerings at Shwedagon and especially on Full Mon days and religious days. Accommodation at hotel, Yangon.

This morning transfer to Bagan Airport. Domestic flight from Bagan to Mandalay. From the airport, drive to Amarapura and visit U-Bein Bridge, which is 1.2km long leak bridge over the Taung Thaman Lake. Then visit to Mahagandayon Monastery, known as the biggest Buddhist learning Centre in Mandalay to learn the daily life of monks. Visit to the Silk Weaving workshops. Continue visit Mahamuni Pagoda, built by King Bodawpaya in 1784, the centrepiece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni buddha image, which was transported to Mandalay from Mrauk-U (Rakhine) in 1784. Continue visit to Marble Curving workshops and Gold Leaf Beating workshops.

In the afternoon, visit Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery) as a museum, an ancient wooden monastery. The building is covered inside and out with carved panels and which was apartment of King Mindon. Then visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda (also known as the Maha Lawka Marazein Pagoda), the pagoda complex has been dubbed ‘the world’s biggest book’, for standing around the central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Tripitaka. Each slab is housed in its own individual small stupa. Continue to Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda, it is chiefly interesting for the hug seated Buddha image carved from a single block of marble. Enjoy Sunset at Mandalay Hill. Accommodation at hotel, Mandalay.

This morning, transfer to Mandalay jetty and enjoy boat trip (approx. 45 minutes) to Mingun. If you’re lucky you may even spot a pod of rare Irrawaddy dolphins along the river. Arrive Mingun and sightseeing by Bullock-carts. Visit Mingun Bell, weighing 55,555 viss (90) tonnes and the largest hung uncracked bell in the world. Then Visit to Mingun Pagoda, built in 1790 by Bodawpaya with thousands of slaves and prisoners of war laboured. Then continue to Hsinbyume Pagoda (Also known as Myatheindan Pagoda), built byKing Bagyidaw in 1816 and this stupa was construed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinpyume Princess. Later return to Mandalay.

In the afternoon, transfer to jetty and take the local ferry to visit Innwa (Ava)and sightseeing around Ava by horse-cart. First visit to Maha Aungmye Bonzn Monastery (Also known as the Ok Kyaung), brick-and-stucco monastery built by Meh Nu, the chief queen of Bagyidaw, for her royal abbot U Po (Nyaunggan Sayadaw) in 1818. Then visit to Nanmyin Watch Tower, 27m high masonry watchtower and climb to the top to enjoy views over the river. Then continue to Bagaya Kyaung, which dates from 1834 and built of teak and supported by 267 teak posts. Continue to Sagaing and sunset at Sagaing Hill and the hill itself has a number or stupas and monasteries.

This morning, start your full day Bagan sightseeing tour with a visit to Nyaung Local Market. Then visit to see the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda, where the 37 pre-Buddhist ‘nets’ were first officially endorsed by the Barmar monarchy. The 12^th Century originals were spirited away by a collector and are now reportedly somewhere in Italy. Then visit to Gubyaukgyi Temple, Wetgyi-Inn Village between Bagan and Nyaung-U. It was built in early 13th century, on the model of Maha Bodhi Zedi. Next stop is Htilominlo situated close to the road between Nyaung U and Bagan, built by king Nantaungmya in 1218 and traces of old murals are also still visible. Take photo around the temples.

In the afternoon, then visit Nanpaya Temple, built in the Mon style with intricate stone carvings, and said once to have been Manuha’s residence. See the four Buddha images in Manuha Pagoda. Then stop at Myazedi Stupa to see Myanmar’s “Rosetta Stone”, bearing inscriptions written in four languages. Continue to the Myinkaba area and visit Gubyaukgyi Temple, this temple was built in 1113 by Kyansittha’s son Rajakumar, on his father’s death. The fine stuccowork on it exterior walls is in particularly good condition. Then visit to Lacquer Ware Factory to watch craftsmen skilfully making this most famous of Bagan handicrafts. In the afternoon, Enjoy Sunset at Shwe Sandaw Pagoda (or) Buu Pagoda.

This morning, visit to Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing Buddha’s, and the adjacent brick monastery with beautiful, well-preserved 18^th century murals. Then visit to Tharabar Gate, is part of the ancient 9th century wall. There are two niches containing images of the nats (protective spirits) or guardians of the gate, most of the locals stop here to present small offerings to prevent traffic accidents. Then visit to Shwegugyi Pagoda, was built by King Alaung Sithu during A.D 1141. This pagoda is located near the entrance of the Royal Palace therefore also known as Nan Oo Paya in Myanmar. Continue visit to Thatbyinnyu ‘Omniscient’ Temple, one of the highest in Bagan, rises to 61m and was built by Alaungsithu around the mid-12^th Century.

Then visit Dhammayangyi, a massive-looking temple dating from 1170, which is famous for its interlocking mortar-less brickwork. Then visit Sulamani, more sophisticate temple styles, with better internal lighting. Constructed circa 1181 by Narapatisithu and the temple features two storeys standing on broad terraces assembled to create a pyramid effect. Continue visit to Dhammayazika Temple, was built by King Narapati Sithu. The name of the pagoda, Dhammayazika or Dhammarajika in Pali means “Pertaining the King of Law. The structure of Dhammayazika Pagoda has pentagonal terraces instead of the usual Bagan pagodas, the square base.

In the afternoon, visit to Lemyethna Temple built in 1222, topped by and Indian-style spire like that on Ananda. Continue to Payathonzu (the name literally means Three Stupas) design is remarkably similar to Khmer Buddhist ruins in Thailand and two of the shrines contain vaguely Chinese or Tibetan-looking mural paintings that contain Bodhisattva figures. Visit Nandamannya Temple, dating from the mid-13^th Century with fine frescoes and an unexpectedly erotic mural. Take a break from temples and wander through the village of Minnanthu to see how the local people live. Enjoy sunset at Pyathadar Temple, is a double-cave type monument. Accommodation at Bagan.

This morning transfer to Nyaung U Airport. Domestic flight from Bagan to Heho. Transfer from Heho airport to Nyaungshwe on the edge of Inle Lake and board your own local boat to take you to your hotel.

In the afternoon, enjoy your Inle Lake Boat Trip and you will see the lake’s unique “Leg Rowers” – the Intha people row standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. Visit to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the holiest religious site in the southern Sahan State. Five images, for of which are ferried around the lake during Phaung Daw U Festival (late September/early October – please check with us for exact festival date). Then stalls on the ground floor of the shrine and nearby sell brightly coloured cotton Shan shoulder bags, other local crafts and ‘antiques’. Silk and cotton fabrics are a local speciality, there are over 200 handloom. Continue visit to Nga Phe Kyaung (Jumping Cat Monastery), wooden monastery on stilts over the lake.

This morning visit to village of Maing Thauk on the edge of Inle Lake by boat. Walk up a dirt track through the village and continue up the hill to a stupa. The walk takes around 2 hours round trip and the route is not steep.

In the afternoon, we enjoy another boat tour to Indein, at the western end of the Lake. The boat takes you through a long and this ride is one of the most scenic boat tours on Lake Inle.

This morning, leave your hotel by boat and then drive to Heho Airport for your domestic fight back to Yangon. Arrive at Yangon Airport and drive to visit Kaba Aye Pagoda (World Peace Pagoda), is hollow and inside are some nice Buddhist sculptures. Then continue visit to Mahar Parsana Cave, has six huge concrete pillars and six entrances to mark the Sixth Great Synod. The assembly hall inside is 220 feet in length and 140 feet in width.

In the afternoon, visit to Bogyoke (Scott) Market (closed on Mondays & Public Holidays) and it has the largest selection of Burmese handicrafts. Then visit to Botathaung Pagoda close to the Yangon Wharves. Before enjoy dinner visit to China Town, where you can fine a lot of gold shops and food stalls where local people enjoy their evening. Accommodation at Yangon.