Highlights of Myanmar - 9 days/8 nights

Yangon – Mt Popa – Bagan – Mandalay –

– Inle Lake – Yangon

In this unique itinerary, you'll experience a culture in harmony with its religion and beautiful landscape, but with an underlying tension resulting from the rule of its military leaders. Go back in time as local Buddhists painstakingly attach gold-leaf to statues and temples, as monks make their morning rounds for alms, and as fishermen toss their nets in the rivers and lakes. Your private local guides will involve you in the local culture, cuisine, and customs of this devoutly Buddhist country in an itinerary designed to have a balance between seeing the major sights and experiencing the local culture.

• Itinerary
• Rates
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• Book this Tour

Privately-Guided! Whether you are a single person, a couple, or a group, you'll have your own guide and driver for all airport pickups, dropoffs, and daily excursions. 

Choose your own dates! This is not a fixed-departure-date tour. Just let us know the dates that work best for you and we will arrange everything.

Customizable! Need more time? Less time? Want to see or do something that isn't included? Just let us know, and we will arrange it for you and let you know the change in costs.

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Trip Highlights

• Mt. Popa and local rural villages
• Ancient capital Bagan and its temples
• Tapestry workshop in Mandalay
• 2548 pagodas of Kakku

Itinerary

Day 1:  Arrive Yangon
Arrive at Yangon International airport in the morning where you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a walking tour in the heart of Yangon. See the interesting architecture and have plenty of opportunities to take pictures of Burma’s capital. Visit the Chauk Htut Gyi Reclining Buddha Image.

After lunch visit Bogyoke Market where you can shop for handmade souvenirs from the local merchants and continue on to Kandawgyi Park. In the evening, when the crowds are fewer visit the famed Shwedagon Pagoda for magical views. Have dinner at Karaweik Palace restaurant and enjoy an evening of traditional Myanmar dance and music. Overnight in Yangon. (Dinner)

Day 2:  Yangon to Bagan to Mt. Popa
Transfer to the airport for your early morning flight to Bagan. Upon arrival at the airport you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel. Begin your tour with a visit to Nyaung Oo Typical market to observe how the locals live. Then, drive for an hour to Mt. Popa (4981 feet), an extinct volcano with temperate weather and lush green landscape. Enjoy lunch at Popa Mountain Resort restaurant. In the afternoon, visit the villages around the area. Enjoy a leisurely evening with great mountain views. Overnight in Mt. Popa. (Breakfast)

Day 3:  Mt. Popa to Bagan
On your drive back to Bagan, see the agrarian lifestyle of local farmers as they extract palm juice from palm trees and make a local favorite candy called “jaggery.” Spend the day exploring Bagan and see the ancient temples that Bagan is renowned for. Visit Shwezigon pagoda, an extraordinary example of the early style of the Myanmar stupa. Next is Htilo Minlo, a temple that is famed for its intricate carving and named after King Nga Daung Mya. Last temple before lunch is Wetgyi-In Gu Byauk Gyi which possesses numerous fine mural paintings of jataka scenes depicting Buddha’s life.

In the afternoon visit the workplace of handmade lacquerware. Continue visiting Bagan’s temples, including the massive Dhamayangyi temple, beautiful Anada temple, and Bagan’s tallest temple, Thatbyinnyu. Visit Shwesandaw Pagoda for unparalleled views of Bagan’s landscape at sunset. Overnight in Bagan. (Breakfast)

Day 4:  Bagan to Mandalay   
Transfer to the airport for your morning flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival you will be welcomed and transferred to your hotel. Visit Amarapura, the 18th century capital of Myanmar. See Maha Gandayon Monastery and observe the daily meal of over a thousand monks at the country’s largest Monastery. Next is a short drive to the famed U Bein Bridge: a 158 year old teak wood bridge - the longest teak bridge in the world. Amarapura is also known for its fine silk weaving, and after crossing the U Bein Bridge you will have the opportunity to view a silk weaving center.

After lunch return to Mandalay and visit Mahi Muni Image, the most sacred Pagoda in Upper Myanmar. Cotinue on to Zay Cho Market to shop for hand made goods and then visit a tapestry workshop to learn about this traditional process.  Later visit Shwenandaw Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda, and end your day on Mandalay Hill with magnificent views of the city. Overnight in Mandalay. (Breakfast)

Day 5:  Mandalay to Mingun to Saggaing
Take a morning hou-long boat excursion to Mingun village on the bank of Ayarwaddy River. Enjoy a picnic on board while taking in the relaxing views and see how the local people live. Disembark at Mingun and proceed to the Mya Thein Dan Zedi. The views from the top of this temple are among the best in the region. Also visit the Mingun Bell, considered the world’s largest ringing bell.

After lunch on the boat, return to Mandalay where you continue on by car to Saggaing. Visit Saggaing hill, regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. Enjoy the great panoramic view of the city and river before visiting a home for nuns to observe their daily work.  Drive back to Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay. (Breakfast)

Day 6:  Mandalay to Heho to Inle Lake
Transfer to the airport for your morning flight from Mandalay to Heho. Upon arrival be welcomed and driven to Kakku via Taunggyi, the capital of southern Shan State. En route, visit a Pa-O village and observer their lifestyle. Kakku was recently opened to foreigners and has an amazing 2548 pagodas built within a very small area. Continue on to Nyaung Shwe. Upon arrival, board a boat that will take you to a stunning hotel that has a great vantage point for some of the best sunsets in the region. Overnight in Inle Lake. (Breakfast)

Day 7:  Inle Lake
Inle Lake is often called the “Venice of the East." Take some time to see the floating gardens and observe the lifestyle of the local people. Watch carefully and you can see boatmen paddle their craft with an oar using their foot. Visit Ymama village and its floating gardens, traditional weaving mill, and silk weaving workshops. See how Burmese Cheroots are produced mainly by young ladies using traditional methods at Nampan village. Also visit the work place of Shan paper, made from mulberry bark. Visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda and its 5 holy Buddha images. Finally visit Nga Phe Chaung Monastery, one of the most impressive of the many monasteries on the lake with its 150-200 pillars with elaborate wooden carvings. This monastery is also known as the “jumping cat monastery” where visitors are treated to a show that involves well-trained felines.

Evening free at leisure, we recommend visiting the colorful five day market to see hill tribes trading their farm products, art, and unique wooden sculptures in a bustling atmosphere. Overnight in Inle Lake (Breakfast)

Day 8:  Inle Lake to Heho to Yangon

Transfer to the airport for your short flight to Yangon. Upon arrival be welcomed and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for your last night in Burma. Overnight in Yangon. (Breakfast)

Day 9:  Yangon to Home

Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (Breakfast)

Rates

Per Person Rates (based on double occupancy):

Prices good through September 30, 2010. 

4-star Hotels: $ 2,250

4 and 5-star Hotels: $ 2,585  

Single Person Traveling Alone

4-star Hotels: $ 3,990

4 and 5-Star Hotels: $ 4,555  

Single Room Supplement (in groups of 2 or more)

4-star Hotels: $ 675

4 and 5- star Hotels: $ 1000

Rates Include

• All airport transfers to and from hotel by private car
• All tours and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
• In-country flights as outlined in the itinerary
• All surface transportation as per the itinerary by air-conditioned car with bottled water and cool towels
• Hotel accommodation on twin sharing bed & breakfast basis inclusive of all taxes and service charges.
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary
• Entrance fees to indicated sites
• Services of a local English speaking guide for all visits and excursions.
• Yangon International Airport tax USD $10 per person on departure day

Rates Do Not Include

• International airfare
• Visa fees
• Tips
• Expenses of a personal nature
• Supplements for stays on Christmas or New Year's Eve and mandatory gala dinners at the hotels on those dates.
  

Hotels

Hotels - The best hotels in the best locations!

Hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking. If a hotel listed below is not available, an alternative hotel of similar quality will be substituted.

To Book This Tour

1. Download, print, and fill out the Reservation Form for each person.
2. Fax the form to 206-529-4803, or mail it with your non-refundable $500 per person deposit to:
   
   Red Lantern Journeys
   1000 N. Northlake Way
   Suite H Seattle, WA 98103
   
   
3. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. If your reservation is made less than 75 days prior to departure, full payment will be due upon confirmation of hotels and flights.

 
Payments must be made by personal check, bank wire transfer, or credit card. Upon receipt of your deposit, we will initiate the reservations and send you a statement showing your payment. Approximately 4 weeks prior to your departure, we will send you a final confirmation package containing your itinerary and detailed information on the logistics of your trip.
 
Forms to Download (pdf file)
Reservation Form with Complete Terms and Conditions