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“As the legendary river
carries you to the less-known places such as Phowingtaung (Monywa),
Pakokku, this tour is designed for those expecting authentic
taste of intact areas where only non- mass tourism touched,
on the other hand, classic destinations such as Bagan,
Mandalay and Inle are also finely interlocked with it”
Itinerary
Yangon Arrival
Day 1: Arrival at Yangon International Airport,
welcomed by tour guide, transfers to hotel. Full day city
tour in Yangon starts with drive through the colonial style
buildings downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian
quarter. Visit center's useful landmark, Sule Zedi with its
golden octagonal pagoda. Continue to Temple of Chaukhtatgyi
reclining Buddha. Stop alongside Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake to
take photographs over the lake towards Shwedagon. Enjoy the
sunset at Shwedagon pagoda –
“Its stupa with gilded gold leaves is the « heart » of
Buddhist Myanmar. The pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years
old and the central is surrounded by dozens of intricately
decorated buildings and statues. There are always many
Myanmar people praying and making offerings at Shwedagon,
and it's a fascinating place to spend time watching the
world go by”
Return to your hotel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Yangon- Mandalay
Day 2: Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to
Yangon airport for flight to Mandalay. Drive from Mandalay
airport to the ancient city of Amarapura, where you will
visit Mahagandayon Monastery, home to more than 800 monks
whom you can see having their morning meal. Continue to
nearby U-Bein Bridge, which is over a kilometer long and
made entirely of teak, and take a walk along the bridge.
Check into hotel at late morning. In the afternoon, city
tour is to enjoy a boat trip to Mingun, site of a brick
pagoda towering 50 meters above the Ayeyarwady River, and
home of the world's largest intact bell. The boat trip is
interesting for all types of wooden boats and bamboo rafts,
carrying goods up and down the river. Return to your hotel
on the moment of panoramic sunset on the river. Overnight
stay at hotel. (B)
Mandalay
Day 3: Breakfast at hotel. This morning, after
crossing small canal, visit Ava (Innwa), located on an
island between the Ayeyarwady and the Myitnge River. You
will visit Ava by horse carts and pass through the ancient
city walls to visit a brick and stucco monastery called
Mahaaungmye Bonzan (also known as Ok Kyaung). Continue to
Nanmyin Watch Tower- the climb to the top offers lovely
views over the river. See also the impressive wooden
monastery of Bagaya Kyaung. Time permitting, visit homes in
the village to see local handicrafts, such as silk weaving,
cane mats, and alms bowls. Return to Mandalay for continuous
sightseeing with gold leaf making work, Mahamuni pagoda,
home to Mandalay's holiest Buddha statue. Stop nearby to
view stone carving. Then, visit Shwenandaw Monastery, an
ancient wooden building with intricate carvings, which was
once King Mindon's home. Continue to see "world's largest
book", being the Buddhist Scriptures inscribed on marble
slabs, at Kuthodaw pagoda. Visit Kyaukdawgyi pagoda at see a
large Buddha statue carved out of a single block of local
marble. Enjoy spectacular views at sunset from Mandalay Hill
where there are interesting glass-studded temples. Return to
your hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Mandalay- Monywa
Day 4: Breakfast at hotel. This morning, leave
Mandalay and cross Ava Bridge, which was built by British
engineers, and visit picturesque Sagaing hills, this is
perhaps the living center of Buddhist faith in Myanmar today
and hillsides are dotted with numerous pagodas and
monasteries. Continue to Monywa, before arriving; visit
Thanboddhe Temple, richly decorated central stupa has no
less than 845 smaller stupas around it. Inside the Zedi, you
will see thousands of Buddha images (reportedly over 55,000)
decorating every wall, archway and niche. The building in
the compound have interesting jataka relieves and there is a
huge reclining Buddha nearly. Check into hotel at late
morning. In the afternoon, take a local ferry across the
Chindwin River and drive to visit a sandstone cave system in
the Phowin Taung. These caves, numbering more than one
hundred, are full of Buddhist statues and murals. Most
exhibit the Innwa style but some may date from the 14th
century. Nearby visit Shweba Taung which features unique
pavilions cut from the surrounding sandstone and filled with
Buddha images. Return to Monywa. Overnight stay at hotel.
(B)
Monywa- Bagan
Day 5: Breakfast at hotel. This morning, leave
Monywa; drive back towards Myinmu where to join river
cruise, departing from Mandalay, at Myinmu's small jetty at
bustling atmosphere. This cruise allows you to admire all
daily life styles of people, living on the banks of
Ayeyarwady. Relax on board and observe the nation's dry zone
scenes with typical palm-trees and ground-nut fields.
Estimated arrival time at Bagan around late afternoon when
the spectacular sunset could be seen from the ancient
archeological site as memorable moment. Check into hotel.
Leisure at hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Bagan
Day 6: Breakfast at hotel. Full day Bagan
sightseeing tour -
“Golden stupa of Shwezigon pagoda, which is Pagan's most
important reliquary shrine – look out for images of 37 "Nats"
housed in a small hall. See 12th century frescoes adorning
the corridors of Kyansitta "Cave" temple. Continue to
Gubyaukgyi, another "cave" temple with fine frescoes of "jataka
tales". Next stoop is Htilominlo, the last Bamar style
temple built in Bagan, with old murals and friezes. Pass
through Tharabar Gateway into Old Bagan. In the afternoon,
visit Ananda temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon
architecture with four standing Buddhas, and the adjacent
brick monastery from the early Bagan era with well-preserved
murals. Make a photo stop at the tallest temple measuring 61
meters – Thatbuinnyu known as ": temple of omniscience" and
dating from 1091. Next, visit Dhamayangyi, a massive-looking
temple dating from end of 12th century which is famous for
its interlocking mortar less brickwork. Continue to
Mingalarzedi, the last of the large pagodas built in the
13th century, representing the pinnacle of Bamar pagoda
architecture”
Then, visit local lacquer workshop to watch craftsmen
skillfully making this most famous of Bagan handicrafts.
Short ride by horse carts at the sunset time, and climb to
the top of Shwesandaw stupa to enjoy, magnificent views over
Pagan's temples and the Ayeyarwady River. Return to hotel
after sunset. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Bagan
Day 7: Breakfast at hotel. Second day visit
comprises –
“Early morning visit to
Nyaung-U local market, and then continue to Sulamani,
one of Pagan's great two-storied Bamar style temples which
have 4 seated Buddha images. And visit Lemethna
temple, topped by an Indian-style spire similar to Ananda.
Then, the three shrines of Payathonzu which are
connected by passages adorned with Mahayanist or Tantric
mural paintings. Visit Nandamanya temple 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. In the afternoon, visit
Abeyardanar, temple with frescoes representing
Bodhisattvas and the gods of Indian mythology. Continue to
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's
pagoda and then, stop at Myazedi stupa to see
Myanmar's "Rosetta Stone", bearing inscriptions written in
four languages”
Return to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Bagan- Heho- Pindaya- Inle
Lake
Day 8: Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to
Bagan airport to fly to Heho, upon arrival drive
towards Pindaya, located on the mountain top of 1,300
meters above sea level. Upon arrival, visit the place's
famous natural limestone caves with sacred Buddha images
inside which are named as ShweOoMin pagoda. Visit
some local houses where families produce Shan paper and
parasols. Also walking around the lake, under the colossal
Banyan trees dated over 300 years old. Proceed to Inle Lake
through beautiful landscape of Shan state. Transfer
to hotel, located on the Lake by motorized boat. Check-in at
hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Inle Lake
Day 9: Breakfast at hotel. Enjoy the boat
excursion on Inle Lake –
“Photographer’s dream, its calm waters are dotted with
floating vegetation and fishing canoes, to which scenic high
hills provide the perfect backdrop”
See the lake's unique "leg rowers" –Intha people row
standing up with one leg wrapped around an oar. Visit
Phaung Daw Oo pagoda, the holiest religious site in Shan
State. See traditional handicrafts-silk weaving on wooden
handlooms and a blacksmith shop. Pass endless floating
gardens, where fruits and vegetations are grown. Stop at
Ngaphe Kyaung monastery which is famous for its "jumping
cats". Return to hotel on the moment of beautiful sunset.
Overnight stay at hotel on the lake. (B)
Inle Lake
Day 10: Breakfast at hotel. Transfer by boat to
the village of Mine Thauk on the Eastern Shore of
Inle Lake. (If on market day - visit the market in Mine
Thauk). Start trekking to Mine Thauk Monastery. Walk through
this very scenic village. Magnificent overview on the Inle
can be enjoyed. Continue by boat excursion to rarely- known
site of Indein where certain hundreds of ancient
brick stupas and pagodas dated back to 17 centaury. At the
end of day sunset over the lake from hotel's terrace. Return
to hotel. Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Inle Lake- Heho- Yangon
Day 11: Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to
Heho for fly back to Yangon. Check-in at hotel. Visit to
Kaba Aye (World Peace) Pagoda and Mahapasana Guha
Cave, where the Sixth Buddhist Council took place, and
unique Glass Factory with skilled craftsmen hand-blowing
glass and creating original glassware. Proceed to National
Museum with an 8-meter-high Golden Lion Throne and Mandalay
Royal Regalia. Continue to Yangon's oldest Chinese temple
and the riverside Botataung Pagoda. Return to hotel.
Overnight stay at hotel. (B)
Yangon Departure
Day 12: Breakfast at hotel. Visit Bogyoke (Scott)
market to see Myanmar's wide range of handicrafts. Leisure
time in the afternoon till transfer to the international
airport. (B)
* B – Breakfast only throughout the tour
Temples of Dynasty wish you an excellent journey through the
Golden Land of Myanmar
Inclusive services
Accommodations stay at the hotel with daily breakfast as
twin sharing basic.
All transfer, sight-seeing, and excursion with private
air-conditioned coach including driver service and fuel, and
boat excursion as per itineraries.
All round domestic flights.
Detailed itineraries as per program.
All entrance fees payable in US$ for the sites and monuments
as per program.
English-speaking local guide throughout the journey from
Yangon to Yangon.
Exclusive services
Myanmar visa fees.
Airport tax for international departure.
Meals except breakfast.
Personal expenses.
Insurances.
* Surcharge can be applied for foreign language-speaking
guide, and for full board or half board meal plans.
* Above tour can be customized according to your own travel
nature.
Request price quotation
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