YANGON – BAGAN – MANDALAY – HEHO (INLAY LAKE) – YANGON

Downtown Yangon

Upon arrival your tour representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel. After wards, travel by private vehicle and take a walk around Downtown Yangon where you find a diverse mix of colonial architecture from the British times and high-rises built by more recent investors. You can then visit the famous Bogyoke Market (closed on Mondays) also known as the Scott Market. This is Myanmar’s largest market and contains over 2,000 local shops where you can purchase or browse through a variety of items including traditional clothes, art, jewelry, souvenirs etc.

After shopping, take a break at the hotel and freshen up.

Evening, closer to sunset, visit the 2000-year-old golden Sule Pagoda located at the center of the city. This is a great example of modern Asian business life melding with ancient Burmese tradition. You will find a lively atmosphere around the pagoda with many local visitors as well as shops.

Overnight in Yangon.

Temples of Bagan

After breakfast, transfer to the Yangon Airport to fly to Bagan.

Your tour representative will pick you up at the Bagan airport. Check into the hotel and depart for a sightseeing excursion around the Bagan Archaeological Zone World Heritage Area. A comprehensive exploration of Bagan includes Nyaung Oo market, Shwezigon Pagoda: the prototype of later Myanmar stupas, Kyansittha Umin, Wet-kyi-inn Gubyaukgyi Temple: with exquisite mural paintings of the 13th century and Htilominlo Temple. In the afternoon, after a visit to lacquer ware workshops, continue to Manuha Temple built by exile King Manuha, Ananda Temple: an architectural masterpiece and Oak-Kyaung monastery decorated with multicolor mural paintings. Enjoy the breathtaking sunset views from one of the temples of Bagan.

Overnight in Bagan.

Mahamuni Pagoda

After breakfast, transfer to the Bagan airport to fly to Mandalay.

Your tour representative will meet you at the airport and take you the city of Amarapura which means “City of Immortality”. Amarapura was Myanmar penultimate Royal Capital. The main highlight in Amarapura is the 200-year-old U Bein’s Bridge, which is the world’s longest teak bridge and spans over 1.2 kilometers long.

Afterwards, visit Ava (also known as Inwa). Ava was an ancient Royal Capital of Myanmar often referred to as the Kingdom of Ava. You will be transferred on to a private ferryboat that will take you across the river where your horse cart awaits you. Travel by horse cart to visit the nearby villages and other places of interest such as the Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, which is a lovely teak monastery, built in 1834. You can have a chat with the monks and visit the school for novices here.

Arrive at Mandalay City in the late afternoon / early evening and visit the Mahamuni Pagoda, which is one of Myanmar’s most sacred Pagodas as it houses a 2000-year-old Buddha Image. Later you can visit the ruins of the Mandalay Royal Palace as well as the Moat to gain perspective on how the Kings and Queens of Mandalay lived.

If time permits, you can visit the famous Mandalay Hill, which is a great area to explore the local shops. The climb to the top will take roughly 30 minute, which is worth it as the views are spectacular.

Overnight in Mandalay.

Inlay Lake

Today, you will travel by plane to Heho and then drive to Inlay Lake. Inlay Lake is one of the most beautiful and unique destinations in Asia and is often referred to by travellers as the “Venice of Asia”. This vast and breathtaking Lake is home to stilt-housed villages, island-bound Buddhist temples and floating gardens.

After breakfast, depart the hotel for your flight to Heho on the Shan plateau. Your tour representative will pick you up at the Heho Airport on arrival.

A scenic 1-hour drive from the airport gets you to the town of Nyaung Shwe near Inlay Lake. Transfer to your hotel near the Lake. In the afternoon, you can spend the day travelling by long-tailed boat. You can witness the leg-rowing fishermen with their own unique style of fishing as well as the floating farms and gardens, which are built on the Lake. A visit to the village of Inpawkhone is highly recommended as this village contains many handicraft shops and warehouses which produce silk, gold, silver etc.

You can also visit the Phaungdawoo Pagoda on the Lake, which houses the five most revered Buddha Images in the State.

Travel on the Lake stops by 6 PM and you will be free this evening.

Overnight at Inlay Lake.

Colorful Pa-Oh Village Market

After breakfast, you can take a walk around the town of Nyaung Shwe and/or continue sightseeing on the Lake. If possible you will be taken to visit the morning market, which rotates, between the town area as well as the Lake. Then, continue to the Western Bank of the lake by boat and go through a small canal to the village of Indein. Indein is home to a Pa-Oh Tribal community and you will be able to visit them to learn more about ethnic life in the region. At this village you can find a stupa-covered hill that gives amazing views of the surrounding lake below. This hill is a complex of 1054 weather-beaten stupas known as the Shwe Inn Thein Paya.

After sightseeing at Indein, if time permits, your guide will take you to visit the remaining places of interest on the Lake at a leisurely pace.

Evening, transfer to the hotel and at leisure to enjoy the beautiful scenic view of the Lake.

Overnight at Inlay Lake.

Shwedagon Pagoda

After breakfast, transfer by car to the Heho airport to fly to Yangon.

Your tour representative will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Free afternoon at the hotel in Yangon.

Make a sunset visit to the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, which is one of Buddhism’s most sacred sites. The pagoda is believed to enshrine eight hairs of the Guatama Buddha as well as relics of 3 former Buddhas. The massive bell shaped stupa is plated with gold and the tip of the stupa is set with diamonds and rubies, sapphires and topaz – a stunning sight as the sun sets and a most fitting place to finish your trip in this “Golden Land”.

You can then visit the Kandawgyi Lake and Botanical Gardens that are teeming with visitors who enjoy the fresh air and activities at the park.

Overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast, transfer to the Yangon Airport to depart for the next destination.