Yangon/Bago/Bagan/Mandalay/Pyin Oo Lwin/Pindaya/Inle/Yangon (option bago) (12 days)

Day 01 Yangon

Meet on arrival at Yangon International Airport.

If arriving by morning or mid-day flight, transfer to hotel. Proceed for a sightseeing tour that includes the old colonial-style city center with the gilded SULE PAGODA, dating back over 2,000 years, BOGYOKE (SCOTTS) MARKET (closed on Monday) with hundreds of stores and visit of a gems shop. The tour continues to CHAUK HTAT GYI, a huge reclining Buddha image followed by a photo stop made at KARAWEIK HALL, a royal floating barge. An extended visit to SHWEDAGON PAGODA, one of the world's most spectacular religious Shwedagon Pagoda rises 98 meters above its base and is covered with 60 tons of pure gold.

If arriving on late afternoon flight, transfer to hotel. Dinner (to own account) and overnight in Yangon.

Day 02 Yangon - Bago - Yangon (B,L)

Full day excursion out of Yangon to BAGO (84 km, 1½ hours) including lunch. En Route visit of the Allied War Graves Cemetery in HTAUKKYAN, a handicraft village producing woven bamboo wares. a tree shrine dedicated to a legendary "Nat" and KYAIK PUN PAGODA, famous for its four giant Buddha. In Bago sightseeing includes the SHWEMAWDAW PAGODA, furthermore the 55m long reclining Buddha called SHWETHAL YAUNG image that is among the country's most revered. Return to Yangon through rural landscape of paddy fields and small villages. Dinner ( to own account) and overnight in Yangon.

Day 03 Yangon - Bagan (B,L,D)

Transfer to airport for domestic flight to BAGAN.

On arrival, transfer to hotel and proceed for sightseeing, starting with the busy local market and continuing with visit to diverse selection of the most important pagodas and temples, such as SHWEZIGON PAGODA, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, KU BYANUK GYI, a temple with exquisite murals of Jataka scenes, KHAY MIN GA TEMPLE, noted for its spectacular panoramic view of the area's many monuments and ANANDA TEMPLE with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous seated figures in niches around the galleried interior.

After lunch visit a lacquer craftsmen's workshop in nearby MYINKABA village. Continue sightseeing to MANUHA TEMPLE, built in Mon style in 1059, NANBAYA TEMPLE, a unique sandstone monument, said to have been the palace of King Manuha and MYINGABA GU BYAUKGYI TEMPLE, noted for ancient mural paintings under the protection of UNESCO. The ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM with a collection of bronze, stone and lacquer Buddha images, clothes and gems, may also be visited. Proceed to BUPAYA PAGODA or MINGALA ZEDI STUPA to watch sunset over the Ayeyarwaddy River. Dinner at a riverside restaurant and overnight in Bagan.

Day 04 Bagan (B,L,D)

Visit the site of TAYOKEPYAY TEMPLE in Min Nan Thu Village, PHAYA THONE ZU and NANDAMANYA TEMPLES noted for exquisite murals of 13th century and KYAT KAN CAVE monastery, a famous meditation center in Bagan. Visit farming villages around Bagan.

Sightseeing continues after lunch with an excursion by boat on the Ayeyarwaddy River to the nostalgic NAT HTAUNG KYAUNG, a wooden monastery built in 1781 by a group of monks, famous for woodcarvings, a collection of ancient Buddha status and lacquer boxes. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Bagan.

Day 05 Bagan - Mount Popa - Meikhtila - Mandalay (B,L,D)

Overland journey (300 km - 8 hours) to MANDALAY, En Route visit of MOUNT POPA, an extinct volcano with its shrine dedicated to animist spirits, known as "Nats". For the energetic, time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the volcanic plug. Continue to MEIKHTILA, with stop for lunch at a local restaurant en Route. Continue to MANDALAY, a scenic journey of varied agricultural landscapes and small villages. Dinner and overnight in Mandalay.

Day 06 Mandalay - Amarapura - Mandalay (B,L,D)

Drive to AMARAPURA, 15km from Mandalay. Visit MAHAGANDAYON, a famous Buddhist monastery, where more than a thousand monks live and study; continue to 200-year-old U BEIN teak bridge, built in 1782 at the time when Amarapura was the royal capital. Visit of BAGAYA MONSTERY with a superb collection of Buddha status. Before returning to Mandalay, stop at a traditional hand-weaving silk workshop en Route.

After lunch, proceed on a comprehensive sightseeing tour including MAHAUNI PAGODA with its spectacular Buddha image covered with thick layers of gold leaves, SHWE INBIN, one of the most outstanding monasteries in the country, SHWE NAN DAW KYAUNG of GOLDEN PALACE MONASTERY, a superb example of a tradition wooden building and KUTHODAW PAGODA, known as the world's largest book, consisting of 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures. A visit is also made to a jetty to observe daily life a the river and to a craftsmen's workshop to see Kalaga tapestries being created. Sunset from MANDALAY. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight in Mandalay.

Day 07 Mandalay - Maymyo (B,L,D)

Drive (80 km - 2 hours) on a scenic Route to the cool hill station of PYIN OO LWIN (MAYMYO) with its lovely lake and waterfalls, National Kandawgyi Park and colonial era buildings. Sightseeing continues after lunch with the famous PEIK KHYIN MYAUNG CAVES, since ancient times a Buddhist shrine. Time to relax, then dinner and overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin (Maymyo).

Day 08 Maymyo - Mandalay - Mingun - Mandalay (B,L,D)

Visit the local market center by the famous horse-drawn carriages (if available). Return by road to MANDALAY for lunch and take a boat excursion (1hour) up the AYEYARWADDY RIVER to MINGUN, site of the world's largest intact bronze bell, 3.7 meters high and weighing 87 tons. Also visit the huge but unfinished MINGUN PAYA built to be the world's biggest pagoda and the beautiful HSINBYUME PAYA. Return to Mandalay and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 09 Mandalay - Meikhtila - Pindaya (B,L,D)

Very early start for an overland journey (320 km - 8 hours) to PINDAYA with stop in MEIKHTILA. Lunch at a simple local restaurant or boxed lunch. Visit PINDAYA CAVES, unique for the thousands of Buddha images placed there by pilgrims over many centuries. Dinner and overnight in Pindaya.

Day 10 Pindaya - Nyaung Shwe / Inle Lake (B,L,D)

In the morning drive to NYAUNG SHWE (90 km - 2½ hours). An excursion by boat on Lnle Lake will include sights of the famous logrollers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life. Lunch at a local restaurant on the lake. Further visits are made to PHAUNGDAW OO PAGADA, the weaving village of INPAWKHON and other sights. Dinner and overnight on the lake.

Day 11 Inle Lake - Heho -Yangon (B,L)

Excursion by boat to the western shore of Inle Lake to visit the INN THEIN PAGODA complex, found after following a stair path lined up with magnificent columns. After lunch, transfer by road to Heho Airport for domestic flight to YANGON, visiting en Route a cheroot factory and a wish fulfilling pagoda. Transfer to hotel for dinner (to own account) and overnight in Yangon.

Day 12 Yangon - Departure (B)

Travelers having arrived mid-day on Day 01 will transfer to Yangon International Airport for departure. For those having arrived during afternoon, a morning of sightseeing will include city highlights as shown in day 01 of itinerary. Transfer to Yangon International Airport for departure.