In Depth Tour of Burma

A driver will be sent to collect you on arrival at Mandalay airport and to bring you back to the hotel. Please provide travel plans on booking and we will arrange the pick-up and transfer. A tour briefing will be given in the afternoon.

The centre of Mandalay is dominated by the large Fort surrounded by a moat. Mandalay Palace was the primary royal residence of King Mindon and King Thibaw, the last two kings of the country. The complex ceased to be a royal residence and seat of government on 28^th November 1885 when, during the Third Anglo-Burmese War, troops of the Burma Field Force entered the palace and captured the royal family. The Fort once contained the royal city and fabled Glass Palace however these were destroyed during World War Two.

At sunset you will go to Mandalay Hill where there is a magnificent panorama view of the city, the Irrawaddy, Mingun and pagoda-covered hills of Sagaing. Before dusk you will start to climb through one of the three roofed stairways leading up to the 236 metre high hill with 1,729 steps. Along the way there are shrines and viewing platforms. The walk up should talk about 45 minutes however if you are feeling less energetic you can also drive most of the way up instead.

Around Mandalay there are many interesting remnants of several former Royal capitals dating from different periods in the regions history: Ava (Inwa), Amarapura, Sagaing and Mingun.

In the morning you drive to Ava (Inwa), this was the capital of Burmese kingdom for more than four hundred years until 1841. We take a small boat over to an island on the Irrawaddy river and explore this area by horse drawn cart. There are numerous crumbling pagodas and other remains of a former royal city including the teak monastery of Bagaya Kyaung; Nanmyin Watch Tower known as the leaning tower of Inwa and the Royal monastery temple named Maha Aungmye Bonzan.

After Ava you drive over a bridge on Irrawaddy to visit Sagaing once the capital of an autonomous Shan kingdom during 14^th to 18^th Centuries. Today this is a tranquil place where there are many stupas and pagodas covering these green hills overlooking the Irrawaddy river. This area is widely regarded as one of the main religious centres of Burma and is home to many Buddhist monks

Later in the afternoon we visit one of Burma's most iconic sights, U-Bein bridge, at Amarapura for sunset. This teak bridge is the longest in the world at 1.2 kilometres long and crosses Taungthaman Lake. Amarapura was once known as the City of Immortality and was briefly the capital of Burmese kingdom from 1841 to 1857. After this date King Mindon Min made Mandalay the last capital of the Burmese kings. Amarapura is known today for its traditional silk and cotton weaving and bronze casting.

The best time of day to visit U-Bein bridge is undoubtedly at sunset, with the dipping sun creating a spectacular vista and dramatic view of the wooden bridge.  You will board a private local row boat and venture out onto the lake to take in the sunset from one of Mandalay's most scenic locations.  As the sun goes down over the horizon you will observe silhouetted locals walking across the iconic bridge.

In the morning there will be a guided tour around the city of Mandalay where you will see Mahamuni Pagoda; the impressive teak Shwenandaw monastery known as Golden Palace and craft workshops.

Mahumuni Pagoda is one of the three most important shrines in Burma along with Schwedagon in Yangon and the Golden Rock in Kyaiktiyo. Inside Mahamuni Pagoda is the world famous Mahamuni Buddha, this is 3.8m high and its shape is distorted from application of gold leaf over the years by pilgrims.

Shwenandaw is a beautiful teak monastery decorated with exquisite Buddhist carvings of mythical animals and dancing figures. This building is surrounded by teak platform supported on wooden pillars topped with marble lotus flowers. The monastery was originally King Mindon Min’s apartment complex and relocated from the Royal Palace in 1878. The building was reconstructed as a monastery dedicated to King Mindon Min’s memory on a plot adjoining Atumashi Monastery.

Mandalay is the cultural centre of Burma and has long been known as a centre of skilled craftsman and in former times supplied the royal courts. Whole sections of the city are devoted to production of devotional objects made of wood, jade, bronze or marble. You can visit workshops around the city for wood carving, marble sculpture, bronze casting, weaving and the creation of gold leaf.

In the afternoon you fly to Kengtung airport and on arrival you will have a transfer to your hotel.

Kengtung has both Burmese and Thai cultural influences forming part of the Golden Triangle that extends into Laos and Thailand. There are a number of 19^th century Buddhist temples in Kengtung that are quite different to those found in other parts of Burma. However one of the main reasons for visiting the area is to see a large variety of authentic hill tribes (Akha, Lisu, Eng, Wa, Loi, Wahu and Palaung people) easily accessed from the town. Kengtung is one of the few places left in Asia where it is possible to see these hill tribes wearing their traditional clothes and embracing their tribal culture.

After breakfast at hotel, we stroll around the local bustling market in Kengtung before driving out for 45 minutes to the ethnic villages of Pin Tauk area. At the trail head is the Lahu village of Pindauk where we walk to Akha villages of Nam Lin Mai and Nam Lin Hong. Later on we walk to Eng village of Wan Mai. Eng wear mostly black clothing and are well known for their custom of blackening their teeth. At Wan Pauk we can also visit the silver Palaung village of Wan Pauk.

After breakfast we drive for two hours along a scenic road towards the Chinese border at Mong La. Unusual to the area around Kengtung, the Loi live in longhouses where multiple families share the same building. Loi lack the colorful traditional clothing of the other tribes, but they certainly lead a unique way of life.

On arrival at the road head we walk past an old wooden monastery called Mu Hein Tri Dragon and onto the Loi village of Wan Yut and Wan Seng to learn about their way of life and view the long houses where they live

Transfer to Kengtung airport for the flight to Mandalay.

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to Yangon airport to take the flight to Bagan airport. After checking in at the hotel you have the rest of the day to explore this incredible place.

Bagan is truly one of the wonders of the world and a highlight of any trip to Burma. Across a 40 square kilometres area of savannah landscape you will see 2,230 temples and pagodas with their gilded cupolas sparkling in the sun. When King Anawrahta ascended the throne in 1044 founding the first Burmese dynasty, Bagan steadily developed into a powerful kingdom. Anawrahta converted to Theravada Buddhism and the ‘golden period’ of Bagan commenced when many temples were built most notably Schwezigon pagoda. Under King Kyanzittha temple construction continued at a rapid pace with Ananda being one of the most famous.

By 12^th Century Bagan had a population of half a million although by 13^th Century the city fell into decline. The old palaces and houses have disappeared as they were made out of wood although a few remnants of old fortifications survive such as 9th Century Tharaba gate. The temples and pagodas were left to the elements and further damage was caused by the earthquake of 1975 that destroyed over half of the remaining religious buildings. What remains today is glimpse of Bagan at its height of power however is a remarkable footprint of glorious period of Burma’s history.

After discussion with your guide you can decide which of Bagan’s many temples and pagodas to visit. Please note you must remove your shoes before entering any of these religious sites. The most impressive and important temples and pagodas to visit are as follows:

• Shwezigon pagoda built by King Kyansittha. Schwezigon derives its name from Jeyyabhumi ‘Golden victory’ with its magnificent golden stupa. After Schwezigon we visit some of Bagan’s many temples and pagodas by horse drawn cart.
• Gubyaukgyi (Wetkyi Inn) temple has fine 12^th Century mural paintings, frescoes and base-relief works.
• Htilominlo temple is a massive structure at 150 feet tall with frescoes representing 28 Buddha of the future.
• Ananda temple has the best preserved masterpieces of Mon architecture and nearby brick monastery, is one of the few surviving from Bagan period.
• Gawdawpalin is one of the largest and most impressive monuments in Bagan
• Shwegugyi temple is of transitional in style between the early and late Bagan period.
• Thabyinnyu temple is known as the highest monument of universal science
• Dhammyangyi has a unique of double Image of Buddha. Myingabar Gubyaukgyi, meaning "great painted cave temple" is known for its exquisite mural paintings.

There is an option this morning to go for a sunrise balloon ride over Bagan (October to March only and must be booked in advance). The flight will last about 50 minutes and the direction is dictated by the wind. From the basket there is a sensational view of the many pagodas and temples scattered over the Bagan plain and the Irrawaddy river as the sun rises in the sky.

After breakfast you take a boat across Irrawaddy and then drive by four wheel drive vehicle to Pontaung Ponnya for lunch. This place is a hilly region in Chin state known as home to several nats (local spirits) and where your driver will give an offering for a safe trip. Afterwards you continue your drive along the picturesque road through Chin state.

The Chin state is bordered by Rakhine State in the south of Burma, Bangladesh in the south-west, Indian states of Manipur in the north and Mizoram in the west. This is a sparsely populated, mountainous state and remains one of the least developed areas of Burma. Chin ethnic group make up the majority of the state's half a million population. Chin women are well known for their tattooed faces, this tradition started to avoid being chosen as concubines by Burmese kings. Mindat town and surrounding villages are mainly Christian and in this area you will see Catholic and Baptist churches and the occasional Buddhist temple.

After six hours of driving we reach Mindat located at 1,480m in southern Chin state. Mindat is a small town surrounded by pine forest and is pleasantly cool. In the evening you will be welcomed by a traditional Chin tribal dance.

Today we visit the villages near Mindat to find out more about their traditions, culture and way of life. In these Chin villages there are sub-tribes called Yin Duu, Daai, Ngagah (Panga), Makkan, Uppriu and Mouin tribes. In Pan Au village you will see Mouin tribe where the men are well known for their hunting skills. The traditional houses in this village are decorated with skulls of different animals hunted from the forest and also sacrificed animals from animistic ceremonies. When animals are slaughtered, the sacrificial ritual is carried out on symbolically engraved wooden posts. The women from Mouin tribe have tattooed faces and play songs on a bamboo flute using only their nostrils.

After breakfast we drive an hour to Chi creek where we walk for a couple of hours up to Lote-pe and Kyardoe. Both of these are traditional Chin villages where you will have the chance to observe and interact with the locals. After a further hours walk we arrive to Makee creek where we meet the vehicle for the drive to Aye village.

After breakfast we drive from Aye village to the Base Camp of Mount Victoria known in Burmese as Natma Taung to start the walk up to the summit. Natma Taung National Park straddles the high mountains of the Chin state, an area of wilderness what encompasses mist forest as well as rhododendron forest. Bison, deer and reputedly leopards live in it, as well as a myriad of birdlife. It is perhaps most famous for its range of orchids that can be seen growing in the trees.

The trek to the summit at an altitude of 3,053m is a gentle hike taking about 3 hours from Base Camp. There is a good path that winds its way through the forest, climbing to the top of the main ridge before contouring its way northwards to the summit. The rhododendrons are out in late November and December, making the walk spectacular at this time of year. There are many flowers as well as lichens, mushrooms thriving in the wet, misty conditions. A golden pagoda marks the top and there are wonderful views, through breaks in the mist, back down to the Irrawaddy to the east and the coastal plains in the west. After walking back down to Base Camp we drive down to Kampalet for the night.

Today we drive back to Bagan along the road which meanders down through teak forest to the lower land before you enter into Yaw Region. Along the way we pass by Saw, Seik –Phyu and Chauk towns before arriving back to Bagan.

Breakfast at hotel, transfer to Bagan airport to take the flight to Heho airport. From Heho we drive to Nyaung Shwe, known as the gateway to Inle Lake, where we stop off at Red Mountain vineyard for a tour and wine tasting. Afterwards we will board a long-tail boat for the transfer to your hotel on Inle Lake, along the way you are likely to see the famous leg-rowing fishermen and the floating gardens. Traveling on the lake is an exhilarating experience and a chance to observe the unique traditions of the Intha people. It is advisable to pack a waterproof jacket and warm clothes as it can be chilly sightseeing around the lake. Your lunch and dinner will be at local restaurants.

We take a final boat trip across the lake this morning to return to Nyaung Shwe.  A car will be waiting for you for the transfer back to Heho airport. You fly to Yangon airport and on arrival you will have a transfer to your hotel.

In late afternoon, you will visit the famous Shwedagon pagoda. This is the best time of day to come to Shwedagon as much cooler and it is serene place to watch the sun set over Yangon. You will also see Burmese coming to pay their respects at this sacred place after finishing their day’s work. Shwedagon shimmers above the city of Yangon and is known not only as the religious centre of Yangon but is also the cultural and spiritual heart of Burma itself. An estimated 60 tonnes of gold adorn the pagoda and at the top of the stupa the hti (umbrella) is believed to contain more than 7,000 diamonds, rubies and saphires.

Late morning you will be driven to Yangon train station for the journey on the circular train around Yangon city. This is a good introduction to Burma and the city of Yangon and allows you to meet commuters as they go about their daily lives.

After lunch we explore central Yangon where we organise a guided sightseeing tour. The first stop is Bogyoke Aung San (Scott) market where one can find Burmese handicraft as well as precious stones like rubies and jade. From the market we walk to Sule pagoda and then passing the old British colonial buildings along the way to the riverfront.

Transfer to Yangon airport for your flight back home.  End of trip.