Myanmar Package Tour - Myanmar Classic 2, 9 days

Day 1	Yangon Arrival in Yangon Transfer Sightseeing in Yangon Visit Sule Pagoda SULE PAGODA: this 48 meter high golden dome was used by the British as the nucleus of their grid pattern for the city when it was rebuilt in the 1880s. The pagoda's peculiarity is its octagonal-shaped stupa, which retains its shape as it tapers to the spire. Visit Kandawgyi (Royal) Lake KANDAWGYI LAKE: also known as the Royal Lake, this natural body of water located in the city center is a good place for strolling and picnicking. The lake is attractive at sunset when the glittering Shwedagon pagoda is reflected in its calm waters. Visit Bogyoke Aung San (Scott) Market (closed on Mondays) BOGYOKE AUNG SAN MARKET: also known as Scott Market, this building contains over 2000 stalls and is the best place in Yangon to browse through the complete range of local handicrafts. Visit Shwedagon Pagoda SHWEDAGON PAGODA: the highlight of any visit to Yangon, this pagoda dates back about 2500 years and was built to house eight sacred hairs of the Buddha. Its original shape has changed beyond all recognition over the centuries. Its bell-shaped superstructure, resting on a terraced base, is covered in about 60 tons of gold-leaf, which is continuously being replaced. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 2	Bagan Transfer Flight from Yangon to Bagan. Transfer Sightseeing in Bagan Bagan is a spectacular plain stretching away from the Ayeyarwaddy River, dotted with thousands of 800-year old temple ruins. Although human habitation at Bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the Christian era, Bagan only entered its golden period with the conquest of Thaton in 1057 AD. SHWEZIGON PAYA: King Anawrahta started the construction of the Schwezigon Pagoda to enshrine some relicts of Buddha. The construction was finished by his successor, King Kyansittha between 1086 and1090. Originally the Shwezigon Pagoda marked the northern end of the city of Bagan. The stupa's graceful bell shape became a prototype for virtually all later stupas over Myanmar. GUBYAUKHYI TEMPLE at Wetkyi-Inn: This Temple was built in the early 13th Century and repaired in 1468. The great colorful painting about the previous life of Buddha and the distinguished architecture make this temple an interesting site for a visit. This temple is not to be confounded with the Gubyaukgyi Temple in Myinkabe. ANANDA PAHTO: one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan temples. Thought to have been built around 1105 by King Kyanzittha, this perfectly proportioned temple heralds the stylistic end of the Early Bagan period and the beginning of the Middle period. GUBYAUKGYI TEMPLE at Myinkaba: Built in 1113 by Kyanzittha son Rajakumar, this temple is famous for its well-preserved Stuccos from the 12th century on the outside walls. The magnificent paintings date from the original construction of the temple and are considered to be the oldest original paintings in Bagan. MANUHA TEMPLE: The Manuha Temple was built in 1059 by King Manuha, the King of Thaton, who was brought captive to Bagan by King Anawrahta. It enshrines the unusual combination of 3 seated and one reclining image Buddha. It is said that this temple was built by Manuha to express his displeasure about his captivity in Bagan. SHWESANDAW PAYA: In 1057 King Anawrahta built this Pagoda following his conquest of Thaton. This is the first monument in Bagan, which features stairways leading up from the square bottom terraces to the round base of the Stupa. This Pagoda is ideal to watch Bagan's magnificent sunsets. LACQUERWARE WORKSHOP: the villages around Bagan are known for producing the finest lacquerware in Myanmar. Stop by one of the workshops and learn about the painstaking process of laquerware making and decoration. Watch sunset over Bagan Enjoy a panoramic view of the sun setting over the plain of Bagan from one of the pagoda platforms. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 3	Bagan Excursion to Mount Popa MOUNT POPA: A curiously cylindrical hill rising sharply from the surrounding plain, Mount Popa is considered to be the home of Myanmar s most important nats (spirits). Visitors ascend up a winding covered staircase encircling the mountain, observed by the curious monkeys that populate the area. At the top is a monastery and temple complex, with shrines to the 37 nats and a spectacular view over the region. Continue sightseeing from previous day Overnight in Bagan.

Day 4	Mandalay Transfer Flight from Bagan to Mandalay. Transfer Excursion to Amarapura, Sagaing, and Inwa (Ava) This day's tour visits three former royal capitals, each with its own unique atmosphere. In the morning, drive to AMARAPURA, and visit MAHAGANDAYON MONASTERY; every day at mid-morning, monks and novices line up to receive their daily offering of alms and food from faithful Buddhists. Next, head to SAGAING, the spiritual center of Myanmar. Hundreds of stupas, monasteries, temples and nunneries are to be found in Sagaing Hill, sometimes known as a living Bagan. Thousands of monks and nuns retreat here for meditation and contemplation. Stop at some of the most famous temples, such as TUPAYON PAYA and HSINMYASHIN PAYA (the Pagoda of Many Elephants). Cross the river by ferry to INWA, situated on the banks of the Irrawaddy River. Once a royal capital, Inwa is now a quiet rural oasis. Enjoy a leisurely HORSECART RIDE around the peaceful countryside, briefly visiting BAGAYA KYAUNG, a beautiful teak wood monastery, MAHA AUNGME BOZAN KYANG, and NAN MYINT TOWER. On the way, stop and observe how local artisans make the famous alms bowls out of iron. Finally, return to AMARAPURA, to end the day at U BEIN’S BRIDGE, a picturesque teak bridge which extends over one kilometer across Taungthaman Lake. At dusk, the bridge teems with monks and local people as they stroll home or linger to enjoy the colors of the sunset. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 5	Mandalay Sightseeing in Mandalay The last capital of royal Burma, Mandalay is still one of the largest cities in Myanmar, and a cultural and spiritual center. Neighboring Sagaing is home to over sixty percent of the country's monks, while the artisans of Mandalay continue to turn out the finest crafts in Myanmar. Begin your tour at MAHAMUNI PAYA. The Mahamuni image enshrined here is perhaps the most venerated image in Myanmar, covered in over 15 cm of gold leaf. Worshippers flock daily to the shrine at four in the morning to observe the unique face-washing ceremony. Afterwards, head to SHWENANDAW KYAUNG, or the Golden Teak Monastery. Built entirely of golden teak, this intricately carved wooden monastery was once part of the Mandalay Palace, used as private apartments by King Mindon and his chief queen. Continue to KYAUKAWGYI PAYA, famous for its monumental seated Buddha, carved from a single block of marble, and the elegant SANDAMANI PAYA. Finally, visit KUTHODAW PAYA, known also as the world's biggest book. Around the central stupa are miniature pavilions, each housing a slab of marble. Numbering altogether 729, these slabs are inscribed with the entire Tripitkata, or Buddhist scriptures. Excursion to Mingun with boat trip Travel upriver by boat to MINGUN, enjoying the views of river life - fishing villages, market boats, women attending to their washing, and children playing in the water. Explore the ruins of the vast MINGUN PAYA, a monument to human ambition - never finished, its size would have dwarfed all contemporary pagodas. After visiting other nearby pagodas, return downstream by boat to Mandalay. Overnight in Mandalay.

Day 6	Kalaw By vehicle from Mandalay to Kalaw Overnight in Kalaw.

Day 7	Inle Lake Sightseeing in Kalaw with a light trek to nearby villages Popular hill station in the British days, Kalaw sits high on the western edge of the Shan Plateau. It is still a peaceful and quiet place with an atmosphere reminiscent of the colonial era. The small population is a mix of Shan, Indian Muslim, Bamar and Nepali. THEIN TAUNG PAYA: temple perched on the hill overlooking the Thazi-Taunggyi Road. AUNG CHANG THA ZEDI: glittering stupa (Buddhist religious monument) covered in gold-coloured mosaics. DHAMMA YON: a two-storey temple which from upstairs has fair views of the town, Dhamma Yanthi Paya and the ruins of the Hsu Taung Pye Paya. HSU TAUNG PYE PAYA: ruins and now a field of crumbling stupas behind the Dhamma Yon towards the Kalaw Hotel. NEE PAYA: located west of the town, it features a gold lacquered bamboo Buddha. CHRIST THE KING CHURCH: a brick Catholic church under the supervision of the Burmese Father Paul, and the Italian Father Angelo Di Meo, who have been in Myanmar since 1931. The Christ figure over the altar came from Italy, and Father Angelo painted the mural background. TREKKING: the plateau near Kalaw is inhabited by people of the Palaung and Pao tribes. Intha, Shan, Taungthu, Taung-yo, Danu. Kayah, Danaw and Bamar people occupy the mountains to the north and east. One of the main sources of income is the cultivation of 'thanaq-hpeq' (a large leaf used to wrap Burmese cigars). By vehicle from Kalaw to Inle Lake Transfer by boat Overnight in Inle Lake.

Day 8	Yangon Excursion by boat on Inle Lake INLE LAKE: Inle Lake, located in Shan State, is beautiful, with very calm waters dotted with patches of floating vegetation and fishing canoes. High hills rim the lake on all sides. The lake's shore and islands bear 17 villages on stilts, mostly inhabited by the Intha people. Enjoy the spectacular scenery and observe the skilled fisherman using their leg-rowing technique to propel themselves around the lake. Visit the floating gardens, a floating market and a Intha village around the lake (please note that no markets take place on full moon or new moon days). The day's sightseeing also includes a visit to the PHAUNG DAW OO PAGODA and the NGA PHE KYAUNG MONASTERY By vehicle from Inle Lake to Heho Flight from Heho to Yangon. Transfer Overnight in Yangon.

Day 9	Yangon Transfer