This kidtastic journey through Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay & Bagan is truly the adventure of a lifetime! Discover this magical time locked land’s gentle people & mystical highlights with the comfort of your expert private guide. From pagodas to playtime, this journey has it all. Children of every age will love biking tours, a cooking class, hot air balloon ride, a temple of snakes, going to a fortune teller, dinner with a local family, hidden markets, boat cruises, village visits, carriage rides & floating gardens. Discover Myanmar’s vibrant arts & crafts scene as you learn to create batik, pottery, jewelry & more. Serve lunch at an orphanage, enjoy a picnic & ride a train through the countryside. Featuring kid friendly hotels, private guide, driver, 24/7 support & much more, this is the stuff family legends are made of.

Yangon (Rangoon) is a city of Buddhist temples, open-air markets, food stalls and ill-repaired colonial architecture. It has a population of over two million. Although most of the city has been built in the last hundred years, and although it suffered considerable damage during World War II, there are still several examples of a more ancient culture. These include the golden Shwedragon Pagoda, one of the most spectacular Buddhist shrines in Asia and reputedly 2500 years old (although rebuilt in 1769); the Sule Pagoda, also over 2000 years old; the Botataung Pagoda, hollow inside with a mirrored maze; and the Maha Pasan Guha, or ‘Great Cave’.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Yangon and the airport.

Yangon is a sprawling city with a relatively small downtown area including several markets, colonial buildings, the Yangon River and a very green area with tree-lined streets and several lakes. During this full day tour we will show you the different faces of Yangon from the landmarks to the hidden markets that have sees only few westerners.  During the day you will visit the Sule Pagoda, colonial downtown, the harbour, The Strand, one of the colourful local markets and Kandawgyi lake. The reclining Buddha will be visited just before taking the famous circular train to bring you right behind Bogyoke Aung San market before heading back to your hotel. The tour includes a drink at the Strand Hotel and lunch.

Religion has always been very important for the Burmese and apart from paying respect to Buddha there are many different ways to try to give your body and soul a bit more “peace of mind”, to built up karma or to get directions on what to do or what to avoid in life. During this full day tour the principles of mediation are explained to you at a one of the famous meditation centres. A foot massage is given in a school dumb people before a traditional lunch. You will get some deeper insight in the Burmese traditional medicine at a local traditional medicine shop and find out the secret of the beautiful Burmese skin. End the day with a visit to a traditional fortune teller who will read your palm. Today’s lunch is vegetarian.

Built in 1901, The Strand is a Yangon heritage hotel in a category all its own. This luxury resort offers large suites with lazily whirring ceiling fans, teak floors and luxurious bathrooms. All rooms are tastefully furnished with a touch of colonial style and are equipped with up to date amenities. Adding to the splendid old-world ambience is a valuable private collection of local art and antiques. From the famous Strand Bar, move on to The Café that peers onto the street or to the famous Strand Grill with its elegant Bagan prints, chandeliers and glass roof. Take pleasure in an afternoon tea or enjoy Burmese music in the Lobby Lounge.

Overnight at The Strand .

A program to really help the local population in Myanmar and donate something directly to the people who need it most. Kensington Tours would like to take you to a local orphanage in Yangon with over 100 orphans who live, play and study at a simple compound in Yangon taken care of by local staff. The orphanage has just enough money to feed everybody a simple meal with steamed rice, some fish paste and maybe a small spoon of vegetables. A healthy meal including lots of nutrition is simply not possible to give daily and you are going to change that today! Together with a translator you leave from your hotel around 08:00 to a local vegetable market to buy tomatoes, cucumbers and all kind of other vegetables.  Drive to the orphanage and after a meeting with the head teacher and a visit to the compound it’s time to head to the kitchen, where you will help cleaning and cutting the vegetables for a 100 children and help preparing the meals. Around 11:30, when the children have their lunch break from class, you will help serving all the kids. Of course you can join lunch with them and taste the food you prepared for them. Doing the dishes is part of the job this morning. Around 1 PM we will bring you back to your hotel and you can proudly say that you have truly made a contribution to some of the people who need it most. You not only provided them a healthy meal, you also put a smile on their face and made them feel happy, knowing that somebody from overseas cared enough for them to spend a small part of their holiday budget and time to offer a healthy meal for a day.

Overnight at The Strand .

Pagan (Bagan) is one of the greatest historical areas in the country. It is best seen at sunrise or sunset. More than 13,000 pagodas were once spread over this dry plain during the golden age of the 11 great kings (roughly 1044-1287).  This came to an end with the threat of invasion by Kublai Khan from China, and this extraordinary area was abandoned. Now there are fewer than 3000 pagodas. The actual village of Pagan has a museum, market and places to eat and stay.  Within walking distance of Bagan, there are lacquerware workshops and an attractive temple. There are dozens of open temples in the Pagan area (about 40 sq km/15 sq miles), but places of special interest include the Shwegugyi Temple, built in 1311 and noted for its fine stucco carvings; the Gawdawpalin Temple, badly damaged in the 1975 earthquake, but still one of the most impressive of the Pagan temples, and the Thatbyinnyu Temple, which is the highest in Bagan.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Yangon and the airport.

Fly from Yangon to Bagan.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Bagan and the airport.

The history of the Bagan temples and the Bagan kingdom does not only have a sunny side from the glory days but has also seen a lot of bloodshed in the past.  During this half day tour, our guide will bring you to all places with a scary history and tell you hair rising myths and anecdotes. Is the spirit of the Tharaba gate really the soul of a person buried alive inside the doorpost? How many construction workers had their arm chopped off at that stone at Dhammayangyi stupa? And are there still ghosts here at night? The guide will tell you all during this tour around Bagan, give you an insight in the behaviour of kings and queens during this period and explain what happened when the Mongols invaded.

We’ve decided that you have to stay at least 2 nights in Bagan; one to see the sun go down from the top of an ancient temple, the other one to take a boat ride on the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River and have some sundowners on a sandbank in the middle of the river (if the river is not too high). A private boat tour on the river during sunset time will hopefully show you a spectacular sunset while your guide will be serving cocktails and some snacks.

The Tharabar Gate Hotel is located in the most unique Archeological Site of South East Asia, the Ancient capital of the Burmese Empire, Old Bagan. Surrounded by more than 4000 ancient temples and Pagodas, you will be enchanted by the breathtaking views. The Hotel offers 84 luxury rooms including 4 Suites. Every room is decorated with teak floors and typical Burmese furniture.

Overnight at Tharabar Gate Hotel.

Simply a “must-do” when visiting Bagan. Early morning before sunrise you will be picked up at your hotel and driven to the launch site for a spectacular hot air balloon ride over the temple zone in Bagan. The mostly British balloon pilots are operating each balloon under highest UK safety standards and the views you will get are simply breathtakingly spectacular. After floating in the air and following the wind you will land safely and be welcomed back on the ground by a smiling crew serving cold champagne before bringing you to your hotel. Choosing the Premium Service means you will fly in a smaller balloon with maximum 8 other passengers, get a pre-active tour of the balloon by the pilot during inflation and get a free CD-Rom of in-flight photos. All in all a more boutique experience.

A full day tour by car, with an experienced guide through Bagan will show you the best known temples of the area. We start the day climbing Buledi Pagoda to get a first impressive view over the whole area.  From here the guide plans his way to some of the other amazing temples that have been here for hundreds of years. Places like the Ananda, Dhammayangyi, Sulamani, and Thatbyinnyu will certainly impress you. Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant and around 4pm we continue the tour by horse cart to Pyathagyi pagoda for sunset with some refreshing drinks served! Oh… we forgot to mention the best part of this tour; whenever you see a temple you like, just ask you guide to stop to have a look at it – simply pick your own favourite temple.

Overnight at Tharabar Gate Hotel.

Mandalay is rich in palaces, stupas, temples and pagodas, and is the main center of Buddhism and Burmese arts. Taking its name from Mandalay Hill (rising about 240m/787ft to the northeast of the palace), the city was founded by King Mindon in 1857. Sights of interest include the huge Shweyattaw Buddha, close to the hill, with its outstretched finger pointing towards the city; the Eindawya Pagoda, built in 1847 and covered in gold leaf; the Shwekyimyint Pagoda, containing the original Buddha image consecrated by Prince Minshinzaw during the Pagan period; and the Mahumuni Pagoda or ‘Great Pagoda’, housing the famous and revered Mahumuni image. Covered in gold leaf over the years by devout Buddhists, this image was brought from Arakan in 1784, although it is thought to be much older.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Bagan and the airport.

Fly from Bagan to Mandalay.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Mandalay and the airport.

Mandalay and the other former royal capitals around it have all been capital cities for a while for one major reason: they are all situated on the Ayeyarwaddy River (Irrawaddy). Feel the breeze of the river and imagine how it must have been to arrive by boat in Mingun or at the court of Ava. From the jetty in Mandalay we go upstream to Mingun and visit the Mingun Pagoda with the big crack caused by an earthquake and the giant bronze bell. We take a leisurely boat cruise for about 3 hours downstream to Ava. A simple lunch packed in rattan baskets will be served while cruising down. Arriving in Ava, horse carts are ready to take us around this magnificent site with various ancient temple ruins that used to be majestic buildings during the 400 years that Ava was the capital. Return to Mandalay by car. An ideal excursion if you don’t take the boat from Mandalay to Bagan since the most interesting part of the long boat ride is covered in this shorter cruise.

The Rupar Mandalar Resort is a romantic boutique hotel in an exotic atmosphere surrounded by nature. The hotel has 16 rooms with modern facilities, swimming pool, tennis court, and a health & beauty spa.

Overnight at Rupar Mandalar Resort .

A day on which you don’t have to wake up early since we only leave around 10 AM in the direction of Paleik so take your time for breakfast! The snake temple in Paleik is known for the 3 pythons sleeping at the Buddha statue and being washed and fed daily at 11 AM by local worshippers. Lesser known are the ancient temple ruins in the same area, many of them over 200 years old and partly overgrown by vegetation. From Paleik we take motorbikes (1 person per motorbike taxi) over a small road leading us through “the back door” to the former capital of Ava (Inwa), where we enjoy a picnic lunch right next to one of the ancient temple ruins that used to be frequented by kings and queens of the Ava court. We continue by motorbikes and stop at any temple you like before taking a ferry across the small river and heading back towards Mandalay around 5 PM.

A fun tour to get to know the real Mandalay, starting with a visit to a viewpoint near the Ayeyarwaddy River for a cold Mandalay beer during sunset. Continue to the busy Yadanar night market to have some traditional snacks and a walk around before heading to one of the most famous beer stations and BBQ restaurants in Mandalay. Your guide will order the food and make sure you’re satisfied. Continue before 0830 PM to the excellent Mandalay marionettes theatre for a show performed by a mix of traditional dancers, musician and puppeteers.

Overnight at Rupar Mandalar Resort .

Kalaw is a hill town in the Shan State of Burma. It is located in Kalaw Township in Taunggyi District. The town was popular with the British during colonial rule. Kalaw is the main place of the novel by Jan Philipp Sendker, "Das Herzenhören". 

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Mandalay and the airport.

Fly from Mandalay to Inle Lake.

Transfer by private vehicle between Heho and Kalaw. The drive is 2-3 hours on a sealed road.

Your guide will meet you in Kalaw and take you for a rewarding day in the forest where you will encounter elephants, their mahouts and hill tribe people. Drive to the starting point and begin trekking through beautiful mountainous areas. After 45 minutes of walking (mainly flat terrain) you will arrive in the monastery of a hill tribe village where you will have a jungle lunch based on Nepalese food as is customary in the area. After a 2 hour downhill walk through the forest arrive in the elephant camp and you will be welcomed by a well deserved cocktail, and have time to watch the elephants being washed and fed. Then you will ride the elephants out of the forest and continue from the main road by car back to Kalaw.

Enjoy a dinner of Shan and Nepalese food at the local restaurant Seven Sisters.

The Amara Mountain Resort is located on a hill, on the outskirts of Kalaw. It takes about 15 minutes walk to reach the center of Kalaw. The Heho (Inle Lake) airport is 45 minutes drive from Kalaw. The lobby and all the rooms have genuine British colonial-style that is mixed with Asian features. All 10 comfortable Deluxe Rooms in the Resort are equipped with an open fireplace and bathroom that is made of marble and wood. There are a saloon and a separate dining room, where the traditional Myanmar or European food is served. The Resort Restaurant is situated on the terrace, where the guests can see a wonderful view of Kalaw while enjoying the food. There are a park-like garden and a 9-hole golf course in the Resort area as well as Spa facilities.

Overnight at Amara Mountain Resort.

Inle Lake is a freshwater lake located in the mountains of Shan State. It is the second largest lake in Myanmar. Most transportation on the lake is traditionally by small boats, or by somewhat larger boats fitted with outboard motors. Local fishermen are known for practicing a distinctive rowing style which involves standing at the stern on one leg and wrapping the other leg around the oar. This unique style evolved for the reason that the lake is covered by reeds and floating plants making it difficult to see above them while sitting.

Transfer from Kalaw to Heho.

Nyaung Shwe is a very lively little town which used to be the home of the Shan prince of Nyaung Shwe (Mr Sao Shwe Thaike, who later became the first prime minister of Myanmar after independence). Nowadays the town’s market still functions as a busy trading centre for all surrounding villages. During this day excursion on a bicycle starting from the centre of Nyaung Shwe we visit the local Mingala market, bike through some gorgeous scenery to the ancient teak wooden Shwe Yan Pyay monastery with the oval windows and visit the former palace of the last Shan prince. We have a Shan lunch at the Viewpoint restaurant. In the afternoon we first going to peddle ourselves in small boats (2 persons per boat) through the small canals and floating gardens to see local life from the water and then continue to visit the picturesque pagoda near Nanthe village. We end the tour with a visit and some wine tasting of the excellent wines at the Red Mountain winery in Nyaung Shwe. The Total biking distance is approximately 8 km.

Villa Inle Resort & Spa is located beside the cultural and natural icon that is Myanmar’s Inle Lake. Spread over more than 20 acres on the eastern fringe of the lake near the village of Maing Tauk, the property features 16 secluded lakeside villas. All villas at Villa Inle Resort & Spa are designed to harmoniously blend in with the natural environment and feature hand-selected local paintings and antiques, high wooden ceilings, spacious living areas and bathrooms . Rooms include king size beds, air conditioning with heating facility, LCD television, WiFi access and lakefront balconies. Hotel Restaurant serves Western & Shan, Myanmar and Inthar cuisine. The hotel also features Spa Services on site.

Overnight at Villa Inle Resort.

Inle Lake in southern Shan State is a vast natural lake surrounded by traditional Shan villages. On the lake itself the Intha people have been living for many centuries in village built entirely on stilts on the lake. Today we will take you by private motorboat around the lake to discover the natural beauty of the lake, visit the floating gardens, hopefully see some of the famous leg rowers and have some tea at a local family’s house. On and around the lake traditional markets are held in different villages according to a 5-day rotating schedule and today we will take you to visit a colourful; market frequented by Shan and Pao people living nearby. We will certainly also visit a local cheroot factory (where the Burmese cigars are made), floating tomato gardens, Intha Heritage house where the Burmese cats are bred and if wanted we visit a weaving factory. We return to the hotel around 4 PM, in time for sunset.

Overnight at Villa Inle Resort.

Probably the best way to arrive in Inle Lake! Mountain bikes are ready for you to start a 4 hour biking trip to Indein. The trip is mostly off-road and technically easy with most of the roads flat or downhill. Biking through numerous Pa O villages in an area where few foreigners have been before is a great experience. Stop on the way to enjoy the fantastic views over the lake and the Shan country side. Lunch is included in a local village and at the end of the trip we visit the ancient ruins of Indein. From Indein we continue to your hotel by private motorboat where the luggage is already delivered in the room. A great trip that can start from Kalaw, Heho or Pindaya.

Overnight at Villa Inle Resort.

A private vehicle with driver and guide will pick you up and transfer you between Inle Lake and the airport.

Fly from Inle Lake to Yangon.

Enjoy the usage of a private vehicle with English speaking driver and guide at leisure for a half day in Yangon.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).