Behold a land evocative of the South East Asia of over a century ago with this sundrenched spiritual journey through the exotic country formally known as Burma. Led by expert private guide, be immersed in a mosaic of intriguing wonders as you tour Yangon, Inle Lake, Mandalay & Bagan. See the famous leg-rowing Intha fishermen, witness a Buddha who’s re-covered in gold leaf daily, soar in a hot air balloon over ancient temples, sip wines at a local winery & watch the sunset over the Mountain of Deities. Pilgrimage to Buddhist temples, shrines & pagodas made of glass, marble, teak & gold. Voyage through an assortment of craftsmen’s shops, see how Bagan lacquer, silk, cheroots, paper, parasols, tapestry, ironwork & other traditional handicrafts being made. Visit a local school, tour a monastery, dine at a friendly family’s home & cruise through colorful floating gardens. Featuring 5 star hotels, mouth-watering cuisine, seamless transfers & 24/7 support - This is a worry-free way to enjoy Myanmar's amazing history & culture.

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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

Fly from Yangon to Inle Lake.

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

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.

In the south of the lake the ruins of Indein are certainly worth a visit. Partly covered by vegetation the area looks like a “pagoda forest”. We will walk about 1 hour to enjoy a fantastic view over the lake and visit the primary school in Sae Ma village. A home-made cooked lunch is served in a local house and we continue with a local canoe in the direction of Phaung Daw Oo pagoda. Whenever you are tired peddling yourself we can continue by motorboat to the pagoda. From Phaung Daw Oo pagoda we proceed by motorboat to your hotel.

Overnight at Villa Inle Resort.

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.

As described in many books, the Shan culture is very interesting and rich and especially in Nyaung Shwe you still get a bit of the feeling of the former Shan kingdom of Nyaung Shwe. We start with a visit of the Buddha museum which is housed in the former “Haw” (palace) of the last Shan prince of Nyaung Shwe (Mr Sao Shwe Thaike, who later became the first prime minister of Myanmar after independence). We have a Shan lunch at the Viewpoint restaurant and then continue the tour to the local market looking for some traditional Shan cotton and Shan traditional dresses. A visit to the ancient teak wooden Shwe Yan Pyay monastery with the oval windows is certainly giving the opportunity for some great pictures. You will be peddled around some small canals and pass floating gardens in a small wooden boat for about half an hour to see more of the local Shan life from the water. End the tour with a visit and some wine tasting of the excellent wines at the Red Mountain winery in Nyaung Shwe.

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 Mandalay.

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

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 .

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.

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 .

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.

It’s not just the former capital cities around Mandalay that are interesting to visit. During this half day tour (morning or afternoon) we will take you to the most famous monuments of Mandalay starting with a drive by pickup truck to the top of Mandalay hill for a great view over the Mandalay fort. We continue to Atumashi and the Shwenandaw monasteries which are excellent examples of the architecture and crafts work of this region and we end with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda with the white marble slabs. The Kuthodaw Pagoda is often referred to as the “World Biggest Book” in tourist guide books but actual a place of worship, rather than a place to read the religious text as it would take 450 days to read this “Book”.

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

Fly from Bagan to Mandalay.

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

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.

An ideal excursion on your second or third day in Bagan when you feel like you have seen most of the temples (or at least enough) and also want to discover some other things. We cross the river by private boat to Pakkoku and visit a local slipper factory, the market and see where the famous Pakkoku blankets are made.  Continue by boat to Kyauk Gu Ohnmin cave temple that rarely sees foreign visitors. After a picnic lunch near this fantastic temple your guide and driver will show you how toddy palm juice is collected and we will visit later in the day a local lacquer-ware workshop in Myinkaba village.

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.

Nestled within beautifully landscaped gardens, Thiripyitsaya Sakura is situated on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River and is conveniently located close to the Nyaung Oo Airport, as well as the city centre. Beautifully decorated units are elegantly furnished with an array of contemporary amenities to satisfy the needs of astute travelers. Guests can relish delicious European, Myanmar and Japanese cuisine in an elegant setting and take in the panoramic views of the garden, pool and the river at the resort’s cozy bar. After an exhausting day, take a dip in the swimming pool, re-energize your body in the Jacuzzi or avail the spa services. If an ideal atmosphere with a relaxing stay is what you seek, this is the ideal place to stay while visiting Bagan.

Overnight at Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary Resort.

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’.

This morning we first visit a temple built in the side of a ravine north of Nyaung U before heading towards the town itself. The busy market in Nyaung U is a very lively affair each morning when people from all around town come and buy their vegetables, herbs and meat and other ingredients for dinner. Your guide will give you 1000 Kyats each and an assignment to go and buy 3 different kind snacks typical for the region. There will be also some more time left to buy some souvenirs. We continue to Taungbi village where we visit the old wooden monastery built for royalty and 2 temples that are not well known but certainly worth a visit.

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

Fly from Bagan to Yangon.

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

Overnight at The Strand .

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

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).