Discover this time-locked land’s exotic wonders as you explore Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay, Inle Lake & Ngapali Beach with private guide. Encounter all the holy sites & intriguing marvels you’ve heard about. Featuring a mosaic of adventures, luxury hotels & everything in between, this is the ultimate Myanmar experience.

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.

As a member of the luxurious Orient Express hotels, The Governor's Residence is a striking two-story teak mansion hotel dating from the 1920s. Situated within the elegant Embassy Quarter of Yangon, this Burmese establishment is close to the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda. The Governor's Residence offers beautiful guest rooms and suites, luxuriously decorated with teak furniture, tropical cottons and silks. Each room is surrounded by a lush lotus garden and includes a large handmade, free-form bath. There are fantastic dining options and an enticing selection of gourmet delights can be had at Mandalay Restaurant and Mindon Lounge. The Governor’s Residence Hotel emanates style and history in a delightful setting and is a perfect retreat for guests to simply relax and rejuvenate.

Overnight at Governor`s Residence.

Bago (about 1, 5 hour drive from Yangon) used to be the capital of Myanmar under King Bayinnaung (till 1819). It is an excellent place to visit and see the remains of a former capital, especially if you don’t have enough time to visit Mandalay or Bagan. In the morning we stop at a local market in Insein Township just north of Yangon to buy some fruits and snacks for on the way and we pay respect to the thousands of allied soldiers buried at the Taukkyan War cemetery. In Bago city we will visit the Kyatkha Wain monastery, which is one of the largest in the country.  We will try to arrive in time to see the preparations from the monks for lunch. Our own lunch is taken at a local restaurant. During the afternoon we visit Shwemawdaw Pagoda as well as the Shwetalyaung Buddha and the remains of the former palace. We return to Yangon by train to see a different way of local live and country side.

Overnight at Governor`s Residence.

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.

Minnanthu is probably the favourite temple area amongst frequent Bagan visitors and you know why? It’s quiet, it’s a beautiful area and the temples here are often completely deserted. The guide brings you by car to this forgotten part of Bagan and will spread out a blanket and serve you a great picnic lunch in this historical setting before or after visiting 2 or 3 ancient temples ruins in this area.

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.

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 Thiripyitsaya Sanctuary 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.

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.

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”.

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.

Overnight at Rupar Mandalar 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

The premier beach destination in Myanmar, it’s one heck of a ride for those planning on travelling overland. Given its name, some say, by a homesick Italian, Ngapali boasts 3km of palm-fringed sands on the beautiful Bay of Bengal. The turquoise waters deliver a bounty from the sea and this town serves up some of the country’s best food. It has moved steadily upmarket in recent years, so there are slim pickings for budget travellers. It is only really worth the trip for those planning to continue on to Sittwe and the temples of Mrauk U (Myohaung).

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 Ngapali Beach (Thandwe Airport).

Enjoy a private transfer with English speaking Driver between Thandwe airport and your Ngapali Beach hotel.

The Amara Ocean Resort is located at the pristine beach of Ngapali, Burma´s most beautiful region of Indian Ocean coastline. Guests enjoy the utmost privacy in the 28 Luxury Bungalows, built in traditional style, that are scattered among a wide palm grove. The views from each Bungalow of the Andaman Sea and the Rakhine Mountains will take your breath away.

Overnight at Amara Ocean Resort (5*).

Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax at your hotel.

Overnight at Amara Ocean Resort (5*).

Enjoy a private transfer with English speaking Driver between Thandwe airport and your Ngapali Beach hotel.

Fly from Ngapali Beach 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).