Sail the majestic Irrawaddy River from Bagan to Mandalay, visiting temples, pagodas, palaces and monasteries along the way. On this five-star luxury cruise you'll experience the best that Myanmar has to offer.
The awe-inspiring Shwedagon Pagoda watches over Yangon (formerly Rangoon), housing hundreds of colorful temples, stupas, and statues that span almost 2,500 years. This dazzling Buddhist temple that attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Follow along as your expert private guide reveals the secrets of Myanmar's historic capital. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the temple town of Bagan, which is one of the world's greatest archaeological sites. Board your five-star river cruiser and enjoy your private balcony with stunning river views. Take in the magnificent view from atop Mt. Popa and visit the Golden City of Mandalay. There is no better way to see Myanmar.
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For your added comfort, your guide will be waiting for you outside the customs area with a sign with your name on it. Your guide will assist you to co-ordinate meeting up with your private driver and accompany you to your accommodation.
Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
Accommodation: Belmond Governor`s Residence (B) (Governor`s Room)Belmond Governor's Residence is located within the elegant Yangon Embassy Quarter and close to the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda. It is just ten minutes from the city centre and 30 minutes from Yangon airport. The hotel is perfectly placed for enjoying Yangon's great cultural attractions. The golden pagodas, fascinating National Museum and lively Bogyoke Market, piled high with local handicrafts, gems, and antiques. Set in a verdant garden dotted with lotus pools, the hotel is truly magical. Dinner is served alfresco in the balmy evening air by lantern-light, as tropical fragrances scent the breeze.
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 seen only few westerners. During the day you will visit the Sule Pagoda, colonial downtown, the harbour, The Strand and one of the colourful local markets. The reclining Buddha will be visited just before taking a tasteful lunch of typical dishes from tribes from all over the country like Kachin, Shan and Rakhine. A local market will lead us to a small station where we take the famous circular train to bring us right behind Bogyoke Aung San market before heading back to your hotel. The tour includes a drink at the Strand Hotel and a lunch at a local restaurant.
At the end of the day many Yangonites leave work and on the way home they stop for some shopping, catch up with friends at a tea shop, visit a pagoda or go to a beer station. This is exactly what you are going to do. The highlight of the tour will be the evening visit to the illuminated Shwedagon Pagoda – a magic and mystical moment at a time that it’s not very busy on the main platform. After the pagoda visit there will be local snacks to be tasted as well as a local draft beer or a fresh lime juice. The tour includes drinks, a walk over to the night market downtown, tea and snacks as well as a simple local dinner shared with some locals.
Accommodation: Belmond Governor`s Residence (B) (Governor`s Room)Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
Fly from Yangon to Bagan. Flight time is approximately 1.5 hours.
Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
Minnanthu is probably the most favorite 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. Your guide will bring 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.
Accommodation: Bagan LodgePerched on the edge of an archaeological wonderland, Bagan Lodge is gateway to some of the world's most magnificent temples and pagodas. The rooms and suites evoke the romance of a storied expedition, albeit in posh, air-conditioned comfort. Their restaurant and bars are fuel to the fire of local adventure, and the swimming pool and spa are an oasis any time of day. The spa features eight private treatment rooms to provide guests with an extensive range of massage and beauty treatments - the perfect way to unwind after a day of discovery.
Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
Welcome aboard!
Take some time to get settled in to your suite, and prepare for lunch which will be served shortly after check-in.
In the afternoon, travel to Bagan by coach to visit some of the most important temples and pagodas among the 2,000 which comprise this most magnificent archaeological site - the Ananda, the Htilominlo and the Pyathatgyi. Enjoy the sunset from the latter, before returning to the ship for a welcome cocktail followed by a candlelit dinner on the sandbank.
Accommodation: Sanctuary Ananda (3N)Sanctuary Ananda, with a late 2014 launch, is dedicated to sailing the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers. With the largest suites on the rivers, the Ananda will provide an authentic sailing experience combined with five star luxury. Elegant and refined luxury suites are complimented by lavish onboard dining options. Custom-built for Myanmar rivers, Ananda will sail everyday and will explore both popular and less well-known areas of Myanmar. Burmese Myanmar experts will help you delve into the unknown treasures of Myanmar using their wealth of local knowledge.
Choose one of two early morning optional excursions - a balloon ride over Bagan (at an additional charge) or sunrise meditation at one of the temples.
Otherwise, after breakfast visit the sacred Buddhist Shwezigon Pagoda (which houses a bone and tooth of the Gautama Buddha), the Gubyaukgyi Temple, as well as Nyaung U market. Return to the ship to sail northwards on the gentle Irrawaddy river.
Accommodation: Sanctuary Ananda (3N)Early morning yoga and meditation on deck. Breakfast at leisure allowing you to enjoy the scenery along the river - the villages, rice fields and distant stupas.
In the afternoon you'll arrive beside the pagoda sprinkled Sagaing Hill, an important religious and monastic centre, home to some 554 monasteries and 6,000 monks and nuns. Amarapura, was once known as 'The City of Immortals'. You will visit one of the textile workshops, followed by the U Bein Bridge, a spectacular place to enjoy the sunset.
Accommodation: Sanctuary Ananda (3N)Early this morning Sanctuary Ananda will sail north to the quaint village of Sin Kyun, a village just north of Mandalay sponsored by Sanctuary's philanthropy program. It has a population of just under 1,000 inhabitants and specializes in farming and hat making.
If you are leaving on a later flight we can arrange a tour of Mandalay. This will include a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda, one of Myanmar's most religious monuments housing the revered Mahamuni Image. Lastly a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda (Maha Lawka Marazein) built by King Mindon in 1857, in effect a copy of the Shwezigon Pagoda in Bagan.
After breakfast this morning you'll disembark from your ship.
Meet your driver for an pier transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
It’s not just the former capital cities around Mandalay that are interesting to visit. During this half day tour (morning or afternoon) you will take tour the most famous monuments of Mandalay starting with the top of Mandalay hill for a great view over the Mandalay fort. Continue to Atumashi and the Shwenandaw monasteries which are excellent examples of the architecture and crafts work of this region and end with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda with the white marble slabs. The rest of the day the car and guide are available for additional visits till 6 pm if wanted – a visit to Yankin Hill is suggested.
Accommodation: Hotel by the Red CanalAn oasis by the landmark Red Canal in local folklore just minutes from the famed Atumashi Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda, and Mandalay Palace.and other attractions, The Hotel by the Red Canal is a convenient sanctuary, with its lush tropical greenery and calming water features, amidst the hustle and bustle of Myanmar's cultural city. The customized guestrooms are categorized into 4 uniquely names and decked in the fineries and cultural adornments of the 4 major ethnic groups in Myanmar: Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Shan. Hotel by the Red Canala full-service spa, a restaurant, and an outdoor pool. The guestrooms feature complimentary Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service, DVD players, and LED TVs.
Meet your driver for an airport transfer with a private vehicle and English speaking guide.
Fly from Mandalay to Yangon. Flight time is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Enjoy the usage of a private vehicle with English speaking driver and guide at leisure for a half day in Yangon.
Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard)Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.
Belmond Governor's Residence is located within the elegant Yangon Embassy Quarter and close to the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda. It is just ten minutes from the city centre and 30 minutes from Yangon airport. The hotel is perfectly placed for enjoying Yangon's great cultural attractions. The golden pagodas, fascinating National Museum and lively Bogyoke Market, piled high with local handicrafts, gems, and antiques. Set in a verdant garden dotted with lotus pools, the hotel is truly magical. Dinner is served alfresco in the balmy evening air by lantern-light, as tropical fragrances scent the breeze.
Perched on the edge of an archaeological wonderland, Bagan Lodge is gateway to some of the world's most magnificent temples and pagodas. The rooms and suites evoke the romance of a storied expedition, albeit in posh, air-conditioned comfort. Their restaurant and bars are fuel to the fire of local adventure, and the swimming pool and spa are an oasis any time of day. The spa features eight private treatment rooms to provide guests with an extensive range of massage and beauty treatments - the perfect way to unwind after a day of discovery.
Sanctuary Ananda, with a late 2014 launch, is dedicated to sailing the Irrawaddy and Chindwin rivers. With the largest suites on the rivers, the Ananda will provide an authentic sailing experience combined with five star luxury. Elegant and refined luxury suites are complimented by lavish onboard dining options. Custom-built for Myanmar rivers, Ananda will sail everyday and will explore both popular and less well-known areas of Myanmar. Burmese Myanmar experts will help you delve into the unknown treasures of Myanmar using their wealth of local knowledge.
An oasis by the landmark Red Canal in local folklore just minutes from the famed Atumashi Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda, and Mandalay Palace.and other attractions, The Hotel by the Red Canal is a convenient sanctuary, with its lush tropical greenery and calming water features, amidst the hustle and bustle of Myanmar's cultural city. The customized guestrooms are categorized into 4 uniquely names and decked in the fineries and cultural adornments of the 4 major ethnic groups in Myanmar: Chin, Kachin, Rakhine and Shan. Hotel by the Red Canala full-service spa, a restaurant, and an outdoor pool. The guestrooms feature complimentary Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service, DVD players, and LED TVs.
Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.
The trip was fantastic, well planned, great tour guys. That was a trip of a lifetime and Kensington Tours had done an exceptional well in organizing from the fly to Japan, Hong Kong, Bali & Singapore to the hotels, daily tours with the level of details and places we wouldn't have known where to go. Can't wait for Kensington Tours to organize our 3rd trip in the near future!
Asia Expert Yuki Ng did an amazing job of setting up our trip. She totally understood what we wanted to see and do. My husband, 17-year-old grandson and I spent a week in Seoul in June of 2019. Miriam, also known as CJ, our local guide in Seoul, was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and engaging. We totally enjoyed our time with her. We learned so much about the history and culture of Korea and with her expert guidance, we were introduced to many different and delicious Korean foods. Our lunches with her were memorable not only for the variety of restaurants and dishes that we sampled but also for the stimulating and pleasant conversations we shared while eating. She also made several suggestions for things to do in the evening that added to our enjoyment of the city. We were truly fortunate to have Miriam as our guide. Our driver Mr. Jo was also great. He calmly and expertly navigated the congested streets of Seoul and always greeted us with a smile and a pleasant ‘good morning.’ We had not been to Seoul before this trip. We found it to be vibrant, beautiful, and very clean. The people were friendly and helpful. Our accommodations were beyond what we expected. We had a wonderful time in Seoul. We could not have been more pleased.
My trip was a dream come true! From the time I landed in Beijing to the time I landed back to the US, everything was perfect. I traveled alone, but felt very safe and very well taken care of by the guides and drivers I had in the different cities and countries I visited. I learned so much about the culture and heritage of the Chinese, Tibetan and the Nepalese people. It was worth every penny I spend and much more!
I loved it all. Thanks especially to our guide Abit, in Kathmandu, Norenda, in Pokhara, and Min, in the Annapurna region, for being fabulous people. Thanks again for also referring us to Bahari Lodge in Chitwan National park. By far, that was the best place I've ever stayed in all of my international travels: they always had a surprise in store for us, that was awesome. They let us spend as much time as we wanted with the elephants, no rush, and sent elephants to come and play with us when we merely mentioned that we loved them. A great thank you to our naturalis Krishna at Bahari Lodge in Chitwan. All fantastic people who were great with tourists like us. We also enjoyed Temple Tree Resort very much.
This was a GREAT tour to Thailand! It exceeded my expectations in many ways (ie. itinerary, flexibility, and customer service). I would recommend this tour and Kensington Tours to family and friends. I will definitely use Kensington Tours for my future travel plans. My destination expert was Ms. Forkan. She expertly tailored my experience to my needs and wants. She filled in all the "unknowns" and ensured a safe, smooth trip/tour. Her professionalism and support was a 10/10. Thank you Ms. Forkan for designing this trip of a lifetime!
Our guides made our whole trip - we will remember them as much as China itself. Jerry immediately put us at ease and made us feel like his best friends - he was sincere and authentic and open. Katy (in Chengdu) had great energy and showed us how people really live. Even though she must see the pandas every other day of her life, she still seemed to genuinely LOVE seeing them. (And, later, when we discovered we'd left valuables in the safe at our hotel, she went WAY above and beyond to take care of things - even after we were already in Shanghai!). Nancy (in Shanghai) was amazing - we truly enjoyed our time with her and she took us to markets and encouraged us to take our time at the places that interested us most. When we'd seen enough temples, our guides communicated with each other to rearrange our tours in coming destinations. We felt like we were on the food tour of China - the meals were wonderful, and it was - really - TOO MUCH FOOD! No part of our day was wasted, but if we wanted to start later or call it a night sooner, plans were easily rearranged. We would absolutely go with Kensington again!
We had a really interesting trip and your team made it all so easy. Our guides were not only informative, but they took very good care of us. They kept us on schedule with all the city transfers, made the Visa process so quick and introduced us to some of the things they loved about their cities as well as the scheduled sites. There were so many highlights on this trip, but I was especially wowed by the cruise on Ha Long Bay. Our guide in Hanoi went above and beyond on my birthday and arrived to pick us up with some beautiful orchids and a lovely gift. We were very happy with all our accommodations as well.
I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the superb attention to detail in fulfilling my requests and my dreams
One of the benefits was that the guides were very flexible and suggested and accommodated changes to plans based on the weather and other circumstances. They all said they could do this when working with Kensington because Kensington supported it and empowered them with this flexibility. A big advantage in making the trip perfect!
The whole trip was well organized and we have recommended using Kensington to our friends.
* USD per person, double occupancy. Custom designed personal tour. Prices subject to change.
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