18 DAYS ADVENTURE TOURS (PHT-018A)

YANGON - KYAIKHTIYO (GOLDEN ROCK) - YANGON MANDALAY - BAGAN - POPA - KALAW - PINDAYA -
 INLE LAKE - YANGON

Hours arrive at YANGON airport in the morning. Meet with your guide at Yangon international Arrival Hall after clearing  immigration and custom formalities. He or she will welcome you or your group with welcome signboard. Then transfer to your hotel and lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, start your sightseeing with drive through the COLONIAL STYLE BUILDINGS downtown, the Chinatown area and the Indian quarter. Then visit SULE PAGODA situated in the centre of Yangon, which makes a useful landmark in downtown. Then drive to KANDAWGYI (ROYAL) LAKE, for photo stop to wards Shwe Dagon Pagoda. Enjoy sunset at SHWEDAGON PAGODA, the 'heart' of Buddhist Myanmar. The Pagoda is believed to be 2,500 years old and there are always full with many people praying and making offerings at Shwedagon and especially on Full Mon days and religious days. Enjoy Myanmar Dinner at Green Elephant Restaurant. Accommodation at hotel, Yangon.

Meals included: Lunch, Dinner

Early morning, drive out of Yangon to the ancient capital of BAGO (Pegu), about 2 hours drive north east of Yangon. From Bago, drive through seemingly endless paddy fields to the small town of Kyaikto and on to the 'base camp' of KINPUN.  Lunch at local restaurant.

In the afternoon, take a local truck/bus up a bumpy track about half way up the mountain. (Private trucks are available at extra costs - please ask your guide to arrange). From here, walk up the path which climbs steeply to the legendary 'Golden Rock'.  (The climb takes around 1 hour and those unwilling, or not fit enough to walk can hire four porters to carry them in a sedan chair).  The climb offers magnificent views over the surrounding countryside and the opportunity to make friends with the many local people who make the pilgrimage to KYAIKTIYO.  The incredible 'GOLDEN Rock' sits precariously on top of the mountain, and is said to balance thanks to a precisely placed hair of Buddha.  Weather permitting, sunset views from Mount Kyaiktiyo are amazing.  Dinner at local restaurant or hotel.  Accommodation at hotel, Kyaikhtiyo.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. Early risers may enjoy returning to the Golden Rock; about 10 minutes walk from the Kyaikto Hotel or 60 minutes from the Golden Rock Hotel, to watch the sunrise.  After breakfast, walk down the mountain and return by truck to your car/minibus, or alternatively walk all the way down to the base camp at Kinpun. Drive back to Bago and visit SHWEMAWDAW PAGODA, which has a stupa inlaid with diamonds and is Bago's golden landmark.  See SHWETHALYAUNG Buddha, which dates from 994 and is revered throughout Myanmar as the most beautiful Reclining Buddha. Lunch at a local restaurant in Bago. 

Just outside Bago, visit KYAIKPUN Pagoda with four 30-meter high Buddha figures seated back to back. An optional visit is included on the way back to Yangon at the British War Cemetery near Htauk Kyan. Arrive Yangon in the evening and transfer to your hotel. Dinner and accommodation at hotel, Yangon.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yangon train station where we will take the train from Yangon to Mandalay. (0600-2130hours, non air conditioned and reclining seats only, common toilet). The train is quite slow and not very comfortable, but it is the best way to experience the "real Myanmar". The train will stop at small stations, where sellers will come to the train and try to sell their goods. Pick nick lunch box is included. You should arrive in Mandalay right in time for the sunset. Transfer to your hotel and accommodation at hotel, Mandalay.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. This morning, start your MANDALAY sightseeing tour with a visit to MAHAMUNI PAGODA, built by King Bodawpaya in 1784, the centre-piece of the shrine is the highly venerated Mahamuni buddha image, which was transported to Mandalay from Mrauk-U (Rakhine) in 1784. Then transfer to your hotel. Lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit SHWENANDAW MONASTERY (Golden Palace Monastery), an ancient wooden monastery. The building is covered inside and out with carved panels and which was apartment of King Mindon. Then visit to KUTHODAW PAGODA (also know as the Maha Lawka Marazein Pagoda), the pagoda complex has been dubbed 'the world's biggest book', for standing around the central stupa are 729 marble slabs on which are inscribed the entire Tripitaka. Each slab is housed in its own individual small stupa. Continue to KYAUKDAWGYI PAGODA, it is chiefly interesting for the hug seated Buddha image carved from a single block of marble. Enjoy Sunset at MANDLAY HILL. Dinner at Ko's Kitchen Restaurant. Accommodation at hotel, Mandalay.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. This morning, transfer to Mandalay jetty and enjoy boat trip (approx 45 minutes) to MINGUN. If you're lucky you may even spot a pod of rare Irrawaddy dolphins along the river. Arrive Mingun and sightseeing by Bullock-carts. Visit MINGUN BELL, weighing 55,555 viss (90) tonnes and the largest hung uncracked bell in the world. Then Visit to MINGUN PAGODA, built in 1790 by Bodawpaya with thousands of slaves and prisoners of war laboured. Then continue to HSINBYUME PAGODA (Also known as Myatheindan Pagoda), built byKing Bagyidaw in 1816 and this stupa was construed in memory of his senior wife, the Hsinpyume Princess. Later return to Mandalay lunch at hotel.

In the afternoon, visit the newly renovated MANDALAY PALACE, See the old palace walls, the city gates with their crowning wooden pavilions and the surrounding moat which are still present an impressive scene of the Mandalay Palace.  Also, visit the CULTURAL MUSEUM in which you will see some remains of the last Myanmar throne inside the palace ground. Dinner at 'A Little Bit Of Mandalay' Restaurant. Accommodation at hotel, Mandalay.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast at hotel. This morning transfer to jetty and take the local ferry to visit Innwa (AVA)and sightseeing around Ava by horse-cart. First visit to MAHA AUNGMYE BONZN MONASTERY (Also known as the Ok Kyaung), brick-and-stucco monastery built by Meh Nu, the chief queen of Bagyidaw, for her royal abbot U Po (Nyaunggan Sayadaw) in 1818. Then visit to NANMYIN WATCH TOWER, 27m high masonry watchtower and climb to the top to enjoy views over the river. Then continue to BAGAYA KYAUNG, which dates from 1834 and built of teak and supported by 267 teak posts.

Lunch at Silver Sky Restaurant.

In the afternoon, visit SAGAING HILL and the hill itself has a number or stupas and monasteries. Visit to KAUNGHMUDAW PAGODA, built in 1636 to commemorate Inwa's establishment as the royal capital of Myanmar. Then drive to to AMARAPURA and enjoy the sunset at U-BEIN BRIDGE, which is 1.2km long leak bridge over the Taung Thaman Lake. Dinner and accommodation at hotel, Mandalay.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner