Myanmar Jungle and Birding Adventure

• Upon arrival, you will be greeted by your guide who will accompany you and transfer to the hotel.
• On arrival, your first stop will visit to Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, home to a 70-meter long reclining Buddha. A visit to Chauk Htat Gyi provides a great overview of Buddhism with murals depicting the life of Buddha. The feet of the statue are carved with traditional symbols and often many locals gathering to pay homage and pray.
• After that, it is good to start by walking in Downtown. You can start form traders down to Sule pagoda in the center of the city and Mahabandoola Park to see the colonial courthouse and the city hall.
• Then stop for visit to Bogyoke Aung San Market and give opportunity to do some shopping (formerly known as Scott’s market, closes on every Monday and public holidays) with hundreds of food, clothes, handicrafts, and gems stores.
• One hour before sunset we will drive to Shwedagon Pagoda. We will climb up by foot from the south gate since you will see local shop selling flower and Buddha status and many other local produce on the way.
• After sundown, you will enjoy lighting in Pagoda and return to hotel.

• After an early breakfast at your hotel, transfer to Yangon’s Mingaladon Airport for the flight to Mandalay.
• Upon arrival, begin your sightseeing tour of Mandalay with a visit to Mahamuni Pagoda. This pagoda is home to one of the country’s most revered Buddha images which, over the years, have been covered with gold leaf giving it an almost ‘lumpy’ texture.
• Mandalay is well known for its skilled craftsmen and as you tour traditional workshops, you will learn more about the city’s cottage industries. Observe the production of wood carvings, kalaga tapestries, and gold-leaf where the techniques remained unchanged from those used centuries ago to craft items for the Royal Court. This afternoon, continue your tour of Mandalay with a visit to Kuthodaw Pagoda, whose 729 marble stone slabs of Buddhist scriptures have earned it the title ‘World’s Biggest Book’.
• Continue to Shwenandaw Monastery, the only remaining building from the 19th century Royal Palace. This grand teak building is known for its exquisite woodcarving. Head to the top of Mandalay Hill as the sun begins to set to enjoy magnificent views of the city and Irrawaddy River.
• Overnight in Mandalay.

• After breakfast at the hotel, depart for an excursion around Mandalay to explore the former capitals of Amarapura, Ava and Sagaing.
• Begin your tour in Amarapura, where you will attend a special ceremony. Witness the alms collection at Mahagandayon monastery, when over one-thousand monks gather to collect their daily meal from the local Buddhists.
• After this beautiful spectacle, continue to U Bein Bridge for a walk along this 200 year-old teak bridge. The bridge spans over 2 kilometers in length and offers fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams. Before leaving Amarapura, stop at a silk weaving workshop which produces exquisite handmade products.
• Continue to Ava, the capital from 14th to 18th centuries and travel by horse and carriage through the area stopping to visit the old wooden Bagaya Monastery and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort.
• This afternoon, cross a bridge over the Irrawaddy River to Sagaing. Covered with 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries, Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It is home to 3,000 monks and 100 meditation centers and you will visit pagodas such as Swan Oo Pon Nya Shin, U Min Thone Sae, and Shin Pin Nan Gyaing.
• Overnight in Mandalay.

• After breakfast at the hotel, scenic drive to Bagan begins. Along the way, you will have an opportunity to visit local villages in order to learn about Myanmar culture, tradition and lifestyle of local people.
• Arrive in Bagan late in the afternoon. From the 11th to 13th centuries, when Bagan was the capital of Myanmar, the rulers of constructed thousands of huge stupas and temples many of which are still standing today on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.
• Overnight in Bagan.

• After breakfast, begin your visit with a stop at the colorful Nyaung Oo Market where every day the locals come to buy and sell fresh produce and other goods.
• Continue to the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda for an introduction in to Bagan’s rich history. This afternoon begin with a visit to a traditional lacquer ware workshop where you can observe the production of one of Myanmar’s best-known handicrafts.
• Continue to Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece and one of Bagan’s most beautiful temples. Built in the early Mon-style, Ananda contains two unique Buddha images whose expressions seem to change depending on the distance from which the statue is viewed. From here, travel by horse cart for a tour passing Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan, massive Dhammayangyi Temple, noted for its remarkable brickwork, and Sulamani Temple.
• Enjoy a sunset cruise on the Irrawaddy River to watch the sun set over the planes.
• Overnight in Bagan.

OPTIONAL TOUR: Start your morning with a hot-air balloon flight over the plains of Bagan. Enjoy the fabulous views as the sun rises over the stupas and Irrawaddy River. This is truly an unforgettable and unique experience! (Note: available only from October to March)

• After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Myinkaba and observe the process of traditional lacquer ware, one of the best-known Myanmar handicrafts and a specialty of Bagan.
• Visit the monuments of Myinkaba, Gubyaukkhi, an early period Pyu-style temple of Hindu influence with some of the oldest mural paintings in Bagan, Manuha and Nanpaya temples.
• In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the countryside village of Minnanthu, the least visited temple area in Bagan. Observe the local farmers ways of life together with a visit to some of the most interesting temples such as Payathonzu, with its unusual architecture and Tantric Buddhism influence, Lemyethna and Nandamannya temples.
• Enjoy sunset at some nice area where available places, one of the ancient temples in Bagan or at view mount area. After sunset return to hotel.
• Overnight in Bagan.

• After breakfast, transfer to Nyaung Oo Airport for a flight to Heho.
• From Heho, a scenic one-hour drive leads to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images. Upon reaching the edges of Inle Lake, board a private motorboat to head out to Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights.
• Pass villages built on stilts over the lake, inhabited by the local Intha people. Observe the leg-rowing fishermen and see their floating gardens built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles. Visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, which houses dozens of Shan Buddha Images, but is more famous for its unique ‘jumping cats’ who jump through hoops in the air!
• Continue to Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf.
• Explore the local crafts of Inle Lake with a stop at the weaving village of Inpawkhone and a cheroot factory, where the typical Burmese cigars are made by hand. If time permits, there may be time to enjoy a short walk through one of the lakeside villages.
• Overnight on Inle Lake.

• After breakfast, visit the lake’s morning market. The market rotates its location around the lake’s villages in a 5 day rhythm and is visited by lake inhabitants and surrounding hill tribes who come to sell and trade their wares. (Note: market is daily except on dark moon day and full moon day). From the middle of the lake, continue down a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of In Dein.
• Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village, visiting a local school, and wander through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Climb the covered stair way to the top which is filled with picturesque ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below.
• After enjoying Indein, drive to the Heho Airport for the flight to Yangon and arrive at airport, drive to hotel for check in and free time leisure at hotel.
• Overnight in Yangon.

• After breakfast at hotel, today free at leisure before transferring to the airport to take a departure flight coming back home town.
• It is time to say goodbye, we thank you very much for you’re travelling with us and warmly welcome you to come back again.

TOUR  COST PER PAX IN USD (Valid from 1 Oct, 2020 to 31 Mar 2021, except peak season, holiday)

SUGGESTED HOTEL OR SIMILAR

• 8 nights’ accommodation on twin/double staying room basis with daily breakfast
• English-speaking station guide in each different cities as per itinerary
• All transfers and excursions with private air-conditioned vehicles with drivers
• Meals other than mentioned (B = Breakfast)
• Entrance fees for the places as mentioned in the program
• Mandalay – Bagan by private car 
• Horse cart tour in Ava & Bagan
• Sunset boat in Bagan
• Private local boat for Inle Lake excursions
• Daily water and refreshment tower
• Porter fees at airports
• Service charges and government tax 

• International ticket to/from Yangon
• International departure Airport Tax Yangon (USD 10/pax at present)
• 3 domestic flights on Air KBZ,  Yangon Airways or Golden Myanmar Airline including insurance surcharge (Airfare: please find separately in price list table)
• Optional tour
• Lunch & Dinner
• Visa arrangements for Myanmar
• Services not mentioned in our itinerary
• Tips and porters at the hotelsExpenditure of personal nature such as drinks, tips, souvenirs, laundry, etc
• Travel insurance (cover against all cancellation costs, medical expenses, including repatriation, in the event of accident or illness)

• Child under 12 years old sharing with 01 adult: 90% of adult fare
• Child under 12 years old sharing with 02 adults with extra bed: 80% of adult fare
• Child under 12 years old sharing with 02 adults without extra bed: 50% of adult fare
• Child under 02 years old sharing with 02 adults without bed: FOC

• Prices quoted in USD and subject to change without prior notice.
• Please be informed that the quotation does not imply or constitute availability.
• In case if the hotel listed is unavailable, other similar class hotel shall be provided.
• Compulsory Gala Dinner will be applied during Christmas Eve and New Year Eve.