Golden Pagodas-Tour  7 Days / 6 Nights

Yangon - Bagan - Mount Popa - Mandalay - Amarapura - 
Heho - Inle Lake - Yangon

This tour can be booked for a minimum of 2 persons or as a group tour. It can be considered as a standard program recommandable for those clients, who do not necessarily want to explore every corner of the country but would be interested in the most famous and important sights.

 Welcome to our World!

Day 01 Arrival Yangon: Arrival in the Burmese capital. You will be met at the airport by our local guide, who will take care of everything from now on. Then you will be brought by minibus/bus to the hotel. In the afternoon, you will get to know our capital on a city tour: Drive along scenic Royal Lake to Karaweik Hall, a ship-like construction built in the shape of the mythological bird Karaweik; have a look at the lake with world famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the background! Then visit the huge Reclining Buddha and the octogonal Bo-ta-taung Pagoda in the harbour area along Yangon River. Then, shortly before sunset, the 107 metres high golden stupa of Shwe Dagon Pagoda will glitter in the soft light of the early evening. Overnight.

On to Bagan

Day 02 Yangon-Bagan: 80 minutes morning flight to Bagan, the first and most beautiful capital of the Burmese, founded in the eleventh century by a great king. Along with Angkor in Cambodia, this is the most important temple and pagoda complex in Asia. An all-day visit to this huge area - a day full of culture. But we will avoid hectic tourism and will show you the most beautiful temples and pagodas, leisurely but in detail: You will visit Shwezigon Pagoda, the only golden pagoda in Bagan-area built by the great king Kyanzittha. Then you will visit the caves of Kyanzittha Umin (with the oldest murals in Burma, showing the Mongolian invasion under Kubilai Khan). In Gubyaukgyi, a perfect Indian-style temple, you will see hundreds of frescoes illustrating the jataka-stories of the previous lifes of Lord Buddha. This morning ends with a visit to huge Htinlominlo Tempel. After lunch, continue your tour with a visit to Manuha Temple, erected over huge Buddha-images. Then enjoy the elaborated stone engravings in close-by Nanpaya Temple; on your way further South of Bagan area, you will be impressed by beautiful Abeyadama Temple; your afternoon tour ends at Lawkananda Pagoda in the very South of Bagan, a landmark of Ayeyarwaddy-fishermen. Visit traditional manufacture of unique Baga lacquer ware. Enjoy sunset over Bagan from one of the pagodas. Overnight.

To the Olympia of the Deities

Day 03 Excursion Mount-Popa: In the morning, you will stroll through the marketplace of Nyaung U, and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of Burmese people. You will then admire the Ananda Temple, whose interior seems almost Gothic and who is considered to be the most beautiful among all the temples of Bagan. Then you will be impressed by ancient wall murals in the meditation chamber nearby. Later on, drive through the sun-parched plain with Palmyra palms to the Mountain of Deities, Popa (2 hours). There you will climb the huge volcanic rock on a staircase to see shrines for nats (celestial spirits of Burmese mythology) and small temples for Lord Buddha. It will take you about 20 minutes to reach the top of Mount Popa (Sanscrit word for Flower) and you will pass by many small food stalls and small „drugstrores“ selling herbal medicine. Just in time for sunset you will be back in Bagan: Enjoy the scenic beauty of Bagan plains with 1000 years old red brick temples and white-washed pagodas. Overnight.

The Gold Buddha

Day 04 Bagan-Mandalay-Amarapura: In the morning only a short 30 minute „hop“ by plane to Mandalay, where the Konbaung kings resided and eventually capitulated to the British, more than 100 years ago. The sightseeing program will start directly after your arrival: A short drive will bring you then to the temples and small pagodas of former ancient capital Amarapura (Sanscrit for „Beautiful town“). There you can take a walk over the world�s longest teakwood bridge U Bein. Continue drive to Mandalay. Visit to Shwe Nandaw, the famous Golden Monastery, the only one building still existing from more than one hundred once standing on the palace grounds of Konbaung kings. From there you will stroll to Kuthodaw Pagoda with its 729 marble slabs showing the entire Buddhist canon and commemorating the Fifth Buddhist World Council at the end of last century. Then you will admire the huge marble Buddha in a temple nearby. Your tour in the afternoon: Visit to Mahamuni Temple housing the country�s holiest Buddha image, century-old and legendary Arakan Buddha, made of pure gold. If you still feel fresh, you might climb up to the top of Mandalay Hill for a bird�s eye view (or take the elevator).Overnight.

Shan Plateau

Day 05 Mandalay-Heho-Nyaungshwe-Inle Lake: The flight from the plain of Ayeyarwaddy to the Shan Plateau takes only 30 minutes. The Shan are a Thai ethnic group in Myanmar. You will see different styles of Buddhist pagodas. Continuation drive (1 hour) to Nyaungshwe at Inle Lake, the biggest village around the lake and capital of a former Shan king.Transfer to the hotel. The excursion to Inle Lake, the land of the Intha people, begins right after check in. These people are known as leg-rowers and as architects of floating villages and gardens. The life of the Intha, who originally came from the south of Burma, revolves completely around the lake. Visit the floating market and the great pagoda with five holy Buddha images. Overnight.

Boatride...

Day 06 Inle Lake-Heho-Yangon: Boat excursion to In Dein a small pictures village of the Pa O minority. Visit a hyge area of Shan style pagodas. Return drive to Heho (1 hour) and in the afternoon a one-and-a-half-hour return flight to Yangon. Overnight 

Please note: During your stay in the area of Inle Lake, an excursion to Katku (or Kakku) can be arranged. The region around Katku was off-limits for foreigners for many years. It has only recently been opened. Here, surrounded by villages of Pao people and west of Inle Lake, nearly 2,500 pagodas were built during the reign of king Alaungsithu in the sixteenth century. The majority have been preserved and are, even today, objects of Buddhist piety. The pagodas are built in typical Shan style and are richly decorated. Although they might be considered of minor significance from an art history point of view, that doesn�t make them any less impressive. The pagodas are some 50 kilometres south of Taunggyi, administrative center of Southern Shan State. The road is being improved now. From Inle Lake, Katku can be reached by boat and by minibus or four-wheel drive vehicles. On tour you also will easily get into contact with Pao in their villages and it is quite an experience to get to know the traditional lifestyle of these people. Please ask for more details.

To Shwe Dagon!

Day 07 Yangon-Departure: If you have not been on a city tour yet due to late arrival on Day 01, we will provide this morning: Visit to Shwe Dagon Pagoda, you will be touched by the deep religiosity of Burmese people, walking up to this beautiful pagoda to offer flowers and holy water to images of Lord Buddha. Drive along scenic Royal Lake to Karaweik Hall, a ship-like construction built in the shape of the mythological bird Karaweik; have a look at the lake with world famous Shwe Dagon Pagoda in the background! Then visit the huge Reclining Buddha and the octogonal Bo-ta-taung Pagoda in the harbour area along Yangon River. Rest of day at leisure. Transfer out for departure.

Price per Person in US$:   Prices for 2010 / 2011 on request