MYANMAR
UNVEILED TRAIL
Day 1: Arrive Yangon D)
Arrive in Yangon.
Your guide and driver will greet you at the
airport and transfer to hotel. The remainder of today is at your leisure to
relax after the flight.
Welcome dinner this evening.
Overnight in Yangon.
Day 2:
Yangon - Mandalay
(B,
L, D)
After breakfast, transfer to airport for the flight to Mandalay.
Upon arrival at Mandalay, transfer to the
hotel. Your bikes will be waiting here and after checking in, we will take some
time to do a bike fitting.
Lunch at local restaurant
This afternoon is at leisure- a car and guide are at your disposal for
sightseeing.
Dinner at local restaurant
Overnight in Mandalay.
Day 3:
Mandalay – Amarapura - Mandalay (B,
L, D)
It’s time to begin cycling!
After breakfast at the hotel, your guide will
take you on a bike ride to Mandalay’s
outskirts. Heading to the southwest of the city, your first destination is the 18th century
capital of Amarapura (17 kms/ app 1 hour). Stop here
to visit 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.
Continue by bike across the Irrawaddy River to
Mingun (33 kms/ app 2 hours). Visit the main sites
of Mingun beginning with the famous Mingun Pahtodawqyi. This huge brick structure was left unfinished
after an astrologer predicted the King’s would die should the temple be
completed. In the 1800s, an earthquake
left several large cracks in the structure.
Continue your visit at the beautiful white Hsinbyume Pagoda whose
distinctive style is meant to resemble the mythical Mount Meru. Then, see the Mingun Bell which weighs 90
tons and is considered the world’s largest uncracked ringing bell.
Lunch at
local restaurant
This afternoon, return to Mandalay by boat.
This 1-1.5 hour journey along the Irrawaddy is a great way to observe the lives
of the fishermen and enjoy the beautiful, tranquil scenery.
Upon reaching Mandalay, You
will explore the hidden places of the city by car. Stops will be made at a
workshop making gold leaf, where the craftsmen use ancient techniques handed
down over generations. You’ll also visit Mahamuni Pagoda, home to one of the country’s most revered
Buddha images which, over the years, has been covered with gold leaf giving it
an almost ‘lumpy’ texture. End the day with enjoying the magnificent sunset
view from the top of Mandalay Hill.
Dinner at local restaurant
Overnight in Mandalay.
Biking Distance: Approximately
50 km
Day 4:
Mandalay – Pyin Si - Myingyan
(B, L, D)
Today’s journey takes you to Myingyan. The journey starts on
bike and then continues the last stretch by car. You will cycle to Tada U
roundabout from Mandalay (Pyin Si Junction). (Bike: Mandalay – Pyin Si Junction
45 km/ 2 hours; car from Tada U - Myingyan 2 hours)
Along the way, you will pass by the villages and you will have
unparalleled opportunities to observe traditional lifestyles of the rural
Burmese. Their life is lacking in many amenities yet the concepts of mutual
help and cooperation are central to village life here and there are a number of
social and religious customs which prevail in the upper Myanmar.
Lunch at the village or on route (lunch box)
Dinner at local restaurant
Overnight in Myingyan (Local Guest House with Basic
Furniture)
Biking Distance:
Approximately 45 km
Day 5:
Myingyan - Bagan
(B,
L, D)
After
breakfast, you will take time to visit around the little town of Myingyan,
located in the valley of the eastern banks of the Irrawaddy River just south of
Mandalay. After that you will be transfer to Let Pan Che Paw village by car (48
km 1.5 hour drive) to begin your biking tour to Bagan.
Then,
resume your cycling journey to Bagan. (Approx. 40 km/ 2 hrs)
You’ll
reach Bagan midday and refuel with lunch at a local restaurant.
Check in to your hotel. The remainder of this afternoon is free at your
leisure. A car and guide will be available for sightseeing
Dinner at local restaurant
Overnight in Bagan
Biking Distance:
Approximately 40 km
Day 6:
Bagan
(B,
L, D)
After breakfast at the hotel, spend a full day biking around the ancient
temples.
Start with a visit to the colourful Nyaung Oo
Market where the locals come to buy and trade fresh produce and handicrafts.
Continue to Shwezigon Pagoda, known for its magnificent golden stupa, and
Wetkyi-In Gubyaukgyi, a cave temple with exquisite jatakas murals paintings.
Your final visit this morning is at the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its
fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations.
Take a break from the midday heat for lunch and a chance to relax.
This afternoon, observe the process of
traditional lacquerware, one of Myanmar's best-known handicrafts and a
specialty of Bagan. Then, visit Ananda, an architectural masterpiece reflecting
the early-style of Bagan temple construction and containing four impressive
standing Buddha images. Continue to nearby Ananda Okkyaung, one of the few
surviving brick monasteries from the early Bagan period.
Dinner at local restaurant
Overnight in Bagan.
Biking Distance: Approximately
16 km
Day 7:
Bagan – Mt. Popa – Bagan (B,
L, D)
This morning set off for a ride to Shwe Hlaing village passing small
settlements where men climb up the palm trees to collect the juice to make
jaggery or liquor. Upon arrival, visit around the village and observe how to
make jaggery (Myanmar’s Candy) and liquor at toddy climber’s hut.
After that, resume your journey to Mt. Popa by car. As you leave Bagan’s
outskirts, begin the uphill climb to Mount Popa. Mount Popa is the home to
Myanmar’s traditional Nats (spirits) and is a popular pilgrimage location.
Leave your bikes at the base and climb the more than 700 steps to the top for
sweeping views of the surrounding plains.
Late afternoon, transfer back to Bagan by car.
Overnight in Bagan.
Biking Distance from Bagan to
Shwe Hlaing village: Approximately 25 km
Day 8:
Bagan – Inle
(B,
L, D)
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.
Lunch at local restaurant
Upon arrival at Inle Lake, board a
private motorboat and transfer to your hotel. You will enjoy rest of the day at
leisure at your hotel on Inle Lake.
Dinner and overnight at hotel
Day 9:
Inle (B,
L, D)
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).
Then, you will 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’ that 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.
Lunch
at local restaurant
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.
Dinner
and overnight at hotel on Inle Lake
Day 10:
Inle – Indein -
Yangon (B, L, D)
After
breakfast, you will continue your journey by cruising 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.
Alaung Sitthou is filled with picturesque ancient stupas and has
magnificent views of the lake below.
Lunch at local restaurant
After lunch, you will transfer to
Heho for the domestic flight to Yangon. Upon arrival at Yangon, transfer to
your hotel.
Late this afternoon, visit Shwedagon Pagoda, the
most revered Buddhist temple in Myanmar.
The central stupa is 90
meters tall and gilded with gold leaf. As the sun begins to set enjoy the
breathtaking views of the Pagoda and surrounding skyline before transferring
back to your hotel.
A special farewell dinner tonight.
Overnight in Yangon
Day 11:
Depart – Yangon (B,
-, -)
Depending
on flight time, there is an option to take a ride on Yangon’s Circle Train in
the morning.
This
morning transfer to Yangon Railways station to take a unique ride on the city’s
circular train ride through the outskirts of town (45 minutes ride). This
slowly traveling train gives you unique opportunity to observe the lively,
colorful lifestyle of the local people.
Disembark at the Insein market where you can peruse the various stalls
and interact with the friendly vendors before transferring back to Yagnon.
And then transfer to the airport for the
departure flight.
*****End of services*****
No comments:
Post a Comment