Mysteries of Myanmar 7 Days

Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, you will be welcomed by your tour guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in. You will visit Sule Pagoda (located on a roundabout in downtown Yangon), Yangon City Hall (featuring classic Myanmar architectural design), and the High Court (noted for its British colonial architecture, including its clock tower and its red-bricked exterior). Next, you’ll visit Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, built in 1966 and famous for its huge image of the Reclining Buddha, which replaced the older image built in1907.

In the early evening, you will visit the famous Shwedagon Pagoda. Its massive bell-shaped golden spires are plated with 60 tons of gold, while the tip of the stupa is inset with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and topaz. You’ll have a restful overnight in Yangon.

After breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for a flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, you will go for a sightseeing drive to Nyaung Oo Market, Shwezigone Pagoda (home to the Frontlet Relic of Buddha), Gubyaukgyi Temple (noted for its wall paintings), Htilominlo Pagoda (one of the largest temples of Bagan and noted for its fine plaster carvings) and Ananda Temple (the finest, largest and best preserved of all the Bagan temples). You will also get to explore Ananda Okkyaung (a brick monastery with 18th Century mural paintings) and Dhammayangyi Pagoda (extending approximately 255 feet on each of its four sides, making it Bagan's most massive shrine). After lunch, you will visit a local family workshop to watch and learn about the production process of lacquer ware, one of Myanmar's best-known handicrafts.

You will then continue on to visit Thatbyinnyu Pagoda (Bagan's tallest temple at almost 217feet high) and Nanpaya temple (a unique sandstone monument). Then you will enjoy the breathtaking sunset from Shwesandaw Pagoda, the most popular sunset-viewing spot in Bagan, before retiring for the evening in Bagan.

After breakfast, you will continue your visit with a trip to Nathlaung Kyaung, the only remaining Hindu temple in Bagan. Next, you’ll visit Myazedi Pagoda (well known for its stone inscription which was engraved in the four languages of Myanmar) and Nagayon Pagoda, which was built at the end of the 11th Century and which resembles the Indian temples of the area of Orissa. Your next destination will be Abeyatanar Pagoda (famous for paintings that cover the inner walls) and then lunch at a local restaurant.

Your journey will continue to Nga-kywe-na-daung Pagoda (with early Pyu type brick masonry stupa), Manual Temple (one of the oldest temples in Bagan), and Mingalarzedi (noted for its fine proportions and many beautiful jataka tiles around its three square terraces). You will surely be ready for your relaxing overnight stay in Bagan.

There will be an early morning transfer to Bagan Airport for a flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, you will take an excursion to Amarapura, which means “City of Immortality” and which was founded in 1783 AD. You’ll then visit Mahaganthayon Monastery, the largest teaching monastery in Myanmar.

Next, you will enjoy the serenity of the U Bein wooden bridge (constructed in 1849 and measuring about three-quarters of a mile long) and Taung-Ta-Man Lak (which always enchants visitors). After your hotel check-in, you will continue your tour by visiting Mahar Myat Muni Buddha Image (the most ancient bronze cast Buddha image in Myanmar) and the reconstructed Mya Nan San Kyaw Palace.

This golden palace represents Myanmar’s sovereignty and independence, which arouses national patriotic spirit among the Myanmar people. Then you will be on your way to the handicraft workshops, where you will witness things such as bronze sculpting, gold leaf beating and marble stone carving. In the afternoon, you will visit Cathode Pagoda, which is often called the world's largest book because it is home to a set of 729 huge stone slabs, on which Buddhist scriptures are inscribed.

You will finish the tour by visiting Mandalay Hill, a natural watchtower where visitors can watch the sunrise or sunset over the city plains. You’ll then have an overnight in Mandalay.

After breakfast, you will set out for Sagaing Hill, which has over 600 Buddhist monasteries where monks and nuns study and meditate. You’ll also visit U Min Thonze (or “Thirty Caves Pagoda”, which has many Buddha images in a crescent-shaped colonnade), Ywahtaung Village (where you can see silver workers producing bowls and other silver items by traditional methods) and the impressive Soon Oo Pon Nya Shin Pagoda nearby.

After that, you will take a private boat to Mingun, which is famous for its huge and incomplete Pahtodawgyi Pagoda built by King Bodaw Badon in 1791 and the Mingun Bell, which is the biggest hanging bell in the world. Then you will head to the handicraft workshops and witness bronze sculpting, gold leaf beating and marble stone carving, before an overnight stay in Mandalay.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will fly back to Yangon, where you will continue your city tour with a visit to Lawka Chanthar, the world’s biggest marble Buddha and royal white elephant.

On the way, you may stop at the Naga Cave Monastic School, where you can learn the Myanmar monastic education system. You also have the option to visit Kandawgyi Lake and surrounding areas, which offer numerous photo opportunities.

After lunch, you can go shopping in the Bogyoke market (formerly "Scott Market"), where you can get a wide range of Myanmar handicrafts, jewelry, fabrics, lacquerware and so on. You can also visit China Town markets selling fresh fruits, flowers, and local delicacies.

Time permitting, your guide will bring you to the famous MK gems shop, where high-quality gems are displayed in eight different decorated showrooms. This is just one example of why Myanmar is the world’s number one producer of precious stones. You will have an overnight stay in Yangon.

There are no activities planned for today, so you can enjoy your free time until being transferred to the airport for your onward flight.