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
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 Yangon.
And then transfer to
the airport for the departure flight.
***END OF SERVICES***
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