Meet Myanmar Ancient Bagan Dynasty - 5 Days

On arrival, you will be greeted by our professional English speaking guide at the airport. Your journey starts Botahtaung Pagoda, which houses a sacred hair relic of Buddha. Continue to Sule Pagoda, City Hall, High Court and Independence Monument in Mahabandoola Park. Arrive to Yangon and have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, transfer to BogyokeAung San market (formerly Scott market) where you can explore Myanmar traditional costumes, clothes, gems and jewelry, arts and crafts at over 2000 sprawling shops. Visit St. Mary's Cathedral. Continue to the Yangon railway station to experience the circle train which most locals rely on for transportation. In the evening, we will visit the Grand Shwedagon Pagoda for a most picturesque experience, and transfer back to the hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel, transfer to the airport and fly to Bagan. On arrival, you will be greeted by your guide and the journey begins with a visit to the local colorful markets where villagers gather every day to buy and sell their products. Then, continue with a visit to the Golden Stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda for an introduction to Bagan’s rich history. Visit nearby Wetkyi-Inn Gubyaukgyi Temple with its exquisite Jataka mural paintings and the elegant Htilominlo Temple noted for its fine plaster carvings and sandstone decoration. Lunch at a local restaurant and check in at the hotel.

The afternoon begins with a visit to Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece and one of Bagan’s most beautiful temples.

From here, travel by horse cart to Thatbyinnyu, the highest temple in Bagan; and the massive Dhammayangyi Temple noted for its remarkable brickwork. Enjoy an unforgettable sunset over the plains from the upper terrace of one of the pagodas. At the end of the day, return to the hotel.

After breakfast, visit the rural village of Min Nan Thu, one of the places where you can see cotton weaving and harvesting of the crops in the farms (during season of October to December). Here we will explore temples such as the Lay Myat Nar Monastery Complex, Pyayathonsu Temple, and Nandamannay Temple with detailed murals from the 13th century. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant and then back to the hotel for a relaxing break to hide from the mid-day high temperatures.

Later this afternoon, begin with a visit to MyinKabar Village where we will observe a traditional lacquerware workshop for the production of one of Burma’s best-known handicrafts. Then explore Manuha Temple with its huge Buddha images, Nanpaya Temple built with sandstone, and Gubyauk Gyi Temple where you can see colorful mural paintings from the Bagan period. The journey continues to the jetty for a slow cruise down the Irrawaddy River. During the cruise, observe the lifestyle of fishermen and riverside villagers, as well as the unique views of Bagan’s temples from the river. Return to your hotel after sunset.

After morning breakfast, explore Mt. Popa, a one hour drive from Bagan on the road to Mandalay which rises 1,520 meter into the sky. Climbing to the summit takes about 45 minutes and we can visit the Mahagiri Shrine dedicated to the “Nats” (spirits) at the top where there is a wonderful panoramic view. We then return to Bagan. En route, we stop at Toddy Field to observe how to make jiggery. Afterwards, transfer to the airport and fly back to Yangon on the evening flight. On arrival, you will be greeted and transferred to the hotel.

Transfer to the Yangon airport for departure.