(9 Days) Yangon, Road to Mandalay Cruise, Bagan, Inle Lake
This tour combines the highlights of Burma with several days on the Ayeyarwady River aboard the legendary Road to Mandalay cruise. Throughout the cruise, with your own guide and driver, enjoy private excursions that visit the cultural treasures of the country.
Begin in the city of Yangon (Rangoon). With your private guide, tour the Shwedagon Pagoda, a 300-foot tall golden Buddhist reliquary and the city's most spectacular landmark, the sprawling Bogyoke (Scott) Market and the National Museum. Visit neighborhoods that reflect Yangon's Burmese, British, Indian, Bangladeshi and indigenous influences.
Next, fly to fabled Mandalay, the cultural heart of Myanmar, and tour the magnificent sights. Then, board the Road to Mandalay for a three-night cruise on the Ayeyarwady. Cruise past teak and bamboo rafts, paddle steamers and small boats. Enjoy glimpses of river-life and onboard lectures on local culture and customs. In quaint Shwe Kyet, visit Sagaing Hills, an ancient capital and center of Burmese Buddhist faith and renowned for silversmiths producing intricate artifacts with ancient techniques.
Arrive in unforgettable, awe-inspiring Bagan and enjoy private touring of the ruins. Explore the thousands of pagodas and temples stretching from the Ayeyarwady River out across miles of arid plains. Tour the structures, built between the 11th and 13th centuries when Bagan was a major Buddhist center of Southeast Asia, and learn about the history carved in their layered facades, painted in their interior frescoes and sculpted in their Buddhist statues. Also visit local markets and villages. If desired, take a memorable hot air balloon ride over the temples as the sun rises. One evening, ride in a horse-drawn carriage through Bagan at sunset.
After the cruise, fly to Heho for a private extension in the Inle Lake region, one of the most culturally diverse provinces in Myanmar. Take a canoe ride through canals, pass through floating villages built on stilts, and see how the Intha people grow crops on reed islands. Visit local crafts villages to shop for distinctive textiles, ceramics and lacquerware. Also enjoy wine tasting at a local vineyard.
Conclude with a final night in Yangon for last-minute shopping and sightseeing.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1
Arrive Yangon
Private arrival transfer to the hotel for overnight. Afternoon private city touring
Day 2
Yangon - Mandalay
Transfer and flight to Mandalay for private touring. Board Road to Mandalay cruise for three nights
Day 3
Mandalay & environs
Cruising, including private shore excursion. Evening aboard Road to Mandalay cruise
Day 4
Bagan
Full-day private touring of ruins. Evening aboard Road to Mandalay cruise
Day 5
Bagan
Disembark ship in Bagan for overnight stay at hotel. Full-day private touring of ruins. Horse-drawn carriage ride at sunset
Day 6
Bagan - Inle Lake
Private transfer to airport for flight to Inle Lake for two-night stay
Day 7
Inle Lake
Full-day private touring in Inle Lake region
Day 8
Inle Lake - Yangon
Transfer and flight to Yangon for overnight stay. Afternoon private city touring
