Classic Burma: The Golden Land

Head off on a colonial walking tour of old Rangoon, seeing the architecture all around you such as the Victory Monument and City Hall. Head into the markets and stop for a cup of tea at Lat Ywae Sin.

Fly to Bagan and head off on a private tour of the temples and pagodas with a guide. You can either do this by getting around in a car, on horse-carriage or we can hire bikes which is a great way to get around the site.  See Shewzigon, Gubyaukgyi, Htiliminlo, Ananda Temple and Thatbyinnyu. In the evening head onto one of the Pagodas for a stunning sunset.

Have the option of taking a balloon over Bagan at sunrise before heading to the bustling market in Nyauang U market. Head to Myinkaba, a village just south of Old Bagan, which again features a thriving market and where  you can also head to the local Monastery and have a cup of tea and snacks away from the tourists. Head back to Bagan for lunch, where we suggest visiting the Shwe Gu orphanage seeing the young monks sit down for their meal. Head onto another village where you will see the process of creating ‘poneyay’, a pea-powder paste, the making of plum jam and the construction of traditional bullock-carts. You can then explore more of the temples at your own leisure, or return to the hotel.

Fly to Mandalay and in the afternoon explore the city with your private guide. Visit Mahamuni Pagoda before visiting some of Mandalay’s famous cottage industries. See the production of wood carvings, gold-leaf and kalaga tapestries. Head to Mandalay Hill from which you will have amazing views over the city. Visit the Golden Palace Monastery before finishing at Kuthodaw Pagoda. Head into the city in the evening to see the thriving vegetable market and Chinatown.

If you are an early-bird, it is certainly worth getting up for the daily Theravada Buddhist ritual of monks collection their alms. They leave their monasteries at dawn with empty alms bowls and walk past the locals who offer rice and other food. Head to Min Thiha for a cup of tea and the famous Mandalay noodle ‘Monte’. That afternoon head to Amarapura, via Ava Bridge and finish with a sunset on U Bein Bridge.

Fly to Heho and transfer two hours to the colonial hill-station of Kalaw. Continue to the Green Hill Elephant Camp where former logging elephants spend their retirement. You’ll have a chance to feed them, take them to the river and give them a bath (or watch!).

In the morning visit the Kalaw market before taking a short Shan Hill Tribal Walk, passing through traditional farmland and villages before making the journey to Inle Lake.

Travel by long-tail boat to explore the remarkable communities who live and work around Inle. Stop at interesting markets, villages and head off on a short thirty minute walk to the local Intha tribal village of Sema.

Today, choose what you want to see and do. You can either spend the day relaxing by the banks of Inle Lake, or head off on a cycling excursion around Inle Lake, stopping at the Red Mountain Wine Estate for a tasting. Alternatively, we can take you a full day into the remote Shan Hills exploring the impressive sight of Kakku before visiting local Shan villages, home to the tribal Pa-Oh people. Another option could to Sagar, south of Inle, which takes three hours by boat, and another remote destination away from the tourists.

Fly from Heho to Thandwe and transfer to Ngapali Beach where you spend three nights relaxing.