Beyond Mandalay Capital

Beyond Mandalay Capital

10 Days

This tour has a focus on Mandalay and its surroundings with great history aspects ,chance to visit untouched nature and ruby land.

Tour Highlights

  • Discover Mandalay, its old kingdoms, artisans and the surroundings area
  • Wonders of  ruby land and trekking into Mogok valley
  • Enjoy the colonial charms around the buildings & beautiful botnical garden in Pyin Oo Lwin
  • Boat trip in unique Inle Lake
  • Scenic drive from Northern Shan Hill to Myin Chan plain
  • Explore the famous ancient pagodas and temples in Bagan

Tour Details

Day 1 - Arrival at Mandalay

WELCOME TO THE MAGIC NORTH OF BURMA

On arrival at Mandalay International Airport you will be met by our representative. So you have a safe and relaxed beginning of your trip. No trouble at the airport of finding the way, looking for a taxi oder changing money (at a bad rate). Transfer to your Hotel. This can take a bit of time as the airport is far out of the city and the traffic in Mandalay is heavy depending on the time of the day.
After refreshing up,begin your touring in Mandalay in the afternoon.
Your Mandalay cityt tour begins with a visit to Shwe Nandaw Kyuang or ‘Golden Palace Monastery’ noted for its intricate wood carvings, Kayuktawgyi Pagoda with its huge marble Buddha and Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to ‘The World’s Largest Book’, a collection of some 729 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

Atop Mandalay Hill lie glittering glass-studded temple walls which reflect the evening glow as you watch the sunset.

 

Day 2 - Sagaing Hill & Mingun village

Today,visit picturesque Sagaing Hill which is perhaps the living centre of Buddhist faith in Myanmar today. The hills here are dotted with numerous pagodas and monasteries. Enjoy a magnificent view over the surrounding area. Tthen, continue
to the village of Mingun. Visit the world’s largest uncracked bell and marvel at the impressive sight of the unfinished Mingun Pagoda. Continue to the Hisnbyume Pagoda, a white-washed temple built to resemble Mount Meru, a sacred mountain in Buddhist, Hindu and Jain cosmology.

On the return, a stop at the ancient royal capital of Amarapura. Visit the world's longest teak bridge to capture that memorable photo of the bridge at sunset before heading back to Mandalay.

Day 3 - Mandalay towards Mogok valley

Rise early this morning for a stunning road trip through the Shan Hills to the once-restricted town of Mogok . (Permission is obtained by foreign travelers)
Ajourney to Mogok along the rolling hills of the Shan State with its luscious plantations give a wonderful experience to learn more about the gems, rural life, scenic villages and the beauty of the land population.
After four hours drive, we will make a refreshment stop at Shwe Nyaung Bin station where array of stalls are selling local products, foods and snacks. Treat yourself a dish of Shan Noodle soup.
After one hour drive, we will arrive t Kyatpyin, west part of Mogok where we will start for first fisit to the gem market locally called "Pan Ma Htar Pwe" near the Panma open-air market.Afterwards, a visit to Daw Nan Kyi Hill for its pagoda and scenic view of the town from the top .
Then, continue to Mogok's city center by enjoying overlooking view to coffee plantation.

 

Day 4 - Discovery on Mogok

After breakfast, set off from the hotel for a half-day trekking towards Mogok valley to Lisu village. Along the way, you will make some stops to visit rice wine making by a chicken farmer, small water fall,Lisu Baptist church and your trek will end at a monastery which has Indian inspired architecture.
Return to the town for lunch (your own account)
In the afternoon, continue your ruby tour. Myanmar produces nearly 90% of the world’s rubies. Several of the stones on Queen Elizabeth’s ruby tiaras were mined here, along with many of the royal sapphires. Visit the mines and see the origin’s of these precious stones. It is a great opportunity to enter open pit mines, tunnel mines and traditional square mines before heading to the gem markets . Afterwards, continue to the biggest Mogok’s ruby market locally called “Pan Chan Htar Pwe”. Unlikely to any other market, there are no stalls, no vendors nor shops. Business is conducted here at tiny picnic tables where buyers, sellers, and experts examine the stones and negotiate prices over a cup of tea. If time permits, a visit to gem painting workshop and gemstone (quartz) polishing center. Return to hotel for shower
Later in the afternoon, take a drive to “View Point’ to admire the sunset view over the Mogok valley .

Day 5 - Mogok to Pyin Oo Lwin

Enjoy a morning visit at the colourful Aungchanthar market populated by the ethnic hill tribes surrounding Mogok before heading to Pyin Oo Lwin for 3 hours drive
On arrival at Pyin Oo Lwin, witness the fine remains of colonial heritages; mesmerizing architectures and old British-styled houses
In the afternoon, visit the tiny Forestry Museum (if open) and the National Botanical Kandawgyi Gardens, which were laid out by Sir Harcourt Butler, a former Governor of Burma .Take a short 'jungle' walk on a wooden path leading through rain forest trees.

 

Day 6 - Turn South to Northern Shan Hill

This morning, head towards Mandalay (approx. 1 hour). If you wish , stop at a locally owned winery in Pyin Oo Lwin called Ngwe Nan Taw (Silver Palace Wine), where the winemaker takes a rather experimental route by producing damson wine. Damson is a stone fruit which resembles a plum and the resulting wine has a higher level of acidity than grape wines.
On arrival at Mandalay, continue towards Southen Shan Hill to Inle Lake (5-6 hours drive).
Late afternoon, arrive in Nyaung Shwe, gateway to Inle Lake.
Arrive Nyaung Shwe check in at hotel, on the edge of beautiful canal.

 

Day 7 - Inle Lake wonder

A day touring around beautiful Inle lake by local boat.

Along the way you will gain a fascinating insight into life on the waterways of Inle Lake, passing fishermen famous for their curious ‘leg-rowing’ technique and lush ‘floating gardens’ where local farmers grow a surprising variety of fruit and vegetables. Your first stop will be the region’s morning market, which rotates its location around the lake’s villages in a 5-day rhythm and which is a chance to meet some of the people who gather here from the surrounding hilltribe villages.

See the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary, then visit some villages known for their local crafts including those which specialize in the production of handmade ‘cheroot’ (typical Burmese cigars)
Cruise along foliage cloaked canals to the lakeside village of In Dein in the afternoon. Here you will explore the ancient stupas of Nyaung Ohak and Shwe Inn Thein Paya. The structures date from the 17th and 18th centuries and while some have been restored.

You will also have time to take a stroll around this enchanting village before cruising back to the shore.

Day 8 - Inle Lake to Bagan

Set off a scenic journey to Bagan (approx. 6 hours). The road takes you  to the dry zone of Myanmar.  The scenery is interesting - endless rolling hills in the mornign and paddy fields in the afternoon, as the road climbs down from  the mountains of southern Shan State.

If time permits, visit Mount Popa,a 1,518m high extinct volcano to enjoy wonderful views of the surrounding area and continunue to Bagan (approx. 1.5 hours drive).

Mount Popa is dedicated to animist spirits known as ‘nats’ and you will have time to climb the 777 steps to the shrine at the top of the peak. At the foot of mountain, you could observe Nat Shrine contains a display of mannequin like figures representing the 37 Nat and is a major pilgrimage destination. There will be the opportunity to explore the fascinating monasteries, stupas and shrine

Continue to Bagan.

 

Day 9 - Bagan

Your discovery in Old Bagan begins with some of the site’s most important monuments such as

HtilominloTemple, , one of the greater temples of Bagan, Ananda temple, an architectural masterpiece, built 1105 AD in the early Mon-style, Ananda contains two unique Buddha images whose expressions seem to change depending on the distance and angle from which the statues are viewed. Continue to Thatbyinnyu Temple standing within the city walls, rises to a height of 201 feet above the ground and overtops all the other monuments, Gubyaukgyi Temple which dates back to the 13th century AD and Sulamani Guphaya Temple.
You will return to your hotel for a couple of hours to escape the hottest part of the day.
Later this afternoon, end the day atop a pagoda which affords a magnificent sunset view of Bagan's temple studded plains.

Day 10 - Bagan to Mandalay. Departure.

Collect your luggage and drive towards Mandalay (approx. 4 hours drive).
If time permits,a stop is made at a local palm tree plantation. This relaxing break will give you the chance to observe local working life with Palm trees.
On arrival, transfer to International airport for flight to your next destination.

 

Locate us on map
No.184,Sule Pagoda Road (next to Police Station)
Kyauktadar Township
Yangon Myanmar / Burma
(+95)1398263, (+95)9250311652, (+95)9799113436


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