Myanmar Spiritual Adventure in 10 Days

Upon your arrival in Mandalay, our driver will transfer you to your hotel for check-in. In this afternoon, we’ll start our exploration with a walk down the marble carving street where you will visit the traditional cotton and silk weavers.

Then visit Mahaganday, the largest Buddhist University in the country before watching the sunset at U Bein Bridge on Taungthaman Lake. Overnight in Mandalay.

U Bein Bridge

After breakfast, head to Pyin Oo Lwin (about 1 hour of driving), which was once a British colonial town. Then visit a local market and take a horse-drawn carriage through the unique colonial architecture of Maymyo in Pyin Oo Lwin. On your way to Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens, stop by and view historical objects at the Forestry Museum.

Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens

After that, you will head to Candacraig Hotel, stop for a short photograph break at Peik Chin Myaung Caves, an ancient Buddhist temple before returning to Mandalay in the evening. Overnight in Mandalay.

Continue your Myanmar spiritual adventure in 10 days with a visit Shwenandaw Kyaung – the original Royal Apartment of Grand Mandalay Palace. Then continue to The Word’s largest Book called Kuthodaw Pagoda.

Back to hotel to check out and then  take a ferry boat to Mingun, 11 km upriver from Mandalay on the western bank of Ayeyarwaddy River.

Mingun Pagoda

Visit the Mingun Pagoda, an unfinished pagoda which might have been the biggest pagoda in the history of Buddhism and Mingun Bell, the world largest ringing bell. Finally, stop at Myatheindan Pagoda for a visit.

Then take a downstream cruise Mandalay and have lunch on boat. Upon arrival at Mandalay, go straight ahead to Mandalay International Airport for a flight to Bagan. Check-in at your hotel in Bagan for overnight.

Start your day at the busy local market in Bagan, then visit a diverse selection of most important pagodas and temples. These include Shwezigon Pagoda – a huge gilded zedi built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century, GuByaukGyi – a 13th-century temple with exquisite murals, and the immediately recognizable Ananda Temple – one of the finest and largest temples with 170 feet shimmering gold spire and four huge standing-Buddha images.

Ananda Temple

Then, participate in a lacquer craftsman’s workshop nearby Myingaba village. Continue with visits to Manuha Temple, built in Mon style in 1059, Nanbaya Temple – a unique sandstone monument that is said to have been the palace of King Manuha, and Myingaba Gu Byuk Kyi Temple (which is under the protection of UNESCO).

Watch the sunset at one of the monuments along Ayeyarwady River. Overnight in Bagan.

Option: You can take balloons over Bagan if you wish. However, there will be surcharge for this option.

Visit Minnanthu village in the morning, continue to Tayoke Pyay, Payathonzu and Nandamanya Temples (noted for exquisite 13th-century murals), and Kyat Kan Cave Monastery, a famous meditation center in Bagan.

Tayoke Pyay

In the afternoon, enjoy an excursion to the beautiful Nat Htaung Kyaung, a monastery famous for wood carvings, built in 1781 by a group of monks. Admire the collection of ancient Buddha statues and lacquer boxes. Accommodation at hotel in Bagan.

After breakfast at your hotel, you transfer to Mount Popa – 48 km from Bagan. This has been a significant part of Myanmar’s culture, religion and history since the earliest times. Its shrine is dedicated to worship the 37 Nats, an old Burmese animist spirit. As you climb the stairs, you will gain very interesting knowledge about nats and nat worship. From the top of the peak, you can have an amazing view over the Myingyan Plain (the climb is optional). This is a must visit destination during your Myanmar spiritual adventure in 10 days.

Mount Popa

After lunch, return to Bagan. On the way back, en route stop at village cottage industry to learn about the regional product as well as watch the collection of juice from the palm trees, and its conversion to brown sugar. Don’t forget to try the palm juice.

Overnight in Bagan.

Continue your Myanmar spiritual adventure in 10 days, you are transferred to Mandalay international airport for your early flight to Heho. Upon arrival, take a scenic 1-hour drive to the small town Nyaung Shwe – the major gateway to Inle Lake. On the way to Nyaung Shwe, you will visit Shwe Yan Pyay Wooden Monastery with unique oval shaped window, dating back to over 140 years ago.

Then directly transfer to boat stand in Nyaung Shawe and board a private motorboat to Inle Lake, which famous for its unique one-leg rowers.

Fishermend in Inle Lake

Afternoon sightseeing will include the excursion to weaving village of In Paw Khone and Cheroot factory. Then continue to Pahung Daw Oo Pagoda, the lake’s main sanctuary which contains five sacred Buddha images covered in gold leaf.

Next, we will visit Nga Hpe Chaung Monastery, known as “Jumping cats” monastery. Take a sightseeing tour around the floating gardens areas of Inle Lake on which seasonal vegetables are grown from the boat to round off the day.

Overnight in Inle Lake.

After breakfast, travel by boat via Nampan to Sagar (approximately 3 hours) and Thakong, a rarely visited area south of Inle Lake. Explore the 5-day market (on market days only) on the way and a Shan village where produces earthenware pottery.

Earthernware Pottery

At Kyainkhan (near Kyauktaing) visit a family who produces robes (Phongyi clothes) from fabrics. Observe local methods of producing high degree alcohol fermented and extracted from bran rice. You will also get an insight into the unspoiled culture and traditional lifestyle of the ethnic Pa-O and Intha inhabitants around Sagar and Hmawbi. Enjoy the beautiful landscape, flowering trees and numerous settlements dotted on both sides of the canal. Return to the hotel at Inle Lake in the late afternoon.Overnight in Inle Lake.

In the morning, take an excursion to Indein – a hidden corner of Inle Lake, which is covered with thousands of ancient Bagan and Shan style pagodas, built during Bagan Period. Upon arrival in Indein, walk through shady bamboo groves and then transfer back to boat in Nyaung Shwe. From here proceed to Heho Airport to catch the flight back to Yangon. Overnight in Yangon.

Indein Village

Today is the last day of your Myanmar spiritual adventure in 10 days. Your first destination in Yangon is Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments. It’s famous for the golden dome pagoda, where you can see the local ways of life and belief.

Shwedagon Pagoda