Myanmar is among countries that start with M listed on Countryaah.com. The landscape of Myanmar is very varied: fertile plains, wetlands, untouched islands such as the Mergui Archipelago can be found here as well as the highest mountain in Southeast Asia – the 5,881 m high Hkakabo Razi on the border between Myanmar, India and China.
The numerous pagodas and temples as well as ancient royal cities such as Sagain and Amarapua are among the greatest attractions of the Buddhist country.
- Day 1: Off to the land of the gods and the golden pagodas!
- Day 2: Mingalabar – Welcome to Myanmar!
- Day 3: Yangon – Circle Train & Heritage Tour
- Day 4: Exploring Bagan
- Day 5: Hike around Mount Popa & dinner in the temple
- Day 6: Mount Victoria – Myanmar’s second highest mountain
- Day 7: To the top of Mount Victoria
- Day 8: To the Chin villages
- Day 9: Inle Lake – one leg rowers, floating gardens & pagodas
- Day 10: Hiking on Inle Lake with the Pa Oh Community
- Day 11: The second day of hiking
- Day 12: A day of culinary delights at Inle Lake
- Day 13: Tat tar – Goodbye, Myanmar! – Or not?
- Day 14: Welcome back!
The volcanic cone Mount Popa rises in the middle of the vast plateau of Bagan. At the foot of the “Mountain of Spirits” there are shrines where we can study the patron saints (Nats). The 37 nats who have their seat here are divided into higher and lower. A particularly powerful spirit should also be at home here: the Popa Medaw, protector of women.
We stay at charming boutique hotels and host families, from here we discover a country deeply rooted in Buddhism. On the banks of the Ayeyarwady River we discover the approximately 2,200 temples and stupas, a representative of the Yangon Heritage Trust leads us through the former Rangoon.
We explore Inle Lake for several days with its “one-legged rowers”. 70,000 people live here in stilt houses on the water and plant floating gardens. We are on the road as part of local projects that ensure that the tourism income stays with the locals. A “canoe lady” takes us on board her wooden boat and rows us to small villages, where we talk to the residents. At the Intha Heritage House we will learn how to prepare stuffed carp and boiled banana leaf. After all, good food and drink should be given the status it deserves: In Bagan we dine in front of the illuminated backdrop of a temple, at the most famous winery in Myanmar we taste fine Merlot.
Meals: B = breakfast / L = lunch / packed lunch / D = dinner
1st day:
Off to the land of the gods and the golden pagodas!
Myanmar, Burma, Burma – our journey to the land of the gods begins!
There is hardly any other Southeast Asian country where so many Buddhist temples, monasteries, pagodas and golden stupas tower into the sky.
Writer Rudyard Kipling once wrote that this is a country like no other. But it is also a country that is changing; a change that is particularly evident in its metropolises.
2nd day:
Mingalabar – Welcome to Myanmar!
A blanket of clouds below us, landing approach to Yangon, Myanmar’s economic and trading metropolis. Perhaps we will catch a bird’s eye view of the former British colony.
Our guide is already waiting for us in the international arrival hall at the meeting point and brings us to our hotel. Yangon, which used to be called Rangoon, is – compared to other major Asian cities – a rather quiet and charming city. The colonial and spiritual heritage make Yangon one of the most pristine cities in Southeast Asia. Lived piety determines the everyday life of many Burmese; across the country we will feel the deep roots in Buddhism.
Driving time: approx. 1.5 hours
overnight at the Rose Garden in Yangon
(- / – / -)
3rd day:
Yangon – Circle Train & Heritage Tour
Today we chug through the outskirts of the city on the Cirle Train. Our destination is Bogyoke Market, the most famous market in Yangon. We stroll through the colorful market, discover local handicrafts and catch a glimpse of everyday life in Burmese. (The Bogyoke Market is closed on Mondays and public holidays.)
After lunch we begin our city walk with a guide from the Yangon Heritage Trust. The trust makes it its business to preserve Yangon’s historic buildings. After all, the metropolis has the largest ensemble of colonial buildings in all of Southeast Asia. We walk through the heart of the old town, to the Sule Pagoda, to the City Hall, to the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue, the only synagogue in Myanmar. Meanwhile we listen to some of the stories and anecdotes from our guide from the past Yangon. And already we have landed in Chinatown, where many colorful restaurants, small temples and market stalls invite us to linger.
At sunset we dedicate ourselves to Myanmar’s largest sanctuary: the Shwedagon Pagoda with its golden stupa, which is decorated with more than 60 tons of pure gold and 7,000 diamonds, sapphires and rubies. At this hour the believers celebrate a daily ritual, the centuries-old oil light ceremony. We watch as monks dressed in red sing old songs from the Pali scriptures in the glow of 1,500 oil lights.
Overnight: Rose Garden, Yangon
(B / – / -)
Note: All guests should wear long trousers in temples and pagodas and remove their shoes.
4th day:
Exploring Bagan
In the morning we fly to Bagan, the ancient and mystical temple city. In the midst of an almost surreal steppe landscape, on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River, the golden pagodas of Bagan shimmer towards the sky. When Bagan was the capital of Myanmar from the 11th to the 13th centuries, the country’s rulers had over 4,000 stupas and temples built, 2,200 of which are still preserved today.
We visit the colorful market of “Nyaung U” and discover the most beautiful pagodas of the old royal city. The Ananda Temple, an architectural masterpiece with four huge Buddha statues, does not remain hidden from us. In between, we take a look at a paintwork workshop. The artisans apply up to 30 layers of lacquer before they paint the works of art with creative design. Continue to the pyramid-shaped Dhammayangyi Pagoda, the largest and best preserved pagoda in Bagan. And how could we end this day more beautifully than with a sunset from the terrace of a temple.
Overnight: Heritage Bagan Hotel
(B / – / -)
5th day:
Hike around Mount Popa & dinner in the temple
Today we drive to Mount Popa, also called “Mountain of Spirits”. It rises 740 meters into the sky from the Bagan plateau. Why is it called ghost mountain? At the foot of the mountain there are large Nat shrines, where the colorful spirit world of Myanmar can be studied. It is said that the mountain is also the seat of a particularly powerful spirit – the Popa goddess, who is considered the protector of women. Our hiking trail is lined with dense forest and leads us to the top of the volcano. Before we reach the Taung Kalat monastery on the summit, we strengthen ourselves with a picnic.
Back in Bagan, there is a special highlight on our program: We dine in front of the illuminated backdrop of a temple. With candlelight in a fairytale ambience, we end our day comfortably here.
OPTIONAL: Balloon ride over Bagan
If you want to treat yourself to a unique experience today, book a ride in the hot air balloon “Balloons Over Bagan” (only with advance booking). From a bird’s eye view, in the golden light of the rising sun, we look at some of Bagan’s around 2,200 temples. The tour begins at around 5: 45 am at the hotel and takes around 3 hours (pure balloon flight around 45–60 minutes), including champagne and breakfast. The balloon rides take place from 1.10. – 31.3. instead of.
Travel time: approx. 1.5 hours.
Hike: approx. 4-5 hours
Overnight: Heritage Bagan Hotel
(B / L / D)
6th day:
Mount Victoria – Myanmar’s second highest mountain
Today we make our way to Mount Victoria, the second highest mountain in Myanmar. On the way we stop at Chauk market and stock up on everything we need for the next two days. We cross the mighty Ayeyarwady River, Myanmar’s lifeline and important trade route. For 2,200 km it flows through the country from north to south.
A simple but tasty lunch will then be waiting for us in the village of Kazunma. And in the late afternoon we reach Kanpetlat and move into a nice guest house.
Travel time: approx. 4 hours. Overnight: The Floral Breeze, Kanpetlat
(B / L / D)
7th day:
To the top of Mount Victoria
A little bit up the mountain with the vehicle and then we lace up our hiking boots. Today they carry us through the national park to the summit of Mount Victoria (3,053 m). Climbing Natmataung, as the locals call the mountain, makes us sweat, but the view rewards our efforts. When the weather is good, we can even see Assam in India and Bangladesh. Between December and February, the magnificently blooming rhododendrons will bewitch us with their scent above the tree line. A picnic on the way provides new strength. And around 3 p.m. we are back at our vehicle and continue to Mindat. There we stay with a hospitable family in a guesthouse.
Travel time: approx. 4 hours.
Hike: approx. 4 -5 hours.
Overnight: simple guest house, Mindat
(B / L / D)
8th day:
To the villages of the Chin
After our breakfast we drive to the villages of the Chin ethnic group. The older Chin women had large spider webs tattooed on their faces. According to legend, women in the region used to tattoo themselves so that the king would not steal them. Later, during the military dictatorship, they allegedly did it to make themselves unattractive and thus protect themselves from abuse by soldiers. With the help of our guide, we can have a casual conversation with one or the other resident. We arrive in Bagan in the early evening.
Travel time: approx. 5 hours.
Overnight: Heritage Bagan Hotel
(B / L / -)
Day 9:
Inle Lake – single leg rowers, floating gardens & pagodas
Today a short flight brings us to Heho. On the way to Inle Lake we visit the Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, built of teak. Finally we arrive at Inle Lake and get on boats that gondola us over the calm waters. This freshwater lake is located at over 900 meters above sea level. The Inthas, “the people of the lake”, have lived in the region for centuries and have developed their very own fishing culture. We see a world that has changed little during this time. 70,000 people live in stilt houses and plant floating beds, which they move and transport at will. We watch how the Inthas glide over the lake with their one-legged rowing technique, get an insight into their everyday life, pass their artfully landscaped floating gardens. Later we visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda,
Overnight: Amata Garden Resort, Inle Lake
(B / – / -)
10th day:
Hiking on Inle Lake with the Pa Oh Community
Today we start our two-day hike. We are looked after and supplied by local people. It is a project organized by the local community with the aim of making tourism sustainable and ensuring that the income stays with the locals.
A tuk-tuk takes us from the lakeshore to the starting point of the hike at the Kanne reservoir. We walk through growing areas for grapes, turmeric, corn, tobacco and avocados. A summit ascent rewards us with a view of Inle Lake and its surroundings. In Lwekhaw, the villagers serve us a traditional lunch at the meetinghouse. Then we walk through the village and hike to Lwekhaw Mountain at an altitude of 1,520 m, where a multitude of birds sound for us with their chirping.
Hike: approx. 4 hours (10 km)
Overnight: in the parish hall (sheets, blankets, towels, mosquito nets are available), simple dinner
(B / L / D)
11th day:
The 2nd day of hiking
Our second day of hiking begins with a simple breakfast in the parish hall. Afterwards we hike through small villages and agricultural areas. We keep talking to locals – with the support of our guide. We have lunch in the village of Lwelem. And then our hike continues, down a stony path to Maingthauk Bridge, where a boat takes us to our hotel on Inle Lake.
Hike: approx. 4 hours (10 km)
Overnight: Amata Garden Resort, Inle Lake
(B / L / -)
12th day:
A day of culinary delight at Inle Lake
Today our taste buds will be delighted, we will go on a culinary journey of discovery. Together with our head chef, we shop at the local market, he explains to us the types of vegetables and fruits that only grow here on Inle Lake. An interactive cooking lesson awaits us at the Intha Heritage House. We learn how to prepare the popular local dishes such as stuffed carp, boiled banana leaf, tomato salad, deep fried tofu cakes, stuffed potato rice balls and many other fine things. The Inle Heritage project promotes the preservation of local traditions and the sustainable development of tourism.
Then we visit a village where Burma cats are bred. This breed of cats has lived in Myanmar for over 1,000 years, records tell of cats in the royal court, in monasteries and temples.
After lunch we go on tour with a “Canoe Lady” and learn more about the “Community Based Tourism” project. At the end of the tour we will drive to the Red Mountain Estate, the most famous winery in Myanmar. Nestled in the Shan Hills, the winery overlooks the lake. It is known for having the best Moskato grapes in Asia, which are used to make fine Chardonnays and Merlots. Would you like a glass of wine?
Overnight: Amata Garden Resort, Inle Lake
(B / L / -)
13th day:
Tat tar – Goodbye Myanmar! – Or not?
Our journey is coming to an end. We say goodbye and start our journey home with many new impressions. We will be taken to Heho Airport. A short flight back to Yangon, where we continue our flight.
(B / – / -)
For guests who would like to stay longer in Myanmar, we offer two nice extension programs:
1) Beach extension at Ngapali Beach with its fine, palm-fringed sandy beach
2) Two-day tour to the Golden Rock, where we immerse ourselves in deep spirituality of Buddhists immerse themselves.
The details can be found in the “Info” tab under “Downloads”.
14th day:
Welcome back!
We should give ourselves enough time to arrive and acclimatize.
Information: The distances in Myanmar are long and the road and rail networks are largely not yet developed, but there are good flight connections. That is why we have included three domestic flights in our program. Because in less than an hour’s flight time we cover such a distance that we would otherwise have to travel around 12 hours on the bus.
