Burma Highlights

14 days
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4.6/5 Excellent
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Small Group Tour
With its plethora of glittering temples and towering stupas that punctuate the horizon, it's no wonder this mystical country has been dubbed the \ Golden Land'. On this two week trip we explore Burma's (Myanmar) stand-out highlights, along with some of its lesser-visited gems. Inle Lake - Discover floating gardens, stilted villages and leg-rowing fisherm...

Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • Rangoon (Yangon) - British colonial heritage and the golden Shwedagon Pagoda
    • Inle Lake - Floating gardens, stilted villages and leg-rowing fishermen
    • Shan State Highlands - Walk in the countryside around the former British hill station of Kalaw
    • Mandalay - Cruise on Irrawaddy River and visit nearby U-Bein Bridge
    • Bagan - Vast plain studded with thousands of ancient temples

What's this trip about?

    With its plethora of glittering temples and towering stupas that punctuate the horizon, it's no wonder this mystical country has been dubbed the \ Golden Land'. On this two week trip we explore Burma's (Myanmar) stand-out highlights, along with some of its lesser-visited gems. Inle Lake - Discover floating gardens, stilted villages and leg-rowing fishermen Mandalay - Cruise on the Irrawaddy River and visit nearby U-Bein Bridge Bagan - Explore the vast plain studded with thousands of ancient temples.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - 12 max
Age range30 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityRangoon (Yangon)
End CityRangoon (Yangon)

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • Nature & Wildlife
  • Hiking & Walking

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture
  • Hiking
  • History
  • Nature
  • Trains & Rail
  • Trekking

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Join tour Yangon (Rangoon)

Although not the capital, Yangon is the cultural and commercial heart of Myanmar. Colonial architecture faces onto the bustling streets, which are often filled with markets and tasty pop-up street food stands. Interspersed within all of this are the glittering golden ...

Meals Provided :
None

Day 2 Discover the sights of Yangon; fly to Inle Lake

This morning's sightseeing takes us by foot and vehicle to Rangoon's major sights, starting with the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda - the most revered temple in the country, which all Burmese Buddhists hope to visit at least once in their lifetime. Containing the relics...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 3 Full day to explore Inle Lake by longtail boat

Inle Lake enjoys a picturesque, high-altitude setting on the Shan Plateau, surrounded by hills and home to the Intha people, as well as some Shan, Taungyo, Pa-o and Danu ethnicities. Local communities are devout Buddhists that live in simple houses of wood and woven b...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 4 At Inle Lake; boat to visit Shwe Indein pagoda complex

This morning's boat trip takes us up a small creek in the western part of the lake to Indein village. Here, we visit a complex of about 1,000 stupas of varying sizes built between the 17th and 18th centuries. We can enjoy wandering around these overgrown ruins before ...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 5 Train and drive to hill station of Kalaw

This morning we will enjoy a colourful train journey sitting among the locals to the town of Aung Ban. Although scheduled to take two hours, a relaxed timetable and frequent delays sometimes result in the journey taking longer, but this is all part of the experience a...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 6 Walk in Shan Highlands; free afternoon in Kalaw

Today we can look forward to a gentle four-hour trek through the Kalaw tribal heartlands. Starting in the village of Say Wingabar, we ascend through pine forest to Lu Pyi village. Our trail passes through rural countryside and provides us with views of the valley - a ...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast & Lunch

Day 7 Drive to Mandalay

Leaving the Shan mountain scenery behind us, we embark on an interesting land journey to Mandalay, making our own version of Kipling's famous journey to the gateway to the north. The condition of the road can be poor in places, so we expect the 160 mile journey to tak...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 8 Explore Mandalay; boat trip to Mingun village

We begin day by exploring Mandalay. Today we view the world's largest book at Kuthodaw Pagoda, where the entire Buddhist scripture sits on 729 marble slabs. Our next stop is the magnificent Shwenandaw Monastery, originally a 19th century royal palace and famed for its...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast & Lunch

Day 9 From Mandalay, visit Inwa and U-Bein Bridge

After a leisurely start this morning we drive four miles southwest of Mandalay, we visit the ancient capital of Inwa (Ava), which had the longest stint of any royal capital between the 15th and 19th centuries. Our visit is conducted by horse-drawn cart along bumpy dir...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 10 By boat along the Irrawaddy River to ancient Bagan

Tours taking place from October to April plan to take the express boat service from Mandalay Port to Bagan. Although requiring an early start, we can look forward to a relaxed, full day's cruise down the fabled and mighty Irrawaddy River, observing the sights and soun...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast & Lunch

Day 11 Explore the 1000 year old temples of Bagan

Before visiting the temples today, we stop in Phya Saw village to gain an insight into the traditional ways of life that have changed little over the centuries. We are likely to engage with the local people as they go about their daily business - cotton weaving by han...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast & Lunch

Day 12 In Bagan; optional visit to Mount Popa

A tremendous panoramic view of the temple-studded plain provides a great photo opportunity to kick-start our day before we continue with our visits to the most interesting sites. This will include Manuha Temple - built by King Manuha to represent his displeasure of ca...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 13 Fly to Yangon; free afternoon

Leaving the temples and pagodas of Bagan behind us, this morning we make our way back to Rangoon by plane. The rest of the day is left free for us to explore more of this sprawling city. You may like to visit the immense Bogyoke Market, formerly known as Scott's Marke...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

Day 14 Tour ends Yangon

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Yangon. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Yangon at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you would like to ...

Meals Provided :
Breakfast

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,350
Price per day$168
Last Updated: 4/10/2024

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Explore! Reviews & Ratings

4.6/5  Excellent
Excellent
10,321
Great
3,322
Average
522
Disappointing
158
Terrible
79
N

Neil

Dec 2020

Written on

Excellent

The notes posted each day by Haymar explaining wake up / breakfast/transport times and what we were going to be doing, needed to take / wear in support of the trip n...

N

Neil

Dec 2020

Written on

The notes posted each day by Haymar

The notes posted each day by Haymar explaining wake up / breakfast / transport times and what we were going to be doing, needed to take / wear in support of the trip...

S

Sherry

Oct 2020

Written on

Had an excellent time. Would recommend. Even

Had an excellent time. Would recommend. Even with a large group, all was fun and enriching.

S

Sherry

Oct 2020

Written on

Had an excellent time

Had an excellent time. Would recommend. Even with a large group, all was fun and enriching.

R

Rosemary

Apr 2020

Written on

I had was excellent

Another optional extra to add to the list in the itinerary - Afternoon tea at the Strand Hotel Yangon - very enjoyable!! (By the way, the massage I had was excellen...

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Logistics

Accommodation

Transportation & Flights

Bus, Boat, Ferry, Flight, Train,

Transportation & flights

Bus, Boat, Ferry, Flight, Train
Guides
Explore Tour Leader, Boat Crew, Driver(s), Local Guide(s)
Cancellation policy
These conditions are applicable to Discovery & Wildlife, Cycling, Walking and Family Trips. These conditions were updated November 2022. Booked a Polar trip? Please refer to our Polar booking conditions. To make it easy to know the detail of our flexibility, we’ve put it in a grid (these terms apply to all trips apart from our Polar Voyages.) Standard cancellations or changes within 69 days of travel If you’re getting closer to your trip, cancellation charges will apply as follows: For trips confirmed by 31st December 2022: 59-42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100% For trips confirmed from 1st January 2023: 69 -42 days before trip start date – 30%, or loss of deposit if higher 41-28 days before trip start date – 60% 27-14 days before trip start date – 90% Less than 14 days before trip start date – 100%
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Burma: An e-visa is required to enter Burma and must be arranged prior to travel through the following website: http://evisa.moip.gov.mm/. Visas are valid for 90 days from issue and allow a 28-day, single-entry visit.
Health & Safety
Nothing compulsory, but we recommend protection against malaria, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A plus Polio and diptheria. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria. Following the advice given by the Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we strongly recommend the wearing long sleeved shirts and the liberal application of insect repellent as a precautionary measure to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. These precautions should be taken at all times as the mosquitoes are also active during daylight hours. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at <a href="https://www.explore.co.uk/essential-information/know-before-you-go/travel-health">Explore Travel Health</a> and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast : 13
  • Lunch : 4
Age Requirements
30 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
explore-BUH

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