1st day: Yangon
Yangon is the capital of Myanmar since 1885 when Mandalay's short period as the center of the last Burmese Kingdom ended. The city, today with a population of over five million, is lined by the Yangon River on the west and the Bago River on the south. Yangon gives a different impression from other Asian cities of similar size and it seems full of green and trees over which tops the shimmering stupas float. The Downtown area features still a lot of old and large colonial buildings left over from the former British times.

1 night stay in Yangon.

After check in you will be taken on a full day tour. First through Yangon's colonial heart, visiting the famous Bogyoke Market (also named Scott Market) and the gilded Sule Pagoda, dating back over 2000 years, as well as the Botataung Pagoda, near Yangon's bustling waterfront. On the way to the Chaukhtatgyi Reclining Buddha, you will get a first glimpse of Yangon's most revered monument, the glittering Shwe Dagon Pagoda, reflected in the calm waters of Kandawgyi Lake. You will visit the most famous 2500-year old Shwedagon Pagoda in the early evening to enjoy the sunset from this mounted place.

2nd day: KALAW
After breakfast we will transfer you to the airport for the flight to Heho. One hour drive from Heho is the former popular British hill station, Kalaw, a quiet town with an atmosphere reminiscent of the colonial area. It also serves as a very good starting point for interesting treks and hikes of anything from one to five days into the surrounding mountains, home to different hill tribes such as Palaung, Pa-O, Taungthu, Taungyo and Danu, to mention but a few.

In Kalaw you are able to visit the local market, a good place for watching hill tribe people and the other varied inhabitants of Kalaw: Nepali, Indians, Gurkhas, Bamar and Shan. It also features a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. A visit to the Nee Paya, a gold lacquered bamboo Buddha, might be worthwhile.

1 night stay in Kalaw.

3rd day: PINDAYA
After breakfast in the morning, we drive around 2 hrs to the peaceful little town of Pindaya and visit the famous Pindaya caves, which are home to over 8000 Buddha images made from alabaster, teak, marble, brick, lacquer and cement within its labyrinths. The caves burrow into a limestone ridge overlooking Pindaya and the lake. Unusual features are a set of stalagmites that can be struck with large wooden beams to produce tones like a gong. You will also visit an Umbrella Factory, which gives you a chance for a detailed look at the making of the famous Shan paper and beautiful Burmese umbrellas.

In the afternoon you enjoy a scenic drive around 2 ½ hrs to the Inle lake, where you check in to your hotel.

2 nights stay at Inle Lake.

4th day: INLELAKE
Inle Lake is a very shallow lake, only 2 to 3 m deep, surrounded by high plateaus and overlooked by the misty Shan mountains. It is home to the Intha people, among others, who have adapted to their watery environment by building whole villages rising in stilts from the shallow waters. Lake dwellers have become famed for their unique leg rowing technique, and grow an array of flowers and vegetables in picturesque floating gardens and fields, tended by workers in canoes. Inle Lake is 22 km long, about 11 km wide and lies a comfortable 875m above sea level.

In the morning start the sightseeing on the lake by boat with a visit to the floating village Ywama, where a floating market is held every five days. You will visit handicraft workshop like gold and sliver smiting. Indaing Village, half way along the western side of the lake, is very interesting due to its 1094 stupas surrounding the main Pagoda, Indaing Pagoda, which is the original home of the five famous Phaung Daw U Buddha images of Inle Lake. Phaung Daw U Pagoda is the holiest religious site in the southern area of the Shan State. You will also visit Inbawkhone village to see silk weaving and the famous Nga Phe Monastery, also called the jumping cat monastery, since the monks have trained their cats to jump through hoops. The different ancient Buddha images inside make this monastery a worthwhile stop.

5th day: MANDALAY
After breakfast and check out, transfer to Heho airport for the flight to Mandalay, the last capital of the Burmese kingdom and Myanmar's second largest city. Upon arrival in Mandalay, you will be welcomed by our tour guide and transferred to the hotel. Afterwards, you will visit the Mahar Muni Pagoda, Shwe Inbin Monastery, Royal Palace, Shwe Nang Daw Kyaung and Kuthodaw Pagoda. Depending on the time you will spend at each side, you may can enjoy an excursion to the handicrafts center which offers wood carving, marble carving, Bronze foundries, Gold-leaf making and silk weaving. Mandalay Hill is a must and can be visited all day, but enjoying the sunset from the Pagoda on top of the hill is always a nice ending of a day in Mandalay.

2 nights stay in Mandalay.

6th day: ANCIENT CITIES
Towards the ancient cities we can stop at Shwe Kyet Yet Village for a great beautiful view across the Ayeyarwaddy River on to Sagaing Hill in the morning sun.

Ava (Inwa) is half an hour drive by car from Mandalay and a short ferry crossing. In Ava we will visit by horse cart the old wooden Baga Yar Monastery, the square shaped Le Thagi pagoda from the 14th century, Lawka Htut Khaung and the Nan Myint, a masonry watch tower also known as "leaning tower of Inwa" . Another interesting stop is to observe the different stages involved in making the famous alms bowls, which every monk carries with him.

Just across the Ayeyarwaddy River from Ava is Sagaing, where you will visit Umin Thounzeh (30 caves pagoda) and the Soon U Ponya Shin Paya, which offers an outstanding view over the Ayeyarwaddy River and the slopes of Sagaing Hill, dotted with pagodas, up to the Kaungmudaw pagoda.

Amarapura is the 18th century capital, where we finish the day with a walk at sunset over U Bein's Bridge, the longest teak span bridge in the world (1.2km), built by U Bein, the mayor of Amarapura.

7th day: MONYWA
In the early morning, drive by car around 2 ½ hrs to Monywa, a lovely town, situated on the eastern bank of the Chindwin River. We will visit the magnificent Thahboddhay Pagoda complex with its 845 stupas, 7.350 statues and almost 600.000 sacred images, Boddhi-Tataung(1000 Buddhas), grove of Banyan trees, each with a Buddha image placed at its foot.

1 night stay in Monywa.

8th day: Monywa-Pakokku-Bagan
Drive to Pakokku in the early morning. On the way, we will visit the magnificent sandstone Hpo Win Daung caves, with various beautiful fine murals and Buddha images. Right next to Hpo Win Taung is Shwe Ba Taung Paya, large caves like temples with very colorful entrances, which have been cut into the sandstone in the 18th century. Amazing are the long stairways with the straight tall walls leading down to the complex.

In Pakokku, you will cross the Ayeyarwaddy River by ferry and then drive to Bagan.

Bagan is Myanmar's greatest wonder; this ancient deserted city alongside the Ayeyarwaddy River is home to over 2000 temples and pagodas covering an area of around 40 square km. This world-heritage site is one Asia's most important and remarkable archaeological sites, and represents the spiritual heritage of ancient Burma.

3 nights stay in Bagan.

9th day: Bagan
After breakfast in the morning, sightseeing of the Bagan plain firstly to the Shwe Zi Gon Pagoda and its magnificent stupa, Kyan-Sit-Thar Umin, a cave temple served as monastery and features a few small rooms, which were home to monks, Gu-byauk-gyi, 13th century temple showing scenes of the jatakas(stories of Buddha's life), Htilo-Minlo, a massive complex and it features traces of old murals, original fine plaster carvings and glazed sandstone decorations and to the Ananda Temple, one of the finest, largest, best preserved and most revered of the Bagan Temples with four large wooden Buddha figures, two of them appear to change their expression the closer you get. After lunch break in the afternoon visit Dhammayangyi Temple, resembles a pyramid from the side and noted for its remarkable brickwork, Dhamma-ya-za-ka pagoda, pagoda and temple style with stucco, stone sculptures and carvings and the Sitana Gyi pagoda, the only Paya in Sri Lankan style in Bagan.

In the evening enjoy the sunset from Mingalar Zedi or Shwe San Daw Pagoda or better ask your tour guide for a boat trip on the river.

10th day: SALAY & MOUNT POPA
After breakfast in the morning we drive one and half hours to Salay, a colorful old religious center in Central Myanmar, which is southwest of Bagan. Here you visit Youqson Kyaung, a 150-year-old wooden monastery with almost three dimensional wood carved figures and beautiful wood carved ceilings. At the Mogok Vipassana Yeikthar, a meditation center, we will be able to look into the hollow 3m Lacquer Buddha (Nan Paya).

After another one and half hours drive, on which we will stop for lunch in Kyaukpadaung, we will reach Mount Popa, the "flower mountain". 777 steep stairs climb to the 737m high summit of the extinct volcano clustered with pagodas and small temples and offering fantastic views. After descending the mountain, we will have the chance to view the abode of Myanmar's most powerful nats (sacred spirits) from a distance before we return to Bagan.

11st day: Flight back to Yangon
After breakfast and check out in the morning, drive to the airport for the flight back to Yangon. Pick up upon arrival and transfer to the hotel. The afternoon is at your leisure for some shopping and/or another excursion of Yangon on your own.

1 night stay in Yangon.

12nd day: Departure from Myanmar
In the morning or afternoon, depending on your international flight time, transfer to Yangon International airport for the departure from Myanmar.