Luxury Tours Enjoy Balloon

Day 1 – Bangkok-Yangon (evening flight)

Arrive in Yangon. Formerly known as Rangoon, it is high on charm and character and unlike many other places in Asia. Yangon’s impressive colonial and spiritual heritage makes it one of the most fascinating and authentic capitals of South East Asia.
Overnight: Yangon

Day 2 – Yangon-Bagan (morning flight)

Early breakfast and then transfer to the airport for your flight to Bagan. Enjoy a full day of sightseeing on the plains of Bagan, one of the most prominent archaeological sites in Asia. Highlights include Shwezigone Pagoda, built by King Anawrahta in the early 11th century; Nyaung Oo market; Gu Byauk Gyi temple, noted for its exquisite murals; and Htilominlo temple, with its exquisite wall plaster paintings. After lunch, head back to your hotel for a short rest. Your afternoon sightseeing begins with a stop at a lacquerware shop to watch skilled craftsmen fashioning ornate plates, trays, boxes, tables and more through a centuries-old process. Afterwards, visit Manuha temple and Ananda temple, with four huge standing Buddha images and numerous figures in niches around the galleried interior, before viewing sunset from one of the open upper terraces of a Bagan pagoda.
Overnight: Bagan

Day 3 – Bagan

Get picked up from your hotel before sunrise to experience an amazing balloon ride over Bagan. Ride in a bouncy old bus to the launch site, where a steaming cup of coffee and a biscuit awaits you. Enjoy a wonderful sunrise experience gliding over the ancient stupas of Bagan for between 45 minutes and one hour.

Round off the day by taking a leisurely boat ride (1-2 hours) on the Ayeyarwady River, studying the village life along the banks of the river, including the fishing boats, plantations and small dockyards, before watching a beautiful sunset from the river. Overnight: Bagan

Day 4 – Bagan-Mandalay

After breakfast fly to Mandalay before proceeding to the ancient capital of Amarapura. Visit Mahagandayon monastery, where more than 100 monks live and study, and traditional silkweaving and silver works. U Bein’s Bridge, built in 1782, is the longest teak bridge in the world, is a hive of activity as people cross backwards and forwards carrying all kinds of goods.

Proceed to Mandalay for your city tour, taking in gold-leaf making, marble works and tapestry embroidery workshops, as well as Mahamuni Pagoda, revered as one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Myanmar. Next, head to the Golden Palace Monastery, famous for its intricate wood carvings, and Kuthodaw Pagoda, with its 729 marble slabs engraved with Buddhist scriptures, known as the world’s largest book. The slab took eight years to complete and for a monk to recite the full scriptures it would take around two years! Enjoy the magnificent view of sunset and the surrounding countryside, including the Royal Palace compound, from the 230-metre-high Mandalay Hill.
Overnight: Mandalay

Day 5 – Mandalay-Heho-Inle Lake

After breakfast check out of your hotel and catch your flight to Heho. Arrive at Heho and continue by car to Nyaung Shwe (1 hour). Take the boat at the jetty for sightseeing on the lake.
Visit the silk weaving factory at Inn Paw Khone village, cheroot making workshops at Nan Pan village and view the floating gardens and unique leg-rowing method used by Inntha fishermen.
Overnight: Inle

Day 6 – Inle

After breakfast set out for Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist shrine in Shan State. If you arrive on a market day, you will have a chance to see the colourful hill tribe people. Enjoy shopping for souvenirs, or just browsing at the many shops built under the pagoda. Visit the famous Nge Phe Chaung monastery, better known as the Jumping Cat Monastery because this magnificent teak monastery contains not only exquisite antiques but also dozens of cats that have been trained by the monks to jump through rings and hoops.
Overnight: Inle

Day 7 – Inle-Heho-Yangon (evening flight)

After breakfast start your sightseeing at the National Museum before enjoying some shopping at the sprawling Bogyoke Aung San Market (Scott Market). After lunch visit some art galleries and antique shops before high tea at the Strand. Enjoy a photo stop at the “Karaweik Hall”, a royal barge on the scenic Kandawgyi Lake. In the late evening visit the glittering Shwedagon Pagoda (believed to be built 2600 years ago, during the Buddha’s life time), with its amazing mix of pavilions, stupas, images and bells. This golden pagoda rises 98 meters above its base, is covered with 60 tons of pure gold and considered one of the world’s most spectacular religious monuments.
Overnight: Yangon.

Day 8 – Yangon departure

After breakfast, leisure time before transferring to the airport for your international flight.