Highlights
- Discover Shwedagon Pagoda from a local's perspective
- Enjoy the beauty and diversity of the Shan State with a trek in Pindaya
- Bike along the shores of Inle Lake to the stupa-covered hills of Indein
- Dine on traditional Inthar dishes in a family home on Inle Lake
- Explore Inle Lake's villages and gardens by boat
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Yangon Arrival & Downtown Exploring | Yangon |
| Day 2 | Yangon: Explore Shwedagon Pagoda- Fly to Heho and on to Pindaya | Pindaya |
| Day 3 | Pindaya: Trek Highland Villages - Drive to Inle Lake | Nyaung Shwe |
| Day 4 | Inle Lake: Bike & Boat | Nyaung Shwe |
| Day 5 | Fly to Yangon; International Departure |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Yangon Arrival & Downtown Exploring
Welcome to Myanmar! After clearing customs at Yangon International Airport, your guide will be waiting to greet you. Transfer into town (30-50 minutes depending on traffic) and check in to your hotel.
In the afternoon, discover the diversity of downtown with its colonial buildings, leafy side streets, and bustling markets. Learn about the fascinating history of the city and get a taste for its modern side by popping into a tea shop popular with locals. After sipping a cup of sweet tea and sampling regional snacks, board Yangon's Circular Train, a slow-moving commuter train that takes you through several city neighborhoods.
Day 2: Yangon: Explore Shwedagon Pagoda - Fly to Heho and transfer to Pindaya
Spend an insightful morning in and around Myanmar’s most holy site: Shwedagon Pagoda. More than just seeing the monument, this insider's excursion will teach you about the beliefs of the Myanmar people. After lunch, transfer to Yangon airport for a late afternoon flight to Heho. Your Shan guide will be waiting to greet you for the scenic drive to Pindaya, a small town in the hills.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 3: Pindaya: Trek Highland Villages - Drive to Inle Lake
Hit the trails and spend a full day trekking around Pindaya. Pass by tea plantations, fruit orchids and more as you wind your way higher in hills. Along the way, you will explore villages inhabited by the Danu people, getting a chance to learn about their customs and traditions.
After lunch, return to town along a different path, arriving mid-afternoon. Make a quick visit to Pindaya's Caves, a maze-like limestone cavern filled with thousands of Buddha statues, then continue by car to Nyaung Shwe, the nearest town to Inle Lake.
Day 4: Inle Lake: Bike & Boat
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before setting off on a full-day discovery of Inle Lake by bike and boat. Pedal from your hotel through Nyaung Shwe, stopping near the northern canal to see longtail boats unloading piles of tomatoes that will then be sorted and distributed throughout the country. Continue riding out of town, passing by a stretch of rice paddies before turning south toward the village of Indein. The road passes by several small villages, giving you the opportunity to see what life is like for those who live on the shores of Inle Lake.
When you reach Indein, hop off the bike. Explore the stupa-covered hills of this charming village, then board a boat to head out on to Inle Lake. Cruise past villages built on stilts and floating gardens, getting a chance to learn about the life and culture of the lake’s residents. You may wish to visit workshops where natives make hand-woven silks and fabrics using the fibers of the lotus flower. Alternatively, visit Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda.
A special lunch is arranged in a family house at mid-day day. Later in the afternoon, return to the shores of Nyaung Shwe and enjoy a short bike ride back to the hotel.
Day 5: Fly to Yangon; International Departure
Say farewell to the Shan State this morning. Transfer to the Heho airport and board a domestic flight to Yangon, where you'll connect to your international destination.
Connect onwards to your international flight.