MANDALAY- BAGAN VIA UPPER IRRAWADDY (10 Nights 11 Days)
MANDALAY- BAGAN VIA UPPER IRRAWADDY (10 Nights 11 Days)
Days: 11 days – 10 nights
Day 1 : MANDALAY
Our representative and guide will meet the guests upon arrival at Mandalay airport between 07:30/08:00 am. Visit central Mandalay: Mahamuni Pagoda, Mandalay Hill where spiraling staircases lead to sweeping views of the city and its temples and the nearby Kuthodaw Paya, which contains the world’s biggest book, the workshops of gold leave making, tapestry making, woodcarving, marble carving and bronze casting. Embark the ship at Gawein Jetty before lunch. Welcome cocktail in the saloon and cast off.
Day 2 : KYAUK MYAUNG
After breakfast, arrive the spectacular potteries-making village of Kyauk Myaung and see the manufacture stages of the famous 50 Gallons (200 liters) pots. Sail all day. Moor overnight at mid-stream.
Day 3 : TAGAUNG
Stop at Tagaung to explore the ancient city archaeological area and the fortifications around 9:00am. Continue cruising upstream for the rest of the day. Moor overnight midstream.
Day 4 : 2ND DEFILE (GORGE)
Sail all day and we enter the dramatic 2nd defile with its magnificent cliffs reaching down the narrow channel around early evening. After entering a few hours, enjoy the typical view surrounded by the mountains along the river. Sail up to Sint Khan Village and return journey to Downstream. Sail all evening up to 10:00pm. Moor overnight at midstream.
Day 5 : KATHA
After breakfast we arrive in the colonical town of Katha, the setting for George Orwell’s book “ Burmese Days” and also the place where in the 1942 hundreds of Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships were scuttled before the Japanese could seize them. We explore the old streets and the market by trishaw and an Elephant Logging Camp located on the surrounding hardwood forest. If time permits we will also visit the lake Indaw to experience a typical Kachin highland scenery rich in bird life.
Day 6 : MINGUN
Full day cruising downstream with stop for a walk to a river village. In the afternoon, we arrive in Mingun and visit the unfinished pagoda, the largest working bell in the world and the “home for the ages”.
Day 7 : AVA-AMARAPURA
We explore Ava by horse cart visiting the beautiful 200 year old teak Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, Nanmyin watchtower (27 meter hight) and the Me Nu Ok Kyaung monastery. We travel by sampan and coach to Amarapura, the penultimate Burmese Royal Capital (1783) to visit U Bein Bridge and Silk factories. After dinner guests can enjoy a Dance and Drama performance by the Mandalay Arts School on the sundeck (if available). Moor overnight in front of Sagaing Hill.
Day 8 : MONYWA (HPOWINDAUNG AND SHWEBADAUNG CAVES)
Early morning drive by coach (approx 1 and half hour) to Monywa to visit the Hpowindaung and Shwebadaung caves where hundreds of Buddha Statues are placed inside niches decorated with wonderful mural paintings dated back to the. After lunch we visit the splendid Sambuddhai Kat Kyaw Pagoda with its more than 500,000 Buddha images. Drive to Sagaing (approx 2 hour) where we will rejoin the ship. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 9 : YANDABO
In the morning we arrive at Yandabo, a picturesque village that specialize in Pot- Making, where the peace treaty of the First Anglo Burmese war signed on Feb 24, 1826. We go ashore for a walk stopping at some pot-making workshops and to visit the school and the monastery. Continue cruising downstream with an afternoon stop at Shwe Pyi Thar village for a walk. Moor overnight midriver.
Day 10 : BAGAN
We arrive at Bagan in the early morning. Full day visit of a selection of the 2000 listed pagodas and temples. Lunch on board and in the afternoon continue the exploration of the archeological area. Dinner on board or in a local restaurant. Overnight on board.
Day 11 : BAGAN (DISEMBARK)
Explore some of Bagan’s local markets selling wood carvings, fabrics, longyis and rattan products. Visit a workshop to see the ancient technique of lacquerware making. Alternatively guests can hire a horse cart or a bicycle and explore the site on their own or have a splendid Balloon Flight over Bagan (surcharge applied- optional). Lunch on board or in a local restaurant. Disemback and transfer to the airport for your anward flight (Yangon or Heho Inle Lake) or hotel.