Myanmar ~
The Tribes of the Golden Kingdom

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The focus of this departure is on the tribal people of the Shan Highlands who, until recently, were off limits to outsiders. Some of the most authentic of these groups live near the eastern frontier city of Kengtung close to the Thai border. The people here resemble those of the Mekong rather than Burmans and this is manifest in their architecture and clothing. One of the benefits of their enforced isolation has been the lack of external pressures that corrupted so many others and that consequently enabled them to retain many old traditions and customs. Another group of considerable interest are the Intha leg rowers of Inle Lake who virtually live on the water tending floating gardens, fishing or going to market in their boats.

However Myanmar is also a vast land of many marvels and some of these we have managed to capture along the way. Our journey begins in Rangoon (Yangon) with its colonial charm, tree lined streets, bustling markets and the magnificent Shwedagon and Sule Pagodas. Rangoon seems as if it emerged from an era gone by and one can easily imagine what life in the 19th century might have been like. Theres a nostalgia here that is found nowhere else in Asia. Further north is Mandalay, the city of gems and an important cultural center of Burma is the jumping off point for a delightful cruise on a flotilla era riverboat down the mighty Irrawaddy to the ochre plains of Bagan. As Myanmars first capital, Bagan is rich in history and there are still over 4000 pagodas and temples that attest to the wealth and piety of past kingdoms. Our trip ends on the Bay of Bengal not far from the town of Pathein. This quiet spot that is reached by overnight steamer is known for some of the most pristine beaches in the world. Throughout your Myanmar experience, you will meet and mingle with the gracious Burmese and experience their incredible, warmth, art and religious devotion.

THE ITINERARY

Day 01.
Arrive in Rangoon and transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free to rest of visit nearby sites. Overnight Hotel.

Day 02.
Morning with a visit the National Museum and a walking tour of downtown Rangoons boulevards past colonial buildings dating from the British Raj and on to the Shwedagon and Sule Pagodas. We will also visit to Bogyoke Aung San Market and numerous other street markets. Evening visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda. Overnight Hotel.

Day 03.
Morning flight to the isolated Kengtung in eastern Shan State. Only recently opened to outsiders, the region is also known for its interesting tribal mix that includes Khun, Palaung, La Hu Shi, Shan, An and Akha people. Overnight Hotel.

Day 04.
Within walking distance are the villages of the animistic An people and we will be privileged to witness their ancient Fertility Festival. Those wishing to stay in the village overnight will be provided with tents. Others Hotel.

Day 05.
We walk to several nearby villages, visiting local people and at their homes and to getting to know them and learn about how they go about their daily lives. Among the tribes we see are the Akha, famous for their fabulous. Not far from the Akha, are the Palaung and their longhouses. The many different ethnic groups of this region live peacefully side-by-side in the green hills surrounding Kengtung. Overnight Hotel.

Day 06.
Drive to Pan Pak Village from where we walk a comfortable 5 hours to get to the community of the remote La Hu Shi tribe. These people have a Tibeto-Burman ethnic background and language and are very different than their other neighbors in the Shan Hills. Overnight Hotel.

Days 07,08,09.
Short flight to Heho and drive to Inle Lake passing along the way a fine old monastery. Inle Lake is a sparkling jewel couched between the surround green hills. This is home to the Inthas, sons of the lakes, who are famous for the strange way they propel their boats using their leg as a fulcrum for the oar. From the town of Nyaung Shwe, we begin our lake excursion out on to the lake where we meet all sorts of small crafts engaged in fishing, taxiing people or transporting materials. We will visit the village of Ywama where the floating market is crowded with a small flotilla of boats selling vegetables, flowers and the occasional handicraft. One amazing site is the Nga Phe Monastery rising out of the lake and it is the only place that we know of where cats jump, on command, through wooden hoops held by monks. On day 7, we once again take the long boat to some of the small traditional Intha hamlets situated along the eastern shore of the lake. Sunsets over the lake and mountains are spectacular and the evenings are cool and gentle. Overnight Hotel.

Day10.
A very long day lies ahead of us in our private bus as we literally drive through the soul of Myanmar. You will see powerful oxen pulling wooden plows through the fields, tamarind trees, rice paddies and pagodas carelessly strewn across the landscape like spilled gems. There will also be numerous small villages with bamboo houses and many bustling markets. We should arrive in Mandalay. Overnight Hotel.

Day 11,12.
Mandalay, known as the Gem City, is relatively new by Burmese standards and is renown as a Buddhist center and as an entrepot for trade to China and India. W e visit some splendid Buddhist shrines including the Mahamuni Pagoda and the Shwendandaw Monastery. A short climb up Mandalay Hill provides a beautiful panoramic view of the city while the Victorian Zegyo Market is a bustle of color and cacophony of noises and pungent smells. The next day we travel by horse cart to Amarapura, Ava, and Sagain, all former mighty capitals of Imperial Burma. Overnights hotel.

Day 13.
Eearly morning departure on the riverboat Pandaw down Kiplings Road to Mandalay. This is possibly the best way to see this vast river that is Burmas lifeline. Throughout the cruise, you will see fishing boats, vessels of all sizes and shapes plying the river with goods and passengers. We arrive at sunset in Bagan and overnight at the colonial period hotel.

Day 14,15.
Bagan deserves a status as one of the great wonders of the world and over the next two days, you will wander its dusty roads visiting vast temples, towering pagodas with ancient and beautifully painted murals dating back over a millennium. The best time to visit Bagan is in the morning and evening when the light is magic and the air is cooler. The beauty of the temples and pagodas is dazzling, and perhaps the most impressive and inspiring are Thatbinnyu (1160), Ananda (1091), Gawdanpalin (1210), and Dhammayangyi (1167) temples and the Shwezigon Pagoda (1087). In the evening, a climb up the stairs at Thatbinnyu provides a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the mighty river and the surrounding plain filled with temples and pagodas. Overnights hotel.

Day 16.
We have time in the morning to visit a few more temples, perhaps go to the market, or check out a few of the local antique dealers. Late in the afternoon we bid good-bye to this remarkable place and drive to the airport for our short flight back to Yangon. Overnight hotel.

Day 17.
In the afternoon we head down to the Yangon's port to embark on the riverboat Delta Queen, our home for the afternoon and night. This is a marvelous way to view the lower delta life whilst cruising through the narrow channels that link up the mouths of the mighty Irrawaddy. Overnight the Delta Queen”.

Day 18,19,20.
We arrive in Pathein from where we shift by road to the Bay of Bengal and the town of Ngwe Saung Beach. The sea here is clear and unspoiled, unlike any other found in Southeast Asia. We will spend the next two peaceful days nestled amongst coconut palms, visiting Arakan ruins, relaxing on the beach and imbibing in sumptuous seafood cuisine. The area also provides ample opportunities for snorkeling, scuba diving, boat trips out to the reef and to islands and, of course, visits to many beautiful fishing villages. Overnight Myanmar Treasure Beach Resort.

Day 21.
We have the better part of the morning to ourselves before retracing our steps back to Pathein for our overnight journey on the Delta Queen back to Yangon.

Day 22.
After docking in Rangoon, we will once again experience the somewhat dilapidated grandeur of this most interesting city and the walk in the evening to the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda. The remainder of the day is free before an evening departure from Yangon airport home. Day rooms in Rangoon at Yuzana Gardens. End of services. Prices begin at $3850 and includes domestic air.

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Level of Difficulty ~ Moderate