With just one departure, this yearâs Beautiful Burma group tour just may be our most exclusive yet! Weâve pulled out all the stops to make this our best, most meticulously researched and carefully thought-out trip to date, and though we say so ourselves â itâs going to be a doozy.
What makes Beautiful Burma so great? Well, weâll let you decide for yourselvesâŚ
U Bein Bridge
The longest and oldest teakwood bridge in the world, U Bein Bridge lies just outside of Mandalay â and itâs one of the very best places in Burma to watch the world go by. Visit at sunrise to see it at its best.
Sagaing’s stupas
Youâve probably seen pictures of the famous temple-studded landscape of Bagan, but have you heard of the white stupas of Sagaing? Dotted across a hill just outside Mandalay, these whitewashed monasteries and temples â most of which are still in use â are the remnants of another long-forgotten capital city.
Mandalayâs arts & crafts
As the last royal capital of Burma, Mandalay was once the countryâs cultural heart, and home to the artisans and craftsmen that provided the royal court with all its beautiful trappings. Though the days of the monarchy are long gone, Mandalay is still the best place to see and buy traditional crafts: from its jade markets to its gold-leaf workshops and kalaga tapestries.
Hot air ballooning over Bagan
The temples of Bagan need little introduction. The two-thousand-plus red-brick stupas that stand scattered across the landscape are all thatâs left of the once-great Pagan Kingdom, which ruled a newly unified Burma hundreds of years ago. Itâs one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in all of Southeast Asia, and on Beautiful Burma youâll have the chance to take it all in from above â in a hot air balloon!
Cruise on the Irrawaddy
As if a hot air balloon ride were not enough, our Beautiful Burma tour also gives you the chance to float down the Irrawaddy River on a cruise from Mandalay to Bagan, drifting past countryside scenery and villages as you make your way to the Burmese heartland.
Mount Popa
Perched at the top of a volcanic rock formation overlooking the plains, Mount Popa is one of Burmaâs most surreal destinations. Climb the 777 steps to the stop to visit its crowning temple: the most important place in the country for indigenous nat worship. (Read more here).
Elephants
If youâve always dreamed of meeting an elephant, this is your perfect chance. At the Green Hill Valley Elephant Camp in Kalaw youâll have the chance to meet, feed, bathe and learn about the worldâs biggest mammals â all in an animal-friendly setting that gives retired working elephants a happy retirement.
Hiking in Kalaw
Kalaw isnât just about elephants, and during your stay in the hills youâll head out on a guided hike through the surrounding forest, learning about the local flora and fauna as you get out into the wilderness.
Inle Lake
Often billed as Burmaâs most beautiful destination, Inle Lake lives up to its hype â with stilt villages, floating farms, leg-rowing fishermen and a distinctive Intha culture thatâs quite unlike anything else youâll encounter in Burma. This is the ideal place to take the pace down a notch or two and enjoy the (boat) ride!
Sagar
One of the great things about Inle Lake is that itâs huge â and that means thereâs always a quiet, hidden corner waiting to be explored. Sagar is just one such place â its 108 âsunkenâ stupas spend part of each year submerged in water, and youâll often find you have them all to yourselves. Donât tell anyone, will you?
Yangon circle train
The best way to get a feel for Burmaâs former capital city is to jump on the âcircle trainâ and take a ride out into the suburbs. Your tour leader will take you on a hop-on, hop-off journey through Yangonâs most interesting districts, taking you well beyond the tourist trail to get to know the daily life of the city.
Shwedagon Pagoda
Burmaâs most famous religious monument really has to be seen to be believed. Colossally tall and brilliantly gold, itâs best visited as dusk falls and Yangonites begin gathering to pay their respects, mingle and socialise.
Trip facts:
Trip style: Small Group Tour (maximum 14 passengers)
Trip length: 13 nights
Destinations visited: Mandalay, Bagan, Mount Popa, Kalaw, Inle Lake, Yangon
Great for: Combining Burmaâs top destinations with little-known gems
Are you interested in our Beautiful Burma tour? We have limited places and one exclusive departure this year, so get in touch as soon as you can to secure a place. The tour leaves on the 5th of November 2017. Click here to find out more.
Photos: Alistair & Lesley Greenhill; Oriental Ballooning; InsideAsia staff
