Today you will arrive in Yangon, the former capital of British colonial Burma. Your guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you by private car to your hotel in the centre of the city.

You'll have a chance to freshen up and relax at your hotel before you embark on a short tour of Yangon's colonial heritage. The highlight of today's tour is bound to be Shwedagon Pagoda, the “beautiful winking wonder” that so impressed Kipling when he caught his first glimpse of it blazing in the sun in 1889. Though scholars suggest that Shwedagon was originally built during the 6th-10th centuries, local legend tells that a stupa has stood on this spot for much longer – since as early as 2,500 years ago. If the legend is true, then Shwedagon is the oldest Buddhist pagoda in the world.

After some much-needed sleep, on the morning of day two you will set out with your guide once more for a walking tour of downtown Yangon, an area dense with colonial-era buildings and religious landmarks. Highlights will include City Hall, the old railway station, and the former Minister's office where General Aung San was assassinated. There are also many other examples of British architecture and influence throughout the tour.

Interspersed throughout the guided walk you'll visit various religious sites such as St Mary's Cathedral, built in 1899, and the Buddhist Sule Paya and Botataung Pagoda. You'll also stop for a cup of tea or coffee at Lat Ywae Sin, a favourite tea shop with the locals.

After a break for lunch you will continue to Bogyoke Market, formerly known as Scott's Market, where you'll have some time to browse through the hundreds of shops and stalls. Following this you'll continue to The Strand Hotel, which was opened in 1901 – when Myanmar was still part of British India. The elegant colonial building retains is grandeur, with high ceilings, slow-moving fans and classic rattan furniture. Here you'll enjoy high tea in the atmospheric Strand Café.

Overnight: Savoy Hotel

After an early breakfast, your day will begin with a scenic journey to Mawlamyine (AKA Moulmein) by car.

Along the way you will stop in the town of Bago to visit the Shwethalyaung Buddha. This reclining Buddha is 55 m long and 16 m high, making it one of the largest in the world.

After lunch you'll continue to Mawlamyine, which served as the capital of British Burma from 1827 to 1852. The town is features in the writings of George Orwell, who was based here in the 1920s, and the “Old Moulmein Pagoda” that features in Kipling's most famous poem, Mandalay, is also located here.

The drive to Mawlamyine is an attraction in itself, taking you through the delightful countryside of southern Myanmar and passing through many typical rural Burmese villages along the way. Upon arrival, you'll head to your hotel for check-in.

Although Mawlamyine is Burma's fourth-largest city, it still manages to retain some of the quiet charm of a sleepy fishing town. You'll have time this afternoon to soak up the atmosphere along Strand Road, where the fading colonial buildings overlook the river.

Set out with your guide this morning for a full day of water-borne activity, introducing you to a blend of beautiful scenery and local life. First off, you'll head to the jetty for a short boat ride to the oddly named Shampoo Island, known in the Mon language as Ta Kaw Pon Za Lai. The island sits at the confluence of five rivers and it was here where the Mon Kings used to hold ritualistic shampooing ceremonies during the local water festival, Thingyan. Spend 30-45 minutes on the island exploring the monastery, nunnery and pagoda before jumping back onto your boat for your onward journey.

From Shampoo Island you will continue to Bilu Kyun, where you will be picked up by a horse and cart to explore some of villages nearby. These villages are the perfect place to get a feel for local lifestyles and to see the making of traditional handicrafts. After a leisurely lunch, head to the jetty and return by ferry to Mawlamyine and your hotel.

Overnight: Mawlemyine Strand Hotel

After an early breakfast on day five, you'll be driven through the countryside from Mawlamyine to Hpa An, the capital of Karen State.

Just before you reach the city, you'll stop at Kha Yon Cave – a beautiful natural grotto filled with Buddha statues, where the locals come to worship.

Upon arrival in Hpa An, your first stop will be Kyauk Ka Lat, a pagoda whose existence almost beggars belief. Balanced improbably on top of a tall, rocky outcrop that appears to be teetering on the brink of collapse in the centre of a manmade lake, this building really is quite a sight to behold.

From Kyauk Ka Lat you will proceed to the foot of Mount Zwe Kabin, which at 722 metres is the highest mountain in the chain surrounding Hpa An. Unless you're a glutton for punishment, you'll be glad to hear that the most interesting aspect of Zwe Kabin is located at its base, where several thousand identical Buddha statues sit in rows leading up to the mountainside.

After a break for lunch, you'll continue your sightseeing with a visit to Kaw Gun Cave, also known as the “Cave of the Ten Thousand Buddhas” (yes, more Buddhas). Here larger statues are seated on the ground while thousands of tiny versions are perched on rock shelves that line the walls and ceiling.

Finally, all Buddha-ed out, you will return to Hpa An to check in to your hotel and enjoy exploring the area this evening.

Overnight: Hpa An Lodge

Today you will head to the local jetty in the morning to catch a boat along the Than Lwin River to Dhamma Vizaya Pagoda.

The boat ride will take approximately one hour, during which you'll drift past leafy banks on the wide, calm expanse of the river. Like so many pagodas in Myanmar, the Dhamma Vizaya is coated in gold leaf that winks in the sunlight, announcing its presence for miles around. After a visit to the stupa, take some time to explore the surrounding area – including Linnoh Gu, or “Bat Cave”, home to hundreds of bats.

After lunch you will continue with your guide to Kyaikhtiyo base camp, where you will transfer from your private car to an open-air truck: the only option bar walking for those who wish to ascend the mountain. The 45-minute journey will bring you via steep, winding roads to the top bus station and the gateway to Golden Rock.

After check in you can leave your luggage and walk the short distance to the Golden Rock itself. A huge boulder covered in gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff, Golden Rock is one of Myanmar's principle pilgrimage sites. The golden pagoda, built on top of the rock itself, is said to hold a hair of the Buddha, and Buddhists from across the region come here to pay homage.

Overnight: Mountain Top Guesthouse

Rise early this morning to visit the Golden Rock as it is lit up by the morning light.

Pilgrims gather by the rock at dawn to make offerings in the calm of the early morning. This is a wonderfully atmospheric time to appreciate the beautiful surroundings before returning to your hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast your guide will accompany you back to base camp by open-top truck, from where you'll re-join your private car for the drive to Yangon. The reminder of today will be yours at leisure.

Overnight: Savoy Hotel

Today you will take a short flight to Bagan - one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.

After checking into your hotel this afternoon, your local guide will take you to one of the area's many temples to watch the sunset over the plains: a bewitching introduction to this fascinating area.

On day nine, you'll begin your exploration of the temples of Bagan – of which there are over 2,000 still standing. We've selected a handful of the most interesting examples to introduce you to today, beginning with Thagyar Pone, a temple containing a large seated Buddha and boasting impressive views of the plains. Next you'll move on to Ananda Temple, one of the most revered and recognisable temples in the Bagan region, notable for its fusion of Mon and Indian architectural styles.

At Myinkaba Village, you will visit Gubyaukgyi Temple, known for its beautiful mural paintings and well-preserved external carvings, before heading to the nearby Manuha and Nan Paya temples to admire their statuary and stonework. By lunchtime you will return to your hotel for a leisurely afternoon relaxing by the pool, or for a few more hours of exploring under your own steam.

Overnight: Areindmar Hotel

On day nine you will head to the jetty with your guide, where the RV Paukan awaits.

For the next two nights your accommodation will be the RV Paukan, a boutique hotel housed in a fully operational, beautifully furnished riverboat with a 30-person crew and capacity for 55 guests. The style of the boat consciously combines grand, colonial design with traditional Burmese elements, and will convey you along the “road to Mandalay” on the same route travelled by the original Irrawaddy Flotilla Company.

After boarding your boat at 11.30, enjoy a welcome cocktail in the saloon before the RV Paukan casts off for a full day of cruising along the Irrawaddy River. This afternoon you'll stop for a little while at a riverside village to have a look around and observe Burmese daily life in the countryside before continuing on to your mooring for the night.

On day eleven you'll have another full day on the water, with a morning stop at Yandabo village – a riverside community known for its traditional pot-making. Interestingly, Yandabo was also the place where the peace treaty that ended the First Anglo-Burmese War was signed on the 24th of February 1826.

After an afternoon of pleasant cruising, you'll spend another night aboard the RV Paukan tonight.

Overnight: RV Paukan 2007 Irrawaddy River Cruise

If you are an early riser, you're in for a treat this morning as you watch the sun rise over the Irrawaddy River.

Your river cruise comes to an end today, and after an early breakfast you'll disembark at Sagaing Jetty, where a local guide will be waiting to accompany you for the two-hour drive to Pyin Oo Lwin.

Pyin Oo Lwin (also known as Maymyo) is a former British hill station, located on a plateau 1,000 metres above sea level. During Kipling's time, hill stations were elevated settlements where the British settlers could escape from the summer heat, and you will find plenty of reminders of the colonial era here – including old-fashioned, brick-and-timber houses.

Aside from its colonial heritage, Pyin Oo Lwin and the surrounding region are of particular interest as they are home to many of Myanmar's wide array of ethnic minority groups. There are also a considerable number of people of Nepalese and Indian origin who migrated here during the British occupation, making Pyin Oo Lwin an exceptionally diverse area of the country.

This afternoon you will take a traditional horse and cart through town to visit the wonderful Botanical Gardens, which were established by the former Governor of British Burma, Sir Harcourt Butler, and consist of 432 acres of leafy gardens.

Overnight: Hotel Pyin Oo Lwin

After breakfast at your hotel today, head to the railway station for a two-hour train journey to Mandalay.

This spectacular journey crosses the famous Gokteik Viaduct, spanning a 250-metre-deep gorge in the Shan mountains, and boasts truly amazing views across the mountainous countryside. Be sure to have your camera at the ready!

You will alight at a small village to meet your private car, which will be waiting to return you to Mandalay. This afternoon you will be at your leisure to explore the city, before heading back to your hotel for the night.

On day 14, your local guide will take you on a tour of the three ancient capitals that surround Mandalay: Amarapura, Ava, and Sagaing. Amarapura, a former capital whose name means “City of Immortality”, will be your first stop. Here you will have a chance to visit the Mahagandayon monastery, where over one thousand monks reside, as well as the famously picturesque U Bein Bridge – the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world.

Next you will be driven to Ava, also known as Inwa, which was capital from the 14th until the 18th century. A short boat ride will convey you across the river to where you'll jump on a horse and cart to explore the main sights of this ancient city. After a stop for lunch, you'll hop back across the river to visit Sagaing – home to 3,000 monks, 100 meditation centres, and a landscape of 600 white-painted pagodas and monasteries. A visit to a local market concludes your tour, and you'll return by private car to Mandalay.

After a final night in Mandalay, your driver will convey you to the airport on day fourteen in time to catch your flight home. If you would like to extend your trip in order to visit Inle Lake, or perhaps to move on to Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos, you only need get in touch and we will happily accommodate your preferences.

Overnight: Mandalay Hill Resort