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Home , Ananda Temple, Bagaya Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda, Mahamuni Buddha Temple, Pyin Oo Lwin

Wander Tours P.O. Box 16102 Seattle WA 98116

Myanmar (Burma) Women-only Culture and Tour 2015 Itinerary dates: February 15 - 27, 2015 Tour Leader: Beth Whitman

HIGHLIGHTS: . Take part in a lamp lighting ceremony at . Discover delights at the markets and of . Tour the ancient and pagodas of . Visit handicraft workshops in . Spend time on peaceful Inle Lake . Join in a hands-on cooking class of traditional cuisine . Enjoy 4-star hotels

ITINERARY:

Day 1 Sunday, February 15, 2015 – Arrive in Yangon Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Upon arrival, we’ll be met at the Yangon airport by our guide who will accompany us to the hotel. Once settled in, we’ll have lunch at a nearby restaurant.

We’ll then spend the afternoon visiting the fantastic Shwedagon Pagoda. Here, we’ll have time for a relaxing walk around this great and its compound to admire its breathtaking beauty and to observe the daily religious activities of the Buddhists who come here to worship.

HIGHLIGHT! While at Shwedagon, we’ll take part in a special oil lamp lighting ceremony where there will be seemingly endless rows of oil lamps backed by the golden temple.

Dinner and overnight at Chatrium Hotel or similar in Yangon.

Day 2 Monday, February 16, 2015 – Yangon Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’ll transfer to the railway station and board the circular train that loops through the outskirts of the city. The slow-traveling train will give us the unique opportunity to observe the countryside of Myanmar.

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In the late morning, we’ll venture downtown to explore the city center and its fabulous mix of architecture and sights. The city is filled with historical buildings with colonial charm not seen elsewhere in . We’ll also pass by Maha Bandula Garden, Independence Monument and the glittering .

After lunch we’ll have a short midday break and then continue sightseeing at Bogyoke Market (also known as Scott’s Market), where you’ll have time to browse through dozens of stalls and shops. We’ll then continue with a visit to Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda. Not so much a pagoda as a pavilion (called tazaung in Burmese), Kyaukhtatgyi is home to an impressive 70-meter long reclining Buddha.

We’ll have dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at Chatrium Hotel or similar in Yangon.

Day 3 Tuesday, February 17, 2015 – Yangon – Bagan Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Nyaung U (Bagan).

We’ll begin with a visit to the Nyaung U morning market, where we’ll find fresh vegetables, fruits and a plethora of local wares.

Afterward, we’ll go to one of the many elevated temples that provide a spectacular view over the surrounding plains. This is the perfect introduction to the grandeur and scope of Bagan’s architecture. We’ll continue to , one of the most revered temples in Bagan.

It’s then on to Myinkaba Village and Gubyaukgyi Temple, which is known for its beautiful interior mural paintings and well-preserved plaster carvings on its exterior. Nearby are and Nan Paya Temple, two smaller temples with exquisite Buddha statues and stonework.

To learn more about the local culture, we’ll visit two workshops that produce Bagan’s most famous products: lacquerware and wood crafts. You’ll be amazed at the craftsmanship of these artists who use techniques passed down through generations.

After lunch at a popular local restaurant, you’ll have a break in the afternoon to so we can stay out of the afternoon heat.

In the early evening we will travel by horsecart to a temple where we can climb to the top to watch the sun set over the plains.

Dinner will be at a local restaurant and we’ll overnight at Bagan Lodge or similar in Bagan.

Day 4 Wednesday, February 18, 2015 – Bagan Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Today we’ll explore the highlights of Bagan’s temples by car and on foot. During this half-day excursion, we’ll visit the most important sites in Bagan, getting a taste for the architectural richness and spiritual heritage of the area.

After lunch, we’ll take another midday break at the hotel.

Then, in the late afternoon, we’ll board a wooden boat for a short ride to a sandbank in the middle of the Irrawaddy River. Here, we’ll spend some time relaxing on the sand and enjoying cocktails while watching the sun set.

Dinner and overnight at Bagan Lodge or similar in Bagan.

HIGHLIGHT! Between the 11th and 13th centuries, Bagan was the royal capital. This was a time when flourished and more than 4,000 religious monuments were built. Around 2,000 pagodas still stand today!

Day 5 Thursday, February 19, 2015 – Bagan – Mandalay – Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, we’ll transfer to the airport for the flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, we’ll take a scenic two-hour drive to the former British hill station of Maymyo, now officially called Pyin Oo Lwin. Along the way, we’ll stop to visit a vegetable market.

The town is located on a plateau about 3,600 feet above sea level and renowned for its cooler temperatures and lush foliage. We’ll start with a visit to the local market in the center of the town where items are for sale including locally produced jams and fruit wines.

After lunch, we’ll take a traditional horse and carriage ride through town to see historical houses. Our horse and carriage rides will end at the 175-hectare National Kandawgyi Botanical Gardens where we’ll walk through the beautifully landscaped gardens.

Dinner and overnight at Aureum Resort or similar in Pyin Oo Lwin.

Day 6 Friday, February 20, 2015 – Pyin Oo Lwin – Mandalay Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’ll have a relaxing start to the morning and drive to Mandalay after a late breakfast. We’ll stop along the way at a flower market and Shan market to purchase vegetables for today’s cooking class.

Upon arrival in Mandalay, we’ll take a cooking class featuring local recipes. This will be a hands-on activity after which we’ll get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. You’ll have recipes to take home with you.

After a midday break, we’ll continue exploring Mandalay’s main sights beginning with a visit to . At the base of the hill, we’ll stop to visit at Shwe Nandaw Kyuang, or Golden 3

Palace , which is known for its intricate woodcarvings, and at Kayuktawgyi Pagoda to view a huge marble Buddha. The marble is from Sagyin quarry and took 10,000 men almost two weeks to transfer the rock from the riverside to its current location. Finally, we’ll visit , home to the world’s largest book, a collection of more than 700 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist teachings.

Dinner will be at a local restaurant and we’ll overnight at Sedona Hotel or similar in Mandalay.

HIGHLIGHT! Rising 240 meters above the city, Mandalay Hill provides a great view of the surrounding countryside, Irrawaddy River and city center.

Day 7 Saturday, February 21, 2015 – Mandalay – - – Mandalay Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’ll depart for Sagaing. Covered with 600 white pagodas and , Sagaing Hill is widely regarded as the religious center of Myanmar. It’s home to 3,000 and 100 centers. We’ll visit several pagodas including Swan Oo Pon Nya Shinand U Min Thone Sae.

Next, we’ll go to the Saigaing Nunnery where we’ll have the unique opportunity to serve lunch to the nuns. This unique experience is a fabulous way to learn about another unique aspect of Myanmar culture while also contributing to the on-going activities of the nunnery.

NOTE: A portion of your tour cost will cover the donation made for this day’s lunch and, as a donor, you have the honor of serving the nuns their midday meal as an .

After visiting the nunnery, we’ll head to a silver workshop to see the process by which local handmade silver products are created.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive to the village of Mingun. We’ll visit the impressive , the world’s largest ringing bell; Mingunphahtotawgyi, the biggest temple in Myanmar; and Myatheindan Zadi, a stunning temple. In the late afternoon, we’ll return to Mandalay by boat along the Irrawaddy River.

Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Overnight at Sedona Hotel or similar in Mandalay.

HIGHLIGHT! – The visit to Saigaing will be a rewarding one. You’ll not only have a chance to learn about how the nuns live but also have the honor of serving them lunch which will bring you good karma.

Day 8 Sunday, February 22, 2015 – Mandalay – Ava – – Mandalay Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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Before breakfast, the group will visit an area where we can observe monks walking along the roadside to receive food and offerings from the community. Clothed in red robes and carrying their alms bowls, a solemn line of barefoot monks walks along the streets to collect offerings from the locals.

We’ll then visit . This pagoda is home to one of the country’s most revered Buddhas which has been covered with gold leaf and is revered by local pilgrims.

We’ll then visit handicraft facilities for woodcarvings, kalaga tapestries and gold-leaf making. Many of these techniques have remained unchanged from those used centuries ago to craft items for the Royal Court.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll continue to Ava, the capital from the 14th to 18th centuries. We’ll travel by horse and carriage through the area stopping to visit the old wooden and the remains of the Royal Palace and Fort.

When returning back to the city, we’ll stop at Amarapura, a former capital city whose name means “City of Immortality.” We’ll stop at a silk-weaving workshop that produces exquisite handmade products and then continue onward for a walk on U Pein Bridge. This 200-year-old bridge is the world’s longest teak bridge (don’t worry, it’s safe!). The bridge spans more than two kilometers and offers fabulous views of the surrounding farms and streams.

Dinner will be at a restaurant specializing in the food of Mandalay.

Overnight at Sedona Hotel or similar in Mandalay.

HIGHLIGHT! The morning alms collection is an important part of daily life for the monks and for the Burmese people as it symbolizes “making ” and also reminds Buddhists of their mutual inter- dependence.

Day 9 Monday, February 23, 2015 – Mandalay – Heho – Inle Lake Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After an early breakfast at the hotel, we’ll transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho.

From Heho, it’s a scenic one-hour drive to Nyaung Shwe, the gateway village to Inle Lake. Along the way, we’ll stop at the wooden Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which features beautiful carvings and a collection of Buddha images.

We will then visit Red Mountain Winery, one of Myanmar’s only vineyards, for a tour, tasting and great views of the lake.

We’ll have lunch in town before going to the lake.

We’ll board a private motorboat to head out onto Inle Lake, one of Myanmar’s most spectacular sights. After a boat ride (about 45 minutes) to the hotel, we’ll check in and do some afternoon sightseeing 5

around the lake, surrounded by the enchanting Shan Mountains, including a trip to a small village where you can see how the local people live.

Dinner and overnight at Villa Inle Resort & Spa or similar on Inle Lake.

HIGHLIGHT! You’ll enjoy a break from the heat as the weather on Inle Lake is much cooler than the rest of the destinations we’ll be visiting. You’ll also enjoy the vastly different people who live on and around the lake

Day 10 Tuesday, February 24, 2015 – Inle Lake Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, the group will set out for a local village where we’ll visit one of the famous five-day markets. Many of the local hilltribes come to the market dressed in their traditional clothes.

This market is fantastic for photography and shopping. Souvenirs abound while goods for the locals (fruits, vegetables, clothes, kitchen goods, etc.) are widely available.

We’ll also visit a lotus-weaving factory (where clothes are made from lotus plants and scarves are sold for as much as $200!), a blacksmith workshop and a cheroot (cigarette) making factory.

After lunch at a restaurant on the lake, we’ll boat around the villages and pass through the floating islands where people live and cultivate prolific gardens.

We’ll return to the hotel for a leisurely afternoon on the lake. Note that there is a chance to get a massage at the resort.

Dinner and overnight at Villa Inle Resort & Spa or similar on Inle Lake.

HIGHLIGHT! The market is filled with tribal women dressed in their local garb. Each tribe can be identified by their colored woven head scarves and outfits as each dons a different color and weaving style.

Day 11 Wednesday, February 25, 2015 – Inle Lake – Indein Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we’ll head to the middle of the lake and continue down a small canal leading to the Pa-oh village of Indein. We’ll explore this area on foot and have the chance to stroll around the village and visit a local school. Here we’ll climb the covered stairway to the top of a hill that’s filled with ancient stupas and has magnificent views of the lake below.

After lunch in Indein, we’ll return to the boat and continue along the lake for additional sightseeing before returning to the hotel for the afternoon.

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Dinner and overnight at Villa Inle Resort & Spa or similar on Inle Lake.

Day 12 Thursday, February 26, 2015 – Inle Lake – Heho – Yangon Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we’ll transfer back to Heho for the flight to Yangon.

Upon arrival, we’ll have the chance to do some last-minute sightseeing and shopping in downtown.

For our final dinner, we’ll eat at one of Yangon’s finest restaurants.

Overnight at Chatrium Hotel or similar in Yangon.

Day 13 Friday, February 27, 2015 – Yangon – Departure Meals: Breakfast

Today is at your leisure until we transfer to the airport for our onward flights.

** Itinerary subject to change without notice.

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