Wander Tours P.O. Box 16102 Seattle WA 98116 Myanmar (Burma) Women-only Culture and Pagoda Tour 2013 Itinerary dates: November 1 - 13, 2013 Tour Leader: Beth Whitman Highlights: * Uncover delights at the markets and pagodas of Yangon * Tour the ancient stupas and pagodas of Bagan * Visit handicraft workshops in Mandalay * Spend time on peaceful Inle Lake * Join in a hands-on cooking class of traditional Myanmar cuisine * Enjoy 4-star hotels Itinerary: Day 1 November 1, 2013 – Yangon Arrival (Meals: L, D) Upon arrival at Yangon International Airport, you’ll be met by a driver and guide and transferred to your hotel. After checking in and having lunch with the group, you’ll spend the late afternoon visiting the fantastic Shwedagon Pagoda. Here, you’ll have time for a relaxing walk around this great stupa and its compound to admire its breathtaking beauty and to observe the daily religious activities of the Buddhists who come here to worship. Dinner and overnight at Kandawgyi Palace Hotel or similar in Yangon. HIGHLIGHT! Shwedagon Pagoda and its large complex is considered by Buddhists to be one of the holiest places in the region and is a landmark of the country. Pilgrims come from as far away as Sri Lanka to worship here. Day 2 November 2, 2013 – Yangon (Meals: B, L, D) After breakfast at the hotel, the group will proceed downtown to sightsee in Yangon. This will include a visit to Sule Pagoda, the waterfront and jetty along the Yangon River and a visit to the National Museum. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you’ll have a rest at your hotel and then visit the famous Scot Market and Chaukhtetgyi Pagoda, which houses a spectacularly large reclining Buddha. Dinner and overnight at Kandawgyi Palace Hotel or similar in Yangon. Day 3 November 3, 2013 – Yangon – Bagan (Meals: B, L, D) After breakfast, the group will head off to the airport for the flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, you’ll start your day of sightseeing by visiting the colorful morning vegetable and goods market in Nyaung Oo, followed by visits to a number of pagodas and temples. Depending on time, this may include Shwezegone Pagoda, Htilominlo Temple and Anandar Temple (with its painting museum). 1 This afternoon, the group will proceed to a lacquerware factory to see the amazing and labor- intensive process of creating lacquer products. In the afternoon, you’ll visit Manuha Buddha Image, Nan Phayar and Gupyutgyi Temple. Prior to dinner, you’ll have a chance to enjoy the sunset and the unforgettable vista of Bagan from atop a temple. The group will have dinner at a restaurant specializing in local cuisine. Overnight at Bagan River View Hotel or similar in Bagan. Day 4 November 4, 2013 – Bagan (Meals: B, L, D) Following breakfast, the group will start another day of sightseeing with visits to a number of beautiful pagodas and temples that are famous for their interior paintings and writings. You’ll have lunch at a riverside restaurant before continuing with sightseeing at more of the great pagodas of Bagan. The day will end with a sunset horse-drawn carriage ride through some well- established villages to see how the local people continue their traditional lifestyle. Dinner and overnight at Bagan River View Hotel or similar in Bagan. HIGHLIGHT! No photo or description can adequately portray Bagan with its thousands of pagodas that jut up from the landscape. Views are breathtaking whether from the air, ground or from the top of one of the temples during sunset. Day 5 November 5, 2013 – Bagan – Mandalay – Pyin Oo Lwin (Meals: B, L, D) After breakfast at the hotel, the group will fly to the Mandalay airport and drive onward to the mountain town of Pyin Oo Lwin (elevation 3,500 feet), known as the flower city of Myanmar. Along the way, you’ll stop to visit the colorful vegetable market. After lunch, the group will spend the afternoon enjoying the Kandawgyi National Botanical Gardens and the stunning landscape. It’s well worth spending a couple of hours here. In the late afternoon, you’ll check into the hotel and have some leisure time to enjoy the natural surroundings of the area (including this very special hotel). Dinner and overnight at Aureum Hotel or similar in Pyin Oo Lwin. HIGHLIGHT – Heading up in to elevation will give you a different perspective on Myanmar as this fertile area is home to some 300 orchid species and a wide range of indigenous tree, bamboo and roses. Day 6 November 6, 2013 – Pyin Oo Lwin – Mandalay (Meals: B, L, D) After a relaxing morning at the hotel, the group will visit a colorful Shan market to buy some vegetables for today’s cooking class in Mandalay. On the way to Mandalay, you’ll stop at the flower market where trucks, cars and motorbikes are brimming with colorful flowers grown in the region and sold wholesale. Upon arrival in Mandalay, you’ll take a cooking class featuring traditional local recipes. After a short rest at the hotel, the group will take a half day tour to Shwenandaw Monastery, which has beautiful wood carvings brought from the palace compound of King Thibaw. You’ll then proceed to Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the “World’s Biggest Book” with its 729 stone tablets of Buddhist scriptures written in Pali. For sunset, the group will head to Mandalay Hill, where you’ll have a magnificent view of the city and countryside. Dinner will be at a local restaurant serving a wide variety of typical Myanmar foods. Overnight at Mandalay Hill Resort in Mandalay. 2 HIGHLIGHT! You’ll love the opportunity to learn some typical recipes in this cooking demonstration and class. You’ll leave feeling full and with a handful of recipes to take home. Day 7 November 7, 2013 – Mandalay – Sagaing (Meals: B, L, D) In the morning, the group will head to Sagaing Hill, where there are more than 500 stupas and Buddhist monasteries. You’ll visit Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda and the Buddha images in U Minthonesel cave on the hilltop. From here, you can enjoy a view of Mandalay, the Ayeyarwaddy River and Kaungmudaw Pagoda. After this sightseeing, you’ll visit the Saigaing Nunnery where you’ll have the unique opportunity to serve lunch to the nuns. 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 them their midday meal as an offering. After the nunnery visit, you’ll continue to a silver workshop to see the process in which local hand- made silver products are created, then have lunch at Sagaing Hill Restaurant. The afternoon will be spent taking a short boat excursion on the mighty Ayeyarwaddy River to the village of Mingun. Upon arrival, you’ll visit the impressive Mingun Bell, the world’s largest ringing bell, Mingunphahtotawgyi, the biggest temple in Myanmar, and Myatheindan Zadi. In the late afternoon, you’ll enjoy the sunset on the boat before returning back to Mandalay for dinner at a restaurant specializing in Mandalay cuisine. Overnight at Mandalay Hill Resort in Mandalay. HIGHLIGHT! It is considered a great honor to provide service to nuns and monks who have committed their lives to following the Bodhisattva’s way of life. You’ll gain merit and good karma on this day Day 8 November 8, 2013 – Mandalay (Meals: B, L, D) Before breakfast, the group will visit an area where you’ll observe monks walking along the roadside to receive food and offerings from the community. After breakfast (back at the hotel), you’ll then visit Mahamuni Buddha and its compound which is crowded with local pilgrims. Afterward, you’ll take a trip to Amarapura 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!). You’ll then have a walking tour of Amarapura to visit a silk weaving workshop as well as see stone carvers, handicraft-workshops and tribal souvenir collection shops and a gold leaf factory. Not only will this day be good for shopping but it’s an excellent way to support the local crafters. After some leisure time at your hotel, enjoy dinner and overnight at Mandalay Hill Resort in Mandalay. HIGHLIGHT! Seeing the monks and the beautiful pagodas on this day will give you tremendous insight into how deep the Buddhist religion is ingrained into the country’s psyche. Day 9 November 9, 2013 – Mandalay – Inle Lake (Meals: B, L, D) After breakfast, you’ll head to the airport for the flight to Heho Airport. You’ll then make the scenic drive to peaceful Inle Lake with a visit to Shwe Yann Pyae Monastery along the way. Lunch will be at a local restaurant. 3 After a boat ride (about 45 minutes) to the hotel, you’ll check in and then do some afternoon sightseeing 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. Afterwards proceed to Ngaphalchaung Village, famous for its Buddha images made of antique lacquerware. Dinner and overnight at Inle Treasure Resort Hotel on the lake. Day 10 November 10, 2013 – Inle Lake (Meals: B, L, D) After breakfast, you’ll take a scenic boat ride on Inle Lake. The group will then go to a local village where you’ll visit one of the famous “five-day markets.” Many of the local hilltribes come to the market dressed in their traditional clothes.