Amazing Myanmar, Yunnan & Tibet
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THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES INC PRESENTS A NEW STUDY TOUR TO AMAZING MYANMAR, YUNNAN & TIBET FEATURING THE SPECTACULAR SIGHTS OF MYANMAR, THE HISTORIC BURMA ROAD TO CHINA, THE GRAND CANYONS & ANCIENT CITIES OF YUNNAN, HIGHLIGHTS OF TIBET, AND THE WORLD’S HIGHEST TRAIN JOURNEY 32 DAYS, 31 NIGHTS – TUESDAY 24 APRIL to FRIDAY 25 MAY, 2012 TWIN-SHARE COST: $8,345; SINGLE SUPPLEMENT : $1,145 THE GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES INC “MYANMAR, YUNNAN, TIBET” STUDY TOUR, 2012 ITINERARY (Breakfasts included in Myanmar, and all meals in China) 1. Tue. 24 April. Sydney to Yangon, Myanmar. Depart Sydney on THAI flight TG 476 at 1100, travelling via Bangkok with change of plane there (1630 to 1750). Arrive in Yangon on TG 303 at 1845, and transfer to the city and hotel. Stay 2 nights: Chatrium Hotel, Yangon. 2. Wed. 25 April. In Myanmar’s impressive capital. Morning tour of Yangon including the historic centre with a walk along Pansodan Street with its large colonial buildings and sidewalk markets Visit Kandawgyi Lake and the Botataung Pagoda. In the afternoon visit the colossal reclining Buddha Chaukhtatkyi and the awe-inspiring golden Shwedagon Pagoda towering over all of Yangon. B. 3. Thu 26 April. To amazing Bagan, the ancient capital. Early morning flight from Yangon to Bagan, the ancient capital, on the great Ayeyarwady River and one of the most impressive archaeological sites of Asia surrounded by distinctive pagodas and stupas built in Burma’s Golden Years (3000 monuments in 42 sq km). Visit some of the biggest and best temples and pagodas including the massive Dhammayangyi Pahto Temple, and then one of the best sites for seeing the sunset over the river. Stay 2 nights: Amazing Bagan Resort, Bagan. B. 4. Fri. 27April. Day Trip to Mount Popa. Morning drive to Mt Popa, famous as the abode of the Nats (Spirit Gods) and its wonderful views. It is a volcanic plug with a temple on top. On the return journey visit a palm sugar farmer to see how the juice is collected, and made into toddy and sugar blocks. After lunch, see more of Bagan’s impressive pagodas and temples including a cave shrine, and observe another sunset from one of the temples overlooking the river. B. 5. Sat. 28 April. To Heho and beautiful Inle Lake. Transfer to the airport for an early morning flight to Heho to drive to Inle Lake at 900 metres above sea level, and transfer to the lake hotel by long-tail boat. Then undertake a boat tour seeing floating gardens and fishermen rowing one-legged style standing up. Visit Ngaphae Kyaung “Jumping Cats” Monastery, Phaungday Pagoda, and silk weaving industries. Stay 1 night: Myanmar Treasure Resort. B. 6. Sun. 29 April. More of Inle Lake and then Mandalay. Visit the Morning Market, and continue Inle Lake sight-seeing including a boat ride up a small scenic creek to visit Indain with its 17th century pagodas. Then transfer to the airport for a flight to Mandalay in central Myanmar. And transfer to the hotel. Stay 3 nights: Mandalay Hill Resort. B. 7. Mon. 30 April. Mingun and Mandalay sightseeing. Take a pleasant boat ride up the Ayeyarwady River to Mingun, the site that would have been the world’s largest pagoda if King Bodawpaya had not died in 1819 when work was halted, and had not the 1838 earthquake damaged it further, but it is still a very impressive sight when approached from the river. Nearby, see the Mingun Bell, the largest hanging un-cracked bell in the world. In the afternoon visit the highly revered Mahamuni Pagoda, a gold workshop, the Shwenandaw Monastery with exquisite wood carving, and the Kuthodaw Pagoda with the world’s largest book – the entire Buddhist scriptures carved into 729 stone slabs. If time remains, take in the magnificent view over Mandalay and the Ayeyarwady River from Mandalay Hill. B. 8. Tue. 01 May. Touring Amarapura, Sagaing and Inwa. Travel to the ancient royal capital of Amarapura and visit the Mahagandayon Monastery which is a school for young monks, and the nearby famous U Bein Bridge, more than two centuries old, and, at a length of 1.2 km, the longest teakwood bridge in the world. Then, continue on to Sagaing, a former capital of the Shan Kingdom in the 14th century, with many interesting stupas scattered over a hill downriver. B. B. 9. Wed. 02 May. Mandalay to the Hill Station of Maymyo. Enjoy a short scenic drive through rural landscapes to Pyin Oo Lwin (or Maymyo), a former British Hill Station. See its colonial buildings, clock tower gift from Queen Victoria, beautiful botanical gardens, waterfalls and panoramic viewpoint. Stay 1 night: Kandawgyi Hill Resort. B. 10. Thu. 03 May. To Lashio in the high country. Transfer to the local train station and travel on a scenic excursion over the famous Goitek Viaduct over a deep gorge, the 2nd highest steel bridge in its day. Disembark in Naung Pain village in Hill Tribe country of Shan State, to drive to Lashio. Stay 1 night: Lashio Motel, the best available. B. 11. Fri. 04 May. To the Chinese border at Muse. Depart from Lashio to travel another 5 hours to the Chinese border in Muse. After lunch, pass through the formalities on both sides, and meet the Chinese guide on the other side in the city of Ruili, population 200,000; clocks go forward 1.5 hours. Stay 1 night: Jingcheng Hotel, Ruili. B, D. B, D. 12, Sat. 05 May. Ruili to Tengchong. Travel through the border mountains on a major trading route of ancient times and the route of the WWII Burma Road. Enjoy lunch in delightful old Heshun before exploring its sights. Transfer to the adjacent city of Tengchong, and see its waterfall park. Stay 2 nights: Guangfang Hotel. B, L, D. 13. Sun. 06 May. In Tengchong and district. Visit spectacular Yunfeng Mountain by cable car, beautiful Guoshang Tomb Garden (memorial to the district’s 9000 dead from WWII) and the Rehai Hot Springs Park (one of China’s 3 largest geothermal areas); then enjoy a spa experience as an optional extra at the end of the day. B, L, D. 14. Mon. 07 May. Tengchong to Dali. Travel over high mountains to the first of the 3 parallel great river canyons – the Salween, homeland of the Dai (or Thai), for lunch. Then join a new tunnelled motorway through mountains to the canyon of the mighty Mekong and over the Yunling Mountain Range to the Valley of Eternal Spring at Dali, on Erhai Lake, biggest city of west Yunnan (population 600,000 - mainly Dai & Bai), at cross-roads of historic trade routes. Our hotel is inside the walled “old city” (2x2 km) – “a gem inside a treasure”. Stay 2 nights: Landscape Hotel, Dali. B, L, D. 15. Tue. 08 May. In historic Dali and district. See the traditional practice of cormorant fishing on Erhai Lake, tie-dye weaving and other crafts, and homes of former rich merchants. Take lunch in a Bai family home with the traditional “Three Courses of Tea Ceremony” before exploring the Three Pagodas complex set in a beautifully landscaped park. Then take the special opportunity to find your own dinner restaurant on tourist Eat Street in the Old City. B, L. 16. Wed. 09 May. To Lijiang, another gem. Travel across rich farmlands and over the Yuan Mountains into wetlands in the next valley with Xinhua famous for silver crafts. After exploring this village, continue on for lunch in Lijiang famous not only for its "superlative natural scenery" at 2,400 metres a.s.l., but also for being "the best preserved ancient town in China", and home to the Naxi minority people. With its swift streams, small stone bridges, cobble-stone lanes, timber houses with window boxes and grey tiled roofs, this is one of the most picturesque small towns anywhere, and we tour it after lunch and stay in it. Stay 2 nights: Wangfu Hotel, in the Old City. B, L, D. 17. Thu. 10 May. Exploring Lijiang’s wonderful surroundings. Visit the city’s main park with its Black Dragon Pond fed by pure spring water – the source of the city’s water supply and its canals. Visit the Naxi Folk Museum and two villages of minority peoples, and explore the nearby Jade Dragon Snow Mountain National Park with 12 snowy peaks over 5000 m and the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Take a cable car trip to a fantastic viewpoint. With a variety of natural ecosystems, it has many rare and state-protected plants and animals. B, L, D. 18. Fri. 11 May. Lijiang to Shangri-La. Drive over another high mountain range into the third river canyon – the upper Yangtze on what was once known as the Tea Horse Trade Route, descending from 2900 m to 1800 m at Shigu on the “First Bend” of the Yangtze, and famous on Moa’s Red Army’s ‘Long March’ of 1934 and the nearby natural wonder, the Tiger Leaping Gorge, at lunch time. Then follow a tributary valley up to Shangri-La on the eastern edge of Tibet, with a noticeable change in the cultural landscape. Stay 2 nights: Shiner Hotel. B, L, D. 19. Sat. 12 May. Exploring the magnificent Shangri-La. Morning tour of wonderful Pudacuo National Park, one of China’s first – forests, grasslands, and two beautiful lakes at 3,500 metres, but still with yak herds grazing pastures in summer. After lunch, visit the amazing lake-side Songzanlin Buddhist Monastery established by the 5th Dalai Lama in 1679, with 920 monks today, meet a Tibetan family at home, and explore the Ancient Town.