MYANMAR HERITAGE & TRIBE MOTORBIKE TOUR

Mingalabar – Welcome to Myanmar! You can arrive anytime on this day. We will have the accommodation ready for you. Settle in, explore Mandalay at your own pace. Let us know if you would like us to arrange an airport pick for you. (it is not included)
Meet your tour leader and travel companions in the hotel lobby at 7pm (join-in groups). We will head out for a typical Mandalay bbq dinner in town. Get to know your group over a beer and we’ll run through the trip plan and essentials.

Overnight: Hotel in Mandalay

After breakfast meet your guide and do a quick test ride in the neighborhood. Our first stop will be just outside of Mandalay in the small satellite town Amarapura – home of skillful craftsmen and textile workshops – to learn about different handmade products. We check out the famous U Bein Bridge made entirely of teakwood two hundred years ago. Then crossing the bridge onto the western bank of Ayeyarwaddy river to Sagaing which holds country’s record for the highest concentration of monasteries and monks, and serves as a spiritual center of Myanmar. This followed by a detour to Mingun village with its massive unfinished pagoda, resembling that of Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai but even more impressive. Besides the unfinished pagoda there’s the Mingun Bell which is a colossal bronze bell from the early 19th century, one of the largest in the world.
As we continue to Monywa, you can learn history about Bayingyi, descendants of Portugese colonists who became prisoners of war and were resettled by Burmese king to Upper Myanmar in early 17th century – we can stop in some villages where small communities of these people still leave up to the present day, keeping their unique identity and traditions. Arrive in Monywa late in the afternoon, for a refreshing swim in the pool or walk in a quiet neighborhood. Overnight in Monywa.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: Hotel in Monywa
Distance covered: approx. 180 km

In the morning after leaving Monywa, we make our first stop at Phowinthaung cave system – old Buddhist archeological site dating few centuries back. Continue along the regional road through the dry planes of Sagaing, we pass two low lying ranges Ponnya and Ponthaung with a nice green Kyaw valley between them. It’s a nice and noticeable change in the landscape. We ride further via Tilin, which is one of main towns in Yaw region – a hilly country side adjacent from the East to Chin hills and populated by a mix of Burmese and Chin people. Local Yaw people are essentially Bamar who settled in this area after expansion from their nuclear zone in Bagan-Kyaukshe valley hundreds of years ago. Over this period they have developed own cultural trends and language dialect. Here in Tilin we can stop by a recently excavated pagodas. Two hours later after a nice ride through the rolling forest hills, we will be climbing up an impressive serpentine to Mindat, a small town located on mountain ridge in Chin state. The road condition has improved greatly over the recent few years. Spend the rest of the day walking around town or exploring nearby tribal villages with your motorbike. Overnight in Mindat.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: Hotel or guest house in Mindat
Distance covered: approx. 185km

After breakfast, check the motorbikes and then we continue our journey southward to Kanpetlet. It will be a day of excellent views and some parts of the ride more challenging than rest of the days due to specific terrain of Chin hills. On the way, before Aye Camp, we can visit to Ayemoon village where you can meet some of the larger population of older ladies from Moon tribe with facial tattoos. Then continue to Mt. Victoria the tallest peak of Chin State and one of the highest in Western Myanmar. Time permitting, we may make some stops on the way to visit some of the villages before reaching base camp of Mt. Victoria – Htat Swi and nearby, just few hundred meters off the main road through the national park, those villages are located along the trail winding around the slopes of big mountains, providing the view of far away Yaw planes in the east. Stop at the road curves to enjoy breathtaking views of rolling mountain landscape below; in some parts we can be well above the clouds. After that we continue in the direction to summit of Mt. Victoria – the road leads along the top of mountain range through the dense jungle until the base camp. You have to walk about 300 meters to reach to summit as we are not officially allowed to ride all the way to the summit. Another way (and more green one) is to leave the bikes at the base camp and trek up to the top for about 1,5 hours – but be prepared that most of the way lies along the wide dirt road, only few sections of old trekking trail have remained intact. Still great to find yourself in a rare rhododendron forest at 3000 meters above sea level. Road up the summit is normally supposed to be closed for cars and motorbikes and we encourage guests to actually walk up there. The road from base camp to Kanpetlet town runs through the forest again, for another hour.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: Hotel or Guest House in Kanpetlet
Distance covered: Approx. 80km

After breakfast, begin your descend down to the plains and after passing couple of parallel low altitude hill ranges through the dry plains of Magwe division. This area has been known as Texas of Myanmar where British started oil pumping over 100 years ago during the colonial times. There are oil wells where the stuff is sometimes lifted up manually. It’s somewhat unofficial capital Chauk town that lies on the eastern bank of Ayeyarwaddy river is commonly known as the hottest spot in Mynmar. There are a couple of interesting teakwood monasteries where we can visit. On the way to Bagan, we can stop at local villages and also see how toddy is harvested and made to palm sugar. Optionally we can take a short detour to a village where locals are employed in stone carving industry. After checking in to hotel in Bagan and some rest, continue to explore this world heritage site (Bagan has been recently granted UNESCO status) of thousands of temples & stupas by e-bike or mountain bikes, as there’s a regional regulation “foreigners are forbidden to ride motorcycles” within the Bagan archeological zone.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: in hotel or guest house in Bagan
Distance covered: Approx. 220km

Long day and early start. After breakfast, we drive out for an hour to old volcano Mt Popa and its volcanic plug which has become one of the most important pilgrimage sites for “nat” spririts worshippers in Myanmar. From Mt. Popa, we continue drive to Shan highland. The road pass through a flat region of Central Myanmar known as ancient heartland of Bamar people from where they settled all across the Ayeyarwaddy river basin. Through Thazi and Meikhtila towns we make it up the serpentine and mountain views again, this time of a Shan plateau. You will arrive to Kalaw in the late afternoon. Free time in Kalaw – the old British hill station town with century old colonial mansions, surrounded by endless pine tree groves. This afternoon. You can drive to a reservoir lake for a swim or explore small roads or hiking trails around this charming hill station town. You can also ride to some Pao, Taung Yo and Danu minority villages. Nights during winter months can be rather cool at an altitude of above 1000 meters, so a pair of warm clothes will be very handy.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: in hotel or guest house by Kalaw
Distance covered: Approx 280km

Today we will drive to Loikaw, the capital of Kayah State. First we drive in the direction to Pin Laung which is famous for its amazing 360-degree views of breathtaking hills capes (need to get to the top of karst mountain first though, which takes time…). It is the highest altitude town in Southern Shan State, well known for it’s tea, coffee and pears. There’s a century old sawbwa (local royalty of old kingdoms days) house still left but in a bad shape, part of it collapsed after years of neglect. After 20 minutes of climbing a narrow mountain road there’s a nice viewpoint opening to the surrounding karst mountains and enless forest. We will make lunch stop near Pinlaung and continue drive to Loikaw where we will be arriving in the afternoon. You may have time to visit to Taung Kwe Pagoda to meet the beautiful sunset.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: hotel or guest house in Loikaw
Distance covered: Approx 168km

Today we begin the day with riding roughly 1,5 hours to Panpet group of villages – home of a few tribes of Kayan people (or Padaung as they are more commonly known), the ladies there still wearing brass coils around their necks. We can make a short hike in surrounding hills through Kayan ancestrial lands to learn more about local culture. Back onto the wheels, lunch can be in a village or in Loikaw on the way back. Stop in another ethnic community Tanilaleh of Kayah people who form a majority in Loikaw valley. Then continue for roughly half an hour east of town to see the mysterious Kyet Cave containing centuries old teak wood coffins – their exact origin is still unknown but monks from the nearby monastery have interesting stories to share with you. Late afternoon/early evening return to the town for a bbq and beer at a busy riverside restaurant.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: hotel or guest house in Loikaw
Distance covered: approx. 100km

On this day, we drive to Inle lake passing some hidden tribal Lisu and Pao villages on the way. Time permitting we can visit some waterfalls and caves along the way closer to Loikaw. Continue up the Hsiseng valley we can visit large ethnic market in Loisawn town, from where turning onto a smaller rural road up in the hills. We will stop at Kakku pagoda complex, a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site dating couple hundred years back, in the heartland of Pao people. If you prefer staying on asphalt, we can ride ride along the road that connects the lake via Taunggyi – the capital town of Shan State. It’s a multi-ethnic town, with Bamar, Shan, Indian and Pao population. Otherwise there are quite a few dirt treks leading up the mountain range to the east of Inle Lake. Arrive in Nyaung Shwe in the afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: hotel or guest in Inle lake
Distance covered: Approx 150KM

Wake up early – depending on day of the week, there will be a rotating 5-day market somewhere in the area which is a good opportunity to see local tribal people coming the market place to trade their domestic produce – Pao, Taung Yo, Shan, Inthar – all gather here. Full day exploring the lake by motorboat, witness local fishermen’s unique rowing techniques, villages built on stilts and the floating gardens where most of Myanmar’s tomatoes come from. Try this evening delicious dinner tasting a variety of local Shan delicacies.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: hotel or guest in Inle lake

After breakfast at hotel we ride out to the wonderful Indein pagoda complex on the western side of the lake – the site that makes us feel as if we stepped through a forgotten time portal – dozens of crumbling stupas covered in overgrouth dot the hill slopes, many of them are hundreds of years old. After a while we get back to our motorbikes and take a nice secondary road up the mountains that leads through Pao and Taung Yoe farmlands. There are many trails coverning the area, so time permitting we could do a detour to one of the more off the beaten track villages. In Heho town – if on a market day – you will see locals negotiating and checking out the merchandise, water buffaloes that are somewhat local tractors used for field work everywhere in Myanmar. We continue along a small scenic road which travels through the region that is often referred to as the “Tuscany” of Myanmar, named so for it’s resembelance of the famed region in Italy, with rolling hilly landscapes and an array of beautiful natural colors. We will stop in local villages to visit farmers and learn about seasonal crops grown and harvested in the current season – ride is beautiful and the fields are covered in different colors. Closer to midday we arrive in Pindaya and there will be enough time to visit the famous Pindaya cave that houses thousands of golden Buddha images – a highlight and one of the most revered pilgrimage sights in the country.
Back on the road after lunch we will pass through Danu minority region to Palaung and Pao tribal area. Danu are close relatives to Bamar people, while Palaung are considered some of the first dwellers in Myanmar, who settled mainly up on the ranges, making leaving by growing tea and mountain rice. Pao ethnic ladies are easily recognizable for they are wearing black tunic and orange/blue towel or scarft as turban on their heads. The rural road will lead us up to the mountains through some forested area, we will be making occasional stops in villages until reaching Ywangan closer to the evening.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Overnight: hotel or guest in Ywangan
Distance covered: Approx 185KM

Wake up in Ywangan today, which is a Danu tribal heartland and country’s newest emerging coffee region. Time permitting, if not visited on the previous day, we can venture in the country, as there are many cool rural treks in the vicinity leading to limestone mountains and a big cave, claimed to be one of the longest discovered in the country.
From Ywangan we take a scenic country side road climbing over a mountain range to Myogyi and then after a rather short section on the plains, We take a narrow and beautiful road runing along the river valley. Photo stops and visit a beautiful waterfall on the way, then continue a small back road that climbs up to Anisakan and Pyin Oo Lwin through rugged landscape, where the views are great and traffic almost non-existent. In the late afternoon explore Pyin Oo Lwin riding along the tree shaded lanes with quaint colonial mansions. Back in the days the town was called Maymyo and used to serve as a summer capital for the British administration. With cooler climate, wide loans with teakwood villas and horse carriages on the streets, coffee plantations in the suburbs, Pyin Oo Lwin is in a striking contrast to rapidly expanding and developing Mandalay down on the hot plains. You may want to stop by at the botanical gardens, or to check out the impressive multi-tiered Anisakan waterfall. Overnight in Pyin Oo Lwin.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: hotel or guest in Pyin Oo Lwin
Distance covered: Approx 220

In the morning check out the town highlights and set on a road down to Mandalay in the afternoon. All good must come to an end. We will gather for a farewell dinner this evening for a celebration of a great journey and to say bye to the team. Overnight in Mandalay

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: hotel or guest in Mandalay
Distance covered: Approx 64

Breakfast at hotel and transfer to Mandalay airport for your departure.