BURMA KINGDOMS AND HIGHLANDS

Welcome to Myanmar! Your guide will meet you at the Mandalay airport and transfer to your hotel in town.Settle in and then enjoy free time to explore Mandalay. Welcome dinner, trip briefing and meet the local team tonight.

Meals included: – Welcome Dinner
Overnight: Hotel in Mandalay

After breakfast starts your warm-up day and pick up the essential survival skills for driving a motorcycle in Myanmar and explore some Mandalay sights. After we cross the river and visit ancient kingdoms of Ava or Inwa and Amarapura, former royal capitals before Mandalay. A few remaining ancient structures are still in tact. Next we will reach Sagaing which serves as a center of monastic education in Myanmar and is home to thousands of monks. Nice views of the central plain and Ayeyarwaddy river open from the top of Sagaing hill. Sagaing is known as a meditation centre. Myanmars all over the country would visit Sagaing for the purpose of religious retreat. We also going to visit monestry to meet monks if they are free from studies and daily duties. Have a cup of tea and learn about monastic life and Theravada buddhism practiced in Myanmar and vipassana meditation practice. You can then try meditation yourself… usually half hour is more than enough for beginners to try to keep their mind clear and under control. And we continue to Monywa.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Monywa
Distance covered: approx. 135 km

This morning before we drive to Bagan on they way we going to visit at Phowinthaung cave temples – old Buddhist archeological site and the top place to visit Monywa region. And before we cross the bridge to Pakokku we can visit Ma Ahu Alae Village – a small village with full of ancient’s pagodas, lovely people with great smiles. Take a short break for the local lunch then continue riding After lunch we continue ride to Bagan.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Bagan
Distance covered: approx. 160km

Today you can explore Bagan independently on electric scooters, as there’s a regulation concerning conventional motorcycles use by foreigners in the archeological zone. There are many options ranging from hot air balloon flights to cycling and horse cart rides and sunset viewg cruise along Ayeyarwaddy river. Discovery Rides can help arranging an optional city tour for your exploration day should you wish.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Bagan
Distance covered: Varies

Long day and early start. After breakfast, we drive out to 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 highlands we’ll pass through a flat region and Thazi and Meikhtila towns. You will arrive to Kalaw in the late afternoon.
Free time in Kalaw 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
.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Kalaw
Distance covered: Approx. 275km

Wake up early take a nice secondary road up the mountains that leads through Pao and Taung Yo farmlands. We continue 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 continue to Inle lake – depending on day of the week, there might 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. After we arrive Inle Lake valley where we spend rest of the day on the lake touring by boat and marveling life on the lake. 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 Shan tasting.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Inle lake
Distance covered: Approx. 85km

Long day and early start. Today we ride around Shan highland first we drive up to Taunggy the landscape is quite flat with some mountains in the distance. Short distance before reaching Taunggyi we can visit Ayethayar vineyard which is situated on the mountain slopes just beneath the town. After we ride further to Hopong before we making to Kakku which is a highly revered Buddhist complex containing hundreds of old stupas dating centuries back. The complex is verlooking a vast valley down below, where we might continue later on, time permitting. We will have lunch in Kakku at the local restureant before riding back to Inle lake valley passing some more nice villages. Enroute we can stop at a local winemaker’s estate to check the vineyards and taste different wines and enjoy a great view over the lake. Ride back to the hotel late afternoon or early evening.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Inle lake
Distance covered: Approx. 140km

Today, drive to Pindaya stopping by a blue pond on the way. Pindaya is known for its caves, and also as main agricultural hub, so there are plenty of small villages and Danu and Palaung communities. There is nice scenic road over mountain range and you can stop in Yasakyi village and drive some part up to the mountain peak and hike rest for the great views. These are really nice and narrow single treks which are fun to ride. Pindaya range has lots of small trails to explore too if you want to have more play. Blue water pond is slightly off our way, back to the Aungban-Ywangan highway. After that we take a scenic country side road to Ywangan climbing over a mountain range.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: in hotel or guest house in Ywagan
Distance covered: Approx. 150km

Simple breakfast and visit to Genius Coffee roastery pioneers of decent coffee in Myanmar. After a cuppa, we drive to caves and waterfalls is 25 km east way on dirt roads, nice single tracks with views and fun river crossing. After that, we continue drive in the direction to Pyin Oo Lwin, another great waterfall there and steep road down to its bottom which you can ride. Time permitting, we can explore more small trails leading to coffee plantations and cruise around old Pyin Oo Lwin viewing old colonial era built mansions. There is nice place to end with a drink and sunset view.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: in hotel or guest house by Inle Lake
Distance covered: Approx 200km

After breakfast, we drive back to Mandalay via Anisakan road. The road is nice, no trucks and passing some waterfalls on the way.

Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight: Hotel in Mandalay
Distance covered: Approx 85km

Meals included: Breakfast