Burma: Wonders of the Golden Land

Burma is startling in its beauty—bullock carts move slowly across dazzling green rice terraces, saffron-robed monks walk silently in single file, and gold-spired pagodas glint in the sun. On this insider’s journey, we visit nostalgic Yangon (Rangoon), with its magnificent Shwedagon temple bustling with monks and pilgrims, and Mandalay, the cultural heart of Burma, where we journey by boat along the Irrawaddy River and watch a golden sunset over a thousand temples at Bagan (Pagan). In the heart of Shan country, we hike to remote hilltribes and explore the villages and markets of beautiful Inle Lake. Burma abounds with visual delights, but it’s our encounters with its graceful and deeply spiritual people that linger in our mind long after journey’s end.

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Yangon and Shwedagon

In Yangon we walk among Buddhist pilgrims at Shwedagon, a golden, jewel-encrusted temple that Rudyard Kipling called a “beautiful, winking wonder that blazed in the sun.” We also explore the huge reclining Buddha at Kyaukthatgyi, the eight-sided Sule Pagoda, and the lively Bogyoke Market.

Days 3-5
Temples of Bagan

We enjoy two full days to explore remarkable Bagan, Burma’s first World Heritage Site, where 2,000 pagodas and temples are scattered across the countryside. At sunset, the views from atop the temples are absolutely entrancing. Outside of Bagan, we explore the ancient village of Salay and take a private boat trip on the Irrawaddy River for a hike to a remote village that offers us a glimpse of rural Burmese life.

Days 6-7
Mandalay’s Ancient Cities

After “making merit” at the Maha Muni Pagoda, with its huge Buddha image covered with countless layers of gold leaf, we journey by local boat down the Irrawaddy to visit 14th century Sagaing with its picturesque white hillside pagodas. Traveling by horse-cart to the ruins of Ava, we explore this Burmese capital from the 14th to the 19th centuries.

Days 8-14
Hilltribe Country and Inle Lake

Built around a small lake and dotted with aging Buddhist temples and crumbling British colonial architecture, Kyaing Tong is arguably the most scenic town in the Shan State. In the surrounding mountains are numerous hilltribe villages whose inhabitants still wear traditional dress, and we explore their villages and markets on foot. At vast and beautiful Inle Lake, “mystical, magical, outrageously picturesque,” we explore by longboat, visiting several fascinating lakeside villages, including that of the famous long-neck Padaung tribe, a subgroup of the Karen, best known for the women’s extensive brass neck rings. We also walk to caves filled with ancient Buddha images and to a traditional Pa-O village where we visit local homes. Fly to Yangon on Day 13 and depart on Day 14.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is Level 2, or Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system. Although not physically demanding, the trip will yield greater rewards if you are in good physical condition and able to stay on your feet for 6-7 hours per day. There is much to see each day, and a fair amount of walking is necessary to take it all in.  Day 9 has a hike of four hours and Day 12 has a hike of 2 hours as we visit hilltribe people in their villages. The hikes are optional but very rewarding.

All the hotels we use are privately owned and operated (not government-run). Our hotels in Rangoon, Pagan, Mandalay, and Inle Lake will be good to very good. We will have porters to carry our luggage in most places. However there may be times when we need to carry our own luggage, so luggage with rollers work best.

Our two nights in Kyaing Tong are one of the highlights of the trip—the hill people we see are some of the most fascinating anywhere in the world. That said, Kyaing Tong is not on the main tourist route and facilities for tourists are marginal. Our Kyaing Tong hotel is adequate but basic (hot water, electricity, private toilets, etc.). Electricity at the hotel is variable and will be turned off at times, usually from about 10 pm to 6 am, so you will need a flashlight with extra batteries for Kyaing Tong.

Explanation of Trip Levels