Burma Cycling Tour – 11-Day Adventure in Myanmar

Day 1: Yangon Arrival – City tour
Mingalabar! Up on arrival at Yangon International airport, our guide and driver will welcome you and proceed to the tour.
Take the trip downtown with a walking tour through the historic quarter. Along the way you visit the former City Hall and various other examples of 1940’s colonial British architecture. The hidden art galleries inside the small alley could also be the next stop on your tour. Continue to Kyaukhtatgyi Pagoda, which houses the sacred reclining Buddhas as well as the country’s largest one. Spend time at Bogyoke Market, formerly Scott Market (closed on Mondays and public holidays). Built in the 1920s under British rule, the side is listed a heritage of Yangon. It has more than 2,000 stalls dominated by large selections of antique Burmese handicraft, clothing and jewelry…
Last but not least, you go to Shwedagon Pagoda, the most sacred Buddhist site of Myanmar and the oldest one in the world. The monument contains a 99m high golden stupa and spires, adorned with 7,000 diamonds, sapphires and rubies and allegedly, hairs belonging to the Gautama Buddha.
Meals: N/A
Accommodation: Hotel in Yangon
Day 2: Yangon – Fly to Mandalay – Sightseeing by bike
Today you take the morning flight to Mandalay. The city was founded in 1857 as the capital by King Mindon is now the principle center for Buddhism studies in Myanmar.
In the afternoon, you become acquainted with our bikes during visit at Shwenandaw Monastery – noted for its exquisite wood carvings, Kuthodaw Pagoda – known as the world’s biggest book and some handicraft workshops of gold leaf beating & silk weaving. The next stop is Mandalay Palace, boasts finely built regal walls and a beautiful moat surrounding her fortress. Late afternoon, drive to Mandalay Hill for the sunset and the panoramic view.
Meal: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay
Day 3: Mandalay biking exploration
After breakfast at the hotel, you take a short ride to the river pier and embark on a private boat upstream to visit Mingun, famed for its huge and incomplete Pahtodawgyi Pagoda, Mingun Bell the 90 tons ringing bell and the white temple Hsinbyume… The short cruise up and downstream along Irrawaddy River also offers you plenty of photos chances. Later in the afternoon, take the bike to Amarapura, the ancient capital of the Konbaung Dynasty and the U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest Teakwood Bridge (1208 meters long). It is better to view this at sunset.
Finally, support van takes you back to hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Mandalay
Day 4: Mandalay – Monywa
After two-hour driving, you reach the small town of Myin-Mu and there start our ride to the non-touristy town of Monywa. This is a pleasant ride on a tarmac road with little traffic as you cycle through the Chindwin Valley. From Monywa, you will visit Po Win Daung. This extraordinary complex consists of 947 sandstone caves dug out of the hills and contains what is considered by archaeologists to be the richest collection of mural paintings and Buddhist statues in South-East Asia. Recently opened to foreigners, Po Win Daung with its unique, precious frescoes, some dating from the early 17th century, is a must to see for anyone with an interest in Buddhist Arts. A few hundred metres from the caves is Shwe Ba Daung, another very interesting site where monasteries and temples are carved out of narrow cliffs.
Back to your hotel late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Monywa
Day 5: Monywa – Bagan
Leave Monywa for Bagan. The scenery varies and the roads flat as you ride towards the Irrawaddy River; there are plenty of villages to visit and opportunities to interact with locals. After lunch, visit Pakkoku, a lively, typical Burmese city with a strong craft work tradition producing colorful woven blankets, papier-mâché toys and traditional sandals then continue by car to Bagan. Check in your hotel upon arrival and rest of the time is at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan
Day 6: Bagan ightseeing
Start your biking day with the first Myanmar experience to local market Nyaung Oo Market, for a dose of local life and culture. Come to Shwezigone pagoda, which is believed to enshrine a bone and tooth of Gautama Buddha. Next to Wetkyi village – Wetkyi In Gubyaukgy temple. Going to Ananda, Sulamani Temple.
Meals: N/A
Accommodation: Hotel in Bagan
Day 7: Bagan – Mt. Popa
After breakfast, start the trip to Mount Popa by bicycle.
Mount Popa, the mountain rises 1500 meters above sea-level and immediately adjacent to Popa Mountain is Popa Taungkalat, a rather odd looking volcanic plug.
On the way, you make a stop at the local palm wine and enjoy the lifestyle of local people there. See how they make good use of the Toddy Palm trees that are grown along the fence of their farms. It’s time to relax and taste the spirit distilled from the palm sugar that is made out of the toddy palm sap. You will cycle along the paved road but sometime can be ascending parts as you are approaching the volcano of Mt. Popa.
To reach the summit you must climb the 927 steps in barefoot, the view from the top is worth it. Pilgrims have been visiting the shrine for over 700 years and in our opinion it is one of the most fascinating places in the country. Sitting on top of this plug is a monastic shrine, home to the 37 Nat-spirits, which are the focus of Myanmar’s pre-Buddhist animist. religion.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel in Mount Popa
Day 8: Mt. Popa – Salay – Bagan
Today you start journey to Salay by bike. Upon arrival, visiting Yokesone Monastery, which is the oldest surviving wooden monastery hall, built on 154 teak posts with beautiful wood carvings decorating the outer walls. Continue to Payathonzu, a complex of three brick shrines with mural paintings from the Bagan period, and see Man Paya – a large lacquer Buddha image, said to date from the 13th century. Return to Bagan through Chauk (53km), where you will see old Burma Oil installations (‘nodding donkeys’), and along the banks of the Ayeyarwady River. Arrive in Bagan hotel for relax.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel in Bagan
Day 9: Bagan – Fly to Heho – Inle Lake boat trip
Leave Bagan for a short flight to Heho. On arrival, meet our tour guide and enjoy a scenic drive to Inle Lake.
Now you will visit Phaungdawoo Pagoda, famed for its richly gilded five small Buddha images, also is believed the holiest in Inle Lake. As you travel further to Nam Pan village; cotton and lotus weaving factory, cigar making houses will impress you with a sense of traditional Intha life. Continue the trip to the Inthar Heritage House which is an unusual restaurant which serves Myanmar Cuisine. It’s also a catering school, a gallery and a cat Sanctuary for nearly extinct Burmese Cats. Enjoy some drinks & cakes there.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: Hotel in Inle Lake
Day 10: Biking time in Nyuang Shwe town
After breakfast, you go for a cycling venture around the lake. The highlights of the cycling route include passing paddy fields set in the backdrop of Shan mountains, a couple of local villages and KhaungDaing Natural hot spring. Cycling at your own pace on exotic village trails away from the crowds, you will see watch local life passes you by and capture beautiful moments of local farmers in their daily activities. After having a healthy picnic lunch and short break at a local tea shop, you continue paddling back to NyaungShwe, drop by Red Mountain Estate where produces the best wines of the country. You will have chance to learn how the wine is made, taste the great products as well as have a fantastic sunset from the mountain also.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: Hotel in Inle Lake
Day 11: Heho – Fly Yangon – Departure
Breakfast at hotel. Today is your free day till the flight back to Yangon.
Get ready for the International flights.
Thank you your trust and traveling with Burma Travel!
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodations: N/A