The guide and driver will collect you from the hotel and take you to Sale. En route, there will be a stop to visit the bustling local market in Chauk to see the type of produce on offer (open on market days only).

The town of Sale dates back to the late Bagan era and it is home to Sarsana Yaunggyi Wooden Monastery. Inside the temple, you will discover a rare collection of Buddhist scriptures inscribed on palm leaves and Shan paper. You then continue to Man Paya, an impressive lacquer Buddha image believed to date back to the 13th century. This is followed by a visit to the ancient Yoke Sone Monastery where you can view exceptional woodcarvings on the exterior of the building (closed on Mondays and public holidays).

You will then continue to Magyikan village to meet community leaders at a traditional house built for the community-based tourism project. Sit down and chat while enjoying a delicious home-cooked lunch that has been prepared for you by the villagers. You will hear about community-based tourism and how it benefits the locals.

In the afternoon, take a stroll along shady village roads passing plantations and rustic hamlets. You will stop at a family-run brick factory to see how a family-run business operates in Myanmar.

It is then time to start the journey back to Bagan. En route, there will be a stop at Shin Pin Sarkyo Temple which consists of five revered pagodas. This is where King Anawratha welcomed the teaching text of Buddha from lower Burma in the 11th century.

This immersive full-day trip ticks all the boxes for travellers seeking authentic cultural experiences.

The guide and driver will collect you from the hotel and take you to the start of the walking tour. On foot, set off on an exploration of the former capital city.

The tour will take you to popular sites including Sule Pagoda, a shrine that dates back to the time of Buddha; the High Court, a colonial-era building which is distinctive in its use of pale burgundy bricks; and City Hall, the seat of the city’s administrative body, the Yangon City Development Committee. Not far from the City Hall you will find Maha Bandoola Garden, a green space in the heart of downtown Yangon that dates back to 1868. The park provides beautiful views of the surrounding heritage buildings so is a great place for photos. The park’s most notable feature is the Independence Monument, a towering 149.5 metre-high white obelisk.

You will then continue on foot to Bogyoke Aung San Market, which is also known as Scott’s Market (closed on Mondays and public holidays). This sprawling bazaar features colonial architecture and inner cobblestone streets. It is packed with countless shops and stalls selling handicrafts, antiques, arts, jewellery, fabrics and precious stones. Take some time to wander through the stalls and shop for unusual souvenirs.

The tour ends at the 2,500 year-old Shwedagon Pagoda, a magnificent gleaming temple that dominates the landscape. The 99 metre-high golden spire is studded with over 4,350 diamonds and 2,310 rubies. Throughout the tour, the guide will explain the history and stories behind the sites that you visit.

Lunch in included in a local restaurant. At the end of the exploration, the driver will take you back to the hotel

The guide and driver will collect you from the hotel and take you to the corner of Strand and Pansodan roads, an area that boasts Yangon’s most impressive colonial buildings. You will take in iconic sites such as the former Law Court and the former US Embassy. Nearby, you will find Maha Bandoola Garden, a green space in the heart of downtown Yangon that dates back to 1868. A stroll through the park reveals beautiful views of the surrounding heritage buildings. The park’s most notable feature is the Independence Monument, a towering 149.5 metre-high white obelisk.

After lunch in a local restaurant, you will visit the largest Catholic Church in Myanmar. On returning to Pansodan Road, you will continue the afternoon’s exploration with visits to the High Court building, a colonial-era building which is distinctive in its use of pale burgundy bricks; and the grand building of the former Irrawaddy Flotilla headquarters.

The tour ends at the 2,500 year-old Shwedagon Pagoda, a magnificent gleaming temple that dominates the landscape. The 99 metre-high golden spire is studded with over 4,350 diamonds and 2,310 rubies. Throughout the tour, the guide will explain the history and stories behind the sites that you visit.

At the end of the exploration, the driver will take you back to your hotel.

Early morning pick up from your hotel in Mandalay by your private guide and driver for a scenic 2-hour drive to Pyin Oo Lwin. Created by the British colonial rulers to escape the Mandalay tropical heat, the town nowadays attracts domestic and international visitors, eager to see its colonial buildings, churches, and manicured gardens. It comes as no surprise that many images depicting the charm and rustic side of Pyin Oo Lwin with plenty of flowers, strawberries and coffee beans.

Upon arrival, visitors will immediately be charmed by this delightful small town of colonial-style buildings, markets, and a botanical garden. Feel the historical atmosphere by travelling through town in a traditional, colourful horse-drawn carriage. Little beats an exploratory ride through Pyin Oo Lwin on a horse-drawn carriage. Still seen as a popular means of transportation in this former British hill station, guests will pass some of the most noteworthy buildings in this quaint town. With your camera in your hand, there will be plenty of photo moments passing by.

After lunch at a simple local restaurant, venture out to visit the Peik Chin Myaung Cave, almost as old as the land itself. The cave itself is an extensive network of naturally created caverns and passages, filled with small temples and Buddha images. Proceed afterwards to the Pwe Kauk Fall, a favourite picnic spot for residents before we head back to Mandalay. During the British occupation, the waterfalls were named Hampshire Falls. With its location outside town way towards Lashio, this little natural hideaway has long been seen as the spot for a relaxing moment. Added to the spectacle, the scenery around this favourite past-time spot for those living in and around Pyin Oo Lwin is of indescribable beauty.

Arrival back in Mandalay will be around 6 pm after a full day of unmissable highland exploration in charming Myanmar.

We leave in the early morning at your hotel in Yangon. Although the distance between the former capital and Syriam is short, driving times usually take a bit longer than usual. A township in Greater Yangon, Kyauk Tan is mainly putting on travel itineraries because of its two unique pagodas.

Situated 35 kilometres south of downtown Yangon along the banks of a sidearm of the Yangon River (the Bago River), the hilltop Kyaik Khauk Pagoda and the riverside Ye Le Paya are tangible testimonies to its spiritual connection with Buddhism. Together with nearby Thanlyin, Kyauk Tan is an excellent example of a rural region within a short drive from the former Burmese capital. Its merchant past, mainly around the 15th century, continues to play a critical role in the trade history in Myanmar. Outside of falling under the British Empire, also Portuguese and French East Indian influences can be found in Thanlyin.

While slowly discovering the town with its universities, visitors will appreciate the sleepy town atmosphere. Yet this pleasant atmosphere with tree-lined roads and catching glimpse of local life. Our main objective is a visit to the Ye Le Paya Temple, located mid-stream in the river, only accessible by local boat. Located on a small island in the Hmaw Wun Creek, a tributary of Yangon River and close to Yangon, the uniqueness of the Ye Le Pagoda lies not in its design but its location. From afar and even when reaching its spiritual compound, the temple gives visitors the illusion that it feels like floating on water.

It is possible to feed the giant catfish that are swimming around the island and this unique temple. Its distinction compared to the other pagodas is due to its location – right in the middle of the river near the town of Kyauk Tan. Lunch is not included.

Our early afternoon will be reserved to visit the local riverside market and two more pagodas before we drive back to the big city where we will arrive around mid-afternoon.

Hot air ballooning conditions are best in the early morning and an early ride, even before the sun has risen above the Burmese horizon. Your ballooning team welcomes you at the hotel lobby of your Bagan hotel and drives you to the starting point where professional balloonists with years of experience are prepping the balloon for lift-off. Instructions about the safety and how to maximize your aerial enjoyment for the following 45 minutes are clearly explained before embarking the basket. Each balloon can carry between 8 and 16 passengers. Once airborne, you will feel the sensation of flight at the speed of around 15 kilometres per hour floating on cool air streams across the Bagan Archaeological site.

Peaceful, and with your eyes fixated on the rising sun behind the contours of Bagan’s ancient kingdom, the experience of a lifetime now takes more realistic forms. As you are totally taken aback with snapping away as mementoes for later, your pilot will slowly make its way to a designated landing area – his skills include the ability to guide the balloon to a gentle landing on the banks of the Ayeyarwaddy River, or in an open field, where the ground crew supports a safe landing.

It will take some time to catch your breath and share your experiences with your fellow balloonists as the ground team preps the balloon for repacking and ready for another flight the following morning. Your transfer back to your Bagan resort is included, and you will be in time back at your hotel for breakfast and yet another day in magical Bagan.

Before breakfast and with the sun rising above the horizon, your English-speaking guide and driver welcome you at your hotel. To witness the life of a monk, one has to wake up early in the morning as the day commences with the Soon offering, better known as the morning ritual of giving alms. We head out to a local region in Mandalay where you will witness and partake in this daily ritual. The slow pace of these saffron-clad representatives of the Lord Buddha is a true testament on how deeply rooted Buddhism is embedded in society. Return to your hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel, we continue our path towards monkhood. The due diligence of becoming a monk includes a visit to a monk accessory shop. Aside from giving up some of society’s privileges, a monk is obliged to purchase eight essential elements before making its way into a monastery. Besides these must-haves, choosing the exact date to enter the monkhood play an important part in the decision making – a visit to an astrologer is part of the preparation work for a prospect monk. During our morning explorations, the philosophy behind picking the right date will pass the revue. Finally, we make our way into a monastery. For many Burmese boys, monasteries are the sole option to get some education, and we may witness seeing novices and monks gaining knowledge.

The day ended with seeing the final meal of the day passed on, taken in total silence. The almost palatable serenity that hangs around the compound after their last meal of the day marks the end of this mindful morning excursion. Your guide and driver bring you back to your overnight address where you will arrive at around 11 am.