14D TRIBES OF MYANMAR

DAY 2: BAGAN

DAY 3: BAGAN 

Another exciting day exploring Bagan. Today we venture off the beaten trails on backroads to explore the lesser known and hidden temples and villages of Bagan, tucked away from the crowds and tour busses. Experience typical village life of central Myanmar and meet the locals. Bagan’s temple groups and villages are connected by a network of small unpaved trails and paths perfect for cycling and e-biking explorations. On a school day we can stop by a monastic school where underprivileged children get free education and are always keen to practice English skills with visitors. Enjoy a home cooked lunch as honored guest of a local family and continue ride to a monastery where we can meet Buddhist monk(s) and learn about their daily routine and monastic life. This is also a great place to have a short meditation practice if you wish.

After a little rest break at hotel we take a closer look at traditional arts and crafts of Bagan laquerware making a tradition that has survived  over 1000 years.  The remarkable skill of the artisans is sure to impress.

Then we are off to Ayeryarwaddy River for a private sunset cruise where views of the temple silhouettes and bustling shore can be accompanied by cocktails on board.

 DAY 4: MINDAT

Pickup from your hotel in Bagan at 7am and relaxed 5-hour private transfer to Mindat. We can make as many stops as you like en-route to photograph or spot Magwe region birds. Our destination Mindat is the largest town in South western Chin State. Essentially Mindat is a slow paced village more than a town and has small market, couple simple restaurants and a few shops and places to stay. The town is built on mountain range spine and slopes offering some great views over the valleys below.

Check in to your hotel/ guest house and meet your local guide. Spend rest of the day exploring  Mindat with your guide and enjoying  the spectacular views. Dinner will be at Myoma restaurant, the best in town.

EXPERT TIPS
If you would like to try the local brew “Khao Ye” rice wine the restaurant team can usually find some as its common drink in Chin but not in menu.

DAY 5: MINDAT TREK

Breakfast at hotel/ guest house and morning coffee or tea at the Mindat market, a great place for people watching. See people and good being loaded to busses and trucks and tattoo faced ladies shopping and trading their farmed produce.

Heading out of town we drive down the mountain south of Mindat to the Chit Chaung river bridge, from where we will start our trek. Crossing a bamboo bridge, the trail leads us up for around 2-hours to a hilltop village of Pu Kone, where we enjoy a home-cooked lunch. Take a rest and wonder around the village and meet the locals. Next we continue with an easy 1-hour trek mostly downhill  and flat to Loute Pe village. We should be reaching here around end of school day.  If so you will be greeted by dozens of excited primary-school students.  After leaving our luggage at the house where we will stay for the night, there’s enough time to explore the village. Dinner at the village house, prepared by your guide.
The accommodation will be dormitory style like in real Chin homes. Simple mattress, blanket, pillow and bedsheets will be provided.

Distance/Duration: around 10km / 3-4 hrs

DAY 6: KANPETLET

Bid farewells to your Chin hosts and hike 2km/30 min to the main road to meet our driver for transfer back to Mindat. Last chance for shopping in Mindat before we depart for a scenic ride to Kanpetlet. On the way we pass  through many ethnic Chin villages perched on mountain slopes by the road. Just let your guide and driver know when you want to stop for photos and village visits. The mountain road contours Mt Victoria range and weaves through jungle and lush Mt Victoria National Park. You may stop en-route for bird watching or spotting rare orchids that grow in the region and hike hike up the 3km trail (each way) leading to the summit of Mt Victoria (3070masl).

Arrive to your lodge in Kanpetlet late afternoon in time for sunset.

DAY 7: BAGAN

Visit Kanpetlet town and highlights. Last chance for Chin souvenirs and memoraphilia before driving down to Saw and across flat and dry Magway division to Bagan. We will pass through Chauk, the “Texas of Myanmar” where the British started drilling oil more than a century ago. Chauk still has small scale oil extraction scene with many prospectors that operate own little wells that provide just enough to feed families. Arrival to Bagan will be late afternoon or early evening. The drive from Kanpetlet to Bagan takes approx 5hrs.

DAY 10: INLE LAKE

Today Inle Lake exploration will be with a private motorboat (fitted with cushioned wooden chairs, life jackets, umbrellas and blankets).  Start the day with a visit to Inle’s lively morning market to pick up some fresh ingredients with your guide. Enjoy the ride along  canals between floating farms and villages built on stilts over water and views of the lush mountains that surround the broad lake valley.

Admire the graceful rowing and fishing technique of the Inntha fishermen who skilfully balance on one foot at the end of small boat and use second leg for paddling and steering the boat while working nets or fish traps with hands.

Learn how floating farm islands are built and moved around and where most Myanmar’s tomatoes, and eggplants come from. Next continue to a local village and join Inntha family for food preparation and learn a few regional favourites like tomato, egg plant and tofu salads and Shan noodles and get a feel of local life in a typical Inntha minority village. Bid farewells to your hosts and continue with some lake highlights if you wish before heading back to your hotel.

DAY 11: SAMKAR

Morning pick-up from your hotel and embark on a scenic 3 hour boat journey through lake and river scenery to the southern part of Inle Lake where the waterway gets narrower and canal like. It almost feels as if time has stood still here and the ethnic population of Pa-O, Innthar and  Shan continue living simple and traditional way.  Visit local lake side villages, mingle with the locals and observe how pottery, bamboo ware, weaving and fishing nets are made by hand. Visit the ancient pagodas of Sagar / Samkar and near by Tha Kong built in the 17th century in typical Shan style. Try the local firewater distilled from rice wine if you dare.

Spend the night in Samkar or Phayartaung in a small and charming lodge.

DAY 12: LOIKAW

After breakfast, boat transfer to Phekon and car transfer to Loikaw. We begin the day with a tour of Loikaw highlights with stops at the Haw Kyaung, a former Shan chieftain’s palace, which has been converted into a monastery and the Kayah State Museum, to learn about the fascinating history and culture of the state. After a lunch stop, we drive 30 minutes out of town into the serene countryside to explore the recently opened Kyat Gu cave system, a sprawling limestone cavern full of mesmerizing geological structures. In the late afternoon we return to town to enjoy a beautiful sunset atop Loikaw iconic Taung Kwe Pagoda. The pagoda is perched on top of a limestone outcrop overlooking the city and offers excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

DAY 14: END OF ITINERARY