Wild Frontiers

Day 1: Yangon
Arrive at Yangon airport where you will be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel. This afternoon pay a visit to the Shwedagon Pagoda, whose famous golden stupa dominates the city's skyline. This evening you'll enjoy dinner at the Royal Karaweik Restaurant, an unusual floating landmark that occupies the waters of Kandawgyi Lake. (B)

Day 2: Yangon
After breakfast head for Nanthida Jetty, close to the colonial elegance of the Strand Hotel to begin a walking tour of the city. Stroll down Pansodan Street, passing the former High Court and General Telegraph Office en route to the Independence Monument and St Mary's Cathedral. Then take a rickshaw to the Botataung Pagoda, and later this afternoon continue down the Strand Road, before ending the day amidst the vibrancy of Scott Market. (B)

Day 3: Yangon - Mandalay - Maymo
A short flight to Mandalay this morning, followed by a 2-hour scenic drive to the picturesque hill town of Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin). Stopping first to visit a panoramic viewpoint and the Mahar Ant Htoo Kanthar Buddha Statue en route, visit the National Kandawgyi Gardens. Then take a tour of colonial Maymyo in one of the town's historic and highly distinctive horse carriages. (B)

Day 4: Maymo - Mingun - Mandalay
Today return to Mandalay, the last royal capital of Burma, pay a visit to the gilded majesty of the Kuthodaw Pagoda, to find the 'world's largest book.' From here move on to the intricate teak carvings of the Shwenandaw Monastery, before taking a gentle boat ride up to Mingun, to visit the monumental ruins of the Mingun Pahtodawgyi. (B)

Day 5: Mandalay - Amarapura - Ava - Mandalay
This morning visit the famous monastery of Mahagandayone, and the 140-year-old teak-stilted U Bein Bridge, which spans Lake Thaungthaman, before boarding a local ferry to sail down to Ava. After lunch visit Sagaing, one of the most important religious and monastic centres in the country. Time permitting you should be able to take a look around the flower market. (B)

Day 6: Mandalay - Monywa
This morning travel through an interesting rural area, visiting the tallest Buddha in the world, the longest reclining Buddha in the monastery with the most Buddhas in the world - 580,000 to be exact. After lunch you'll then take a ferry across the Chadwin River, before visiting Po Win Taung, an extraordinary and rarely visited cave complex stuffed with exquisite Buddhas! (B)

Day 7: Monywa - Bagan
After breakfast drive to Pakkoku, from where you take a private boat to Bagan, on a journey that takes about 2½ hours. On arrival you'll be able to take your first look around this truly extraordinary 44 square kilometre site, famed for its 2,600 temples, stupas and pagodas. End the day watching a golden sunset from the open terraces of the Bagan temples. (B)

Day 8: Bagan - Kyun Thiri - Bagan
This morning you will begin your tour of Bagan, visiting the famed golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda and the 12th century frescos that adorn the cave temple of King Kyansittha. You'll also be able to visit the temples of Htilominio and Ananda, the latter of which is considered a masterpiece of Mon design. This afternoon you can will take a boat out across the Irrawaddy to the island of Kyun Thiri where you will enjoy visiting the local community and monastery, learning about their unique agricultural way of life. (B)

Day 9: Bagan
A morning visit to the Nyaung U Market before you continue on to Mingalazedi Pagoda. Following lunch you will make your way to Minanthu village, famed for its mural painting, before stopping off to visit a lacquer-ware factory en route back to Bagan. Your day ends on the banks of the Irrawaddy River where you take a sunset boat ride to enjoy an altogether different view of the river and the temples in the late afternoon glow of the setting sun. (B)

Day 10: Bagan - Heho - Pindaya - Kalaw
Fly to Heho from where you will continue by road across the Shan Plateau to Pindaya. Your journey takes you up into the hills and past a network of paddy fields as you make your way into the heartland of the Taung-yo people. Your destination is the magnificent complex of limestone caves that occupy the ridge overlooking Pindaya Lake. (B)

Day 11: Kalaw - Lake Inle
Located over 1300 metres above sea level, amongst the rolling hills of the Shan Plateau, Kalaw lies at the centre of some of the best trekking country in Burma. Surrounded by Palaung, Danu and Pao villages, it is the ideal starting point for today's hike to the Palaung village of Pein Ne Bin. Following a lovely rural hike you'll drive on to Lake Inle and take a private boat to your hotel on the shores of the famous lake. NB. If the weather is bad you will cut short the walk and make straight for the lake. (B)

Day 12: Lake Inle
The second largest lake in the country and one of its highest, Lake Inle covers some 116 square kilometres of the picturesque Shan Hills. Beginning after breakfast, board a boat to enjoy the calm waters and floating gardens of the lake. This morning visit the Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery and the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, site of the holiest shrine in southern Shan. After lunch you then proceed to In Paw Khone to observe some traditional silk weaving, visit a local blacksmith and, if time permits, take a stroll to a lakeside village to learn a little more about the Intha and their ways. (B)

Day 13: Lake Inle - Indein - Heho - Yangon
After breakfast you will visit a floating market offering another aspect of the colour and spectacle of life on the lake. You will then continue up a beautiful canal to the small village of Indein, located on the lake's western shore. Passing by the monastery of Phe Chaung, your boat turns into a narrow creek, taking you past a patchwork of rural farmland and ancient ruined pagodas. After a chance to take a short walk around Pa-Oh village, you return to the main tributary and the expansive waters of Lake Inle. (B)

Day 14: Yangon
A final morning in Yangon allows you an opportunity to take a commute out into the rural areas around the city by train. Transferring to the Yangon Central Railway Station after breakfast, you take a circle train from downtown and out into the suburbs, a great way of meeting local people and observing a little something of their daily lives. An hour's journey out of the city brings you to Insein, where you disembark and take a stroll through the local market before returning to the city. The tour will end back at our hotel at lunchtime. Later transfer to the aiport for you onward flight. (B)