Burma Photo Tours

Burma is a country that has long been off the agenda for the responsible traveler however its doors have been opened for those who want to see its wonderful landscapes and sights, from pagodas to people, Burma is a photographer’s paradise and is guaranteed to enchant you. This Burma Photo Tour offers you a comprehensive journey that not only takes you to the highlights but also takes you into the hinterland amongst the farms, villages and people where tourists are rarely seen. In the middle part of the tour you have the option of trekking through the hills of the Shan state down to Inle Lake. There will be an overnight stay in a village. Those who have done it regard this as a highlight of the tour. Another option is to take a balloon ride at dawn over the temples. Simply stunning!

Tour length: 11 days / 10 nights
Tour Type: Photo, Cultural, Classic
Cities: Mandalay, Bagan, Kalaw, Inle Lake, Yangon
Price: From US$ 1800/person
Activity Level: Regular itinerary

Day by Day Tours

Day 1 Mandalay Sightseeing
Day 2 Mandalay Ancient Capitals
Day 3 Mandalay – Monywa
Day 4 Monywa – Bagan
Day 5 Bagan
Day 6  Bagan – Kalaw
Day 7 Kalaw trekking
Day 8 Indein
Day 9 Nyaung Shwe
Day 10 Inle Lake – Yangon
Day 11 Yangon departure

Tour Prices (US$/person)

Group of 02 persons  : OnRequest
Group of 04 persons  : OnRequest

Important notes:
Surcharge in Peak Times eg: Christmas, New Year Eve, and Water festival may be applicable.

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I’LL TAKE THIS TOUR

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Day 1 Mandalay Sightseeing

The tour will start in Mandalay with an early afternoon briefing where all guests can introduce themselves and begin to get to know each other. Before sunset we take a stroll along the vibrant riverfront immediately in front of our hotel.

Day 2 Mandalay Ancient Capitals

In the morning we tour the historic site of Inwa (Ava) by horse and cart. This ancient capital is now mainly farmland, orchards and palm-fringed paddy fields dotted with ruined pagodas. In the afternoon we cross the Ayerwaddy to Sagaing where we visit monk and nun schools. At sunset we go to the iconic U Beinbridge where we hope to capture monks and locals carrying their wares atop their heads and the setting sun from a boat on the lake below.

Visiting Inwa, Mandalay by horse cart

Day 3 Mandalay – Monywa

Early to drive to Monywa. This allows us plenty of time to stop at markets, in villages and by the paddy fields on the way. We reach our hotel in time for lunch and a dip in the pool. In the slightly cooler late afternoon we set off for Thanboddhay Paya, home to over 500,000 buddhas, and Bodhi Tataung which has a 423ft standing buddha amongst 1000s of others.

Day 4 Monywa – Bagan

In the morning we head south crossing the Chindwin river, and drive to the Phowintaung Caves. The caves contain myriad Buddhas, all different, dating from the 14th to the 18th centuries. We lunch in Pakokku after which we board a small boat for the two-hour ride down the Ayarwaddy river to Bagan. After checking in to the hotel, we head out to the temples for the famous sunset over Bagan, fitting in an interesting local village on the way.

Day 5 Bagan

Once again, an early start ahead of the crowds in order to get a prime spot from which to view the spectacular sunrise over Old Bagan. After breakfast back at the hotel we provide you with bicycles so that you can explore this enormous site by yourselves. You will probably want to enjoy the swimming pool in the hottest part of the day. Those who do not wish to cycle can hire a horse and cart or taxi.

Day 6  Bagan – Kalaw

There is a seasonal option to take a balloon ride at dawn which offers a unique chance to see the Kingdom as never seen before (by arrangement and at supplementary cost). We leave for the airport for a mid-morning flight to Heho, and drive to Kalaw, an old hill station from the days of the British Raj. We will stop at the 5 day market famous for its minority tribe vendors and traders. In the afternoon there is a postproduction class followed by some free time to explore this interesting town.

Day 7 Kalaw trekking

After breakfast we drive to Baw Ning Gone village to start our trek with a local guide. The bus will take our luggage and any non-trekking guests directly to a hotel in Nyaung Shwe. Walkers set out from the village for a two and a half hour walk arriving at Kone Hla village for lunch and a well earned rest from the heat of the day. Three more hours brings us to Pattu Pauk village passing through other settlements on the way. Htee Thein is our final destination for the day, and we stay overnight there in the monastery or at a local home if this is available.

Trekking in Kalaw, Burma

Day 8 Indein

An early start allows us to finish our five hours trekking to arrive at Indein for lunchtime. We will visit several villages lived in by the Inthar and Pao tribes, and pass through cheroot leaf and ginger plantations. Indein village is a photographic highlight with its busy riverside, and its many ancient and modern pagodas littering the hillside as far as the eye can see. We then travel by boat to stay overnight in a stilted hotel on Inle Lake.

Day 9 Nyaung Shwe

In the morning we board a boat on the main lake. We have arranged for special permits to allow us to explore further south, off the beaten track and away from the main tourist areas, to visit two lakeside minority villages. After lunch we head north to Nyaung Shwe. We return to the lake later in the afternoon to see the famous leg-rowing fishermen at sunset.

Local Fisher men working on Inle Lake, Burma

Day 10 Inle Lake – Yangon

We take an early morning flight to Yangon, the capital. We have lunch in the Indian quarter and then set out to explore the streets of central Yangon taking in the faded colonial architecture and the modern hustle and bustle of the city. And, not to worry, we would not let you leave without a late afternoon/sunset visit to the glittering Shwedagon Pagoda.

Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon, Burma

Day 11 Yangon departure

We board the circular slow train which snakes slowly through all manner of Yangon suburbs, and brings you face to face with commuting locals. This is a real ‘behind the tourist scenes’ insight into daily life in the capital. We then make our way to the airport in good time for our flights out. End your Burma Photo Tour.

Enjoy your tours with Our top favorite Burma package tours

Tour Prices (US$/person)

Group of 02 persons  : OnRequest
Group of 04 persons  : OnRequest

Important notes:
Surcharge in Peak Times eg: Christmas, New Year Eve, and Water festival may be applicable.

I NEED TAILOR-MADE

I’LL TAKE THIS TOUR

Essential Notes

Passports and Visas

The first thing goes first. You definitely must obtain valid VISA in order to travel into any country and so is Myanmar (Burma). Unless your country is in VISA exemption list, it is your responsibility to get valid VISA before arrival. There are two ways to get Myanmar VISA:

• Go to Myanmar Embassies and Consulates in your home country and you will be guided procedure. You may want to check the list of countries where Myanmar has embassies and consulate offices by clicking here.
• Obtain VISA On Arrival (VOA). For tourists coming from countries has no Myanmar Diplomatic Rep offices, you can obtain VOA online via www.myanmarevisa.gov.mm – the official portal for VOA by Myanmar government. The portal launched in Sep 01, 2014 and took its pilot operation for a month. Providing you encounter any issue, please contact us for support.

Climate & Clothing

Generally speaking, Myanmar is a tropical country with rather hot weather. Sometimes in year or in some Northern places, temperature cools down but not that can be called cold. Roughly saying that the best time to travel Myanmar is from Oct to March due to dry and cool season. Other months, however, you may get very nice deals of promotion.For clothing: comfortable clothes, absolutely. We suggest you should take at least one long pan, a long skirt and a sleeve top because we will visit some religious site and many of them require proper code of dress.All of temples and pagodas require you enter with bare feet. A pair of sandals is highly recommended.

Cell Phones & Calling Cards

You may wish to carry a cell phone while traveling. Check with your cell phone provider if your phone will work in the destination(s) you are visiting. Myanmar service is dominated by the GMS technology standard, while some of the world such as U.S uses the incompatible CDMA standard. We suggest that you should check carefully or you may incur high international roaming fees.We said previously “the SIM card in Myanmar is not very popular and still quite expensive”. But now, forget it! SIM cards in Myanmar now are cheap and easy to buy in any main city as cheap as about US$ 02 each. Cell phones, even smart phones are available on sales widely.

Making Telephone Calls from One Country to Another

When dialing a number from one country to another, you should proceed as follows: dial your country’s Exit Code + destination Country Code + Phone Number. Country Code of Myanmar is 95.

Wireless Internet Access

Passengers traveling with WiFi enabled devices (such as a personal computer, smartphone, tablet, or digital audio player) may be able to connect to the internet via a wireless network access point (or hotspot). Wifi is now popular in most hotels from three stars up. Most of them are supplying Free Wifi but some may incur extra charges. We suggest you should ask the receptionist before.

Cards and Currency

Myanmar’s national currency, the KYAT (pronounced chat, abbreviated in MMK) is divided into the following banknotes: K1, K5, K10, K20, K50, K100, K200, K500 and K1000.We once said “ATMs are still very hard to come” but from my latest inspection of Myanmar, the country now starts using ATMs. Most three stars hotels up often have at least one AMT machine right at their lobbies. Main hotels now accepts credit cards payment.Anyway, we suggest you should bring with some cashes just in case. Local buying there accept Burmese and US dollars widely. However please pay at attention when bring US notes with you:

• The US$ notes must be new.
• The US$ notes torn, marked, folded will not be accepted.
• The US$ notes having series before 2003 backward may not accepted.

You are allowed to bring up to US$ 5000 in cash per person to enter Myanmar.

Trip Preparation

A little pre-planning can make your trip go a lot smoother. We suggest you should taking a checklist below:

• Several weeks before your trip, make a list of what you will need to take with you.
• Make sure your personal documents (passports, visas, driver’s license) are in order.
• We suggest that you make photocopies of passports, visas, personal ID and any other important travel documents and pack them separately from the originals. If you lose the originals while traveling, you’ll have copies for easier reporting and replacement.
• You may consider bringing a small supply of over the counter medications for headaches and/or anti-diarrhea pills. Pack a list of medications including dosage and generic names.
• We recommend that you pack a portable alarm clock.
• Avoid placing valuables such as cameras in your checked luggage.

Happy Travelling with CRYSTAL HOLIDAYS ASIA!

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