Cruise from Bagan to Mandalay 5 days

+ Mandalay

Compared with the ancient treasures surrounding the city, Mandalay is a veritable whippersnapper at just 150 years old. Founded as capital of the Burmese empire in 1861, Mandalay saw the swansong of the last kings of Burma. The British stormed in and took over in 1885 in a one-sided conflict.

Poetic though the name may be, Mandalay is a thoroughly modern city, the second largest in the country. The dusty streets sprawl east of the Ayeyarwady and south of Mandalay Hill, a stupa-studded hill looming over the flat cityscape. It’s impossible not to be impressed by the golden Buddha of Mahamuni Paya, but the real attractions lie beyond town in the nearby ancient cities.

The town continues to boom thanks to Chinese investment and, so the story goes, from the red, green and white trades – rubies, jade and heroin. Beneath this bustling bravado, there is a more meditative side to life here, as it’s home to three in five of Myanmar’s Buddhist monks.
    

Yangon

+ Bagan

Bagan is one of the most amazing sight in SE Asia. In an area of 40 km², there are more then 1000 shipas and payas. You can spend at least a week here. At Bagan (Pagan) there are 5000 pagodas still standing, the remains of Myanmar's architectural Golden Age. Bagan was Myanmar's capital for 230 years. Bagan was founded in 849 AD and began to blossom in the reign of King Anawrahta (1044-1077), the 42nd ruler of the Bagan Dynasty. Anawrahta introduced Theravada Buddhism to the city; before the state religion was a mixture of Mahayana Buddhism and Brahmanism. Bagan's glory days ended abruptly with the invasion of the Mongul emperor Kublai Khan in 1287, after which the city was abandoned.

Operation : Daily departure

Duration : 4 days/3 nights

Tour route : YANGON – BAGAN - MANDALAY – MINGUN – SAGAING – MANDALAY - YANGON

Brief description : Cruise from Bagan to Mandalay 5 days - A journey along the Ayeyarwady River is a voyage of a lifetime. From this mighty river, which runs the length of the country, treasures can be admired which have for so long been hidden from the world’s gaze.

Cruise from Bagan to Mandalay tour 5 days

DAY 01 (Saturday): YANGON – BAGAN (L,D)

Morning domestic flight from Yangon to Bagan. On arrival, transfer to the Road To Mandalay berthed on the Ayeyarwady River. Bagan is the most amazing sight in Burma where over 2,000 temples and pagodas remain on this awe-inspiring plain. After lunch, join the guide and visit the inside of some of Bagan’s more significant pagodas. Late afternoon your guide takes you to watch the breathtaking vista of the sun setting over the plain. Dinner and local entertainment. Overnight on board.
    
DAY 02 (Sunday): BAGAN - UPRIVER (B,L,D)

After breakfast a guided tour introduces you to Bagan’s most important temples and the local market. Alternatively, you can hire a bicycle or horse-drawn cart and explore this fascinating area on your own. Mid-morning the Road To Mandalay begins its cruise north towards Mandalay. Settle back in a comfortable chair on the top deck and watch the fascinating river life glide by. An on board guide lectures on local places and customs. The ship moors mid-river for the evening. Dinner and local entertainment. Overnight on board.
    
DAY 03 (Monday): UPRIVER - MANDALAY (B,L,D)

Arrive at the quaint little village of Shwe Kyet Yet after lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a guided tour of the key sights of Mandalay regarded as the centre of Burmese culture and Buddhist learning. Return to Road To Mandalay stopping enroute to admire sunset over the river. Dinner and local entertainment. Overnight on board.
   
DAY 04 (Tuesday): MANDALAY – MINGUN - SAGAING (B,L,D)

After breakfast, cruise to Mingun. Visit the most important sights such as the pretty Hsinbyume Pagoda and the world’s largest uncracked bell. Return by ferry for a late lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Sagaing Hills, considered to be the living centre of the Buddhist faith in Burma. Sagaing is also famous for its silver and silversmiths who still work in much the same way as their ancestors did. Dinner and local entertainment. Overnight on board.
   
DAY 05 (Wednesday): MANDALAY - YANGON (B)

After an early breakfast, transfer to Mandalay airport for your onward flight to Yangon.