This river cruise from Yangon to Mandalay features the majestic highlights of the country including Mandalay – the heart of cultural alluring, Prome – the cradle of Myanmar civilization and magnificent UNESCO Heritage Site, Bagan – the magnificent temple town, Sagaing – one of the most important religious centers.
General Information
Duration: 10 days/ 9 nights
Start/End: Yangon/Mandalay
Tour Route: Yangon – Prome – Thayet – Magwe – Salay – Bagan – Hnaw Gone – Yandaboo – Ava – Sagaing – Amarapura – Mingun – Mandalay
Tour Category: Myanmar river cruise
Cruise Ship: Irrawaddy Explorer
Time table
| Year/Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Otc | Nov | Dec |
| 2019 | 17 | 05 23 | 28 | 16 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 21 | 26 | 02 20 | 19 | 03 17 |
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Yangon – Prome (Pyay) (B, L)
Day 2: Thayet Myo (B, L, D)
Day 3: Magwe (B, L, D)
Day 4: Salay – Bagan (B, L, D)
Day 5: Bagan (B, L, D)
Day 6: Bagan – Hnaw Gone (B, L, D)
Day 7: Yandaboo (B, L, D)
Day 8: Ava – Sagaing – Amarapura (B, L, D)
Day 9: Mingun – Mandalay (B, L, D)
Day 10: Mandalay, Disembarkation (B, L)
Day 1: Yangon – Prome (Pyay) (B, L)
Mingalabar! Welcome to Yangon, the fascinating city of Myanmar.
Today, picked up by our driver at Sule Shangri La Hotel at 7: 00 am. Then take a scenic drive to Prome (Pyay). We recommend you to arrive 30 minutes earlier to check-in with our representative.
After about 2 hour drive, you will reach Prome. It is a beautiful town lies in a scenic river which offers you lots of things to discover. Make your first visit at Thayekhittaya (Sri Ksetra), or the so-called Fabulous City as under Pyu kingdom from the 5th to 9th century. Here marvel at the ancient site and enjoy the laidback pace before you head to the Sriksetra museum to observe the vivid history of Burma through excellent maps and artifacts of Hindu deities, Buddha images, and silver coins dating back to the 6th century.
Later on, move to Irrawaddy Explorer ship and enjoy a welcome reception and safety briefing between 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Day 2: Thayet Myo (B, L, D)
This morning enjoy your time at leisure on the board while the ship sailing to Thayetmyo. Around 10 – 11 am, watch a BBC Documentary “The Life of the Buddha” to get more knowledge about Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.
In the afternoon, we leave the ship and take an excursion to Thayet Myo. Get on a tuk-tuk to explore the charming town. We first stop at Thayet golf course – the oldest golf course in Myanmar. Listen to your guide to know more about its history. We then continue moving to the local market where you will taste the authentic local favor and gaze out at the daily trade of the people. Your exotic tuk-tuk will carry you through the beautiful colonial buildings in the town for sightseeing and enjoying the hectic pace of life in the town before taking you to the ship.
Day 3: Magwe (B, L, D)
Today you can get up early to enjoy the breathtaking morning scene from Irrawaddy Explorer. Then the board will lead you to Magwe. This morning, get to know more about Myanmar culture and tradition through interesting demonstrations. You will have a chance to witness the way people wear Longyi – the traditional dress of Burma for men, and Thanaka – Burmese special makeup powder for women.
Following your afternoon sightseeing, we take a short trip to Magwe on a trishaw, the local 3-wheeled vehicle. Take a walk to the local market where you will mingle with the indigenous people and see a variety of products. Next up, head to Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, a beautifully gilded stupa set atop Naguttama Hill which offers a wonderful view of the river and surrounding area.
Day 4: Salay – Bagan (B, L, D)
Enjoy the scenic cruise in the morning while the ship sailing from Salay to Bagan. This morning offers you a chance to experience the premium services on board. We recommend you to experience special spa treatments or have some soft drinks on the bar.
This afternoon, walk ashore, a small town founded in the 13th century with Bagan-era shrines, magnificent 19th-century teakwood monasteries, and well-preserved British colonial buildings. We explore Salay House, a restored 1906 colonial trading company warehouse on the bank of the Irrawaddy. Take a leisure walk along the main Strain Street towards the local market to get a glimpse at the local life before turning away from the river to visit the impressive Yoke Sone Kyaung Monastery. It’s a beautiful replica of the Crown Prince House of Mandalay. Take your time to observe the collection of dramatic wood carvings and artifacts inside the monastery. Later on, pass some interesting Bagan-era monuments on our way to visit Mann Paya, famous pagoda renown with a beautiful lacquerware Buddha. Leaving the pagoda, venturing along with many beautiful colonial buildings in Salay before returning to the board.
Day 5: Bagan (B, L, D)
A full day to explore the wonderful landscape of Bagan, one of Myanmar’s main attractions. The temple town was once the capital of a powerful ancient kingdom. Start the day with a visit to the massive Htilominlo Pagoda where you have a chance to witness the mural paintings and the finest plaster carvings which still remain undamaged on the arch pediments. After that, get on an exotic horse carriage and ride through the snaking road where dotted with countless temples and stupas. Next, highlight your morning sightseeing at Ananda temple, the finest example of a well-preserved religious construction in Bagan. As folklore, this is one of the most beautiful temples in the region that you should never miss while visiting Bagan. We will spend time to explore the cruciform of the temple with four standing Buddha images facing north, south, east, and west.
In the afternoon, spend your time to learn more about the art of Bagan. What’s a better way to know more about the local production than visiting a local workshop where the skillful artisans creating the beautiful lacquerware, one of the most famous products in Bagan. From here proceed to Gubyaukgyi Temple to witness the richly-colored paintings which are thought to date to the original construction period in the early 12th century and watch a sand painting demonstration by a local artist.
After dinner in the morning, enjoy a traditional Myanmar Puppet show to get the essence of the long-lasting culture of Burma for thousands of years.
Day 6: Bagan – Hnaw Gone (B, L, D)
This morning delivers you a chance to explore the largest bazaar in Bagan. After breakfast, our guide will take you to Nyaung U Market where fresh produce, meats, spices, souvenirs, longyis, Thanaka, and rattan products are sold every day. Take a stroll through the market area, you will see the negotiations and transactions taking place. If luckily, you will have a chance to observe the local women carrying their purchases on their heads, which is very iconic. After that, proceed to Shwezigon Pagoda, one of the most sacred Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar built in the time of King Anawrahta’s, the founder of the Bagan Empire in the 11th century. The golden stupa at its center is said to contain a bone and tooth relic of the Buddha a gold image of king Anawrahta, and a Chinese emerald Buddha.
In the afternoon, we sail to Hnaw Kone village, a typical, rural, river village with friendly villagers and adorable children. We will spend our time to explore the local handicraft of bamboo cane basket weaving and watch the villagers as they split bamboo and skillfully weave the strands into baskets or larger panels for building homes.
Day 7: Yandaboo (B, L, D)
The morning of day 7 brings you to Yandaboo, a picturesque village on the Irrawaddy River famous for its clay pot making. Take a stroll through the village and visit some families and workshops, each with its own unique style and markings. Spend your time to interact with the locals, witness the making a firing of the pottery, and share your cultural experiences with the people.
Day 8: Ava – Sagaing – Amarapura (B, L, D)
This morning, take an excursion to Ava and Sagaing. We will first take a horse carriage to explore the town of Ava. Make your first stop at Bagaya Kyaung Monastery, a beautiful 200-year-old teak wood monastery. Then we visit Nanmyin watchtower which marks the site of the palace of Ava.
Next up, take a scenic drive to Sagaing, an important religious center in Myanmar boasting countless gilded stupas and monasteries dotted on the green hills. Stop to see Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda on the top of Sagaing Hill for a stunning view of the Irrawaddy River and surrounding area. Your guide then will lead you to a Nunnery to witness life in a local nunnery.
Following your afternoon sightseeing to Amarapura, the former capital of Burma, which also known as the City of Immortality. Gain more insights into the local production at a silk workshop. After that, highlight your trip to U Bein Bridge, the world’s longest and oldest teak bridge where you will spend time to enjoy the mesmerizing sunset. Local sampans wait to take us on a leisurely cruise of the lake while admiring the sunset over the bridge.
Day 9: Mingun – Mandalay (B, L, D)
After breakfast, experience a leisurely walking tour of the small charming Mingun town. Upon here, look for the foundation of the world’s largest unfinished Mingun pagoda. Listen to your guide about the story of the construction and witness its massive cracks which were created after several natural disasters through centuries. We then continue our walk to Mingun Bell, which was the largest ringing bell in the world until 2000 before the bell of Good Luck was unveiled in Henan, China. Take this chance to stand inside the bell as it is rung and gaze out at the local market, famous for its makeshift galleries that display inexpensive art from the local and international artists.
After a cozy lunch, take a short break and we will spend the rest of the afternoon to explore the hidden treasure of Mandalay. See the world’s largest Buddhist book carved on 729 marble slabs in Kuthodaw Pagoda, marvel at the dramatic wooden Shwenandaw monastery which used to be a part of the Royal Palace. Learn more about the gold leave making of the locals with a visit to the workshop before visiting the final highlight: Mahamuni Pagoda, home to one of the most sacred Buddha images in Myanmar. Spend your time to see how the gold leaf is used on the Buddha statue.
Day 10: Mandalay (B)
This morning, enjoy your breakfast, then say goodbye to the crew and check-out at 8:00 am. Trip ends. Thank you for making your expedition with Go Myanmar Tours!
