Burma Luxury Cruise

Day 1 & 2 London Heathrow to Rangoon (Yangon)
Fly overnight via Bangkok to Rangoon where you’ll be met and transferred to The Governor’s Residence in the leafy Embassy Quarter. This beautiful Orient-Express hotel, will be your home for the next 2 nights, and offers a refined style and atmosphere, capturing a bygone era while offering every modern pleasure. The romantic, colonial-style teak mansion dating from the 1920′s is the former home of the governor of the country’s southern states.

After time to check in, you’ll venture out with your guide for a tour of the key sights of the city with its magical colonial buildings and the spectacular Shwedagon Pagoda.

Day 3 Rangoon
The day is yours to spend at leisure in this fascinating city. Optional siteseeing can be arranged; perhaps explore a little further field to Syriam or Bago, Burma’s ancient capital. Alternatively, relax and enjoy the facilities of your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 Rangoon to Mandalay
You’ll be transferred this morning for a domestic flight to Mandalay to join to the Road To Mandalay berthed on the Ayeyarwady River at Shwe Kyet Yet. After lunch, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of the key sights of Mandalay regarded as the centre of Burmese culture and Buddhist learning. This evening enjoy dinner and local entertainment on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Vessel: Road To Mandalay

Day 5 Burmese Village
After an early breakfast visit a local village for a walking tour. This experience gives you the opportunity to discover the Burmese way of life first hand – from farming and handicrafts to spirit houses and tea-shops. The ship gets underway mid morning and begins its journey south. The rest of the day is spent relaxing on board observing the fascinating local river life from the top deck. An on-board guide will provide further insight into Myanmar’s people and culture.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 Bagan
The ship arrives at Bagan where over 2,000 temples and pagodas are scattered over an awe-inspiring plain beside the river. A guided orientation tour will introduce you to the most important temples. After lunch you may rejoin the guide to visit the inside of some of the more significant pagodas. Alternatively, you can hire a bicycle or horse-drawn cart and explore this fascinating area on your own. Late afternoon your guide will take you to watch the sun setting over a field of glowing pagodas by the river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 Mount Popa
Today you’ll take a full day excursion to Mount Popa, a national park and believed to be the sacred home of powerful ‘Nats’ (spirits). On top of a rocky crag is a picturesque complex of monasteries, pagodas and shrines which can be reached via a winding, covered walkway. Lunch is taken at the Mount Popa Resort.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8 Bagan
After breakfast you’ll join your guide to explore some of Bagan’s local markets selling wood carvings, fabrics, longis and rattan goods, and see Myanmar’s famous lacquerware being made. Alternatively, you can hire a bicycle or horse-drawn cart and explore this enchanting area on your own. Mid-morning, the ship will set sail for its return to Mandalay. Under the stars the ship will anchor mid-river and tonight there’ll be a casual cocktail party before dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9 Sagaing
Continue sailing up the river until Road To Mandalay arrives at the little Burmese village of Shwe Kyet Yet in the early afternoon. After lunch you’ll enjoy an excursion to Sagaing considered to be the living centre of the Buddhist faith in Myanmar and famous for its silversmiths who still work in much the same way as their ancestors did.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Maymyo (Pyin Oo Lwin)
Today you’ll visit Maymyo, a colonial hill station set high in the mountains. Soak up the atmosphere with its cool climate, English style houses, colourful market and beautiful botanic gardens. A typical Shan lunch is taken at a colonial house. Return to the ship for a final dinner on board.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11 Depart Burma
After an early breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Mandalay’s airport for your return flight to Rangoon and onwards to London via Bangkok.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 Arrive London
Your flight lands back in the UK this morning.

Tour includes:

All flights specified
Transfers
Local expert guides in resort
Inspirational sightseeing programme
9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners
Luxury Road to Mandalay cruise
Sunset by glowing pagodas

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”