Burma Bhutan Nepal Tibet Tour

Trip Overview

Itinerary

Flexible Itinerary of Colorful Burma, Paro & Thimphu Cultural Tours

Day 01: Yangon Arrival


Arrival at Yangon International airport, meet and greet guide and transfer to hotel for a short rest. Sightseeing tour in Yangon includes visiting the historic colonial buildings along the Stand Road, Bogyoke Aung San Market and Chaukthatgyi Pagoda. In the evening, visit the awe-inspiring Shwedagon Pagoda (after 5 p.m.) which towers over all of Yangon. It is perhaps the most beautiful pagoda complex in all of Asia and is one sight that no visitor to Myanmar should miss. Overnight in Yangon.

Day 02: Yangon – Bagan

After breakfast, transfer to airport for the flight to Bagan. On arrival at Nyaung Oo airport begin a tour of Bagan, site of the first Burmese Empire in the 11th century and one of the richest archeological zones in South East Asia. Today’s highlights include: the local market, local villages, Shwezigon Pagoda, the glory of Bagan built over 900 years ago, the masterpiece that is Ananda Temple and Shwesandaw Temple. Visit an example of the lacquer ware producing home industry, the traditional handicraft of Bagan. Witness the whole process of crafting, from the shaping of the bamboo to the layering and designing of the lacquer patterns. Finally, enjoy a beautiful sunset from the top of one of the temples. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 03: Bagan – Popa – Bagan

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to the extinct volcano Mt. Popa. Mount Popa was for centuries where kings of central Burma made pilgrimages to confer with the spirits. Upon arrival, visit the nat (spirits) museum, which houses 37 life-size nat statues sculpted from teak. Climb to the summit up the renowned 777 steps. On the way back, stop at a local village and observe the making of palm sugar and the brewing of toddy juice from the toddy fruit which grows in abundance in the region. A short optional rest in the afternoon before continuing with the tour to more beautiful sights of Bagan such as the Dhamayangyi Temple, the largest and finest brick temple in Bagan and the Sulamani Temple, the 12th century temple which is proud of its colorful wall paintings. Overnight in Bagan.

Day 04: Bagan – Mandalay


Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for departure to Mandalay. On arrival in Mandalay begin the tour with a visit to Mahagandhayon Monastery and U Bein Bridge. Mandalay has long been known as a centre of skilled craftsmanship and produces many handicrafts. Visit a gold leaf making workshop, see interesting wood carvings, puppets, tapestries, silk weaving, marble carvings and more. After lunch, continue sightseeing with the Old Palace grounds, Kuthodaw Pagoda, known as the world’s largest book for its 729 marble slabs inscribed with the Buddha’s Doctrine, Shwenandaw monastery, noted for its exquisite wood carvings and finally enjoy a panoramic view of the city from Mandalay Hill at sunset. Overnight in Mandalay

Day 05: Mandalay – Mingun – Mandalay

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Mandalay jetty to take a short and pleasant ride upriver to Mingun, the site of what would have been the world’s largest pagoda had not King Bodawpaya died in 1819 thus halting all further work. Later, an earthquake in 1838 split the monument and reduced it to partial rubble. Nonetheless, the mammoth base of the unfinished pagoda is still a very impressive sight as we approach from the river. Nearby is the Mingun Bell, moved from the zedi after the earthquake and now hung in a new shrine building. It is said to be the largest hanging un-cracked bell in the world. Return to Mandalay. Afternoon sightseeing in Mandalay includes the highly revered Mahamuni Pagoda. Overnight in Mandalay

Day 06: Mandalay – Heho – Pindaya

Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for the flight to Heho. Upon arrival, take a scenic drive to Pindaya (a 1½ hour drive). Visit the famous Shwe U Min cave where pilgrims donated thousands of Buddha images over the span of many centuries. Visit a traditional Shan paper parasol workshop located at the foot of Shwe Oo Min Hill. These parasols are used by monks all over the country. Overnight in Pindaya

Day 07: Pindaya – Inle


Breakfast at the hotel before driving to Inle lake, home of the Inthar people. On arrival at Nyaung Shwe jetty, transfer to your hotel. Today explore Inle Lake by long tailed boat, heading to Innpawkhone Village to observe the lotus and silk weaving industries. Next, continue to Nanpan village to see the homes where traditional boats and Burmese cheroots are made. Time permitting, make a short stop at a Leshae village where Buddha images are made from dried and powdered flowers. Overnight at Inle Lake.

Day 08:  Inle


After breakfast, start an excursion of the lake. See the floating gardens, leg rowing fishermen and Paung Daw Oo Pagoda, considered the most important Buddhist Shrine in the Shan State. Visit some family houses (optional) and see examples of lotus and silk weaving, blacksmithing, cheroot making and boat building cottage industries. Later visit Ngaphechaung, the ‘jumping cat’ monastery. Overnight at Inle Lake.

Day 09: Indein – Heho – Yangon


After breakfast at the hotel, visit Indein, situated on the western shore of the lake where there are a cluster of pagodas dating from 16AD. Also enjoy the local market if it is open on the day. Feel the peaceful silence and tranquility of trekking through the bamboo forest. Return to the airport for the flight to Yangon, ETD 1700. On arrival, transfer to hotel and at leisure for the evening.

Day 10: Yangon to Bangkok (Bangkok part is on your own)

Day 11: Bangkok(Bangkok part cost is extra) – Paro (Bhutan)

Arrival in Bhutan- A very early rise to transfer to the airport for your departure flight. Suggestion: Request for a picnic breakfast from the hotel the night before.
 After immigration and custom formalities, you are met and transferred to Paro, where you can eat lunch in a local tourist restaurant. Visit the National Musuem of Paro, before driving to Thimphu, which takes about 1.5hrs. Take rest in the hotel.
 Overnight in Thimpu

Day 12 Thimpu sightseeing tour (B/L/D)


During Thimpu tour we explore National Library, Heritage Museum, Third King’s Memorial Stupa, homemade paper factory, art school, wood carving, biggest statue of Buddha, Takin’s zoo, traditional medicine institute and so on. Overnight in Thimpu

Day 13: Thimphu to Punakha excursion- back to Thimpu (150 kilometers.) 7 hrs (B/L/D)


Afrer early morning breakfast, drive to famous Dochula Pass (3102 meters) where we get opportunity to enjoy the view of Himalayan range. Walk around 108 stupas and take some time for awesome pictures. Drive to Punakha Zong and if time permits, visit fertility temple through rice field terraces. Return to Thimpu for overnight stay.

Day 14: Thimphu to Paro (B/L/D)


After breakfast, drive back to Paro and Hike to Taktshang known asTiger’s Nest.
Taktsang Monastery aka Tiger’s Nest (Tiger Lair) is the holiest monument for Mahayana Buddhists. It lies in the steep hill side in the valley of Paro. It was originally constructed in 1692 around the Taktsang cave where Guru Padmasambhava is beleived to have meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th century. Guru Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and Tibet. Overnight in Paro

Day 15: fly to Kathmandu.


Up on arrival in Kathmandu airport meet the guide and transfer to hotel.

Overnight in Kathmandu

Day 16: Kathmandu (B)


We will process your Tibet visa today. You will explore the Kathmandu valley Including pashupatinath temple the holistic Hindu temple, Boudhanath Stupa The Gaint Stupa in the world and Bhaktapur city – a city of wood carving, today you will visit the painting school of Kathmandu valley.

Overnight in Kathmandu Hotel

Day 17: Tours in Patan Darbarsquare, Swyambhunath .

Overnight accommodation in KTM .

Day 18: Fly to Lhasa (B)


Upon arrival in Lhasa airport, we are met by Tibetan Guide and we are transferred to our hotel in the city. Today, we just take easy to cope with the effects of the altitude. This is free afternoon for complete rest / to acclimatize to altitude. Overnight in Lhasa
Lhasa: Located at the foot of Mount Gephel, Lhasa is the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, and is a city that has captivated the fascination of the west for centuries. Lhasa is basically famous for it is the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama and is a place that is revered by every Tibetan. In the 7th century, a powerful and visionary king called Songtsen Gampo conquered many tribes, united Tibet and moved the capital from Yarlung to Lhasa. Apart from the amazing monasteries that surrounds the city as well as the bustling tourist friendly Barkhor Street, it is the Potala palace that captivates the mind, the eye and the soul. The Potala palace is perched on the top of the Red Hill and dominates the skyline. It was built by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century. Later on, the palace became the residence of the Dalai Lamas. It still holds items like murals, Holy Scriptures and sutras that are invaluable to Buddhism. The city has about 2, 55,000 inhabitants and stands at an altitude of approximately 3,650 m. Some of the aesthetically as well as historically important sites in Lhasa are the Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Drepung Monastery and Norbulingka Palaces.

Day 19: Lhasa Sightseeing (B)


Visit the World Heritage formidable site of Potala Palace in the morning. In the afternoon, visit Sera Monastery. Towards the late afternoon, visit the 7th century Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s holiest site. In the evening, take a walk in a clock-wise circuit or Kora around the temple grounds, along with the stream of humanity. Stroll through Barkhor market square.
Overnight in Lhasa

Potala Palace: The Potala palace is perched on the top of the Red Hill and dominates the skyline of Lhasa. The palace can be divided into two sections, the White Palace and the Red Palace. It was built by Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and used it as his centre of meditation. It was however in 1645 under the fifth Dalai Lama, Lozang Gyatso, that the palace took a massive shape as the white palace became complete. The construction of the Red Palace began in 1690 and was completed within a span of 4 years. It was the residence of the Dalai Lamas, until the 14th Dalai Lama escaped to India in 1959. Today the palace serves as a state museum of China. The palace has vast inward-sloping walls and has many windows and its roofs are flat at various levels. The central part of this group of buildings is quadrangular. This towering central portion of Potala is called the Red palace. It contains the principal halls and chapels and shrines of past Dalai Lamas. It still holds items like murals, Holy Scriptures and sutras that are invaluable to Buddhism. Today the Potala Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the most visited structures in the world.
Sera Monastery: In 1419 Jamchen Chojey also popularly known as Sakya Yeshe, one of the two principal disciple of Tsongkhapa, founded of a Gelukpa University, which later came to known as the Sera Monastery, and became one of the Great Three Gelukpa Monasteries of Tibet. The Sera university monastery had three basic schools. The first is the Sera Mey Dratsang which was built in 1419 for the purpose of providing basic information on the doctrines of Buddhism and for the orientation of the monks. The second was the Sera Jey Dratsang, built in 1435, which was the largest, and was reserved for itinerant monks. The third one known as Ngagpa Dratsang which was built in 1559 was a school for the teaching of the Gelukpa dogmas. Scriptures written in gold powder, fine statues, scent cloth and unparalleled murals can be found in these halls. Colorful debates on Buddhist doctrines are held here and these employ a style distinctive from those at Lhasa’s other famous monasteries.

Jokhang Temple: The Jokhang Temple is the most revered Buddhist temple in Lhasa and of Tibet, built by King Songtsen Gampo in about 642 AD. This temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was originally called, Rasa Tulnang Tsuklakang (House of Mysteries). In the 11th century a learned Buddhist monk named Atisha, taught here and it was after that, that the Jokhang temple got recognition. Today the temple covers an area of about 25,000 sq. ft. The Jokhang temple is a fourstoried structure. The style is basically Indian in its approach but has been well blended with Nepalese and well as Tibetan influences. The roofs of the temple are gilded with bronze. The rooftop has statues of two golden deer surrounding a Dharma wheel.

Day 20: Lhasa Sightseeing (B)


In the morning, visit Drepung Monastery, once the largest monastery of Tibet. Later visit Mentsekhang (traditional Hospital). In the afternoon visit Norbulingkga Palace. The rest of the afternoon is free for rest or stroll around. Overnight in Lhasa

Drepung Monastery: The Drepung Monastery is the largest in Tibet. Its foundations were laid in 1416 by Jamyang Chojey, a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelukpa Schools. This beautiful monastery is atop the Gambo Utse Mountain, 5 kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa. Before the Cultural Revolution of 1959, the monastery housed about 15,000 monks. The ground floor of the monastery is organized on the caves and temples of Jamyang Chojey.There are also two white pagodas on which the buildings of this monastery rests. In the southwest corner, there is the Ganden Potrang which is a building which was constructed by the second Dalai Lama in 1530. At the centre, there is the Coqen Hall with a large square before it. A wide series of stone stairs will lead to the Entrance Hall. Once you enter through, you can see the Sutra Hall which is supported by 183 pillars. Inside the monastery there are statues of Sage Manjushri Tsong Khapa and Kwan-yin Bodhisattva. The Coqen hall has the conch of Jamyang Chojey.

Mentsikhang (Tibetan Medicine Institute): The history of Tibetan medicine can be dated back to 2,300 years ago but for giving this a worldwide recognition Mentsekhang played an important role. Mentsekhang, the Tibetan medicine institute was built in 1916 as the center of research for Tibetan medicine. This serves as the traditional Tibetan hospital and is incidentally the largest in Tibet. It is located at Yuthok Lu just west of the Jokhang Temple. This was also the place for calendar calculations and was under the Tibetan local government before the Cultural Revolution in 1959. In 1980, Mentsekhang was expanded and it became the immediate centre for research and production of Tibetan medicine. This is also the place where training and treatments are provided. The institute is spread over an area of 40,000 sq meters. It consists of various departments like, orthopedics, pediatrics, internal medicine and surgery, etc. Mentsekhang is also the school for training Tibetan doctors. The Tibetan medical theory is portrayed on Thangkas as a teaching tool.

Norbulingkha Palaces: In 1755, the seventh Dalai Lama built a park and a modest palace as his summer residence.Later on other structures were added but the most important contribution was made by the present/ the 14th Dalai Lama,who added chapels, gardens, fountains and pools to the east of what the Seventh Dalai Lama has built. This collection of palaces known as the Norbulingka was the winter palace for Dalai Lamas. Norbulingka when translated literally means the Jeweled Park. Among others, the most visited one is the palace of the 14th Dalai Lama which was built in a fusion style of both Tibetan and Western from 1954-1956. The living quarters have a modern touch and included a lot of furniture and a European style bathroom. There is also a zoo at Norbulingka, which was built to keep the animals, offered to the Dalai Lama. The Austrian Mountaineer Heinrich Harrer helped the 14th Dalai Lama build a small movie theatre here in the 1950s. In 2001, UNESCO inscribed Norbulingka on its World Heritage List as part of the “Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace”. The Norbulingka garden opens for general public everyday at 9 in the morning till 12 noon. It again reopens at 3.pm and closes just an hour after at 4 in the evening.

Day 21: Excursion to Yamdok Tsho Lake (B)


Today, we drive along the Lhasa-Kathmandu Highway to see Yamdrok Tso Lake. After about half hour from the city, you will cross Yarlung Tsangpo River and then climb up to Kamba la pass (4797m/15,820m). From the pass, you will get the first view of this brilliant turquoise-blue lake. Yamdrok Tsho Lake is one of four holiest lakes in Tibet. Along with the lake, you will also see in distant, the massif Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m). Visit the lake and possibly see some nomads, nearby. Return to Lhasa by late afternoon.
Overnight in Lhasa

Day 22: Fly back to Kathmandu (B)


Spectacular trans-Himalayas flights brings you to Kathmandu city. Afternoon visit to historical monuments listed to UNESCO in Kathmandu Valley.

Final Departure – Tour Ends

Cost & visa

Cost Details
Land cost will be charged in USD Per Person and it covers the services mentioned below, for price please Ask Us Now, and please mention the standard of hotel which you want to use.

Cost Includes
• Hotels in double sharing in listed Hotels in Myanmar & Bhutan
• Breakfast in Myanmar and full meals in Bhutan
• Land transportation Car in Myanmar, Bhutan
• English speaking local guides
• Monuments’ entrance costs
• Bhutan travel permit, Bhutan single entry visa

Cost does not Include
• Meals other than indicated.
• Alcohol, internet, telephone tips to guide and drivers
• All Lunches and dinners except Bhutan.
• Extra cost created by weather disturbances, political unrest, flight cancellation
• Rescue evacuation
• Medical insurance
• Airport Tax
• Flight tickets from Home
• Cost of the internal flights are calculated extra

Visa and Permit

• Bhutan visa is processed by us, we need to have your passport copy by scan and one photo graphs by scan
• Myanmar (Burma) Visa, fill online form or on arrival visa for some countries, see https://www.myanmarevisa.gov.mm/
Tour Attractions
• Myanmar tour of Kyaukhtatgyi reclining Buddha Image, Aung San museum, Yangon harbor, and Shwedagon Pagoda, the most revered Buddhist Pagoda in Myanmar.
• Enjoy the enchanting valley of Paro, Thimpu and Wangdu / Punakha
• Trek to Tiger’s Nest Monastery ( Takshang Monastery ), explore Punakha, Thimpu and Paro valley