Best of Burma. 12 Days Starts/Ends: Yangon. What's Not Included. What's Included. Trip Highlights

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1 12 Days Starts/Ends: Yangon Discover Burma, an exotic land of tradition and sacred sites from the awe-inspiring religious monuments of Yangon to evocative Mandalay and its Royal Palace, the spectacular stupa-filled plains of Bagan and heavenly Inle Lake with a few surprises along the way. HIGHLIGHTS AND INCLUSIONS Trip Highlights Yangon Botahtaung Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, Maha Bandoola Park, Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda, Shwedagon Pagoda Mandalay the Royal Palace, Shwenandaw Monastery, Kuthodaw Pagoda and Manadalay Hill Mingun the remains of what could have been the world s largest pagoda, Mingun Bell and Mya Thein Tan pagoda Amarapura - Mahagandaryone monastery, U Bein wooden Bridge and Taung- ta-man lake, Mahar Myat Muni Buddha Image Inwa - Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, Mainu Brick Monastery and old watch tower Bagan - Nyaung-U local market, Shwezigon pagoda, Kyansitta "Cave" temple, Manuha Temple, Nanpaya, Ananda temple, Thatbuinnyu, Dhamayangyi, Mingalarzedi and local lacquer workshop Mount Popa extinct volcano with numerous shrines at the summit Kalaw peaceful hill station with the hilltop Thein Taung Pay pagoda and trekking opportunities to local villages Pindaya the Pindaya Caves with Buddha images carved from the limestone rock, ancient Banyan tree and local factories Inle Lake local fishermen, floating gardens, stilted villages, Jumping Cat Monastery and Paungdaw Oo Pagoda What's Included Maximum group size: 24 travellers 11 breakfasts 10 nights 3 star & special class hotels, 1 night simple country cottage Airport arrival and departure transfers on days 1 and 12 One way economy class flights from Yangon Mandalay Bagan and Heho (Inle Lake) Yangon Boat from Mandalay to Bagan OR economy flight when the boat is not running (this is usually between April and October, can vary dependent upon weather conditions) Escorted by an English speaking tour guide (for groups of 6 or more) and specialist guides at some sights All relevant transfers and transportation Horse carriage ride in Inwa Private sunset boat cruise in Bagan with a cocktail Private boat on Inle Lake and to Mingun What's Not Included Tipping Kitty: $45 - $50 USD Entrance Fees: $70 - $75 USD International flights and visa. Tip for your tour guides. We recommend you allow USD$3-6 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guides is an entirely personal gesture DETAILED ITINERARY Day 1 : Yangon Saturday. Welcome to Burma, quite unlike any place you know about. Arrive Yangon with included airport transfer to your hotel where later in the day a Welcome Meeting will be held. Overnight - Yangon Day 2 : Yangon City Tour Today we explore the fascinating city of Yangon and its famous religious monuments. We begin at the waterfront, the heart of the city and home to many impressive traditional and colonial buildings including the Sule Pagoda, Maha Bandoola Park with Independence Monument, the City Hall and the High Court. We also visit the gold, hollow Botahtaung Pagoda, originally built over 2500 years ago, and the giant 70 metre-long reclining Buddha of Chaukhtagyi Paya whose serene features are topped by - 1 -

2 a crown encrusted in diamonds and other precious stones. Later this evening we visit the most revered Buddhist temple in Burma, the magnificent Shwedagon Pagoda, where locals gather to make offerings and prayers. Standing at 90 metres tall, the gold leaf central stupa dominates the city s skyline and turns vivid hues of yellow, orange and red when the sun begins to set. Overnight - Yangon (B) Day 3 : Fly to Mandalay Everyday hundreds of monks queue to receive their daily alms from the people. We also visit the longest teak bridge in the world, the U Bein Bridge set over the enchanting Taungthaman Lake, and the Mahamuni Temple, home to an ancient bronze Buddha image. We ll also have the opportunity to visit a local handicraft workshop to see bronze sculpting, gold leaf beating and marble stone carving. The afternoon is spent at the historical city of Inwa where a horse-drawn carriage brings us to the stone Maha Aungmye Bonzan Monastery, a fine example of Burmese masonry, the Mainu brick monastery and the old watchtower. Overnight - Mandalay (B) Day 5 : Cruise the Ayeyarwaddy to Bagan Day 6 : Bagan's Stupas Nothing can quite prepare you for the spectacular sight of stupa-upon-stupa that fills the green, dusty plains of Bagan. Over 2000 temples and pagodas dating back some 800 years create one of the most impressive skylines to be seen in Southeast Asia. Our sightseeing today begins with a visit to the town of Nyaung-U to see the local market and Bagan s most important reliquary shrine, the Shwezigon Pagoda, and the simple Kyansittha Cave Temple with interesting 12th century frescoes. Yangon Mandalay. This morning we fly to Mandalay, Burma s last royal capital. After hotel check in we head to the jetty for a pleasant boat ride upriver to Mingun to visit the remains of what could have been the world s largest pagoda. Intended to reach a staggering height of 152 metres, work on the pagoda stopped after the death of King Bodawpaya in Dramatically split by an earthquake in 1838, the monumental structure is still incredibly impressive. We also visit the huge Mingun Bell and the beautiful white Myatheindan pagoda nearby. Returning by boat to Mandalay the afternoon is spent exploring the Royal Palace, the teak carvings of the historic Shwenandaw Monastery and the world s largest book at the Kuthodaw Pagoda. Our day concludes with Mandalay Hill and depending on the time, a spectacular sunset with vistas across the city. Overnight - Mandalay (B) Day 4 : Mandalay & Inwa As a former capital of Burma, the ancient city of Amarapura is rich in sights and this morning we visit the largest teaching monastery in the country, the Mahagandayon Monastery. Mandalay Bagan. Transferring to the jetty this morning we board a boat for a scenic cruise on the Ayeyarwaddy River taking us to Bagan. Sit back and relax as the vessel plies its course past rolling fields of green. Arriving into Bagan later this evening we transfer to our hotel. Please note: Boats do not operate between 01 April and 23 October 2016/ 2017 (dates can vary dependent upon the river water level). If travelling when boats are not in operation we have included the cost of a flight between Mandalay - Bagan within our tour price. Day 5 arrangements during this period would be, spend the morning at leisure in Mandalay before transferring to the airport for your flight to Bagan. Overnight - Bagan (B) We continue to the Manuha Temple to see the gigantic Buddhas housed inside and the sandstone carvings of the nearby Nanpaya Temple, and on to the Ananda Temple, a whitewashed masterpiece of Mon architecture with four standing gold-leaf Buddhas. We stop for a photo opportunity at the towering Thatbyinnyu Temple before visiting the Dhammayangyi Temple, a massive structure famous for its brickwork, and the Mingalarzedi Pagoda, the last of the large pagodas built in the 13th century, representing the pinnacle of Bagan s architectural skills. At a local lacquer workshop we witness how local craftsmen skilfully prepare Bagan s most famous handicraft before enjoying a tranquil sunset boat ride on the Ayeyarwaddy River. Overnight - Bagan (B) - 2 -

3 Day 7 : Kalaw Hill Station Pe Chaung monastery where Buddhist monks have taught cats to jump through hoops and Inle Lake s largest pagoda, the Paungdaw Oo pagoda. This means it may be necessary to add a supplement to your tour cost. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Bagan Mount Popa Kalaw. Today we travel to the popular hill station of Kalaw with a stop en route at the extinct volcano of Mount Popa. The mountain is believed to be the abode of legendary Nats (spirit gods) and at the summit are numerous monasteries, pagodas and shrines in various architectural styles. Arriving into Kalaw late afternoon we visit Thein Taung Pay pagoda. Overnight - Kalaw (B) Day 8 : Trek the Palaung Hills Kalaw Painaebin Pindaya. An early morning start allows us to enjoy trekking in the Palaung Hills through small ranges of rice paddies and tea plantations bringing us to Painaebin village, home to the indigenous Danu people. Walking back to Kalaw we drive to the quiet town of Pindaya set amidst beautiful countryside and famous for its extensive cave network. Highlights of our sightseeing tour today include the carved Buddha images of the Pindaya caves, the ancient Banyan tree and small local factories producing Mulberry paper and bamboo hats. Overnight - Pindaya (B) Days 9-10 : Inle Lake Pindaya Inle Lake. After breakfast on day 9 we drive to the wonderful watery world of Inle Lake home to floating gardens, stilted villages and crumbling stupas. Touring the lake by boat we witness the unique rowing techniques of the local fishermen before visiting the unusual Nga Day 10 is free for you to enjoy at leisure. You could take advantage of the lush surrounding countryside and partake in canoeing or cycling, or alternatively you could opt for an excursion to Indein village on the western side of Inle Lake. You ll visit the impressive Shwe Indein Pa-O complex affording magnificent views over the lake and walk through bamboo forest where local villagers bathe along the riverside (bookable and payable locally). Overnight - Inle Lake (B:2) Day 11 : Yangon Inle Lake Yangon. After breakfast we leave the lake and transfer to the Heho airport for our flight back to Yangon. Once back in the capital, the remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight - Yangon (B) Day 12 : Yangon Wednesday. Today marks the end of our Burmese adventure with hotel check out and airport departure transfer(b) Tour Prices & Deposits In Burma tourism is relatively new and at this point in time demand exceeds supply meaning that hotels and the local airlines tend to increase prices on a whim. We are required to pay for hotels up front in order to book rooms and for this reason it is necessary for us to collect a higher deposit at time of booking which is non refundable. Furthermore due to airline policy, domestic flight tickets in Burma cannot be issued until a few days prior to departure, which means that airfares are subject to change without prior notice, until the tickets are issued. Burma Country Guide Entrance fees - collected in USD Entrance fees to most sites are not included, although reasonably priced. In Burma, we collect entrance fees on Day 2 of the tour (the amount is noted under exclusions). A breakdown of the entrance fee total is provided upon arrival. All funds collected in burma for entrance fees are payable in USD. Tipping Kitty - collected in USD At the start of your tour, we take a small tipping kitty (the amount is noted under exclusions) from all tour participants to cover tips throughout your holiday. This saves you the hassle of knowing when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage handlers, bus drivers, train conductors and other support staff throughout the tour. This amount does not include a tip for your tour guides. For a job well done, we would suggest USD $3-6 per person per day. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture and ultimately the amount is up to you. Health Requirements You should seek medical advice before travelling to Burma from your local health practitioner and ensure that you receive all of the appropriate vaccinations. As a guide Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Polio and Tetanus are strongly recommended. Malaria in Burma Areas with Malaria: Present in rural areas throughout the country with altitudes of 1000m or more. None in the cities of Mandalay and Yangon. Estimated relative risk of malaria for travellers is moderate. Water As tap water is not safe to drink in Burma, only drink bottled mineral water which is readily available in hotels, shops and restaurants. You - 3 -

4 should also avoid salads which may be washed in unhygienic water. Climate Burma has a monsoon climate with three main seasons. The hottest period is between February and May, with little or no rain. Rainy season is generally from May to October, with dry, cooler weather from October to February. Time & Voltage The voltage in Burma is Volts AC. Most of the international hotels have their own generators. Other places may experience power cuts and voltage fluctuation so it's best to pack a voltage regulator or stabilizer to protect electrical items. In Burma there are 3 types of plugs are commonly accepted: 2 round pin European plug (type C), 2 fat round pins (type F) and the 3 fat round pin Indian plus (type D) plug. To cover all bases, it is best to pack an international travel adaptor! Burma is 6 1/2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Currency The official currency in Burma is the Myanmar Kyat. Euro, British Pounds, US Dollars and other major currencies can be exchanged locally at the airport, bureau to changes and banks. However, the official rate is often very different to the market rate and some exchange booths (especially at the airport) offer a very poor rate. We recommend you wait until meeting our representative or your tour guide for advise on the best places to exchange. Alternatively ATMS can be found in all major towns and cities, allowing you to withdraw Myanmar Kyat. If exchanging USD bills they should be of the new series ( big heads rather of small heads) and any notes that are old, torn or marked will not be accepted. It's advisable to request bank notes in smaller denominations, as it can sometimes be hard to get change from large notes and smaller notes are handy for smaller purchases and gratuities. Traveller's Cheques are not recommended as they're often difficult to exchange and incur high fees. Essential Packing Lightweight cotton garments. Comfortable walking shoes in addition to flip flogs/ thongs DEET based mosquito repellant & antihistamine cream Bring a 2 flat prong (type A) and a 2 round pin (type C) electrical adaptors. A universal adaptor will cover all bases Lightweight, fold up raincoat/ poncho. Two spare passport photos & a photocopy of your passport A small daypack for your day-to-day needs. Sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, swim costume and torch Arrival Transfers If your tour or short stay includes an airport arrival transfer (as indicated in the 'What you Get' section of this Go Guide) our arrival procedure is as follows: Arrive to Yangon International Airport - proceed through immigration then collect your luggage and proceed to the arrivals hall. As you enter the arrivals hall, look for our On The Go representative. He/she will be holding a prominent on the go tours logo signboard. After meeting you will be escorted to our awaiting transportation and transferred to our tour start hotel If, for any reason you have trouble locating our representative (after waiting 20 minutes in the arrival hall) or your flight is delayed please call the emergency contact number as stated on your tour voucher. If arriving on day 1 of a holiday, that includes an airport arrival transfer (as indicated in the 'What you Get' section of this Go Guide) we will be at the airport, ready to transfer you to your hotel. Further if you are booking pretour accommodation with us an airport arrival transfer will also be provided. If arriving prior to 9am on day 1 (essentially on a flight that arrives very, very early in the morning) you will need to purchase a night of pre-tour accommodation to save you waiting until standard hotel check in time, which is generally 2pm. Pre Tour Accommodation If arriving on day 1 of a holiday, that includes an airport arrival transfer (as indicated in the 'What you Get' section of this Go Guide) we will be at the airport, ready to transfer you to your hotel. Further if you are booking pretour accommodation with us an airport arrival transfer will also be provided. If arriving prior to 9am on day 1 (essentially on a flight that arrives very, very early in the morning) you will need to purchase a night of pre-tour accommodation to save you waiting until standard hotel check in time, which is generally 2pm. Visas Please be advised that visa requirements are subject to change and that visa procurement is the responsibility of the traveller and not On The Go Tours. Please also ensure that your passport is valid for at least 6 months from your planned date of departure from Vietnam. After booking your holiday, please provide us with your passport details as soon as possible so that we can proceed to book flights tickets on your behalf, if included within your holiday. Visa requirements for Burma can and do change. It is essential that you confirm requirements with the nearest relevant embassy. Most travellers including Australian, New Zealand, American, British and Canadian passport holders require a tourist visa for visiting Burma (The Union of Myanmar). All other nationalities please check with your nearest Myanmar (Burmese) Embassy or Consulate. A regular Tourist Visa obtained in advance is valid for 28 days and allows for one single entry and costs approximately Euro 25. The visa expires 90 days after issue so be sure not to apply for your visa to far in advance. A letter of invitation is required when applying for your visa. In order for us to provide you with this letter you must provide us with your full passport details at the time of confirming your booking. In addition to the invitation letter you will need to complete an application form, provide your passport (valid for at least 6 months after your - 4 -

5 departure date), 5 recent passport photos and proof of fully paid travel arrangements. Please note: the visa requirements do differ from one passport office to another