Discover to Yangon, Bagan, Inle Lake, Bangkok, Thimphu, Punakha, Paro
This is the ultimate cultural trip – two weeks in two of the most fascinating destinations in the world.
Begin in Yangon City, with private city tours, including the Shwedagon Pagoda, the Scott Market, the National Museum and various neighborhoods that reflect the Burmese, British, Indian, Bangladesh and indigenous influences of the city.
Then you fly to unforgettable, awesome Bagan, where thousands of pagoda and temples out of the Ayeyarwady River extend over miles of dry plains. Tour of the structures built between the 11th and 13th centuries, when Bagan was an important Buddhist center of Southeast Asia, and learning about the history cut in their layered facades, painted in their interior flags and painted in their Buddhist sculptures. Also visit local markets and villages. Upon request, Artisans of Leisure can book a memorable balloon ride over the temples as the sun rises. One evening, drive in a horse-drawn carriage by Bagan at sunset. One more night, take a sunset cruise on the river.
Continue to Inle Lake, home to the Intha population and the surrounding countryside. Visit a vineyard for a tasting of local Burmese wines. Take a canoe in the canals of Inle, go through the floating villages built on poles, and watch the Intha grow crops on the islands. Visit local craft villages to shop for distinctive textiles, ceramics and varnishes, and tour In Dein, where old pagodas look out over the lake.
Spend one night in Yangon before leaving for Bangkok, Thailand for an overnight stay.
Then to Bhutan and switch to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Enjoy extensive tours of Thimphu's many cultural attractions and important Buddhist highlights. Meet local people, learn about local traditions, explore a vibrant market and visit several small museums specializing in textiles, folk heritage and traditional Bhutanese arts and crafts. If desired, enjoy a private walk to rural villages and monasteries. Upon request we can also organize special experiences, such as a private Bhutanese cooking class at a local house, a meeting with a Bhutanese astrologer, or a private meditation session with monks.
Then drive through the mountains, the 108 stupas Dochu La, to Punakha, pass the old winter capital in a subtropical valley where rhododendron and magnolia bloom and orange and banana trees blossom. Relax in your luxurious farm-like lodge, between rice terraces, chili and cabbage fields and traditional Bhutanese farms. Enjoy a peaceful walk through the rural farms, get a monk's blessing, choose to go hiking for a beautiful panoramic view of the valley, and visit the beautiful Punakha Dzong.
The tour concludes in Paro, a resort between the Himalayas. Visit the National Museum, browse stores for Himalayan crafts and Buddhist items, and go to Tiger's Nest, a breathtaking monastery clinging to a cliff that is one of Bhutan's main icons. Other activities can be included based on your interests such as a private archery class, yoga, cycling excursion or traditional Bhutanese spa treatments.
During the tour, you can travel flexibly with your own guide and driver and accommodation in some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. On request, we can include activities like night walks, meetings with local specialists, farm visits, monastery visits, gentle adventure activities (hiking, cycling, archery, rafting or golf), shopping, cooking lessons, blessings and meditations led by monks, and more.
Martin Wynn
