Mandalay Hill

Your day will begin as you are picked up from your Mandalay City hotel at 08:00AM. You will begin with some discovery of the Shwenandaw Monastery, a fine-teak monastery and temple which is known for its carving, particularly the interior gilded Jakarta scenes. You will then move on to the Atumashi Monastery, which was built in 1857 by King Mindon and was one of the king's last great religious construction projects. Kuthodaw Pagoda is next, and is comprised of a gilded pagoda, hundreds of shrines housing inscribed marble slabs, and several pavilions. You will then move on to the Sandarmuni Pagoda, a statue which reportedly weights 40,924.8 pounds. Some exploration of Mandalay Hill will follow, which is a 760-foot hill. After Mandalay Hill, you will explore the Royal Palace. The Royal Palace complex is of glittering 1990s reconstruction and is impressive for its scale, with more than 40 timber buildings inside it. The Mahamuni Pagoda is a 13-foot-tall seated Buddha, a nationally celebrated image that's popularly believed to be some 2,000 years old. Following these explorations it will be time for lunch, after which you will start exploring Sagaing City. Following Sagaing City, you will Continue to Innwa/Ava City where you will rent both a boat and a horse and carriage to best discover the area. After exploring for the day, it will be time to see the sunset at U Bein Bridge. Once the sun has set, you will depart from Innwa/Ava City to be returned to your hotel in Mandalay.

Begin your morning with a pickup from your hotel in Mandalay and set off to see gold leaf manufacturers and learn about the industry. Afterward, visit Mahamuni Pagoda and see its 13-feet tall seated Buddha, a nationally celebrated image believed to be approximately 2000 years old. From the pagoda, learn more about the different industries that help Mandalay thrive like wood carving and jade. Explore the jade market and its cramped, but vibrant walkways. Escape the hustle and bustle and go to Shwe In Bin Monastery, a place for quiet meditation in Mandalay. Spend more time in serenity at the Eindawya Pagoda, a Buddhist stupa. Learn about the pagoda's long and interesting history before breaking for lunch at about 12:00 PM. After lunch, visit and marvel at the Skinny Buddha structure.  Move on to the Royal Palace, a complex comprised of more than 40 timber buildings. After spending time at the palace complex, spend the rest of the afternoon visiting various monasteries and pagodas such as the Shwenandaw Monastery, famous for its gilded jataka scenes, Atumashi Monastery, the Kuthodaw Pagoda, Sandarmuni Pagoda, and Kusinara Pagoda. End your Mandalay sightseeing tour at Mandalay Hill for its viewpoint featuring stunning views of the surrounding landscape.