Pilgrimage Add-Ons

Some pilgrims just can't get enough of the Golden Land! For those that want to come a few days early or stay on a bit after, these mini-pilgrimages allow you to see more of these precious Dhamma sites. (A reminder, you can also customize your own personal pilgrimage, see here.) Coming early can also be a helpful adjustment to the Myanmar climate, food, culture, and in overcoming jet lag. 

Bagan & the Inle Lake area

This trip is best done following the pilgrimage, as the sites are located in Upper Myanmar. Pilgrims will visit Bagan, home to thousands of ancient pagodas, and where the Dhamma came to be established in the Golden Land almost 1,000 years ago. Then there is Inle Lake, where villagers literally live and work on the water, and where some of the most important Buddhist images of the country are housed in a grand pagoda. For travelers who look at Myanmar as a once-in-a-lifetime trip, these sites are not to be missed. 

Day 1. Fly from Mandalay to Heho, and then travel by car to visit the ancient pagodas and monasteries of Nyaungshwe, ending the day with a boat to your Inle Lake hotel.

Day 2. All day will be spent on a private boat on Inle Lake. We will visit sites floating on the water-- pagodas, shrines, monasteries, and various crafts workshops that have stood here for generations.

Day 3. We now leave Inle Lake by boat, and will see several important Dhamma sites in Pindaya, then coming to spend the night in Kalaw, a peaceful village nestled in a pine forest in Shan State.

Day 4. After some sightseeing in Kalaw today, we'll catch an evening plane flight to Bagan.

Day 5 and 6: We will spend two entire days taking in the magnificent, centuries-old Bagan temples.

Day 7: We will have one more breakfast and meditating sitting together, and then pilgrims are issued a return flight to Yangon.

Rates

The cost for one person is $1,250 (USD). For full booking terms and conditions please click here.

Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo)

This trip is best done prior to the pilgrimage, as the sites are located in Lower Myanmar. Mon State received some of the very first touches of the Dhamma, with King Asoka's Dhamma ambassadors being sent here to spread the teachings over 2,000 years ago. Golden Rock is the third most important pilgrimage site for Burmese Buddhists, behind only Shwedagon and Maha Myat Muni Pagoda. According to legend, it is a single sacred strand of the Buddha's hair that balances the rock and defies gravity.

Day 1: We will pick you up from the Yangon airport, and arrange a full day tour in Yangon, taking in a number of city sites that our pilgrimage will not get to. This includes Bogyoke Market, Kandawgyi Park, and People's Park, with an evening spent on a river cruise of Yangon.

Day 2: In the morning we will drive to Golden Rock, giving ourselves the afternoon and evening to take in the magnificent pagoda.

Day 3: We head back for Yangon in the morning, and in the afternoon will join the Yangon Heritage Trust walking tours, to learn more about the city's rich history and marvel at the buildings that have stood the test of time.

Day 4. The morning is reserved for pagoda visits throughout Yangon, with the pilgrimage starting this evening.

Rates

The cost for one person is $535. For full booking terms and conditions please click here.