12 Days Family Adventure in Northern Thai Alps and Ancient Bagan

ITINERARY

Day 1: Chiang Mai | Arrive in Chiang Mai

International Flight: Excluded

Welcome to Thailand! Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to the hotel for check-in. Relax for the rest of the day after the long the international flight. Also, be ready for the adventure with our 12 Days Family Adventure Northern Thai Alps Ancient City Bagan on the next day.

The old city walls still stand verdantly against the course of time, inviting pilgrims to come rest, and explore the lost treasures of the Lanna Kingdom. Established as the capital in 1296AD of the vast “Kingdom of a Million Rice Fields”, Chiang Mai carries a heritage lurking around every quiet cobble-stone alley and corridor. These days, cafes, boutiques, pubs, and spas are auspiciously peppered throughout, while colorful Meo and Akha hill tribes make their daily ritual visit to the valley to offer their handmade tapestries and handicrafts to curious adventurers. The Ping River weaves through the valley to the East of the Old City while a peaceful moat surrounds the time-worn walls.

Accommodation: Anantara Chiang Mai

Day 2: Chiang Mai | Befriending the Gentle Giants of Asia

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, you will join in a tour to an elephant sanctuary in the jungles near Chiang Mai by 4WD truck. First, you’ll learn about the project and hear the amazing stories of each rescued and orphaned elephant. Learn how they became a proud herd free from abuse and misuse. Then have an opportunity to feed them. Next, enjoy a picnic spread. Then take a stroll with the herd to the nearby river. Here you will have the opportunity to observe or participate in bathing the elephants with the sanctuary staff.

After you have said your farewells, return back to the hotel for some leisure time.

Asian Elephant

Accommodation: Anantara Chiang Mai

Day 3: Chiang Mai | Alms Giving | Tea Plantations & Hmong Hill Tribe

Meals: Breakfast
Rise early morning to join locals in visiting a Buddhist monastery. You can watch or participate in offering alms to Buddhist monks at Wat Srisodain. Return to the hotel for breakfast.

Then take a trip up in the hills and visit a tea plantation. Take a seat above the terraces flowing with arched rows of green tea shrubs while you sip on a fresh cup of hot Oolong. Explore the tea plantation to learn a little about the process of cultivating and harvesting tea. Then continue to a Meo hill tribe village. Have the opportunity to see their unique apparel and simple way of living. Meo families take a great deal of pride in their herbal gardens. After seeing their home and making a new friend, return back to Chiang Mai.

Accommodation: Anantara Chiang Mai

Day 4: Chiang Mai | Quad Biking in Chiang Mai Jungle

Meals: Breakfast
This morning, take to quad bikes for an exhilarating ride through 25 miles of jungle terrain and Thai countryside. You’ll be picked up in the morning and transfer to the starting point. Undergo a safety briefing and a short training course as you familiarize yourself with your ride. Then follow the quad bike guide through scenic hills, jungle terrain, and back trails. After the 3-hour ride, you’ll stop for lunch. Then return back to the hotel for leisure for the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Anantara Chiang Mai

Day 5: Chiang Mai | Inthanon National Park

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, you’ll explore the Doi Inthanon National Park. You’ll visit the highest peak where glorious views of the countryside await. You’ll also trek to many waterfalls and see the flora and fauna unique to this region. As time permits, you’ll visit several pagodas, hill tribe villages, and royal gardens.

Inthanon National Park

Accommodation: Anantara Chiang Mai

Day 6: Chiang Mai – Mandalay | Temples of the Lanna Kingdom | Flight to Mandalay

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast
In the morning, visit the most prominent temples in Chiang Mai. Start with Wat Phra Singh which houses the famous Phra Singh Buddha image. It features Lanna art throughout and illustrates many famous Buddhist stories. Continue on to Wat Chedi Luang, which once contained the Emerald Buddha. The temple is partially in ruins due to an earthquake in the 1500s. Then stop at Wat Chiang Man which is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai and also houses one of Thailand’s greatest treasures: the Crystal Buddha.

Then continue to Wat Suan Dok, which houses many of the remains of generations of the old Chiang Mai Royal Family. Finally, visit Wat Jet Yot – this peaceful temple is surrounded by green and was built in the Mahabodhi style from India to house the Eighth World Buddhist Council in 1453. You’ll return to your hotel for some leisure in the afternoon.

In the afternoon, take a flight to Mandalay. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay

Day 7: Mandalay | Amarapura Ancient Capital

Meals: Breakfast , Lunch

Morning: Transfer by private vehicle to Sagiang, the capital of Sagiang Division located on the Irrawady River. You’ll cross the Inwa Bridge, which was built by the British in 1934. Then you’ll visit the Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery to see hundreds of monks line up for daily meals. Then visit the U Bein Bridge which is 1.2 kilometers long and is the longest teakwood bridge in the world.

Teakwood bridge

Next, you’ll see Kaung Mu Taw Pagoda: a dome-shaped pagoda which rises up 46 meters. At the base of the pagoda, there are 812 stone pillars, each one with a hollow and image of a Nat inside. Continue with a visit to Sagaing Hill. The hill has a number of small pagodas with many meditation centers along with Soon U Ponya Shin Pagoda – pagoda painted with gold. You can stop at monasteries and nunneries to speak with monks while enjoying hot green tea.

Lunch at a restaurant.

Then continue to visit with a visit of Amarapura,”City of Immortality”, the old capital of Myanmar. At the end of the day, visit the ancient temple of Pahtodawgyi which was built in 1820.

Return to Mandalay and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

At the end of your day, you’ll enjoy a gorgeous sunset from the top of Mandalay Hill.

Accommodation: Hilton Mandalay

Day 8: Mandalay – Bagan | Explore Mandalay Highlights | Flight to Bagan

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast

In the afternoon, you’ll go to see the Highlights of Mandalay, you’ll start off your day with an opportunity to learn about the distinct Buddhist culture unique to Burma. You’ll visit the Mahamuni Image where you’ll have an opportunity to watch locals pray and place the gold paper on the statue of Buddha for a blessing. You can participate as well if you like for a small donation to the temple(only men are allowed to place the gold on the statue).

You’ll also visit a gold paper factory to see how golden leaves are made, a staple in Burmese religious practices. Then you’ll visit the 19th-century Shwenandaw Monastery (Golden Palace Monastery) famous for its teak carvings of Buddhist mythology.

Next, you’ll see the Kuthodaw Pagoda which is a Buddhist stupa that contains the world’s largest book of Buddhism.
Board an afternoon flight to Bagan. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you and transfer to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel

Day 9: Bagan | Bagan’s Valley of a Thousand Temples

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today you’ll explore Bagan, where you will see its thousands of Buddhist pagodas spread in the valley of the Ancient City of Bagan. These pagodas used to own by individual families during prosperous times. You will visit the Nyaung Oo Market where locals buy and sell produce. Then you’ll visit the Shwezigon Pagoda which is the largest pagoda in Bagan painted with real gold.

Have a rest in the hotel during the hot afternoon. Then you’ll enjoy a Horse Cart Ride first to the small village of Taung Phi where rests a worn teak monastery awaiting the rare tourists who are lost. You’ll continue by horse cart around temples and winding roads as the sun makes it’s way to the sky’s edge casting curious shadows from the temples across the plain. Continue to Shesandaw Pagoda. From your vantage point, you’ll watch one of the best sunsets in Southeast Asia. Then you’ll take a horse cart ride back to your hotel.

Accommodation: Aureum Palace Hotel

Day 10: Bagan – Yangon | Hot Air Balloon Ride | Flight to Yangon

Internal Flight: Included
Meals: Breakfast
Experience the unrivaled majesty of thousands of ancient temples drifting below you in style, comfort, and safety. You’ll rise early in the morning to beat dawn for a spectacular sunrise over the unique Bagan scene aloft in your hot air balloon. The captain will explain the safety procedures, and you can some coffee or tea before departure. Then the balloon will take off and you’ll be treated to an amazing view of the temples across Bagan. It is also great to see the other balloons in flight. After an hour ride, you’ll have a smooth landing.

Bagan Hot Air Balloon – 12 Days Family Adventure Northern Thai Alps Ancient City Bagan

Board an afternoon flight to Yangon. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you and continue to your hotel for check-in.

Accommodation: Belmond Governor’s Residence

Day 11: Yangon | Burma Capital Highlights

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, visit the downtown area to see the Old City Hall and Maharbandoola Park. Then take a stroll along the old street ending at the old Strand Hotel. Next, drive to Botahtaung Pagoda which features golden decorations inside the pagoda. Continue to Bogyoke Market which sells many Burmese traditional handicrafts including stone carving, wood carving, bronze carving, painting, etc. In the afternoon, visit Kandawgyi Park for a stroll near Chaukhtetgyi Reclining Buddha Image – one of the largest in Yangon. Continue to the highlight of Yangon: the golden Shwedagon Pagoda, which has been described as one of the wonders of the world. Shwedagon plays a very important role in the Old Burmese History and also is an important Buddhist icon. Enjoy the sunset over the pagoda.

Accommodation: Belmond Governor’s Residence

Day 12: Yangon | Farewell!

Meals: Breakfast
Today our guide will transfer you to the airport before your homeward flight and will bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!

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