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BURMA ADVENTURE
This bicycle voyage of discovery starts in Kipling’s Mandalay on the imperious Irawaddy River and follows near empty roads on a journey through a truly incredible country.
From Mandalay we visit the ancient cities of Mingun and Monywa before boating on the Irawaddy to Bagan. We spend an incredible morning cycling amongst the thousands of pagodas, stupas, and temples that dominate a river valley, which was once the center of a great and deeply religious empire.
From Bagan we ride to Mount Popa to visit the extraordinary hilltop temple, before riding into the cool Shan hills.
Riding through the countryside, we will be greeted by a friendly people, who have had little contact with foreigners. In the mountains we will encounter a variety of tribal people, as well as enjoying the splendid colonial charm of Kalaw, where the officers of the Raj escaped the heat of the Burmese summer. After an incredible ride through patchwork fields to see the caves of Pindaya, we arrive at Inle Lake. The tour ends in Rangoon, or Yangon, where we visit the incomparable Shwedagon Pagoda.
A real highlight of this tour is the superb accommodation we are able to use. Bagan Hotel and Popa Mountain Resort are delightful 'Boutique Hotels' and Kalaw Hotel is a 100-year-old colonial hunting lodge.
In fact the variety of scenery, friendly people, historic sights, great accommodation and fantastic scenery make this one of the best value tours SpiceRoads has ever operated!
TRIP PROFILE
This is a touring trip for mountain bikers and road cyclists. We will ride point to point through central Myanmar, covering more than 670 kilometres on country lanes with almost zero traffic.
Rest days are in Bagan and at Inle Lake. There is also time out of the saddle in Mandalay and Rangoon.
The first few days riding are in the gently rolling hills of the Irawaddy basin. The second phase of the tour takes us east into mountainous Shan State where there are some climbs, including the challenging 20-km Kalaw Hill, which some people will opt out of.
As we ride along major arteries, riders can find their own pace and meet up at prearranged points along the way. The range of surfaces and incredible variety of rides on this tour will ensure that every kind of cyclist is satisfied, whilst the first-class support and mean it is also popular with inexperienced and non-riders.
| ITINERARY (14 Days/13 nights starting and finishing in Rangoon.) | |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive/meet in Yangon (We can organise flights from Bangkok - please ask for prices). Transfer to airport for flight to Mandalay. |
| Day 2 | We make our way towards the ancient city of Mingun and stop at the famous 200-year-old teak U Bein bridge on our way. We return by boat to Mandalay in the afternoon. |
| Day 3 | We cycle to the town of Monywa where we'll visit the famous Mohnyin Thambuddhei Paya which dates back to 1303 and claims to house more than 500,000 images of Buddha. |
| Day 4 | We visit the spectacular Hpo Win Daung caves before riding on a flat road, passing many villages and friendly locals, towards the Irrawaddy River. Once we reach the river we'll have a relaxing afternoon as we boat to Bagan. |
| Day 5 | Tour the temples of Bagan archaeological park by bike. Overnight Bagan Hotel. |
| Day 6 | Cycle to Popa. Stay at Popa Mountain Resort. |
| Day 7 | Cycle to Meiktila. |
| Day 8 | Cycle to Kalaw. Stay at 100-year-old Kalaw Hotel. |
| Day 9 | Free day or optional hike around this former hill station. |
| Day 10 | Cycle to Pindaya. |
| Day 11 | Cycle to Inle Lake. |
| Day 12 | Morning boat tour of Inle Lake. Afternoon flight from Heho to Yangon. |
| Day 13 | Day free for sightseeing. |
| Day 14 | Morning free for shopping. Afternoon transfer to airport for flight to Bangkok or elsewhere. |
| FACTS & FIGURES | |
|---|---|
| Tour Cost | USD $2150 - Single supplement: USD $395 |
| Bike Hire | USD $170 |
| Total Distance | 670 Kilometres |
| Number of Days | 14 days / 13 nights |
| Number of cycling days | 8 full days |
| Road Surface | This tour mostly follows good asphalt roads and sometimes vehicle-width dirt roads, which may be smooth, loose or hard-packed. |
| Support | An air-conditioned bus converted to take bikes and bikers follows the group the whole time. |
| Group Size | Minimum 2. Maximum 16. |
| Staff | SpiceRoads cycling leader (for groups of 10 or more), plus a local cycling guide, drivers and assistants for all groups. Smaller groups will be led by our local guide and support team. |
| Accommodation | 4 nights 4-star hotels, 4 nights 3-star, 5 nights 2-star. All hotels have en suite facilities and a/c. Many of the hotels have local charm and character. |
| Food | All meals included on the tour starting with dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 14. Exception: Lunch on days 2,5,9 and 13 and dinner on days 5,9 and 11. |
| Biking Grade |
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| Cultural Interest |
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