Myanmar Birding Discovery

Arrival & onward to Bago | Drive: 2 hours

Upon arrival at the airport in Yangon you will be met by a ‘See Asia Differently’ representative, who will then drive you 120km to the town of Bago. On arrival, you will visit the Shwemawdaw Pagoda, which has a stupa inlaid with diamonds and is Bago’s golden landmark. You also get to see the Shwethalyaung Buddha, which dates from 994 and is revered throughout Myanmar as the most beautiful Reclining Buddha in the land. Your last stop of the day is at Kanbawzathadi Palace, which was the original palace, built for King Bayinnaung in 1556.

Overnight in Bago (Meals: _/_/_)

Moeyungyi Wetland & to Yangon | Drive: 2 hours

This morning you will rise early at 4:00 am to travel out to the Moeyungyi Wetland from Bago as you need to be in place by 5 am, which is the perfect time for bird watching. After a few hours, you then take a boat for a cruise of the Wetlands, where you will encounter more birds in their natural habitat and explore a local village. After enjoying lunch you then return back to Bago and onwards to Yangon. On the way back you can include an optional visit of the British War Cemetery near Htauk Kyan.

Overnight in Yangon (Meals: B/_/_)

Yangon to Kalaw

After breakfast you transfer to the airport for your flight to Kalaw. On your arrival at Heho Airport, you drive one hour to Kalaw, stopping along the way for a few birding opportunities at various locations. On arrival in Kalaw you will have lunch and then start a half-day birding tour of the area.

Overnight in Kalaw (Meals: B/_/_)

Full Day Birding Tour

Today you will enjoy a full day birding around Kalaw, starting with a birding spot nearby Yeaye lake. From here you will take a hike to the forest mountain, one of the main highlights of the tour, where you will see Dark-backed Sibia, Burmese Yuhina, Indochinese Black-winged Cuckooshrikes, Speckled Piculet, White-browed and Rusty-cheeked Scimitar-babblers, White-browed and Green Shrike-babblers, Hume’s Treecreeper, Lesser Necklaced , Black-throated , White-browed Laughingthrushs, White-crowned and Black-backed Forktails, Wedge-tailed, Yellow-footed and Pin-tailed Green-pigeons, Mrs Gould’s, Black-throated and Green-tailed Sunbirds, Little Pied, Hill-blued and Tickell’s Blue , Pale Blue, Brown-breasted, Taiga and some Ultramarine Grey-headed Canary-flycatchers. If you are really lucky, you will see the Giant Nuthatch, but it is very rare and difficult to see. In total, there are over 250 known bird species in and around Kalaw, see how many you can see.

Overnight in Kalaw (Meals: B/L/_)

Kalaw to Inle Lake | Drive: 2 hours

This morning you drive from Kalaw to Inle lake. On the way, you will stop at various locations for some birding opportunities before lunch. Once at Inle lake, you will start birding some of the best spots around the lake in search for some key species: Jerdon’s Bushchat, Collared Myna & Chinese/Rufous-rumped Grassbird. You then have the evening to enjoy as you wish watching the sunset into the tranquil lake.

Overnight in Inle Lake(Meals: B/_/_)

Inle Lake to Bagan | Flight: 40 min

Today you transfer to Heho airport for your flight to Bagan. In the afternoon you start biding in Bagan, in search for key birds, such as Laggar Falcon, Yellow-eyed Babbler, Long-billed Pipit, Vinous-breasted Myna, Brown Prinia, Burmese Shrike, Rain Quail, Barred Button Quail, Chinese Francolin, Plain-backed, Russet and various house Sparrows. There are over 135 species recorded in Bagan and the surrounding areas, so you are sure to get sights of many different types of birds.

Overnight in Bagan (Meals: B/_/_)

Ayeyarwaddy River

Another early morning awaits you today as you go birding amongst the temple of Bagan. On this day tour, you will not only enjoy another birding day, but you will also get to explore the magnificent temples too. You will get to visit the golden stupa of Shwezigon Pagoda; the 12th Century frescoes adorning the corridors of the ‘Cave’ Temple; then on to the Htilominlo, and Ananda. In the afternoon you board a private boat for birding along the river Ayeyarwaddy in search for Ayeyawaddy Bulbul (Streak-eared Bulbul), White-tailed Stonechat, Striated Babbler, Sand Lark, Plovers, Wood Sandpiper, Temminck’s Stint, White, Yellow and Citrine Wagtails. You then get to enjoy the sunset on board before returning to Bagan.

Overnight in Bagan (Meals: B/_/_)

Bagan to Yangon | Flight: 1.5 hour

Today you catch a flight back to Yangon, wherein the afternoon you will enjoy a city tour of the capital. You will discover the Chauk Htat Gyi Pagoda, Lake Kandawgyi to take photographs over the lake, towards the world-famous Shwedagon Pagoda. Its golden stupa is the ‘heart’ of Buddhist Myanmar and is believed to be 2,500 years old. The pagoda is a fascinating place to spend some time watching the world go by, and the perfect ending to any holiday in Myanmar.

Overnight in Yangon (Meals: B/_/_)

Departure

After breakfast you are free to enjoy the morning as you wish before being transferred to the airport with plenty of time for your departing flight home.

(Meals: B/_/_)