Arrive in Mandalay, the former royal capital and centre of Burmese culture on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.
Overnight: Hotel by the Red Canal
Spend a day exploring several of the ancient Burmese capitals that surround the modern city, such as Ava and Sagaing. See too the fascinating workshops and artisans that flourish in the city and the wonderfully photogenic U-Bein bridge, the world's longest wooden bridge.
Overnight: Hotel by the Red Canal
Drive out of Mandalay to Monywa, to board your characterful and comfortable home-cum-transportation for the expedition up the Chindwin River. In the afternoon, explore Monywa and see the Thanbodi Temple, which boasts a million images of the Buddha.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Travel to admire the stunning mural paintings at the Phowin Taung Caves. Then cast off for the journey upriver. Beyond Monywa the river narrows and you sail past several villages on the banks.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Spend the day cruising the narrow river flanked by forested hills, passing a number of attractive villages including Kanee.
Overnight: RV Zawgyi Pandaw
Arrive into Mingkin, which is an architectural tour-de-force, virtually unknown outside of Burma. There are plenty of traditional wooden houses surrounding amazing, teak monasteries in the Konbaung court style. Kalewa is considered the gateway to the Chin State, and had excellent markets selling all manner of exotic local produce.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Further upstream is Mawlaik, to which colonial employees of the Bombay Myanmar Trading Corporation would repair after months extracting teak from the surrounding forests. Here they could have a hot bath and a drink, and this atmosphere is maintained to this day by the eerie lack of cars and the many Edwardian "Dak Bungalows" set around a golf course. The expedition continues past the Kubu Valley and the Yu River, down which a relief force was sent to rescue the Manipur garrison during a local rebellion.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Beyond the Yu River is Sitthaung where the British scuttled several of their commercial river to prevent them from falling into the hands of the Japanese, in 1942. This was the starting point for what became the nightmarish trek over the mountains to India for all those fleeing the conflict.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Continue upriver, deep into the Chin State, where the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company established a large oil refinery and where a community of Shan tribes people maintained an enclave, far from their homeland near the Thai border. Leaving Toungdoot, set sail for Homalin, the highest navigable point of the Chindwin River. This small town is located close to the Indian border, and surrounded by large, forest-covered mountains.
Overnight: RV Kha Byoo or RV Kalay Pandaw
Disembark and fly to Yangon, where you are met and transferred to the very comfortable Savoy Hotel.
Overnight: The Savoy Hotel
Explore the city of Yangon with your local guide, seeing the crumbling colonial downtown, Scott Market and the fascinating Botataung and Shwedagon Pagodas.
Overnight: The Savoy Hotel
Transfer to Yangon airport to catch your flight out of Burma.
Low | £ 3,230 | $ 4,713 |
Mid | £ 3,670 | $ 5,356 |
High | £ 4,375 | $ 6,384 |
£££ | Great quality at competitive prices |
££££ | Excellent accommodation at a moderate to higher price level |
£££££ | The very best in class and priced accordingly |