14D Burma Biking Adventure
Rangoon, Bagan, Kalaw, Inle Lake
SGD $2,995 per person, Single supplement SGD $525
Tour cost DOES NOT include international airfares and airport taxes.
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.
Despite everything that is said about Burma, or Myanmar, we travel at ground level and **really see the country**. Riding through small villages, we stop at **local teashops** to meet the people, and even spend a night in a **monastery** as guests of the Buddhist monks.
In Mandalay we visit the ancient cities of Ava and Mingun before riding alongside 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, now called 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 biking tours ever operated!
Tour Highlights
- The history and culture of Mandalay, and the temples and archaeological sites of Bagan
- The comfort and service of colonial hotels, and an air-conditioned support bus
Itinerary
14 Days/13 nights starting and finishing in Rangoon
- Day 01 / Arrive / meet in Rangoon. Transfer to airport for flight to Mandalay.
- Day 02 / Morning visit Mingun by boat. Afternoon warm-up ride to Mandalay Hill.
- Day 03 / Cycle to Myittha. Overnight in monastery.
- Day 04 / Cycle to Myingyan, transfer to Bagan.
- Day 05 / Tour the temples of Bagan archaeological park by bike.
- Day 06 / Cycle to Popa.
- Day 07 / Cycle to Meiktila.
- Day 08 / Cycle to Kalaw.
- Day 09 / Fee 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 Rangoon.
- Day 13 / Day free for sightseeing.
- Day 14 / Morning free at leisure. Afternoon transfer to airport for onward flight to Bangkok or for home.
Tour Price
- SGD $2,995 Twin
- SGD $3,250 Single
Departure Dates
14 Days/13 nights starting and finishing in Rangoon.
- Nov 09 - 22, 2008
- Dec 21 - Jan 03, 2009
- Jan 06 - 19, 2009
- Feb 08 - 21, 2009
- May 17 - 30, 2009
- Jul 05 - 18, 2009
- Oct 04 - 17, 2009
- Nov 08 - 21, 2009
- Dec 20, 2009 - Jan 02, 2010
Trip Profile
This is a touring trip for mountain bikers and road cyclists. We will ride point to point through central Myanmar, covering between just over 700 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 flat 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.
Facts & Figures
- Bike Hire SGD $255
- Total Distance 720 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 02, maximum 16.
- Staff Groups of 06 or more, a cycle tour leader with English-speaking Burmese guide plus drivers and assistants. Groups of 04-05 will be led by our local guide and support team
- Accommodation 05 nights 4* hotels, 04 nights 3*, 02 nights 2*, 01 night in basic hotel, 01 night in a monastery. All hotels have en suite facilities and air-conditioning, except 01 night in a dormitory with shared facilities. Many hotels exhibit charm and character.
- Meals All meals included on the tour for the majority of days. Exceptions: Day 01 (dinner), Day 05 (breakfast), Day 13 (breakfast & dinner).
