DESCRIPTION

Start your fully escorted cycling discovery by exploring around the iconic Inle Lake district. First stop is the charming country town of Pindaya, nestled in the heart of the picturesque Shan Hills. And  then onto the forested colonial hill-station of Kalaw. A rest day out of the saddle is spent exploring on the water, Inle's ancient waterside pagodas and its curious 'floating gardens'. Visit the stilted village communities of the local Intha people and observe local craft specialties being practiced. Leaving the tourist trail completely behind, you'll meander south by bike through the countryside to the tiny lakeside village of Samkar. Then, cycle or boat the final leg to the remote, cultural destination of Loikaw in Kayah State. Your ‘off the map’ experience over the ensuing days will be filled by authentic interactive moments with a diverse mix of ethnic communities living as they have done so for centuries. While your nights are spent in a comfortable lakeside boutique hotel of surprising quality for this widely unknown destination.

 

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HOLIDAY TYPE:  Private Guided Tour

DEPARTS: Daily September thru May

(Other times of the year on application)

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit Yangon, home to Asia's largest collection of colonial buildings and Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar's dazzling and foremost religious monument.

• Cycle with confidence, for as long or as little as you'd like, thanks to a fully supported tour that includes a comfortable and air-conditioned support vehicle.

• Explore Shwe Oo Min, Pindaya's revered religious cave by foot, along a weaving path that links towering lime-stone chambers filled with an astonishing 8,000+ Buddha images.

• Cycle along country lanes and through friendly farming communities in the picturesque Shan Hills.

• Lunch in a local Kayah community, dining on a hearty meal of traditional BBQ.

• Visit a field of Animist devotion poles and delve into the variety of religions embraced by the people of Kayah State. Learn how some local customs are now a fusion of beliefs drawn from a combination of faiths.

• Share time and stories with a Kahan lady in her home. These women are widely known for the ringed coils adorning their necks.

• Stroll the isles of a colorful local market with traditionally dressed locals shopping for supplies and selling locally produced goods.