Be met at the airport and transferred to the Irrawaddy River. Here, board your luxury river ship, the RV Samatha, for the start of your incredible 14-night Irrawady River Cruise.Enjoy lunch on board and time to settle in, then head back into the city of Yangon for the opportunity to view the famous Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset. Get to know your fellow travelers during a Welcome Reception on board.

Stay: 14 Nights: aboard APT’s brand-new boutique river ship, the RV Samatha

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Awake today to the glorious scenery along the mighty Irrawaddy River. Formally known as Rangoon, a mix of colonial architecture, modern high-rises and glistening Buddhist pagodas define the city of Yangon. This morning, select your Freedom of Choice activity. Perhaps travel by train to discover some of the city’s best kept secrets. Join a city walking tour. Or gain an insight into Yangon’s arts scene. This afternoon, admire the views of endless rice fields and traditional stilt houses perched high over the water as your ship leisurely cruises along the river.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Enjoy a morning at leisure on board, as you cruise towards Danuphyu. Take in the unique sights of the Irrawaddy Delta region today as your ship glides through this transport artery. Keep an eye out for bullock carts and ox-ploughs, tiered pagodas atop rambling teak monasteries and homes raised on stilts on either side of the river. Here, the sound of a cars engine is rarity, as to explore these waters is to travel back in time to an Asia of yesteryear. Stop to explore Danuphyu, where the revered General Maha Bandula led a famous Burmese defensive against the British troops during the First Anglo-Burmese War. Visit a local cheroot (cigar) workshop and take some time to explore at leisure. Back on board this evening, enjoy a delicious dinner surrounded by new friends.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Cruise onwards today to the quiet riverside township of Myanaung. Here, a guided walking tour will take you past a range of well-preserved colonial houses and on to the bustling local market.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Take in views of the Akauk Mountains and their river-facing cliff carvings as you cruise to Pyay. On arrival in Pyay, you’ll disembark for a walking tour. Established by the British Irrawaddy Flotilla Company in the late 19th century, Pyay originally served as a transshipment point for cargo being moved between Upper and Lower Burma. See a selection of pagodas, including the imposing Shwesandaw Pagoda, one of the country’s most revered religious sites. Later, travel eight kilometres to the south-east of Pyay on an excursion to the ancient ruins at the old Pyu kingdom capital, Sri Ksetra, meaning ‘City of Splendour’. Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014, the region’s 1,500 year old stupas are among the world’s earliest Buddhist monuments.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Cruise into Thayetmyo, a port town that once sat on the border between Upper and Lower Myanmar. Here, enjoy a fascinating tour of the historic colonial-era post office before taking a swing at Myanmar’s first golf course.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Stop in the town of Minhla, the site of a significant battle during the Third Anglo-Burmese War. Visit Minhla Fort, built by Italian engineers in 1860 to keep British forces out of Burma. Learn how the British captured this fort, and indeed the town, during a war that saw an independent Burma lose its sovereignty. Cruise onwards to Magwe, where you’ll head up to the Mya Tha Lun Pagoda, located atop a hill overlooking the Irrawaddy River. Take in amazing views and explore the pagoda, constructed with thousands of solid gold bricks.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Cruise to the village of Salay, a colourful religious centre. This afternoon, you’ll visit Yoke Sone Kyaung, the region’s oldest surviving wooden monastery. Built in 1882, the monastery is famous for its wood carvings and an extensive collection of religious artefacts. Afterwards, continue on to Shinbin Maha Laba Man Paya, home to the country’s largest lacquer Buddha image, which dates back to the 13th century.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

After breakfast, climb Tantkyi Hill to visit Tantkyitaung Pagoda, encircled by 32 elephant statues facing in all directions. This afternoon, you will be able to capture your first glimpse of Bagan, one of Myanmar’s most iconic attractions. Scattered across the lush plains of Bagan lie more than 2,000 sacred stupas, many dating as far back as the 11th and 13th centuries. Later this evening, observe a stunning sunset over Bagan, one of the world’s truly awe-inspiring archaeological sites.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Enjoy a hearty breakfast before disembarking your ship and selecting your Freedom of Choice activity. Perhaps take a private horse cart ride and enjoy a unique personalised touring experience at your own pace. Partake in a shopping tour of the village markets of Old Bagan. Or ascend the winding covered staircase encircling Myanmar’s most important nats (spirits) at Mount Popa. Later, visit a family-run lacquerware workshop and a nearby village.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Our ship will arrive today in Yandabo, a charming village known for its finely crafted terracotta wares. Here, enjoy an intimate look at village life and watch a pottery-making demonstration by talented local artisans. Later, re-board your river ship and take in the scenery as you continue cruising onwards to Inwa.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Arrive today in Inwa, an ancient imperial capital of Burmese kingdoms from the 14th to 19th centuries. Abandoned after it was completely destroyed by a series of major earthquakes in 1839, only a few traces of its former grandeur remain today here in this former capital. Here, set out on a tour by horse-drawn cart, taking in Maha Aung Mye Bon Zan Monastery and the teak-wood Bagaya Monastery, built in 1593.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

In Sagaing, explore Soon U Ponya Shin and Kaunghmudaw pagodas. Later, cruise to Mingun, home to the Mingun Pahtodawgyi, a monumental but incomplete brick pagoda that dates back to the late 18th century. Here, see the second largest ringing bell in the world, the Mingun Bell, as well as the Myatheindan Pagoda, modelled on the mythological Buddhist mountain, Mount Meru.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Set out on a full-day tour of Mandalay which will take you to many of the city’s major attractions and hidden gems. Visit Mahamuni Buddha Temple, one of Myanmar’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites and home to a six-tonne Mahamuni Buddha statue. Afterwards, explore a range of workshops in which thin sheets of gold, marble carvings and tapestries are produced. Then head for Kuthodaw Pagoda at the foot of Mandalay Hill to see the world’s largest book. Here, Buddhist scripture has been inscribed on some 729 marble slabs, each contained in its own stupa. Later, take in a tour of the Shwenandaw Monastery, an architectural masterpiece known for the carvings of Buddhist myths that adorn its roof and walls. This evening, enjoy a sunset sampan cruise alongside the U Bein Bridge with a glass of champagne. Thought to be the world’s oldest and longest teak-wood bridge, U Bein spans 1.2 kilometres across Taungthaman Lake.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch
• • Dinner

Disembark today. Be transferred to the airport for your flight to Heho. Be met on arrival and continue to Inle Lake. This afternoon, visit Red Mountain Winery for a wine tasting.

Stay: Three Nights: Inle Lake, Aureum Palace or similar

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Dinner

Today you’ll visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda as well as the famous Nga Phe Kyaung Monastery (also known as the ‘Jumping Cat Monastery’).

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Lunch

Explore the southern section of Inle Lake by boat. Stop at the village of Indein to stroll amid the ancient pagodas and take in the floating gardens and see the one-legged rowing technique used by local fishermen.

• Daily Meals Included:
• • Breakfast
• • Dinner

After breakfast, transfer to Heho Airport for your included flight to Yangon. On arrival, board your onward flight.