Page 35 - Nepal Bhutan Myanmar 22 Day Sample Itinerary

Built along side the Ayeyarwady River, Mandalay combines Myanmar's royal history and the preservation of spiritual traditions. The royal heritage can be found at the Golden Palace Monastery with its exquisite wood carvings. The spiritual heart is enshrined at Mahamuni pagoda, housing the most venerated Buddha statue in Mandalay. The large seated image is so greatly revered that layer upon layer of gold leaf, placed as a mark of homage by a ceaseless flow of worshippers, have distorted the true shape of the statue. Only the highly polished face, gazing serenely is untouched. With its wood-carving, stone sculpting, gold-leaf-making and cheroot rolling, Mandalay comes across as a kind of huge oriental bazaar. The shopping hub of upper Myanmar, this is where the colorful hill tribes come together and mingle with the townspeople. The nearby Sagaing Hill provides stunning panoramic views. 8:35 AM Arrive Mandalay. After collecting luggage you will be met outside the baggage claim area by your guide and escorted to a waiting vehicle for your journey to Amarapura, an ancient capital built on the advice of astrologers. Visit Mahagandayon Monastery where more than a thousand monks live and study the Buddha scripture. If time allows you will have the opportunity to observe the monks having their last meal of the day in total silence.