Unknown Asia - the Volcanoes of Myanmar

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Unknown Asia - Volcanoes of Myanmar

12 days exploring the volcanoes of Myanmar with a geologist

The Bagan temples

Popa stratovolcano

Visiting a ruby mine in Mogok

View of Mogok

Temples of Bagan

Monywa caldera

View of Popa volcano (photo: Ljuba Brank)

Collected rubies from a mine in Mogok

View of Popa volcano

Aerial view over the Bagan temples

Collecting rubies

Working in a Mogok ruby mine

Part of the Bagan temple complex

Welcome arch in the Mogok area

Myanmar rubies

Myanmar (Burma) is one of Asia's most mysterious and unknown countries that only recently opened its borders for tourism.
It also has a few active volcanoes related to the subduction of the Indo-Pacific under the Eurasian tectonic plate, most notably the Singu Plateau near the city of Mandalay and Mt. Popa volcano, a large stratovolcano in central Myanmar, which last erupted around 442 BC, leaving its traces in local legends.
We plan to organize a pilot tour to discover the volcanic history of this relatively unknown country when the political situation has stabilized. The tour will be organised and guided by a geologist from our team (Dr. Evelyne Pradal) who speaks French and English.

Discover the volcanic history of one of Asia's most unknown countries
Exotic culture
Po Win Taung caves (some of the oldest inhabited by humans)
Bagan - the richest archeological site of Asia
Mokok and its ruby mines (opportunity to collect and buy)
Accompanying geologist
Small group

Itinerary 12 days

Note:
As it is a pilot tour, only a rough itinerary is given that can undergo modifications on location if necessary due to various conditions.

Día 1: Arrival in Mandalay
Pick-up from Mandalay airport and transfer to a hotel in the city center. Rest of day is free, the group meets at a welcome dinner where you will get a briefing from your tour guide.

Día 2: Transfer to Mogok
Transfer in private minibus to Mogok in the north of the country (approx. 7 hours).

Día 3: Mogok and its ruby mines
Day to visit ruby mines in Mogok with opportunity to collect and buy gemstones.

Día 4: Drive to Shwebo
You will leave Mogok and go west in the direction of Shwebo and Letha Taung where you will discover the area near Singu with a huge deposit of young, approx. 100 m thick fluid lava flows.

Día 5: Trachy-basaltic lavas of Singu Plateau (Letha Taung)
Day for excursions to interesting geologic outcrops in the area.

Día 6: Monywa and Po Win Taung caves
Transfer to Monywa, visit Po Win Taung caves, likely inhabited at the beginning of the human era.

Día 7: Monywa & Thanbuddhay pagoda
A full day to continue exploring the area and its interesting geology as well as the town of Monywa and its Buddhist monuments.

Día 8: Transfer and boat tour to Pakokku, Bagan and Mount Popa
From Monywa, it takes around 3 h of driving to reach the town of Pakokku. We visit the town and its market before taking a private boat on the Irrawaddy River, the main river of Myanmar. The trip down the river to Bagan takes about 2 hours. On arrival, you will continue to Mount Popa (1 hour drive).

Día 9: Mount Popa stratovolcano - Taung Kalatt temple
Day to explore the youngest active volcano of Myanmar. Observation of pyroclastic and effusive deposits, lava domes and many other geologic features.
Climb the Taung Kalatt temple at the top of a volcanic neck with an amazing view.

Día 10: Mount Popa - Bagan
Morning visits around Mount Popa and transfer to Bagan in the afternoon. Free time in Bagan.

Día 11: Bagan - Asia's richest temple complex
Full day to visit the huge temple complex of Bagan with its more than 3000 stupas and temples. Sunset from the top of a century-old temple.

Día 12: Flight to Yangon and international departure
Morning flight to Yangon and international departure.

Tipo de viaje: Caminando: Geología - nature & culture - archaeology
Dificultad: Easy to Moderate
Group size: 4-8
Duración: 12 days / 11 nights

Fechas:

open

Price (per person): open (approx 3000 EUR)

Incluido:

All accommodation in hotels as indicated
Full board (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on last day
All transfers in private minibus, boat, domestic flight
Local guides
Entry fees
Accompanying geologist from our team

Itinerary 12 days

Note:
As it is a pilot tour, only a rough itinerary is given that can undergo modifications on location if necessary due to various conditions.

Día 1: Arrival in Mandalay

Pick-up from Mandalay airport and transfer to a hotel in the city center. Rest of day is free, the group meets at a welcome dinner where you will get a briefing from your tour guide.

Día 2: Transfer to Mogok

We will leave Mandalay in the morning to drive in a private minibus to Mogok where we arrive in the late afternoon. The transfer takes approx. 7 hours and takes us through beautiful mountain roads and forests. The town of Mogok is known for its ruby mines.

Día 3: Mogok and its ruby mines

The geology of Mogok is linked to the creation of the Himalaya Mountains and has always been a crossroad of Burmese, Chinese, Indian, Nepalese, and Bengali people. All are attracted by the land which is rich in gemstones. Your guide will take you to explore the gems market and some ruby mines.

Día 4: Drive to Shwebo

You will leave Mogok and go west in the direction of Shwebo and Letha Taung where you will discover the area near Singu with a huge deposit of young, approx. 100 m thick fluid lava flows.

Día 5: Trachy-basaltic lavas of Singu Plateau (Letha Taung)

Day for excursions to interesting geologic outcrops in the area.

Día 6: Monywa and Po Win Taung caves

You will leave Shwebo area and will go south to reach Monywa (3 to 4 hours drive). During the next 2 days, we will study the volcanic range of Monywa, made of around 10 monogenic volcanoes with various lavas (basalt, rhyolites).
In the afternoon, you can visit Po Win Taung caves which are thought to have been inhabited at the beginning of human era in Myanmar. Many caves are now filled with Buddha images and paintings.

Día 7: Monywa & Thanbuddhay pagoda

A full day to continue exploring the area and its interesting geology.
Visit of the city, famous for its giant standing and reclining Buddha images, the Thanbuddhay pagoda, built in 1303 and restored many times, where many old paintings and relics can be observed.

Día 8: Transfer and boat tour to Pakokku, Bagan and Mount Popa

From Monywa, it takes around 3 h of driving to reach the town of Pakokku. We visit the town and its market before taking a private boat on the Irrawaddy River, the main river of Myanmar. The trip down the river to Bagan takes about 2 hours. On arrival, you will continue to Mount Popa (1 hour drive).

Día 9: Mount Popa stratovolcano - Taung Kalatt temple

We have a full day to climb and explore this magnificent volcano. Its latest eruptions are thought to be around 442 BC.
We will see pyroclastic flows, lava flows and domes and a horse-shoe shaped caldera formed by a large landslide with associated debris flow deposits. We can climb the 777 steps leading to the Taung Kalatt temple, at the top of a volcanic neck associated to Mont Popa stravolcano. The view from the top is amazing.

Día 10: Mount Popa - Bagan

Morning visits around Mount Popa and transfer to Bagan in the afternoon. Free time in Bagan.

Día 11: Bagan - Asia's richest temple complex

We have a full day to discover the richest archaeological site of Asia with more than 3,000 stupas and temples. We will visit some famous pagodas such as Ananda: the Finest one, Thatbyinyu: the highest temple of Bagan. Shwesigon: the most venerable pagoda, Dhammayangyi, the most massive temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda, Gubyaukgyi and Gubyauknge. Inside the temples, we will see the old Myanmar People's mural paintings and the fresco of 11th and 13th centuries. We will watch the sunset from the top of a temple.

Día 12: Flight to Yangon and international departure

Morning flight to Yangon and international departure. If time permitting, we can visit the former capital of Myanmar with its colonial buildings, the Bogyoke market, Shwedagon pagoda.

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Fechas	Estado	Precio por persona (€)	*SRS ()**	Group size
open (pilot tour)	espacio disponible	2850 € $£¥	490 € $£¥	4-8
(*) Suplemento de habitación individual

Itinerary 12 days

Fechas:

Price (per person): open (approx 3000 EUR)

Incluido:

Itinerary 12 days

Día 1: Arrival in Mandalay

Día 2: Transfer to Mogok

Día 3: Mogok and its ruby mines

Día 4: Drive to Shwebo

Día 5: Trachy-basaltic lavas of Singu Plateau (Letha Taung)

Día 6: Monywa and Po Win Taung caves

Día 7: Monywa & Thanbuddhay pagoda

Día 8: Transfer and boat tour to Pakokku, Bagan and Mount Popa

Día 9: Mount Popa stratovolcano - Taung Kalatt temple

Día 10: Mount Popa - Bagan

Día 11: Bagan - Asia's richest temple complex

Día 12: Flight to Yangon and international departure

Precios de los viajes en fechas personalizadas en la solicitud

Incluido:

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Additional info

Requested tour:

Name and (billing) address of the main traveler (person responsible for the booking):

You can enter the names of up to 3 additional participants in your booking:

Additional information:

Finally...