Burma Extension: Golden Rock

Drive or take the train (an experience in itself!) to Bago, continue by truck and foot to the gold plated boulder, which is said to maintain its balance thanks to a precisely placed Buddha hair within the stupa that’s sit atop the boulder.  Enjoy a spectacular view, which is particularly beautiful at sunrise or sunset.  Visit other pagodas as well as the allied war cemetery near Htauk Kyan.

DAY 1 - YANGON – KYAIKHTIYO (GOLDEN ROCK)

Optional train to Bago instead of driving to Bago, for those interested in seeing the “real Burma” we can propose a 2.5 hour train journey to Bago. The carriage can be full with local people and occasionally the train will slow or stop at small stations and is not very comfortable but it is an experience.

Pick-up at hotel in Yangon and drive to Bago (84 km - 1½ hours). En route, visit a tree shrine dedicated to legendary animist spirits known as "Nats", a handicraft village that produces woven bamboo wares. Then, visit the Allied War Graves cemetery near Htauk Kyan. Continue to Kin Pun "base camp" (110 km - 3½ hours) and onward to Kyaiktiyo (the "Golden Rock"), a huge boulder completely covered by gold leaf and delicately balanced on the edge of a cliff.  En route, stop for lunch at Kyaikhto.

From Kin Pun, a steep and rough 11-km dirt road leads to the upper staging point, a journey made in open trucks, which can be very crowded. In the afternoon, take a local truck up a bumpy track about half way up the mountain. (Private trucks are available at extra costs – please ask your guide to arrange). From the "upper area", travelers must walk the final stage (about 4 kilometers – 45 minutes) up steep paths, which ascend some 500 meters to the Golden Rock. As an easier alternative to walking, visitors can be carried in sedan chairs by four porters, at an extra cost of approximately US$ 10 per person. On arrival, watch the beauty of a sunset at this important pilgrimage site. Dinner at hotel.

Accommodation at Hotel, near Kyaikhtiyo.

DAY 2 - KYAIKHTIYO - BAGO - YANGON

Early Risers: A great opportunity to see the sunrise! Return to Yangon via Bago. Lunch at Hantharwaddy Restaurant in Bago.

Continue with sightseeing in Bago including Shwemawdaw Pagoda, which is over a thousand years old. Its spire is even taller than that of Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda, the 55-metre-long reclining Shwe Thalyaung Buddha image, one of the country's most revered objects. Visit Maha Kalayani Sima ordination hall and Mahazedi ("Great Stupa"), offering panoramic views. Then, continue the drive to Yangon, with a brief stop at Kyaik Pun Pagoda, famous for its four giant Buddha figures.  Upon arrival in Yangon, transfer to your hotel.

NB: The region around Kyaikhtiyo is still undeveloped for most aspects of tourism. The Ultimate Travel Company will endeavor to obtain the best available accommodation, transport and facilities for guests. Foreigners are not allowed to travel by truck higher than half way up because the road is very steep and dangerous.