AN INTIMATE EXPLORATION OF BURMA'S PEOPLE AND CULTURE
This Bagan walking tour (with aircon taxi support!) provides an intimate look into the amazing lives of local people, their culture, and communities that make Myanmar such a unique place to visit. On this tour of Bagan’s villages, we’ll spend most of our day on foot, experiencing the sights and sounds of rural village life. Learn traditional organic farming practices and take a ride on an ox-cart through sandy village paths rarely visited by outsiders. Learn from Burmese artisans crafting their bamboo wares, working with local fabrics, and bringing temple murals to life through sand paintings.
What to Expect
We will explore several different communities and sites throughout the day on your Bagan walking tour. Once in the villages, we will spend most of our time on foot, visiting our neighbors in their workshops and on their farms.
05:30: Pickup from your hotel by air-conditioned private taxi to position for sunrise
06:00-07:30: Sunrise balloon shooting within the monument zone, location based on your subject and perspective preferences.
07:30-8:30: Visit to farming and bamboo crafting village within the monument zone for close-up photography and bushcraft knowledge sharing.
08:30-09:30: Al fresco light breakfast with local pastries, fruit, and fresh coffee/tea. Opportunity for sitting/walking meditation and shooting in secluded temple gardens. Relax with caretakers and shoot local agricultural activities.
09:30-12:00: Visit to rare irrigated village outside monument zone with terraced rice paddies in golden bloom, with little contact with foreigners. We have a small organic permaculture farm in the village that affords many close-up/portrait opportunities. This is an “oxcart village” with limited access to motor vehicles and feels like a journey to the bronze age.
12:00-13:30: Lunch break and travel time
13:30-16:30:Journey by taxi to remote village location on the Irrawaddy, a cluster of pagodas situated on an isolated clifftop. Visit remote sites and areas on foot, including many not listed on any map or guidebook. Amazing murals and panoramic views, visit to magical meditation caves and cliff monasteries. Fantastic late-period temples with murals and stone carvings, expansive views, and small monastic community.
17:00-18:30: Return to Old Bagan by aircon taxi or optional private boat, including cold drinks and snacks. Views of most notable Bagan monuments along riverside.
18:30-19:00: Return to your hotel or drop-off at local restaurant by private taxi
