A Myanmar road trip is your chance to get together with your pals and go on an unforgettable journey. Myanmar or Burma is a land of long history, ornate Buddhist temples, ancient pagodas and vibrant culture. The journey begins from Imphal – the capital of the Indian state of Manipur. Cross the international boundary at the Moreh-Tamu border and after getting the permit to go ahead, drive towards the town of Kalaymyo. After an overnight stay here, ride to Mandalay, which is among the largest Burmese cities. Spend the entire next day, resting and exploring the city that sits on the banks of the Irrawaddy River.

Continue the Myanmar self drive road trip at dawn by journeying to the famous Inle Lake. Stay overnight at a nearby hotel, and in the morning embark on an exploration venture of the area. See hordes of pagodas that surround the water body, and also witness the unique local way of fishing. What follows will be a rather lengthy phase of this road trip to Myanmar that will take you to the bustling commercial city of Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon. Following a peaceful night stay at a hotel, go on a sightseeing trip and see Shwedagon Pagoda and the city zoo. Post shopping for souvenirs at Bogyoke Aung San Market, enjoy a hearty dinner and an amazing cultural performance.

Upon recommencing the self drive road trip to Myanmar, head towards the historical city of Bagan for two days of leisure and local exploration. At dawn the following day, begin your return journey to India by travelling first to the town of Kalaymyo. Thereafter, cross the border once again on the way to Imphal where this amazing venture will end.

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 01: Arrival in Imphal
Upon reaching Imphal, transfer to your lodging and meet the rest of the touring party. In the evening, contemplate the journey to Burma. Post dinner, enjoy an overnight stay.

Day 02: Imphal to Kalaymyo (244 km approx.)
In the early hours of the day, begin the Myanmar road trip by driving towards Moreh. On reaching Moreh, which lies near the India-Burma international border, complete the immigration formalities. Post getting your documents verified and receiving the permit to go further, enter Burma and have a scrumptious lunch at a local restaurant. After relaxing, continue the drive to Kalaymyo – also known as Kaley. Upon arriving here, check-in at the hotel, relish dinner and enjoy an overnight stay.

Day 03: Kalaymyo to Mandalay (477 km approx.)
Post relishing breakfast at the hotel, check-out from here and get on the bike. This phase of Myanmar self drive road trip requires driving over rocky and dusty roads, cross hills and travel across rivers. Upon reaching the Gangaw town, get off the vehicles to freshen up with a cup of tea. After getting re-energised, continue on the way to the town of Pale, and on arrival here have lunch. After lunch, start riding once again and reach the city of Mandalay for an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 04: Explore Mandalay
Mandalay, one of the largest Burmese cities, was once the royal capital. The city has numerous ancient temples, exquisite pagodas and old palaces worth seeing. Spend the day exploring the city and shopping for souvenirs. Return to the hotel in the evening for a delectable dinner. Post dinner, head out to the bank of the Irrawaddy River to spend some time in repose. Later, return to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 05: Mandalay to Inle Lake (263 km approx.)
Relish an early breakfast, and thereafter continue the road trip to Myanmar by travelling to Inle Lake. It is among the largest such water bodies in the country, and it is known for its traditional wood and bamboo houses that are built on stilts. On arriving at the lake in the evening, transfer to the hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

Day 06: Inle Lake
Stop riding for a day and experience the charm of the lake to the fullest. See the traditional boats here and witness the unique fishing style of locals. Also, buy numerous keepsakes from the floating market and gaze endlessly at the hordes of pagodas on the shores of the lake. Have lunch on a floating restaurant and come back to the hotel in the evening for a good night’s sleep.

Day 07: Inle to Yangon (588 km approx.)
Prepare yourselves for a lengthy phase of the self drive road trip to Myanmar that will begin now. Get on the machines, set out of the Inle Lake area and ride towards Yangon – the largest city of the nation. The journey will be on the wide and well-built Yangon-Mandalay Expressway so the drive will be quite smooth. En route, stop in Naypyidaw – the national capital – for lunch, and later continue the ride. On reaching Yangon, transfer to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 08: Sightseeing in Yangon
Wake up to a delicious breakfast and thereafter go on a sightseeing tour of the city. Since being founded as a small fishing village in the 11th century, Yangon has grown considerably to become the primary commercial centre of the country. The city has both colonial-era buildings as well as modern ones. There are numerous temples, pagodas and public gardens also that are worth seeing.

Visit Shwedagon Pagoda – the most striking landmark in the skyline of Burma. It is a dome-shaped stupa all covered in gold and surrounded by 68 smaller such structures. The pagoda is believed to contain the relics of four Bodhisattvas or enlightened beings, and hence it is highly revered.

Also as part of this Yangon tour, take a trip to the city zoo. Apart from animals, the establishment also houses a museum of natural history, an amusement park and an aquarium. The zoo has over 100 species of animals, including clouded leopards, takins, Asian elephants and tigers.

In the afternoon, head to a popular Indian restaurant for lunch. Post meal, visit Bogyoke Aung San Market and shop as much as you feel like. Return to the hotel and relax for some time before being treated to a delicious dinner and an amazing cultural performance. Follow these up with an overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 09: Yangon to Bagan (621 km approx.)
After a savoury breakfast, begin the longest stage yet of the Myanmar road trip as it involves driving for around 621 km. En route Bagan, disembark from the vehicles in Pyay for lunch, and then travel further ahead. On reaching the city of Magway, stop riding for a while and take another short break. Reach Bagan in the evening after restarting the journey from Magway, and travel to the hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 10: Bagan
Bagan – the land of pagodas – was famous as the capital of the Pagan kingdom. It has more than 2200 stupas and temples, Buddhist temples and pagodas built between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Enjoy a leisurely morning strolling around the city, seeing its numerous tourist attractions. In the afternoon, travel to a restaurant, located on the bank of the Irrawaddy River, for lunch. Spend the evening at leisure and later watch a fun-filled puppet show. After the performance, come back to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11: Bagan to Kalaymyo (372 km approx.)
Post breakfast, check-out from the hotel and restart the Myanmar self drive road trip to return to India. On the way to Kalaymyo, stop for lunch at a restaurant. Upon arrival in Kalaymyo in the evening, transfer to the hotel for a night stay.

Day 12: Kalaymyo to Imphal (244 km approx.)
This is the penultimate stage of this road trip to Myanmar, and it requires crossing the international border into India. On reaching the Tamu-Moreh border, complete the documentation formalities, and on arriving in Imphal transfer to your lodging for a comfortable overnight stay.

Day 13: Departure from Imphal
The self-drive road trip to Myanmar ends in the wonderful town of Imphal. At the appropriate time, check-out from your hotel and depart for your onward journey.