Private Tradition and Culture Tour Including Shwedagon Pagoda Visit

Meet your English speaking guide, jump in our van and head to Chaukhtetkyi Pagoda, home to a reclining Buddha that's one of the most honoured in the country and one of the largest in all of Myanmar. After a short visit inside the museum, continue your tour with a walk through a local residential area until you reach Kandawgyi Park, which offers views of Shwedagon Pagoda across Kandawgyi Lake. Along the way, your guide will share local stories and anecdotes, as well as answer any questions your small group poses about local life in Yangon. Then stop at a teahouse for a tea break and some people watching before heading to Shwedagon Pagoda. Inside the eastern entrance to the pagoda, your guide will point out a very different type of local market, which demonstrates how significant Buddhism is in the daily life of Myanmar. After exploring the market a bit, you’ll climb a long, stair-filled corridor up to the pagoda platform, accompanied by your guide’s explanation of the locals’ unique Buddhist beliefs. The magnificent golden dome of Shwedagon Pagoda rises an impressive 322 feet (98 meters) from its base and is said to have been covered with tons of pure gold, along with numerous precious stones such as jade, rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Humbling in its beauty, the golden dome is one of the city’s most iconic sites. Observe locals and monks offering their devotions as the sun sets across the golden pagoda. After sufficient time exploring the famous site, hop back in your minivan and head back to the meeting point, an approximate 30-minute drive away. You are welcome to remain at Shwedagon Pagoda, but you will be responsible for your own transportation back to the city center.