Compare Burma: Land of the Golden Pagoda by Asia Transpacific Journeys vs The Salkantay Trek by Exodus Travels
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 12 days | 14 days |
| Price From | $ 9,865 | $ 3,855 |
| Price Per Day | $ 822 | $ 275 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Luxury | Standard |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
11 Breakfasts, 11 Lunches and 7 Dinners |
All breakfasts, nine lunches and seven dinners are included in the tour price. Peruvian cuisine is loved for its flavours and originality; it’s well worth digging into the local delicacies. Among these are ceviche (seafood or fish marinated in lime juice), lomo saltado (a Peruvian take on a beef stir-fry), and various hearty soups including the delicious quinoa soup. Other dishes include roasted cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca steak. To drink, there’s pisco sour, the national beverage. Drinking water is provided as tap water in Peru is not safe to drink; boiled and filtered drinking water is provided on the trek and elsewhere your leader buys large water containers from which you can refill your bottle. Hotel breakfasts are normally simple buffets, usually including bread/toast and jam, cereal, sometimes eggs or a cooked dish, sometimes fruit, tea/coffee and fruit juice. We cannot guarantee that wheat-/gluten-free products are available for breakfast in all locations – if you have an intolerance you may wish to bring your own breakfast food. Where lunch and dinner are not included in Cuzco/Aguas Calientes, we visit a variety of cafes and restaurants. During the trek, hearty breakfasts are served and good quality cooked lunches and dinners are provided. These usually consist of soup or a starter, a main course with meat/fish and some form of carbohydrates, followed by a dessert. Snacks are also provided. Tea/coffee is brought to your tent each morning and juice or hot drinks are provided with all meals during the trek. |
| Description |
Travel to Burma to experience a country that still moves by ox and cart. Meet intriguing tribal peoples who practice little-changed, traditional ways of life. Explore glittering temples filled with candles and incense, where red-robed monks offer prayers to Buddha. Visit the ruins of Bagan, the pagoda-dotted plain that many consider the greatest sight in Asia. This trip captures the essence of the land we know and love so much. |
This ultimate Inca Trail trek spends four days trekking deep in the majestic Vilcabamba mountain range before joining the classic Inca Trail for the approach to Machu Picchu. This high route skirts many of the great peaks and passes close to Mount Salkantay (20,574ft/6,271m) and its creaking glaciers. The trek continues through remote villages and crosses the spectacular Inca Chiriasqa Pass to finally join the classic Inca Trail before finishing at the famous Inti Punku (Sun Gate). This trek also allows plenty of time to explore the Inca temples and fortresses of Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. Our classic Inca Trail trip is designed to give you more time to enjoy the trail by arriving to Machu Picchu in the afternoon for iconic photos and overnight in Aguas Calientes. We return the next morning, fresh and well rested, for our in-depth tour of Machu Picchu and train back to Cuzco.Trek amid the Vilcabamba mountains of Peru, then join the classic Inca Trail to Machu Picchu |
Day 1: Yangon (Rangoon)
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: The Strand or The Governors Residence
Welcome to Burma. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to our hotel to meet our Tour Leader and fellow travelers, and enjoy a welcome dinner.
Day 2: Yangon
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: The Strand or The Governors Residence
Today we will explore the capital, with its wide avenues, fine Victorian architecture, bustling markets and picturesque water-front. Visit the National Museum, which houses interesting exhibits on Burmese history, culture and ethnic groups. The Lion Throne of King Thibaw, an extraordinary work that stands over twenty feet tall and is covered with carvings depicting scenes from Burmese mythology, is especially intriguing. There will then be time to browse the nearby market stalls in search of eclectic souvenirs, hand-crafted jewelry or traditional sweets. At sunset, visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, the glistening golden stupa that towers over the capital and never fails to enchant visitors. Dinner will be on your own tonight, offering opportunities to explore or relax.
Day 3: Yangon / Mandalay /Amarapura
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Mandalay Hill Resort or The Sedona
This morning, we will fly to Mandalay, arriving midday. The cultural center has many interesting sites, including the Shwenandaw Kyaung Monastery, noted for its fine teak carvings, and the Kuthodaw Pagoda with 729 marble slabs inscribed with the entire Buddhist canon. Then visit a gold-leaf factory and a shop selling woodcarvings, Burmese marionettes and richly-embroidered tapestries called kalagas. Time permitting, we will also prowl the Zegyo Market with its endless panoply of color, hustle and heady aromas. In the afternoon, the lovely countryside around Mandalay is a delight to explore as is the fascinating old city of Amarapura. We will visit a weaver’s workshop, beautiful pagodas, the ruins of the old palace, a Chinese joss house (temple) and shops specializing in cotton and silk longyis (the Burmese-style sarong). Catch sunset before returning to our lodgings for dinner on your own tonight.
Day 4: Mandalay / Irrawaddy River/ RV Paukan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: RV Paukan
We will depart early this morning for a journey by bus and ferry to the charming town of Ava, which was the capital between the 14th and 19th centuries. An exploration by horse cart offers a glimpse into the Burma of old: farmers plowing their fields with oxen, ruined pagodas peaking out of the jungle and a marvelous wooden monastery where crimson-clad novices practice reciting Buddhist scripture. We will then make our way down to the jetty to board the RV Paukan and begin our trip down the Irrawaddy.
Day 5: Irrawaddy River/ RV Paukan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: RV Paukan
Today, as we float down the majestic Irrawady, stop to visit small riverside villages. Meet the locals, explore their quaint towns and beautiful pagodas. For many, encountering the warm, welcoming locals on these stops is one of highlights of the journey. We will also visit Sagaing Hills, a fascinating site of crumbling pagodas and many active shrines standing watch over the river. When Mandalay was Burma’s capital, Sagaing was the “annex” town that housed hundreds of Buddhist monks.
Day 6: Irrawaddy River/ RV Paukan/ Bagan
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Thiripytsaya Sanctuary Resort or the Aureum Resort
Today, we will continue our leisurely river journey, arriving in Bagan mid-morning. During its golden age in the 12th century, Bagan was known as “the city of four million pagodas.” While Kublai Khan and several massive earthquakes have reduced that inflated number drastically, what remains is still incredible, and rightfully known as one greatest sites in Asia. Over the next two days, we will visit the principal pagodas, some rarely seen stupas, several small villages and the on-site museum. Our expert Tour Leader and knowledgeable local guides will provide insightful explanations of all we see. This afternoon is free to relax or explore on your own. If you like, take a bicycle or horse cart and lose yourself amidst the crumbling spires. Dinner will be on your own tonight.
Day 7: Bagan/ Chauk/ Salae/ Mt.Popa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Thiripytsaya Sanctuary Resort or the Aureum Resort
This morning, we will drive south to the little town of Chauk to visit the colorful local market and then continue on to the little- visited hamlet of Salae, home to several working monasteries. Nearby Mt. Popa, an extinct 5,000-foot volcano beckons. It is the traditional home of the Mahagirinats (animistic spirits) and an important pilgrimage site. Everything about the place is dramatic—the lush vegetation on the mountain slopes, the petrified forest along the road and the complex of monasteries perched on unlikely crags. After lunch, we will return to Bagan for an afternoon of free time. This evening, we will reconvene for dinner at a favorite local restaurant, accompanied by a marionette performance.
Day 8: Bagan
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Thiripytsaya Sanctuary Resort or the Aureum Resort
Visit the spectacular Shwezigon Pagoda at first light. (Note: if you have pre-booked the optional Oriental Ballooning excursion, instead depart early this morning for this wondrous adventure.) Reconvene for lunch and then continue exploring with a visit to Ananda. Built in 1090, the whitewashed and gilded Ananda is an amazingly well-preserved temple. Tonight, we will enjoy a special private dinner party on the grounds of our hotel.
Day 9: Bagan/ Heho
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Inle Princess Resort
This morning, we will fly to Heho and then travel overland to Inle Lake. Private boats will complete the transfer to our hotel.Dinner is on your own this evening.
Day 10: Inle Lake/ Indein
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Inle Princess Resort
Today, we will visit a local tribal market, which rotate through villages in the region. These fascinating hodgepodges of brightly colored flowers, flopping fish and local goods, offer the opportunity for various tribal peoples and villagers to not only buy and sell their wares, but also catch up on the latest news. We will then board a boat for Indein, a 16th-century temple complex, and another spectacular piece of Burma’s vast cultural wealth. Enjoy lunch at Nam Pan village and visit with local silk weavers, boat makers, cheroot makers and blacksmiths. The remainder of the afternoon will be spent exploring beautiful Inle Lake. We will see the famous Intha fishermen rowing their fishing boats with a swirling move of their leg, pass floating gardens (villagers actually grow tidy rows of vegetables on the lake’s surface), stop at a weaving village and visit several Shan temples. We will also pay a visit to the Mine Thauk Orphanage, which we have been supporting for many years.
End the day with snacks and a wine tasting at the Red Mountain Estate Vineyard and Winery. Since its founding in 2002, French wine maker, Francois Raynal, has imported over 400,000 vines from Spain and France along with the best European equipment and is producing exciting, young wines from Burma. His wines are the first ever made in the country.
Day 11: Inle Lake
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Inle Princess Resort
Today, continue exploring the lake region with activities of your choosing. Hop on a bicycle and ride to a local market, savor the tranquility of our lake side lodgings or take a leisurely walk along the foothills to access more local flavor and natural landscapes. Tonight, we will reconvene for a farewell dinner.
Day 12: Inle Lake/ Yangon/ Home Or Extend
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
This morning, we will transfer to Heho and fly to Yangon. After lunch at the Strand Hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flights home or to begin a private extension.
Day 1 Start Cuzco; afternoon city tour
The trip starts in Cuzco. The Inca capital, small enough to be easily manageable, is among the most attractive cities in South America, with much of the centre comprising Colonial-era buildings with Inca foundations. It is also full of interesting museums, churches and pre-Columbian sites. We have a short walking tour of the city, including a visit to the Qoricancha Sun Temple. Take it easy upon arrival into Cuzco and drink plenty of water to allow your body time to acclimatise to the altitude (11,155ft/3,400m). There is a welcome briefing in the hotel lobby this evening. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 2 Full-day walking tour of nearby ruins including Tambomachay and Sacsayhuaman
The hills above Cuzco are dotted with interesting Inca ruins. We drive to the highest, Tambomachay, and return on foot to Cuzco via Puca Pucara, Qenco and Sacsayhuaman: an easy walk to aid acclimatisation. An open-air picnic lunch is included during the hike near the spectacular ruins. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 3 Free day in Cuzco
We have a free day in Cuzco to relax and further acclimatise before starting the tour. A range of optional activities and sightseeing excursions can be arranged, including visits to Inca and pre-Inca sites south of Cuzco, or walks in the hills surrounding the city but we recommend taking it relatively easy in preparation for the start of the trek tomorrow. Accommodation: Mamasara Hotel (or similar)
Day 4 Drive to Marcocasa; trek to camp at Soraypampa
A few hours’ drive, via the interesting Inca remains of Tarawasi (optional), takes us to the hill town of Mollepata where we make a brief stop, before continuing to Marcocasa, where we start our trek. We trek from here to our campsite near Soraypampa (12,830ft/3,910m) where we spend our first night under canvas. The total driving time is approximately four hours, and the walk takes around five to six hours of uphill and steady climbing along well-made tracks. Accommodation: Soraypampa Camp (full-service camping)
Day 5 Optional walk to Humantay Lagoon and climb up to base of Salkantay
The morning begins, as all do on our Inca Trail trek, with a hot drink delivered to your tent. Start your day with an optional three-hour return walk to Humantay Lagoon to see the magnificent water mirror in the middle of the Andes. Return for an early lunch at the campsite of Soraypampa and then continue our ascent towards Salkantay, the "Savage Mountain" in local Quechua language, which soon dominates our view. We camp at around 14,435ft (4,400m) in the high grassy meadow of Ichu Pata, below the south face and glaciers of the impressive peak. Accommodation: Salkantay Camp (full-service camping)
Day 6 Cross Inca Chiriasqa Pass and follow glaciated valley to Pampa Cahuana
The high point of the trek, and the goal this morning, is the Inca Chiriasqa pass at almost 16,400ft (5,000m). Climbing more steeply now, we walk close to the spectacular glaciers and ice walls of Nevado Salkantay. Passing through Pampa Japonesa, basecamp for a Japanese mountaineering expedition, we finally top the pass and gain excellent 360-degree views. Inca Chirisaqa means ‘the Inca fell ill from cold’ and the exposed situation makes it easy to see why. Descending from the pass, we drop down into the upper reaches of a broad valley where Salkantay reappears in a new profile. After passing a huge ridge of terminal moraine, once the snout of the East Salcantay Glacier, the river suddenly straightens, canalised by the Incas centuries ago. We camp alongside the canal close to the hamlet of Pampa Cahuana (12,695ft/3,870m). Accommodation: Pampa Cahuana Camp (full-service camping)
Day 7 Follow river to camp at Huayllabamba
Setting off from camp this morning, we follow the canal, which soon drops into a steep-sided valley. The path follows the side of this valley all the way to Paucarcancha, an Inca watchtower which guarded the Pampa Cahuana valley. We have time to explore this small site before continuing to the village of Huayllabamba (10,170ft/3,100m) where we camp for the night. Accommodation: Huayllabamba Camp (full-service camping)
Day 8 Join Inca Trail and summit Dead Woman's Pass
Today we join the main Inca Trail, the iconic trek to Machu Picchu. Today’s journey is both challenging and rewarding, marking the most demanding and best-known stretch of the trail. A slow and steady climb takes us through a cloud forest to the meadows of Llulluchapampa, then we summit Dead Woman’s (Warmihuañusca) Pass, the highest point on the trek at 13,829ft (4,215m). After a well-deserved round of high fives and photos at the summit, we begin our steep descent on original Inca steps to reach our campsite in the scenic valley of the Pacaymayu River (11,811ft/3,600m). Warm up in the dining tent with a hot, fresh meal followed by a well-deserved sleep under the Andean night sky. Accommodation: Pacaymayu Camp (full-service camping)
Day 9 Over Runquracay Pass to the ruins of Sayacmarca and Phuyupatamarca
After a hearty breakfast, we start the day with a climb, which takes us past the ruins of Runquracay and over the Runquracay Pass (12,894ft/3,930m), our second and final pass. From here, the Inca Trail becomes a clearly defined rolling path of flat boulders, providing access to sites only available to those on foot. One of the standout archeological sites we visit is Sayacmarca (11,893/3,625m), perched high above the green cloud forest. From here, we enjoy views of Salkantay mountain as we hike to our spectacular campsite on the ridge above the Inca site of Phuyupatamarca (12,073ft/3,680m), where we can enjoy the sunset and sunrise. Accommodation: Phuyupatamarca Camp (full-service camping)
Day 10 Walk down Inca steps to Wiñay Wayna and Machu Picchu via the Sun Gate
From Phuyupatamarca, we take the famous Inca steps: a 1.2mi (2km) stone staircase that rapidly descends into an immense panorama, with the peaks of the Vilcabamba range above and the Vilcanota River far below. Reaching Wiñay Wayna, we have plenty of time to explore these beautiful ruins and eat lunch before continuing along a relatively flat section of the trail (by Inca standards, through cloud forest and wild orchids to finally reach Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). From here, we get our first full sight of Machu Picchu, with the Huayna Picchu mountain rising behind… congratulations, you made it! Inti Punku is traditionally busy with photo-taking trekkers in the morning, so our late afternoon arrival affords us unobstructed views of the magnificent ruins. We also get a chance to snap some classic photos of Machu Picchu before we take the 30-minute bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes for a shower and comfortable bed for the night. Accommodation: Terraza de Luna (or similar)
Day 11 Guided tour of Machu Picchu; train to Sacred Valley
We start early to beat the day-trippers from Cuzco and reach the ruins as early as possible; buses return us up the winding road to the Machu Picchu entrance. During high season (May to October), there may be a bit of a wait. Machu Picchu is one of the architectural and engineering marvels of the ancient world and, what makes it all the more dramatic, is the staggering mountain backdrop. The Spaniards never found it, the Incas left no records of it, and so it remained an enigma, a city lost for centuries in the jungle until it was rediscovered in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham. Your guided tour highlights the history, culture, architecture and mysteries that Machu Picchu holds to this day. We catch an afternoon train back to Ollantaytambo (1hr 30min) where we stay for the night. Accommodation: Tunupa Lodge (or similar)
Day 12 Explore Ollantaytambo and Pisac; return to Cuzco
We spend a day exploring the Sacred Valley of the Incas, visiting the Inca fortress ruins of Ollantaytambo and Pisac, which tower over the villages of the same name. We also have time to look around Pisac Market, known for handicrafts, before returning by road to Cuzco. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 13 Free day in Cuzco
Today has been left free to relax or explore Cuzco further. There are several optional excursions available, which your tour leader can arrange for you. If you still have the energy, you could choose to mountain bike in the Sacred Valley taking a 18mi-22mi (30km-35km) ride through Moray, Maras and then down to Sacred Valley through ancient communities, farming fields and amazing Andean landscape. Alternatively, you could paddleboard on Lake Piuray near the town of Chinchero. Or, if feeling more subdued, take it easy and watch the world pass in Cuzco’s Plaza de Armas. Accommodation: MamaSara Hotel (or similar)
Day 14 End Cuzco
Begin your return journey home after breakfast. But if you’re not ready for the adventure to end, you can always book onto our Lake Titicaca extension, where you explore the sky-high waters by boat, visit an indigenous community and explore the pre‐Incan site of Sillustani. Alternatively, journey into the wilds on our Amazon Rainforest extension and explore lakes, rivers and jungle trails in search of the abundant wildlife that lives there.
