Myanmar 2024 photo tour

There is an amazing country in the world that words cannot describe. A country where early in the morning, before the first rays of the sun touch the majestic Irrawaddy River, monks walk the streets of towns and villages with bowls for food, collecting food for the day, just as they did in Buddha's time. And the villagers gratefully come out onto the streets to feed the monks and receive blessings. Just above the horizon, the sun rushes to light hundreds and thousands of golden pagodas, which will burn all day until sunset, like thousands of little suns. And then, following the main light, they will plunge into the waters of the great river, along the banks of which many fishermen cast heavy nets every day, just as their ancestors did many years ago, to catch fish to feed the family waiting for them at home. The girls here are austere and extremely beautiful, free and reserved, with flowers painted with tanaka cream blooming on their cheeks every morning, both as jewellery and as protection from the sun. The men are reserved and strong, as befits the descendants of one of the most freedom-loving peoples, and the long skirts only emphasise their austerity and identity. Even the reddish dust of the streets, which touches the edges of the men's skirts and the soles of the girls' sandals, is something special here - soaked in the sun and full of the aromas of herbs, trees, spices and human destiny. It is a country that can be talked about endlessly, but it is better to see and feel it at least once. A country that Kipling wrote poems about..... One of our favourite countries, to which we will be returning for the 11th time. And we will be happy to share our love for this beautiful, amazing country. Of course we can only talk about Myanmar.... 

Main experiences and impressions

- The tradition of feeding the monks.
- Dawn and sunset photography in the most beautiful places in the country.
- The fishermen's life. Traditional and very photogenic ways of fishing.
- Buddhist monasteries. Life from the inside.
- Buddhist and traditional schools.
- Towns and villages, rural life.
- Monuments of art and architecture. Gigantism in the creations of the era of King Mindat.
- Life on the river. Settlements.
- Traditions of stone artisans.
- Ancient pagodas at Bagan.
- The unique Buddhist complex at Indein.
- Life on Inle Lake. Floating vegetable gardens. Lotus farms. Unique tradition of one-foot rowing.
- Monastery of jumping cats.
- Peanut fields, villages, buffalo. (It is highly likely that we will be able to film buffalo bathing).
- Many markets and bazaars.
- Local dress and jewellery.
- Boat rides on the lake.
- The colour of Yangon's Chinese quarter. Chinese temple. The markets. Shooting on the quay.
- Shwedagon - the main Buddhist pagoda in SEA. A city within a city.
- Traditions and beliefs of the people of Chin State. Women with facial tattoos.
- Traditions of the long-necked people. Women with rings around their necks.
- National cuisine of different peoples of Myanmar. 

The programme for our next 11 trips to Myanmar is based on the results of our previous 10 trips to this amazing country. From the very first trip we fell in love with Myanmar and each time we return with joy and each time Myanmar gives us new encounters, new discoveries and new impressions. In the 2024 programme we have included the most interesting and important places for this country, things that are, as they say, a must see. And, of course, in each city we will see only the best and most interesting, tested by our own experience - the most interesting monasteries, pagodas, markets, villages, schools and much more. 

Myanmar is perhaps the only country in the world where almost everyone has been a monk and lived in a monastery. There is probably no other country where the influence of Buddhism on people's lives has been so great (perhaps with the exception of Tibet and Bhutan, but that's another story). Every morning, lines of monks march through the streets of cities, towns and villages to collect food. Monasteries are as common as schools. And if you look from above, you can always see the golden tops of Buddhist pagodas, picturesquely scattered among the hills. So it is not surprising that visiting monasteries and Buddhist temples, taking photographs and interacting with monks will be one of the main themes of this trip. It is no coincidence that the image of the Buddhist monk is one of the key images of Myanmar.

Our journey begins in Mandalay, the ancient capital of Myanmar. Mandalay is multifaceted, as deep as the waters of the Irrawaddy River on whose banks it sits. Each of us will discover our own Manadalai and we will have the opportunity to create our own images of this ancient city and tell them in photographs or perhaps poems.

Sagain, the city of nunneries, is another amazing place near Mandalay. There are many Buddhist nunneries of different sizes on the picturesque hills on the banks of the river. A visit to Sagain is like a trip to another world.

There are female Buddhist monasteries in many eastern countries, but nowhere are there as many as in Myanmar. This is because in Myanmar, unlike in other Asian countries, women have the same rights as men. And the opportunity to live in a monastery is an opportunity for a woman to choose for herself the path of spiritual development and spiritual life, and not just to devote herself to family and children, as is the practice in many other countries. It is no coincidence that in Myanmar the position equivalent to Prime Minister is held by a woman. We will not only go to Sagaing, but also visit the most interesting monasteries, get to know the daily routine and way of life, see how food is prepared and communicate with the nuns.

 

Another iconic place in Myanmar is Bagan, the former capital of the Bagan (or as it is sometimes translated, Pagan) Kingdom. A small village, its surroundings are dotted with ancient pagodas of all shapes and sizes. Inside the pagodas are images of Buddha. If you look at the pagodas from above, it is a truly amazing sight.

Although Burma is largely a Buddhist country, there are regions where pagan tribes still live with their traditions and cultural peculiarities. And without getting to know them, your knowledge of the country would not be complete. One of the most interesting, in my opinion, is the Chin people. Their villages are lost in the dense forests on the slopes of mountains, the highest point of which is Victoria Peak - 3090 metres, for a country like Myanmar is not small. The men are known as brave hunters, and the women are famous for having their faces tattooed as children. There is no precise answer as to why. There are several legends told to curious tourists by tour guides. We will definitely get to know these people, their beliefs, traditions and legends during our trip.

Another legendary place in Myanmar is of course Inle Lake, famous for its fishermen, floating villages, floating vegetable gardens and the amazing way the locals row and steer their boats with their feet instead of their hands. All of this, plus the amazing Indein complex - a real place of power in these parts - and a large forest monastery await us on our visit to the lake.

And, of course, no visit to Myanmar would be complete without seeing Shwedagon - the largest Buddhist pagoda in the SEA. The place is not only amazing, but a place with an amazing atmosphere that cannot be expressed in words. A place that has to be seen. To see it we will fly to Yangon, the capital of the country. This is also the end of our Myanmar tour. 

Myanmar Photo Tour Price

The price is $2,160 per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement is $400.

The hotels we stay at during our Myanmar tours.

The price includes

- 2 local flights.

- Transfer to Bagan in comfortable vehicles.

- Transfer to Mindat and travel in Chin State by private vehicles.

- Comfortable accommodation in 3-4 star hotels throughout the programme.

- All in-country transfers and transfers, airport pick ups and drop offs.

- Boats, taxis, all transfers throughout the programme.

- Entrance fees to protected areas, geological fees, etc.

- Guides and escorts en-route. Local guide in Chin State.

- Breakfast.

- Assistance and escort on route.

- Photo programme.

Price does not include

- Flights to and from Myanmar. If necessary, we can help you purchase tickets from your city.

- Visa. If necessary, we can arrange registration.

- Medical insurance.

- Lunch and dinner. Depending on your appetite and preferences. On average between $5 and $15 per person.

- Personal spending for souvenirs.

- Tips.

Reservations are 30% prepaid. A further 40% of the cost of the tour must be paid at least one month before departure. The balance is payable on the first day of the tour. If the participant cancels the trip for any reason, the deposit is non-refundable. Minor changes to the itinerary are permitted.

Photography Programme

Discovering and exploring the world through photography

Photography in our travels becomes another way of communicating, learning and interacting with the new world. Through photography we communicate with people, we learn to see and notice more, photography pushes us to explore more deeply and at the same time gives us more impressions and vivid emotions.


Shooting in the morning and evening

There are more and more opportunities to shoot bright and expressive images during the day. We try to structure our schedule so that we can be at interesting locations during regular shooting hours, leaving travel and rest for the day.


Time to shoot and create

Photography is a creative process in its own right, and it takes time. Lack of time to shoot is a perennial problem on most tours. We are aware of this and make sure that there is enough time for photography and creativity.


The chance to shoot your own photo story

Telling stories through photos, sharing what you have seen and experienced, turning individual shots into poems, stories and novels - what could be more exciting? Even more so when the results of our travels and photo tours are published in magazines. Want to tell your story? We will be happy to help you every step of the way, from choosing a subject to selecting photos. The main thing is to write to us before you go.

Portrait photography, people's lives

People and their lives are the most interesting thing in any country and on any trip. That's why we always pay a lot of attention to portrait photography. Do you want to learn how to photograph people even better when travelling and gain new experiences? We're on our way!


Discussing and reviewing the photos

After each trip we have a big review of the participants' photos. Some time has passed, the equipment has settled down, everyone has made their choices - it's time to discuss the photos. The post-trip photo review is free for all participants.


Creative team, experience of other photographers

We always have small but very lively and creative groups of like-minded people who are passionate about photography. We often have well known and experienced photographers travelling with us and it is a pleasure to shoot with them. The exchange of experience and creative charge is an important part of a good trip.

And of course it is important that we shoot together - all the photos on the website are taken during the tours. Each participant has the opportunity to see the whole creative process from the inside, to become part of it, to see how these photos are taken. Amazing locations, unique programmes multiplied by creativity and photography - the formula for a perfect trip, proven over the years. Join us!