Late this morning, guests will fly into Heho Airport, the gateway to Inle Lake. Stopping for lunch along the way, guests will transfer to the start of the day’s hike to Inle Lake.

Starting in the Shan hills, this half-day (14km) hike will pass through rolling green hills, farms and villages. Visiting local hill tribes communities offers the chance to observe their lifestyles and farming and craft-making techniques.

After a few hours, the scenery will open up to offer the first views of Inle Lake. As guests get closer a 1000 foot decent leads  down to the lake itself. Guests can stop for tea at one of the local villages before boarding a boat to their hotel.

Overnight in Nyaung Shwe/on Inle Lake

Transfer from HEHO airport to Trekking starting point : up to 1 hour

Trekking: up to 3 hours

Difficulty: Easy

Today, guests will upgrade from two feet to two wheels as they take a full-day cycling trip around the lake. Inle Lake offers great cycling opportunities, as paved, quiet and fairly-flat roads encircle most of it. After breakfast, guests will be fitted for their mountain bikes and head out along the western side of the lake.

Riding through the trees and alongside the towering Shan mountains, guests will be offered views of rice paddies below and the open road ahead. A quick snack break will be made at Khaung Daing village, which is known for its delicious handmade soy bean crackers, tofu and other treats. Just before lunch, arrive at the lakeside village of Indein.

Explore the area on foot, strolling around the village and wandering through the beautiful Alaung Sitthou area. Alaung Sitthou is filled with picturesque stupas and has magnificent views of the lake. Guests will enjoy lunch at one of the local restaurants.

After lunch, guests will hop on a boat with their bikes. Traveling first along a canal from Indein and then across the lake to the village of Nampam, guests will be able to observe the lives of the local Inthar people. Living in stilted houses, farming floating gardens and guiding their boats with their famous one-legged rowing techniques, the Inthar people are unique even among the many tribes in Myanmar.

Arriving in Nampam, guests will get back on their bikes and head out along the eastern shores of Inle Lake. Along the way there will be a chance to stop at the Red Mountain Winery, a collabartion between local Pa-Oh and a French vinter.  After a tour of their wine-making facilities a wine-tasting session will be enjoyed at the hilltop restaurant.  Afterwards, cycle back to Nyaung Shwe.

Overnight in Nyaung Shwe/on Inle Lake

Cycle :  up to 60 km

Difficulty: Medium

Early this morning guests will transfer to the small lakeside village of Kyae Sar Gone. This village is famous in the region for its snacks, such as soybean crackers and tofu cakes. Kyae Sar Gone provides a glimpse into the traditional lives of local people, whose lifestyle has remained relatively unchanged for generations.

At the Kyae Sar Gone monastery, the guide and boatman will unload the kayaks. Guestswill get a few minutes to test their kayaking skills before entering Kyae Sar Gone’s elaborate canal system. Although Inle is the second largest lake in Myanmar, the water is shallow, allowing the local tribes to build entire communities on stilts ‘floating’ over the water. Guests will paddle through small waterways, under and around these traditional floating homes, including the floating gardens that are built up from strips of water hyacinth and mud and anchored to the bottom with bamboo poles.

After paddling through the small channels of a tiny local village, the canal will open up, presenting thevastness of Inle Lake. Cruise alongside local people in canoes as they go about their daily routines before heading to the village of Lin Kin.

After cruising through the waterways of Lin Kin and meeting the locals, the trip will conclude with a visit to Lin Kin Monastery.  A long-tail boat will then be waiting to transfer guests to Nyaung Shwe, and from there to Heho Airport.

Transfer from Nyaung Shwe to HEHO airport: up to 1 hour

Kayak: up to 3 hours

Difficulty: Easy