Khiri Travel Myanmar has announced a flexible walking and boating itinerary of around four days in the highlands of southern Shan State of Myanmar. The trip gives tour operators alternative options in the Inle Lake region.
In a first for Myanmar, Khiri Travel has linked Pekon, Samkar and Inle lakes in one trip inspired by the ‘chalet to chalet’ trekking of Switzerland and New Zealand. In Myanmar the hiking is easier with guests’ luggage being transferred ahead each day to accommodation, which is typically a lodge with comfortable rooms, proper bed linens and private w/c.
The trips use local boats to link rewarding sections of hiking of about 15km a day. The walks are doable by anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Some of the most memorable highlights of the trip are the Shan food discoveries along the way, says Khiri Travel Myanmar Managing Director, Edwin Briels, who researched and created the trip.
“Home-made pumpkin soup, bamboo shoot and zucchini leaves salad with crushed peanuts and farm-made Shan noodles were among my favourite dishes along the way,” he says. “The trip is a perfect combination of food, views, forest walks, cultural insights and a well-earned lakeside sunset drink at the end of the day.”
The north-south trip alternates between east and west bank of the lakes. Some sections are high in the hills with great views. Some parts go through lakeside villages with markets, monasteries and pagodas. The landscape is diverse, ranging from plantations and paddy terraces to bamboo forests, community woods and Pa O tribal villages rarely visited by overseas visitors.
For travel agents and tour operators, Briels says Khiri Travel is the first DMC to offer ‘luxury’ multi-day tours in the three-lake area, instead of just focussing on Inle. It’s also a more upmarket alternative to the Kalaw to Inle Lake hiking route popular with backpackers.
To experience a heightened connection on the trip, Briels recommends visitors read Children of the Revolution by Feroze Dada. It is a true story from the area about a visitor who meets a freedom fighter and a monk. They inspire the author and his wife to help over 600 children living a monastery in the southern part of Inle Lake.
Khiri Travel’s flexible three-lake itinerary is available for travel agents to view here. Tour operators and travel agents seeking more information should email: myanmar@khiri.com.
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