Burma has a long history of Islamic migration, originally brought by traders from the Indian subcontinent and farther Middle East. Little-known to the outside world, the last of the Indian Mughal emperors, Bahadur Shah Zafar, who was also a widely revered Sufi mystic saint, died in 1862 and was entombed in Yangon following his exile there by the British. The tour includes visits to a number of downtown historic mosques, followed by a visit to Dargah Bahadur Shah Zafar, the emperor’s mausoleum. Included will be an in-depth exploration of the critical role played by the mystical and intensely spiritual Myanmar Sufi tradition in the practice of the wider Islam religion throughout the Muslim world, as well as lunch on premises with personal interactions with community members.

Tour includes an introduction to the history, architecture, culture and religious beliefs of several mosques in the Yangon area, as well as lunch.