Day 01: Arrival Vientiane

On arrival at Wattay Airport or Friendship Bridge, you are met and transferred to our centrally located hotel. The charming and fascinating capital of Laos, Vientiane is located on the Banks of the Mekong River. This  small city conjures up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. After a short rest, we start our city tour with Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. The following sight is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the imposing Patouxai Monument well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triomphe before continuing to the great sacred structure and symbol of Laos, That Luang Stupa. O/N in Vientiane.

Day 02: Vientiane - Luang Nam Tha

The journey northwards begins as we board our flight to Luang Namtha, a land of rugged mountains, beautiful forest and rich river plain. This mountainous region is also sharing the border with China and Myanmar. There are over twenty ethnic groups who are settled in Luang Nam Tha, making it one of the most ethnically diverse provinces in Laos. No activities are planned so you can stroll around the town or just relax at the riverside retreat until the briefing for our trekking days. O/N in Luang Namtha.

Day 03: Luang Nam Tha - Ban Nalan

Heading out of the town, we take a short drive to Ban Chalernsuk, a Khmu minority village at 20km away from Lung Nam Tha. We get well and truly off the beaten track as we trek into this beautiful mountain region, using the local tracks. The journey is quite strenous with many steep uphill and down hill walking but the verdant and rugged mountain scenery combined with the colorful local population makes for an unforgettable experience. We finish our walking day on arrival at Ban Nalan where we are the guest of a Khmu family. The accommodation is very simple and dormitory style, no western facilities. O/N in Ban Nalan.

Day 04: Ban Nalan - Ban Namlu - Luang Nam Tha

The trekking leads us along the bank of the river to Ban Namkoy, passing the picturesque landscape of forest and rice fields. The forest here varies from small patches of old tree to never grown of bamboo. On arrival at Ban Namkoy we embark on a three hour walk uphill. This trek is a real challenge ; however some physical preparation will enable you to maximize enjoyment from the walk. Along the way we pass through several hamlets , and are sure to attraction attention as this part of the country receives very few visitors. At the small village of Ban Namlu, we meet up with our truck and drive back towards Lung Nam Tha Town. O/N in Luang Nam Tha.

Day 05: Luang Nam Tha - Xiengkok - Muang Sing

An early morning departure towards Muang Sing which is home to verious hill tribe groups including Akha, Laos, Dao. There is also a significant Chinese population and a lot of trade goes on between here and China. On the way we visit an Akha minority village. This ethnic group was originally in China but immigrated into Laos down centuries. They are very poor , but have an interesting culture and a colorful history. Upon leaving this village, we drive west, travelling by bumpy roads to Xieng Kok, a border town near the golden triangle. In late afternoon, we drive back to Muong Sinh with stopover at the Lantern minority village. O/N at Muang Sinh.

Day 06: Muang Sing - Luang Nam Tha - Luang Prabang

The bustling morning market and the impressive museum of Ethnology are not to be missed. We visit these sights before we drive back to Luang Nam Tha for a flight to Luang Prabang. This royal former capital with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop has been claimed to be “ the best preserved traditional city in South East Asia. After checking into hotel, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the shrine of Wat Aham and city's oldest temple of Wat Wisunalat, the Wat Mai with five tiered roofs. We also climb 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Mekong River. The zigzag path crosses over various temples to the sacred, gilded stupa of Wat Phousi at the summit. O/N in Luang Prabang.

Day 07: Luang Prabang - Pakou - Luang Prabang

Today we continue seeing this town with the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan River. The temple structures are decorated in various ways with gilded stuccoes and doorways while the main sim has a marvellous 'tree life' mosaic pattern on an outer wall. We then board a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, stopping along the way at Ban Xang Hai where villagers make the potent local rice wine. This exciting boat trip will take us through the stunning scenery to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, which are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. After exploring these caves we return to the town and transfer to Ban Phanom famous for hand weaving. O/N in Luang Brabang.

Day 08: Luang Prabang - Vientieane

The exploration of  Luang Prabang would be not complete without a visit to the national museum at the former Royal Palace. This interesting structure displays a lovely collection of treasures and artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. We wander through the charming streets and catch up on some last minute shopping, before we take a short flight back to Vientiane. On arrival we head out to see the impressive Friendship Bridge which links Laos and Thailand, and the Buddha Park. This landmark represents a curious blend of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monk on a parkland located by the Mekong River. A perfect way to round off the day is to watch the spectacular sunset over the Mekong River from one of riverside bars. O/N in Vientiane.

Day 09: Vientiane Departure

There is a free time for your own exploration of the city or strolling around the shopping areas. The trip ends after your transfer to Wattay Airport or Friendship Bridge for departure.