LAOTIAN LANDSCAPES

Day 1 Arrive Luang Prabang

Arrive in the UNESCO world heritage town of Luang Prabang and be privately driven to your central hotel, once a royal residence.

Overnight: Satri House

Day 2 Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage town by bicycle

Your private guided cycling tour of the Historical Old Town begins at the National Museum. Once the Royal Palace of Laos, the National Museum is filled with art, artefacts, and jewels. You'll also visit some of the city's most important temples such as Wat Visoun, Wat Aham and Wat Xieng Thong. After lunch, head to Ock Pop Tok to learn about the history and different methods of textiles in Laos, before a fascinating tour of the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC). As the day comes to an end, climb the stairs of Mount Phousi and watch the sun set over the city and surrounding hills. Walk down the other side and explore the hill tribe evening market.

Overnight: Satri House

Day 3 Trekking from a Hmong Village to the Kuang Si Waterfall

Before breakfast, there is a very special dawn visit to watch the monks collecting alms. Later, you will be driven out of Luang Prabang through scenic community forests and working farmland to the Hmong village of Ban Long Lao. From here, set out through thickly canopied forest and jungle on a three-hour trek to the cascading turquoise Kuang Si Falls - the perfect spot for a picnic lunch and quick dip in the water. Next to the falls is the Bear Rescue Centre, a sanctuary and rehabilitation centre for the rare Asiatic Black Bear. Finish at the Laos Buffalo dairy, which helps underprivileged farmers with new sources of income by producing artisanal cheese from buffalo milk. Here, help the caretaker to wash and feed the calves before tasting a platter of different Buffalo-milk cheeses, coffee and delicious homemade ice-cream at the café.

Overnight: Satri House

Day 4 Walking with Elephants

Laos is often referred to by the moniker 'Land of a Million Elephants', and once upon a time, these majestic creatures roamed freely throughout the country. Today, there are thought to be just 700 elephants left in Laos, and Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary - which protects elephants rescued from the logging industry and riding camps - is the best and most ethical place to see them. You'll head deep into the jungle to join the elephants on a gentle trek through thick forest and rice paddies, stopping to feed, wash and play with them under the guidance of their mahouts. A full day visit includes a delicious lunch in the rainforest and a refreshing dip in the wonderfully remote Tad Kuang Song waterfall.

Overnight: Satri House

Day 5 Cruise up the Mekong to Pak Ou and on to Nong Khiaw

Today you will board your motorised long boat, in the company of your guide, for a gentle cruise up the Mekong River to Pak Ou. The famous Pak Ou Caves are filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues and a destination for local pilgrimages. From here you will be driven just under three hours to Nong Khiaw, where you can visit the historical cave of Phathok. The Nong Khiaw villagers used this cave as a war shelter during the "Secret War", to shelter people from bombs dropped in the region. It is about 30 minutes' walk from Nong Khiaw town and follows beautiful sceneries and stunning vistas of the surrounding tropical mountains.

Overnight: Mandala Ou

Day 6 Nong Khiaw Trek

This morning is at leisure for you to relax by the riverside. This afternoon, you will discover the beautiful natural environment with a hike to the top of the mountain following a lush, winding path. Along the trail you'll find places to sit and rest on bamboo benches and get your breath back before continuing your upward exploration. You'll be rewarded at the top of the mountain with a stunning 360-degree panoramic view of Nong Khiaw and the Nam Ou River winding through the surrounding mountains.

Note: the hike covers a distance of two and a half miles. It should take between two to three hours (a maximum of two hours to reach the viewpoint and 45 minutes to descend).

Overnight: Mandala Ou

Day 7 Cruise up the Nam Ou River to Muang La

After breakfast, board your private long tail boat for a cruise up one of the most scenically beautiful stretches of river in Laos. Compared to the Mekong, the Nam Ou is considered more dramatic and wilder and also has far less traffic. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way and spot various local villages as you cruise upstream. In the late afternoon you will arrival a Muan Khua, a small town on the banks of the Nam Ou River, where it is a two-hour drive to Nam Kat Yorla Pa.

Overnight: Namkat Yorla Pa

Day 8 Minority Hill Tribes around Muang La

In the company of your private guide, set off in the morning in the direction of Pak Khai. On your arrival, start your trek along a mountain trail which follows a mountain stream meandering through the lush vegetation. You have the chance to meet the local farmers working in their rice fields and learn how they cultivate their lands, hunt for small game and fish in the mountain stream before you enter the tropical rainforest. After approximately 1.5 hours, you'll leave the forest and arrive in the village of Ban Phavie; a beautiful Khamu village which sits on the top of a hill. After taking your lunch in the village, continue to some nearby waterfalls. You can relax in the cooling clear waters, lulled by the gentle breeze and tranquility of the falls (weather permitting). Head back to the lodge and arrive in the late afternoon.

Overnight: Namkat Yorla Pa

Day 9 Train to Vientiane

Train travel is a great way to get around Laos and the service between Oudomxay and Vientiane only takes three hours. Whilst flying is quicker, the train journey showcases the stunning landscape including the iconic limestone mountains surrounding the riverside town of Vang Vieng. Vientiane is Laos' capital and tonight you can explore it by tuk-tuk to take in the highlights, visit the food market and enjoy a traditional Lao barbecue before heading to 525 in the heart of town. Here you will be warmly welcomed with a cocktails and nibbles, crafted by the specialist mixologists of this beautiful bar. Enjoy the warm ambiance of this historic building before returning to the hotel.

Overnight: Settha Palace

Day 10 Exploring Vientiane

Wat Sisaket, the only temple left standing in Vientiane after the Siamese invasion in 1828, is the starting point for your private guided tour of the city. Its wonderfully elaborate inner sanctum is adorned with murals, and the niches of the colonnaded cloister house almost 7,000 Buddha statues. Nearby Wat Ho Phra Keo has plenty of treasures of its own, from 6th century stone sculptures to Khmer Buddhist stone tablets and palm-leaf manuscripts. Once part of the Royal Palace, it now serves as a museum of religious arts. A glimpse of the Presidential Palace shows the grandeur of Vientiane's colonial history. Climb the stairs at the Patuxay monument, Laos' very own Arc de Triomphe, where you will be rewarded with uplifting views of the entire city. And no tour would be complete without a visit to the glinting golden spire of Pha That Luang, one of the country's most sacred monuments.

Overnight: Settha Palace

Day 11 Depart

Bid farewell to Laos today as you are transferred to the airport for your flight out.

Overnight: Home