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 and a visit examines the history and rich culture of the country. Visit some of the city's most important temples such as Wat Visoun, Wat Aham and Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. Enjoy lunch in town at Tamarind restaurant where you will have a chance to sample unusual local specialties. This afternoon, head to Ock Pop Tok to experience textiles in Laos - the history, methods, and cultural significance to the Lao people. Take a break at Le Patio Cafe, located inside the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center (TAEC), and sip a local brew of coffee. Then, take a tour of TAEC, a museum dedicated to exploring the rich diversity of Laos' ethnic minorities. Traditional costumes, tools, and artifacts are on display alongside in-depth descriptions and written histories. 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

For early risers, there is a very special dawn visit to watch the monks collecting alms. As the sun begins to rise, long lines of orange-robed monks leave their pagodas and walk barefoot down the streets collecting offerings from Luang Prabang residents. It is a beautiful, serene ceremony that highlights the spiritualism of the Laos people. After breakfast at your hotel you will be driven out of Luang Prabang through scenic community forests and working farmland to the Hmong village of Ban Long Lao, about 1.5 hours' away. From here, set out through thickly canopied forest and jungle on a 3-hour trek to the cascading turquoise Kuang Si Falls. Jaw-droppingly photogenic and as popular as you might expect, it is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Soothe aching legs with a dip in one of the spring-water pools or continue climbing towards the mountain's peak, where your reward is sweeping emerald views. Animal lovers shouldn't miss the chance to peer into the Bear Rescue Centre next to the falls, a sanctuary and rehabilitation centre for the rare Asiatic Black Bear. Finish at the Laos Buffalo dairy, a social enterprise which helps underprivileged farmers with new sources of income by producing artisanal cheese from buffalo milk. Get up close to the friendly buffalos and help the caretaker to wash and to feed the calves. Finish the tour with a tasting 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 wild and captive elephants rescued from the logging industry and riding camps - is the best and most ethical place to interact with them in them in their natural habitat. 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 at the end of your jungle adventure.

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 great vistas in the surrounding tropical mountains.

Overnight: Mandala Ou

Day 6 100 Waterfalls Trek

An hour's cruise down the Nam Ou River brings you to the start of your waterfall trek today. Hike for an hour before you have to wade through shallow pools as you walk from waterfall to waterfall. It's known as the 100 Waterfall trek for a reason, and you will cover 10km on foot today.

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, from where it is a two hour drive to Muang La.

Overnight: Muang La Resort

Day 8 Minority Hill Tribes around Muang La

In the company of your private guide, you set off in the morning in the direction of Pak Khai; this pleasant hour's drive gives you wonderful views across the river Nam Pak, terraced rice fields and the small villages along the banks of the river. On your arrival, you 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 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, you 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: Muang La Resort

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.

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 the 6th-century stone sculptures in the main ordination hall to prized 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.