Morning pick up at your Chiang Rai hotel and transfer to Chiang Khong, a 2-hour drive through lovely scenery, here to do the immigration formalities for crossing the border into Huay Sai (Laos). Our Lao guide will take you in hand here. Board a slow boat (if the river flow is swift) or a speed boat (if the river is calm) to cruise down the Mekong River and let the scene drift by. Conjure up the exploits of the French explorers who also used this river to penetrate Laos from the mid-nineteenth century for the glory of French civilization. At Pak Beng we disembark. If you have the energy to look around, go ahead; you can’t stray far as the jungle hems you in. Hill tribe villages dot the surrounding hills. Dinner at the lodge. Overnight at Hotel , Pak Beng

Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning departure from Pak Beng in another safe slow boat. (Or a fast one if you prefer.) You spend a lazy morning trailing your hand in the Mekong River water and hear the sounds of the jungle as your boat slips slowly pass. By about noon as your boat takes the last bend of the Mekong River, Luang Prabang sweeps into view – a picturesque jewel-like town that the modern world has forgotten. This former royal city of a long line of Laotian kings is a world heritage site adopted by UNESCO. We rush you to your hotel and leave you there for an hour or so to do whatever you must. Refreshed, you will be taken on an orientation walking tour of the town. Luang Prabang is perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The tranquility and charm of this town with its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in the Mekong region. The street of interest is the main street, Thanon Sisavangvong. Visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham and Wat Mai. We then climb up to the top of Phousi Hill for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as see a beautiful sunset view of the city and the Nam Khan River. Down at the foot of Phousi Hill, we stroll in the street bazaar where you can find lovely collections and handmade textiles of the lowland Laotians and ethnic peoples from the hills surrounding Luang Prabang. Dinner of authentic Lao cuisine at Pakhuay Mixay restaurant. Overnight at Hotel, Luang Prabang.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Morning sightseeing of Luang Prabang to include the city's oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground in the grand style of Lao classical temple architecture. We then board a boat to cruise up the Mekong River to the Pak Ou caves. The riverine views soothe the eyes and conjure up bygone days of simplicity and serenity as the countryside slips by. Visit the interesting and mysterious Pak Ou caves crammed with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Sang Hai, where they make the potent local rice wine. On the return, we take a short drive to Ban Sang Khong and Ban Xienglek, well known for its hand-made jute and saa papers. We drive back to the city following the scenic river as it flows down the valley. Have a French set dinner at “L’Elephant Blanc” restaurant. Overnight at Hotel, Luang Prabang.

This morning you may want to rise early at about 6am to participate in the daily morning Buddhist ritual of giving food to a file of saffron-robed monks carrying their black alms bowls and walking slowly pass along the street in single file while devotees kneel by the roadside and reverently put things into the alms bowls to gain merit for themselves and others. Return to the hotel for our buffet breakfast. This morning we visit the morning Phosi Market where you will see such diverse produce as dried buffalo skin, skinned live frogs, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Not to be missed is the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a unique collection of artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit the pottery villages of Lao Loum at Ban Xom and Ban Thapene. Lunch at Malee Restaurant. Then we drive to the lovely Kuangsi waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the shady forest paths. A stop at Ban Phanom, a local village well known for its weaving to see the simple lifestyle and local handicrafts, can be made before we return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon. From Wat Siphouthabath we can see a lovely sunset over the town and the Nam Khan River. Upon your descent from Phousi Hill the nightly Hmong makeshift market along the main street would be in full swing. Dinner at Indochina Spirit restaurant of Lao cuisine. Overnight at hotel, Luang Prabang.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Morning visit to the central market as we drive to the airport to board our flight to Vientiane. At the airport, our local guide will meet us and transfer us to our hotel for check-in. We go on a half-day city tour seeing 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 imposing sacred structure and symbol of Laos, That Luang Stupa. Lunch of Lao cuisine at Kua Lao restaurant. Overnight at hotel, Vientiane.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the short morning flight to Xieng Khouang for an excursion to the mysterious "Plain of Jars" where hundreds of large stone jars are clustered in a vast plain. In spite of severe devastation by American bombings between 1964 and 1973, many of these artefacts remain intact. Here is a unique and impressive archaeological site that scholars are still debating over. We will have time this afternoon to see the old capital of Muang Khoun province and the nearby villages, home to the Hmong hill tribe and Thai Dam people. They have an interesting local culture and a colourful history. Overnight at Hotel, Xieng Khong

Breakfast at the hotel. Visit the central market, then free at leisure for your own exploration of the town before we catch a flight back to Vientiane. After checking into hotel, if time permits, we continue our sightseeing tour of Vientiane visit the impressive Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge and the Buddha Park, a display of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by a mystical monk on parkland located by the Mekong River. A view of the spectacular sunset over the Mekong River is a nice way to finish the day. Overnight at Hotel, Vientiane.

Buffet breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the early flight to Pakse. On arrival, we drive on the National Road 13 southwards to Champassak and visit the ruins of Wat Phou, which is well known as the most important Hindu sanctuary of the Khmer empire between 9th-13th centuries. Here is also a chance to visit some nearby Khmer temples and Buddhist shrines. We continue our way to Khong Island by a local slow boat admiring the views as we sail along. Overnight at hotel, Khong Island.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we enjoy a cruise venturing into the widest reach of the Mekong River from where thousands of islets jut out in the dry season, giving this area a lovely name "Si Phan Done". Along the way, we stop at the Liphi waterfalls and the fishermen village of Ban Khone. On the return, we take a short drive to the Lao-Cambodia border at Weukham and the sight of Khone Phapheng, which is reputedy South-East Asia's largest waterfall. Overnight at hotel, Khong Island.

Breakfast at the hotel. Upon leaving Khong Island, we continue our journey towards Tatlo, through the Bolaven plateau where tea and coffee plantations produce high quality tea-leaves and beans. The vegetation is lush and the red basaltic soil all along the way is incredible to behold. En route, there are some opportunities to explore a part of the Bolaven plateau and visit some hill tribe villages of the Katu, Alack and Nge ethnic minority peoples. Return to Pakse by late evening. Overnight at Hotel, Pakse.

Breakfast at the hotel. There is free time for your own exploration of Pakse town before either catching a flight to Siem Reap (Cambodia) to enjoy another tour with Mekong Treks, or be transferred overland to exit Laos at the Chongmek border checkpoint to Ubon Rachathani (Thailand) airport.

Overnight at

1 Pax

2 Pax

3-5 Pax

6-9 Pax

Sgl.Suppl.

Standard Class (2*)

1961

935

755

671

165

Superior Class (3*)

2218

1052

872

788

223

First Class (4*)

2585

1228

1041

964

392

Deluxe Class (5*)

3080

1477

1276

1213

630