Flight: TG574 Bangkok - Vientiane 18.25 - 19.45

Meet & greet: Upon arrival at Vientiane airport, you will be welcomed to Laos by your private English-speaking guide, and then transferred to your hotel for a 2 night stay.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Lao Poet Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Morning tour of Vientiane: This morning, visit the enchanting Haw Phra Kaew, built in the 16th century by the royal family to hold the emerald Buddha and with an exquisite collection of religious art. Continue to the Siamese style Wat Si Saket and the That Luang Stupa, the bright golden monument which represents a lotus bud and is used as a symbol of the Lao nation. End the tour at the imposing Patuxay Monument, Vientiane's very own Arc de Triumph.

Afternoon at leisure: Have the afternoon to explore Vientiane independently.

Evening tour of Vientiane: This evening, have a guided tour of the city by Lao tuk-tuk, taking in an atmospheric food market serving delicious local delicacies.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Lao Poet Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Train and road journey to Muang La: This morning you will be transferred to the high-speed railway station in time to board the train to Oudomxay. The journey will take around two and a half hours. On arrival at Oudomxay you will be met by your guide who will transfer you the rest of the way to your accommodation, stopping on the way for sightseeing.

Sightseeing around Oudomxay: You will visit the spectacular 18 km long Chong Ong caves with their impressive stalagmite and stalagtite formations. Following this, you will visit the unique village of Ban Nam Plaa, where many of the residents have Khmer ethnicity. Continue to your accommodation in the mid-afternoon to relax and enjoy the scenery.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Nam Kat Yorlapa (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning trek to a minority village: This morning, you will be met by a guide and taken in a 4x4 vehicle, to begin a trek to a remote hill tribe village located near Muang La. At the village, there will be the opportunity to learn about the residents' traditional farming methods, before continuing the trek through tropical rainforest, and onto Ban Phavie, a picturesque ethnic Khamu village located atop a hill. Finish with a hike to a picturesque waterfall where you'll enjoy a scenic picnic lunch before returning to your accommodation. For those not wishing to hike, alternative excursions can be arranged.

Afternoon & Evening: The remainder of the day can be spent relaxing in the natural hot springs, taking a traditional massage and enjoying the excellent local French-Lao cuisine in the restaurant.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Nam Kat Yorlapa (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road and boat transfer to Nong Khiaw: After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for the two hour drive to Muang Khua, where you will board a boat for the spectacular journey downstream to Nong Khiaw. After around two and a half hours, you will disembark and board a minivan for a short trip to pass the new Nam Ou Dam, before boarding a second boat for the downstream part of the boat journey to Nong Khiaw (another two hours). This particular stretch allows you glimpses of stunning limestone karst scenery and remote villages, including Ban Sob Jaem, a Khmu and Hmong village that can only be accessed by boat.

Afternoon at leisure, with an optional tour to Tham Pha Thok Caves: This afternoon, you have some time at leisure, with the option of taking a cycling or walking tour to the caves of Tham Pha Thok (time-permitting). These caves are located just over a mile outside Nong Khiaw, where locals took shelter from bombings during the Second Indochina War. Please note that the bicycles will need to be rented locally from your lodge - your guide can assist you with this.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Mandala Ou Resort (Riverview Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Road journey from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang: This morning, you will head south by road to Luang Prabang. The morning drive brings you out into rolling countryside, where you can admire the beauty of the Nam Ou River and the surrounding rice paddy fields. Along the way, we stop to visit the mysterious caves of Pak Ou, two caves set in a limestone cliff facing the Mekong River crammed with thousands of Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Arrive in Luang Prabang at around lunchtime, where you will have the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Maison Dalabua (Grand Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Morning Luang Prabang ancient city tour: You can discuss with your guide the option of an early morning start (5.30am) to witness and partake in the daily morning ritual of ‘Tak Bat’, or giving alms to the monks. This is a unique ritual still followed by the locals in Luang Prabang.  Afterwards you can also visit the local fresh market to see how the locals shop, before returning to your hotel for breakfast. Afterwards, your tour starts with a visit to the quaint Royal Palace Museum, which gives a good overview of the local history. Next you will visit the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roof sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Luang Prabang style. You can also visit the excellent ‘Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre’, which gives a great insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos. Your final stop of the morning is a climb to the top of Mount Phousi, which offers a spectacular panoramic view over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River.

Afternoon at leisure: This afternoon is free to explore this picturesque & atmospheric ancient capital independently. A side trip to the Kuang Si waterfalls or Pak Ou caves is recommended and can be arranged either in advance or through your guide. Staying within the city, there are a number of excellent cooking classes, plus great shopping opportunities in local craft centres.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Maison Dalabua (Grand Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

At leisure: Today is at leisure to explore Luang Prabang further, or take an optional excursion. These include elephant sanctuary experiences, mountain biking tours or a cooking class.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at Maison Dalabua (Grand Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Private transfer: After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Pakse.

Flight: QV513 Luang Prabang - Pakse 10.40 - 12.20

Afternoon tour of Wat Phou: On arrival in Pakse, you will be met by your guide and driven to the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou, one of Southeast Asia's most dramatically situated temples. Founded in the first decades of the 9th century by Jayavarman II, the first king of an independent Khmer nation, Wat Phou served for some time as the Khmer capital. Wat Phou is often compared to Angkor, not only because it was built in the same style but because it too was lost to the jungle for centuries. Whilst the structures themselves are thrilling, it is the jungle overgrowth that creates the atmosphere. The Wat stood unused for centuries because it is a Hindu temple in what became a devoutly Buddhist land. Afterwards, continue to your accommodation on the island of Don Daeng.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at La Folie Lodge (Mekong View Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast

Explore the Bolaven Plateau by Jeep: After breakfast, cross by boat to the mainland and travel by road to the cool plains of the Bolaven Plateau. En route, you will stop at the picturesque twin chute waterfall at Tad Fan. Later, transfer to a vintage Jeep to visit the Tad Moun waterfall and a fascinating coffee plantation where you can learn about coffee production and sample the local brew, whilst the host prepares a delicious home-cooked lunch. Continue the adventures by Jeep taking in the impressive Tad Lo falls, before returning to Don Daeng in the late-afternoon.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at La Folie Lodge (Mekong View Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Full day tour of the Four Thousand Islands: After breakfast this morning, travel south by road for around an hour until reaching the village of Ban Hatsaikhone, to board a small local boat that will weave the channels of the 4000 Islands before arriving at Khone Island. Take a tour of the islands by bicycle, starting by re-tracing the French colonial-past, where some old colonial houses still stand and glimpse the first Lao railway with its own locomotive. Continue exploring with a visit to the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as the Samphamith, which forms a natural border between Lao and Cambodia. Return to your boat to head back to the mainland and drive to the famous waterfall of Khone Phapeng - the largest waterfall in South East Asia, also known as the 'Niagara of the East'. Drive back to Champasak in the late afternoon. For those not wishing to cycle, alternative arrangements can be made.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at La Folie Lodge (Mekong View Bungalow)

Meals: Breakfast