Your tour starts with a transfer to your hotel. Welcome to Bangkok – vibrant and exotic capital of Thailand! After arrival you are free to relax.

Today is free to soak up some of the atmosphere of the city and perhaps wander some of its sights. We can recommend a visit to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. Explore the river by long-tailed boat or just wander the network of klongs.

Later this afternoon you will be transferred to the railway station for your overnight train east to Ubon Ratchathani.

This morning you’ll be met at the railway station of Ubon Ratchathani and will drive through the Thai countryside the 90 or so kilometres to the Chong Mek-Vang Tao crossing – the Laos border. Having completed immigration and customs procedures at both the Thai and Lao sides you meet with your private guide and driver and set off for Pakse an hour away.

Laos markets are famous and you’ll have a chance to explore one today as you see the myriad of things for sale… You continue to Tad Fane Resort on the Bolaven Plateau from where you have a dramatic view over the Tad Fane Waterfalls, thundering down a 200-meter deep gorge! The waterfalls are part of Dong Hua Sao National Park, one of 18 protected area in Laos and so there is much endemic fauna and flora to discover.

The Bolaven Plateau is around 1000 metres above sea level and so the hot plains are replaced with a cool, damp climate. As temperatures are mild year round the climate is ideal for growing coffee and tea. Today you’ll enjoy a full-day walk to villages and waterfalls around the Tad Fane Resort. Apart from the Tad Fane waterfall, there are numerous other waterfalls in the immediate vicinity of the resort to discover. In the evening you can enjoy a glass of wine around the fireplace in the Resort.

After a delightful stay on the Bolaven Plateau you continue to the Si Phan Don about 160kms to the south a 4-hour drive. En route we stop of course to explore, first at the Khmer temple Wat Phu, reaching the temple by ferry across the Mekong. Wat Phu, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2002, was built in the 5th century and predates Angkor Wat in Cambodia and is southern Laos greatest cultural attraction.

After lunch you continue south, towards Cambodia, visiting thundering Khone Phapeng Waterfalls - an awesome sight – before you arrive at Don Khong on Khong Island in the magnificent Si Phan Don or 4000 islands.

Khong Island must be one of the most relaxed places in Laos and today we see just why enjoying the beauty of this area to the fullest as we make a boat trip to the islands of Don Det and Don Khone.

On Don Khone we walk to Lipi Waterfall also known as Tad Somphamit; the French built a railway line of just 14 kms on Don Khone in order to bypass the rapids so that the Mekong could be used as a waterway to transport goods and you can still see an old French locomotive as a silent witness of this failed endeavour.

The real pleasure though are enjoying the vistas of the islands – wonderful cameo images of rural, southern-Laos life.
 

After breakfast you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the border, some 40km from Si Phan Don; it will take approximately 1 1/2 hours to get there as you’ll have to cross the Mekong by ferry. Sooasday Cambodia! After having completed immigration and customs formalities you will travel by small, private boat and hour and a half to Stung Treng a town on a beautiful and wild stretch of the Mekong.

Disembarking in Stung Treng you may want to visit the Stung Treng Women’s Development Centre weaving project before continuing to Kratie. The Weaving Center opened in 2003 and is now the "Mekong Blue" production centre, employing nearly 30 women, with 18 looms and 7 sewing machines as well as a dye centre – a worthwhile sustainable project helping lift women from poverty.

Driving to Kratie 145 kms from Stung Treng you will stop at the Kampi Pool where you might be able to spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphin – eyes peeled! Continue to Kratie, a very pleasant riverside town.

Cambodia’s capital beckons however first you’ll take a local ferry to Koh Trung, an island in the Mekong, for a walk on the island and a look at how daily life along the Mekong goes on.

Returning by ferry you’ll start the long drive to Phnom Penh but will pause en route at Kompong Cham to visit the 12th century Angkorian temple of Wat Nokor and the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei: Man and Woman Hill. You will also make a short stop at the village Skuon where the local speciality is deep-fried spiders!

Late this afternoon you will arrive in the capital.
 

A day of sightseeing in the capital and around. First we make a journey to Choeng Ek, the location of the infamous Killing Fields, and Tuol Sleng to learn more about the horrors of Cambodia’s past and pay our respects to the victims during the darkest hours of the dreadful Khmer Rouge rule.

After lunch your time is free. We recommend visits to the must-see sights of the Silver Pagoda and Royal Palace and perhaps a visit to one of the interesting markets such as the Central Market or the Russian Market.

After breakfast today you’ll be picked up by your driver and guide for the journey to Battambang, Cambodia’s 2nd city, 6hrs drive to the west. Along the way you will stop at Udong, capital of Cambodia from the early 17th century until 1866 when the capital was moved to Phnom Penh. Several temples, statues and other structures cover the city’s three hills.

From Udong the view over the countryside is impressive as you continue to Battambang, so you’ll want to stop to explore villages along the way, one of which makes silverware.

On arrival there should be some time to explore a little.

Battambang is a pleasant city with its tree-lined streets, colonial feel and laid-back atmosphere. Several interesting temples and ruins can be found in the area. Wat Ek Phnom is one, located about eight kilometres from Battambang. It is the largest and was probably the most extravagant of the temples.

You will also visit Wat Banan, a ruin atop Phnom Banan (Banan Hill), offering spectacular views of the surrounding plains and Phnom Sampeau, the site of the "Killing Caves": there is a memorial as well as an interesting temple on top of this hill. You will also have the opportunity to make a ride on the bamboo train, quite an unforgettable experience. Late in the afternoon you’ll return to your accommodation in Battambang.

Your epic overland trip through this fascinating region continues as you head to Siem Reap, city of Angkor.

After having settled-in to your hotel you embark on your first visit of the sprawling ruins of Angkor Wat. Angkor is truly the symbol of Cambodia and is a source of great national pride, so much so a depiction of Angkor Wat is part of the Cambodian national flag, the only building to appear on any national flag.

It can’t be emphasised enough just what a wonder the collection of temples at Angkor is and you have plenty of time to explore them over the next 2 days.

Today you will explore some of the main sights of Angkor. Ta Phrom, a real gem of Angkor, has been largely taken over by the jungle and the sight of temple ruins overgrown with the roots of huge fig trees is unforgettable. Visit Preah Khan where the World Monument Fund has a project.

Return to the hotel in the late morning for a break for lunch and a swim and in the afternoon return to Angkor. You will have the whole afternoon for a visit to the main temple, Angkor Wat before returning to you hotel.
 

Today is a free day. You can return to the Angkor complex for another visit but you can also opt for an exciting trip to some of the more remote temples such as Beng Mealea and Koh Ker.

After breakfast you will travel the short distance to Chong Kneas, Siem Reap’s port. Here you will board a sightseeing boat for a short ride on Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. You ride will take you past floating villages and you will get an impression of how life is on the lake.

Later you return to the hotel, check out and transfer to the airport from where you fly to Bangkok. Your tour ends on arrival at Bangkok airport.