You’ll be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel – welcome to Hanoi!

Hanoi, is the capital of Vietnam and a delightful, exciting city. The city is located on the right bank of the Red River and the old French Quarter and many lakes and parks give Hanoi a very special atmosphere. Its history goes back more than 1000 years and the city boasts numerous buildings of historical significance from centuries old pagodas and back alleys to opulent buildings from the French colonial era. You won't be bored in this fantastic city!

This wonderful city is best discovered on foot and today is at leisure to allow you to discover it at your own speed.

Why not visit the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, and enjoy a coffee in one of the many relaxed cafes?

In the early evening you will be transferred to the railway station for your sleeper train journey to Lao Cai.
 

In the early morning you arrive in Lao Cai from where you transfer to Sapa, just 38kms from Lao Cai, a 1 hour journey. Enjoy btreakfast wjilst your room is readied and then set out to explore.

The former French hill station of Sapa beckons next. Located at almost 1500 metres elevation at the foot of Fansipan, Vietnam's highest mountain, scenery-wise it doesn't get much better than this.

Built in 1922, Sapa is well known for its spectacular scenery and the various hill tribes that live nearby. Set at around 1500m it can become very chilly in the winter months.

Most visitors are here to visit the hill tribes (mostly Hmong, Dao and Kinh people) who live in the area. Especially worthwhile is the Saturday market, where various tribes come to sell/buy goods. The ground floor of the market is for food products, but on the first floor the minorities sell their handicrafts, such as blankets, traditional clothes, hats etc. During weekdays too there are plenty of minority people of different tribes in Sapa.

Look forward today to a 4 hour walk to Hmong villages around Sapa. Your guide will be from the Hmong tribe and will explain in detail about their customs, tradition and history. During this exciting walk you will be able to enjoy the magnificent landscapes of Sapa to the fullest.

Although you will not be the first foreigner to visit the villages the local people are welcoming and friendly and this combined (on clear days) with the wonderful scenery means there is no better way of spending a day in this wonderful area.

Today is a free day. It is possible to go on another 1-day trek around Sapa. Several Hmong and Dzay villages are within walking distance of the town. The terrain is mountainous and you might have to cross the river that flow through the area more than once.

Today you will drive to Muong Lay, formerly known as Lai Chau. Total distance today is about 200 kms and it is a fantastic drive. It will take approximately 6 hours. The day starts in spectacular fashion with the drive over the Hoang Lien pass. Enjoy the beautiful vistas.
Drive to Binh Lu. Continue to Tam Duong, which has been renamed Lai Chau. Along the way you will pass numerous minority villages and there is plenty of time for a photostop. At the end of the day you will arrive in Muong Lay.

Muong Lay will be flooded in a couple of years time as part of a huge hydropower project on the Da River. You will have time to wander around this charming town.

After breakfast you will depart for another day of spectacular scenery and minority villages of Flower Hmong, Red Zao, amongst others. As we stop please bear in mind not everyone wants his picture taken so please be considerate in this matter.

In the early afternoon you will reach Dien Bien Phu the site of a historic battle in 1953 in which the Vietminh defeated French forces, an Asian "Waterloo" for the French. The victory here was an important step on the road to independence for Vietnam.

On arrival there will be an excursion to the historical sites of Dien Bien Phu. You will visit Hill D1, the Dien Bien Phu Museum and the former headquarters of French general De Castries.
 

After breakfast you will head for the Laos/Vietnam border at Tay Trang-Ban Panghok, only open since 2007. Here you say goodbye to your Vietnamese guide and driver and, after having completed immigration and customs formalities, will meet your new guide and driver and you're on your way to a new episode of this adventure: into the highlands of Laos.

First stop will be the village Muang Khua where you will have your first taste of Lao food as we pause for lunch. After Muang Khua you will set course for Udomxai, a drive of approximately two and a half hours. Roads are poor and the travelling is adventurous leaving us with the feeling of real exploration.

In the morning you will have some time to walk around the market of Udomxai until we depart for Pak Ou Cave, 250 kms from Udomxai, a drive of about 5 hours. The road leads through the mountains and the views are spectacular and you will pass many villages of the Hmong minority who build their villages above 1000m altitude unlike other tribes. The Hmong are renowned for still dressing in the traditional manner.

There are two caves in the steep rock cliff at the confluence of the Mekong River and Ou River: Tham Ting, the lower cave and Tham Phum, which can be reached by a long stair case. They are full of Buddha images of varying styles, ages and size.

After this visit you will board a private local ‘slow boat’ and set course for Luang Prabang. You’ll cruise at a leisurely pace along the majestic Mekong River for around one hour until you reach Luang Prabang, a stay in which will be one of the highlights of this trip.
 

The town of Luang Prabang is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and that built by the French colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995.

From your hotel you can easily explore the town on foot, our recommendation for you today. Just breathe in the atmosphere, wander through the small alleys, visit the mystical temples (don't forget to dress respectfully and remember to take off your shoes). Enjoy the wonderful mix of Lao and French food, go shopping for textiles (Luang Prabang has some of the best textiles of the country) or take a Bia Lao on one of the terraces along the Mekong River.

Make the easy climb up Mt Phousi from where you have a commanding view over the town. Luang Prabang has an attractive evening market in one of the side streets of Sakkarine Rd, the ideal place to find some great bargains to take home.

After breakfast today you will be collected from the hotel by your guide who will transfer you to an elephant camp, some 15kms from Luang Prabang. The camp is located on the banks of the Nam Khan River and here you will be introduced to your elephant then set off for an entertaining ride of an hour or so to the wonderful Tad Sae waterfall. Here you can take a swim and enjoy lunch before transferring back to the camp by local boat.

You will stay overnight at the Elephant Lodge, a renovated 100 years old farmhouse. This afternoon you can enjoy the tranquillity of the lodge surroundings or engage in one of the activities offered by the lodge.

Today’s drive to Muang Singh is a long one, underlying the adventurous spirit of the trip. It is a charming town located in a beautiful valley with endless ricefields and minority villages.

Muang Singh used to be part of a group of principalities loosely linked under the leadership of a political entity called Sipsongpanna in the south-China province of Yunnan, the current Xishuangbanna district. It is now the commercial centre of a valley with numerous villages of different ethnic minorities, each with their own fascinating culture and traditions.

In the evening you can walk around the large village, and enjoy a delightful dinner in one of the small restaurant.

The main attraction of a visit to Muang Singh are the many different minority villages that can be found in the region. What better way is there to explore by foot with your personal guide as you embark on a full day trek through the Muang Singh valley.

It is an easy walk as the valley floor is almost flat. You will pass through villages of K'mu, Akha, Thai Dam (Black Thai) and Hmong minorities, amongst others. Your guide will tell about their traditions, their way of living and their history and learn how each group’s culture differs.

At the end of the day you will return to Muang Singh and enjoy a well-deserved bottle of the ever present Bia Lao.

Today’s first destination is Luang Namtha and then on to Ban Houaysai. The road has been upgraded recently and what was once was a difficult two day drive is now just 4 hours. The scenery, however, is still magnificent - you’ll enjoy wonderful views. Passing many small villages the local children will almost certainly accost you – they delight in meeting foreigners – and this is a trait common throughout the country because despite widespread poverty Laotians are, as you have no doubt found, a generous and hospitable people.

After you have reached Ban Houaysai you will say goodbye to your Lao guide and driver, cross the Mekong River to Chiang Khong by local boat. On the other side you will self-transfer to your hotel in Chiang Khong, an easy task that requires no guide.

Today you near the end of your adventures as you have a pick up from your hotel and transfer to Chiang Rai airport for your flight to Bangkok. You are met on arrival and transferred to your hotel.

Your tour ends this morning after breakfast. We can assist you with onward arrangements or with travel services such as airport transfers.