Your vacation starts as we meet you at Hanoi airport (Noi Bai), and you’re taken directly to your hotel. Then you are free. Overnight in Hanoi.

Your trip begins with 2 hours drive to Ninh Binh to visit ancient capital of Vietnam from 968 AD to 1010 AD during the Dinh and Early Le Dynasties. You’ll visit two small temples of the Kings, each of which is nearly a thousand years old. From here you start cycling in the quiet countryside roads to the spectacular limestone peaks to Tam Coc, passing colourful rice paddies and through the rural villages.

Lunch is served in Tam Coc in the local restaurant. After lunch you will take a traditional boat trip to visit Tam Coc often named as Shadow of Halong Bay with Limestone peaks, rice paddy field spreading along your paddling, beautiful cave the boat ride about 2:30 minute before disembark for return trip to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, you start your trip by being driven to Bat Trang ceramic village. You'll then pick up your bicycles and ride along the river bank, through some more villages surrounding Hanoi. The total distance on bicycles is about 7km along a small road that runs beside a tributary of the Red River. When you get there you'll have time to walk around the small alleys of this old village to observe the local people producing their fine products and visit some of the houses used as workshops and showrooms.

After your picnic lunch you'll be back in the car again and be driven to Dong Ho printing village - famous for its traditional paintings. It is the only village where people know how to make the "Dzo" painting with completely natural materials. You will be back to Hanoi in the late afternoon and have some free time to relax before a transfer to the station for overnight train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train.

The train arrives in Lao Cai early in the morning and you'll have breakfast at Lao Cai station before driving to Sapa. At an elevation of 1,500 meters, Sapa was once a hill resort of French administrators when the summer heat became unbearable. The remoteness and the simple lifestyle of ethnic minority people are a highlight of Sa Pa. Its breathtaking landscapes and winding mountain roads make for spectacular cycling, especially if you're lucky enough to get a sunny day.

You start your adventure with a nice downhill to Lao Chai village. The ride takes us into one of the most beautiful valleys of the area. From Lao Chai you turn go off-road on a dirt trail, which runs through rice fields and villages, home to different minorities such as Black Hmong, Giay. You then arrive in Tavan village, spend some time visiting a local house before getting on your car to return to Sapa. The rest of time is free at leisure so you'll have plenty of time to wander around Sapa and its friendly people. Overnight in Sapa.

After breakfast at hotel this morning group will check out and continues to visit a local market on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday depend on your arrival date visit many minority groups like Flower H’mong, Black Zao, Zay…come to trade for their weekly plan

After lunch, you drive downhill for about half an hour. You will then start a short walk to Trung Do village, which belongs to the Tay minority. Here you can stop by a traditional Tay house for a cup of tea before you get on a boat. You will have a cruise downstream the Chay River to experience the picturesque scenes and the magnificent sight of a beautiful cave. The boat ride ends at Bao Nhai Bridge, where you get on the car for the journey back to Lao Cai for overnight train to Hanoi.

When you get to Hanoi station early in the morning, you are met then transfer to hotel to check in for a leisure day for relax or shopping on your own activities. Overnight in Hanoi.

On arrival in Luang Prabang, spend the afternoon transfer from Luang Prabang International Airport to your hotel, time permitting climb Mount Phousi, with its 328 steps, it’s a rewarding walk as once at the summit you’ll have for a fabulous panorama view over the town centre and the mighty Mekong River and beyond. We return to your hotel late afternoon and the evening will be at your leisure.

Luang Prabang is a fascinating historical city with a delightful mix of Buddhist temples and French Colonial buildings. In fact, it is still very much a rural kind of city in comparison to neighboring countries. Our first stop is Wat Visoun: which is a replica of an older Temple which was erected in the same place back in 1513, this Wat houses numerous religious art treasures. Next we head to Wat Xieng Thong a royal Wat built on the banks of the Mekong river built in 1559 which has remained relatively undamaged by the various invasions mainly Chinese over the centuries. This temple is decorated extensively with impressive carving, murals and mosaics.

After lunch we’ll visit the Laotian Royal Palace officially known as Haw Kham which was built during the French colonial era for the King and his family. The site was chosen so that official visitors to Luang Prabang could disembark from their river voyages directly by palace and be received there. In 1975, the monarchy was overthrown and the Palace was then converted into a National museum. Today it houses many artifacts which showcase the richness of Laotian culture. We’ll continue on to enjoy the atmosphere at Wat Mai built in 1796 and sits at the foot of Mount Phousi.

After breakfast, we’ll take you on an amazing long tail boat journey along the Nam-Ou & Mekong Rivers, through the beautiful Laotian countryside all the way to Luang Prabang, passing by the local villages and seeing the real everyday life of the villagers going about their chores including fishing, trading & washing along the rivers on our 5 hour journey. We’ll stop on the way to see the fascinating Pak Ou caves, which in fact are a cave system of two interlinked caves, crammed full of Buddha statues left behind by pilgrims over generations and then we’ll observe the traditional process of rice wine distillation in Ban Sanghai, before returning to Luang Prabang early afternoon. We’ll make a couple more stops at the royal temple of Wat Longkhoun and Wat Chomphet. Spend the rest of the day to stroll around and enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage town.

This morning you may want to wake up early and participate in the daily early morning ritual of saffron-clad monks with their black Alms-giving bowls being given offerings from the local people, including the ubiquitous sticky rice. From there you will visit the morning Phou Si Market where you will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpetre among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.

Laos is also known for its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local village of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Quay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Khoang Si Waterfall where you can splash around in the pools or walk along the forest paths, return to Luang Prabang by late afternoon and the evening will be at your leisure

After breakfast we will depart Luang Prabang heading through the beautiful countryside, along windy roads to Xieng Khouang, located in mountainous lush surroundings, this is the area well known for the archaeological finds of the mystical Plain of Jars, stone structures, dating back to between 500 BC – 500 AD. Spend the afternoon at the Plain of Jars site 1, the biggest jar weighs about 12 tons with good and unknown history.

Spend the day exploring the Plain of Jars sites, these stone structures are shrouded in mystery, some relics found date back to 2000 BC, and definitely from the times of the bronze and iron ages. It is believed that these jars were used through the centuries and by differing civilizations as part of funeral rituals. Take a short trek to Tai Dam and Lao Leum villages. Relax at the Thermal springs at Baw Yai and Thiam-Piu-Cave where Lao lost over 200 people during Indochina war.

We’ll start the day, visiting a local market, where you’ll see the local people and tribes people, bartering and selling their merchandise before transferring for the flight back to Vientiane and visit the COPE centre a Laos Charity providing rehabilitation to people who have lost limbs due to a range of incidents including traffic accidents or the result of Unexploded ordinance.

In the morning you will visit the famous morning market in search of some souvenir’s spend the rest of the day exploring Vientiane capital city, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triumph.

Transfer to the airport for the early morning flight to Pakse, drive onto the Bolaven Plateau visiting local tea and coffee plantations on the way. Tea and coffee are local produce of Laos and you’ll learn the techniques of production from beans and leaves into the finished product which you can taste for yourself. Next continue on to the amazing Tad Fane waterfall, where you will see two stunning cascades framed against the Bolaven Plateau dropping nearly 120m, making this one of the most spectacular sights in Laos, continue across the Bolaven Plateau passing Tad Yuang Waterfall, Paksong and the ethnic village of Kok Pung Thai before arriving at the lovely scenic spot at Tad Lo.

Spend the morning free to relax by the waterfall and watch the elephants being bathed, after lunch take a short walk along the stream to a Katu Ethnic Village where you can experience and see firsthand their culture and traditions. Take the gentle walk back to your lodge in the afternoon.

After an early breakfast, we head out towards Champasak. On the way we make a short detour to visit Phasuam waterfall and to explore the ethnic minority villages of Lao Teung. We continue to travel by road via Pakse town crossing the Mekong by ferry to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia's most dramatically situated temples. Wat Phu is one of the Lao World Heritage sites recognized by UNESCO in 2001, this wonderful archeological site of Khmer civilization dates back to the 5th century, predating the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. After the Wat Phou return to Champasak and board the ferry that will take us to our eco-friendly hotel on Don Daeng Island. You’ll have time to enjoy the pool, go for a walk on the beach or just relax

After breakfast we head to the town of Ban Kiat Ngong, Ban Kiat Ngong is situated in the Xe Pian National Protected area and is a great place for bird watching enthusiasts. From Ban Kiat Ngong take a one and a half hour ride on the elephants which will take you Phu Asa a temple mount in the heart of the protected area. On return have lunch at Ban Kiet Ngong before transferring to the 4,000 island and the largest island Don Khong where you will spend the night

Enjoy a boat ride through the 4000 Islands to the Island of Don Det where you will have lunch. Continue by bicycle from Don Det passing the old French Ferry terminal to the Railway bridge which you will cross to arrive at Don Khone. Stop at Don Khone and spend the night in a bungalow overlooking the Mekong and the French Bridge. Your luggage will travel by boat and will be waiting for you at your bungalow.

Leave from Don Khone after breakfast by bicycle or by tuk tuk and visit Liphi waterfall before heading to the southern tip of Don Khone known as Han Khone here you will take a boat to see the Irrawaddy dolphins where you will have lunch then continue by motorboat to the Laos/ Cambodian border at Veun Kham. From Veun Kham transport will be waiting to return to Pakse. Stop off along the way at the Mekong's largest waterfall, Khon Phapheng. This is part of the Mekong fault line which stretches across the entire Mekong River and has been formed by the river eroding the softer rock down stream.

Free at leisure until your transfer to the airport for your onward departure flight.