Laos & Cambodia Explorer

Arrive in Vientiane and meet your driver for a smooth transfer to your hotel. Rooms are available from 14:00, giving you time to settle in before the evening. As the day cools, walk to the banks of the Mekong River, where locals gather to exercise, stroll and enjoy the soft light over the water.

Sit down with a cold Beer Lao and take in the relaxed atmosphere before continuing to Pha Khao Restaurant for dinner. Walk back to the hotel at your own pace and enjoy a quiet first night in the capital.

Meals: Dinner

Suggested Hotel: Mintra Hotel – Deluxe Room

Explore Vientiane in lively local fashion by tuk tuk, moving between sights with the breeze in your hair. Though understated, the capital reveals charm through its French era buildings, broad boulevards, temples and golden Buddha statues. Visit a local market for a glimpse of daily life, Wat Sisaket for its serene cloisters, Carol Cassidy’s textile workshop to learn about Laos’ weaving heritage, and the COPE Visitor Centre for an essential look at the country’s war history.

A lunch box is provided before you continue to the station for your afternoon train to Oudomxay. Train schedules and regulations are strict, with airport style security and bans on sharp objects, aerosols and alcohol. On arrival, transfer to Namkat Yorla Pa, a nature lodge set in a protected forested valley. Settle into your room, enjoy the pool or take a gentle walk before dinner at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch box

Suggested Hotel: Namkat Yorla Pa – Superior Room

Begin a soft adventure morning in pristine rainforest, following a trail that crosses more than a dozen flying bridges and winds through dense vegetation. The path leads to Namkat Waterfall, where you can enjoy a refreshing dip or simply sit and absorb the sound of water and forest.

Return to the resort around midday for lunch. The afternoon is yours to shape: relax by the pool or join your guide for a gentle cycling tour around the reserve. The route can be adapted to your pace and the weather, offering an easy way to explore more of this protected natural environment.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Namkat Yorla Pa – Superior Room

Travel by road through the mountains towards Pakbeng, passing landscapes home to diverse ethnic communities such as the Akha, Iko and Hmong. Many still maintain traditional dress and customs, and you may see villagers in colourful attire along the way. On arrival, leave your luggage and cross the Mekong by boat to the Mekong Elephant Park.

Enjoy a Lao set lunch at the sanctuary restaurant, using ingredients sourced from its botanical garden. Afterwards, learn about the sanctuary’s mission, meet the team and hear the individual stories of the elephants and their mahouts. Walk into primary forest to observe the elephants in their natural environment, following their trails and watching them feed, interact and, if they choose, bathe in the river. Return by boat to your lodge for a relaxed evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Le Grand Pakbeng Lodge (Groups 1–5) or Sanctuary Pakbeng Lodge (Groups 6–12)

Transfer to the pier and board your shared Shompoo Cruise for a full day journey along the Mekong. As the boat glides downstream, enjoy views of jungle covered hills, small riverside villages and quiet stretches of water. In the morning, the crew demonstrates how to prepare local drinks using butterfly pea flowers and lemon.

A traditional Lao lunch is served on board. In the afternoon, stop at Pak Ou Caves, home to thousands of Buddha statues placed here by pilgrims over centuries. Continue cruising towards Luang Prabang, arriving around 16:30. Meet your driver at the pier and transfer to your hotel for a relaxed evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Sanctuary Luang Prabang – Superior Room

Meet your guide and tuk tuk driver for a morning of cultural discovery. Begin at the Morning Market, where locals shop for herbs, vegetables, spices and fresh produce, offering a vivid snapshot of daily life. Continue to Wat Xieng Thong, the city’s most elegant and historically significant temple, known for its sweeping roofs and intricate mosaics.

Ride on to a respected craft centre along the Mekong, where artisans demonstrate traditional skills in weaving, carving and metalwork. Enjoy lunch overlooking the river before returning to your hotel. The afternoon is free to relax or explore the old town at your own pace.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Sanctuary Luang Prabang – Superior Room

Travel southwest along the Mekong to a peaceful farm surrounded by rice paddies. Meet your host and learn about rice cultivation before enjoying a home cooked lunch made with fresh local ingredients. Afterwards, begin a gentle one hour walk across fields to meet your vehicle and continue to Kuang Si Waterfall. Pass the bear sanctuary before reaching the turquoise pools formed by cascading limestone terraces.

Enjoy time to swim, relax or simply take in the scenery. Those seeking adventure can try the optional zipline course above the falls, offering sweeping views and a thrilling series of lines through the canopy. Depart around 16:00 and return to your hotel for a free evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Sanctuary Luang Prabang – Superior Room

Depending on your flight time, meet your driver for a transfer to the airport. Rooms are available until 12:00, with late check out available on request. Fly to Siem Reap, where your guide and driver greet you outside the terminal and transfer you to your hotel.

The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the lively streets around the Old Market area.

Meals: Breakfast

Suggested Hotel: Royal Crown Hotel & Spa – Deluxe Room

Begin with a relaxed walk to Artisans Angkor, where young Cambodian artisans train in traditional crafts such as stone carving, lacquer work and silk painting. Learn how this social enterprise preserves Khmer heritage while supporting rural communities. Continue to Psar Chas, the Old Market, where colourful stalls overflow with produce, spices, textiles and everyday goods.

Enjoy a simple Khmer lunch at one of the local eateries. In the afternoon, visit the Angkor National Museum for an introduction to Khmer civilisation, exploring galleries filled with sculptures, ceramics and artefacts from the golden age of the empire. Return to your hotel to unwind.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Royal Crown Hotel & Spa – Deluxe Room

Begin at Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Enter through the South Gate, lined with statues depicting the churning of the ocean of milk, and explore Bayon with its serene stone faces, Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. Continue to Ta Prohm, where trees grow dramatically over temple walls, creating one of Angkor’s most atmospheric sites.

After lunch, visit Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument, with its five towers symbolising the peaks of Mount Meru. Your guide explains its symbolism, history and architectural mastery. Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Suggested Hotel: Royal Crown Hotel & Spa – Deluxe Room

Depart by road for Phnom Penh, stopping at the 12th century Kampong Kdei Bridge, once the longest corbelled stone arch bridge in the world. Arrive in the capital around midday and check in at your hotel. In the afternoon, join a small group for a hands on Khmer cooking class.

Visit a local market with your chef to select fresh ingredients while learning about Cambodian herbs, vegetables and culinary traditions. Back in the kitchen, prepare classic dishes under expert guidance before enjoying your creations for dinner. Receive recipes, a certificate and photos to commemorate the experience.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Suggested Hotel: La Rose Suites – La Rose Junior Suite

Explore Phnom Penh by tuk tuk, beginning at the Royal Palace complex, including the Throne Hall, Royal Treasury and Silver Pagoda, home to jade and gold Buddha statues adorned with thousands of diamonds. Continue to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum for a sobering but essential understanding of Cambodia’s recent history. Return to your hotel for a short break.

In the afternoon, join a guided walk through a lively working class district, where daily life unfolds in narrow alleys filled with craftsmen, cooks and families. Visit a hidden temple, a community shoemaking workshop and a volunteer English class, offering meaningful encounters with local residents. Enjoy a farewell dinner at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Suggested Hotel: La Rose Suites – La Rose Junior Suite