Uncover the rustic charm, ancient sites and natural wonders of Laos on this journey covering the country's top sights and unique experiences.
Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Si Phan Don and Kuang Si waterfall, marvel at Vientiane's Buddha Park, and explore enchanting Luang Prabang. Plus, experience time-honoured traditions of Takbat and saa paper-making, and catch a glimpse of the nation's future on a high-speed railway journey, offering a stark contrast to its traditional beauty.
Our Laos: Top to Toe tour will see you exploring the most iconic sites, delving into deep-rooted culture and dining on delicious cuisine and thoroughly researched to bring you a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, many of which are entirely exclusive to us.
Wander through the Buddhist architecture of Laos' charming capital city
Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of Si Phan Don, the '4,000 Islands' set in the rushing waters of the Mekong
Climb Phousi Hill for spectacular sunsets over this well preserved city
Marvel at the natural beauty of Laos with visits to the Tad Yuang & Tad Fane waterfalls
Witness the dawn ceremony of Takbat, a daily ritual which sees the saffron-robed monks of Luang Prabang's monasteries collect alms, in the form of food, from the local people who line the streets.
Visit Elephant Village, a sanctuary which has been caring for rescued elephants since 2001. Learn all about these majestic creatures and discover how their mahouts communicate with them.
Uncover the unspoilt beauty of Bolaven Plateau and visit a coffee plantation to find out more about the traditional planting, harvesting and roasting process which has been in place since French colonial times.
Fly overnight to Vientiane, Laos' easy-going capital. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.
This relaxed little city lies nestled in a languid bend of the Mekong River, close to the Thai border. See the Patuxai Victory Monument, dedicated to those who fought for freedom from French rule, and visit the city's main temples, including Wat Sisaket and Wat Phra Keo. This afternoon, visit a Buddha Park unlike anything else in Laos. Founded by a shamanic priest some 60 years ago, it contains over 200 enormous and eccentric statues of gods, demons and animals from Buddhist and Hindu faith.
Fly to Pakse. On arrival, explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wat Phou, a ruined Khmer temple complex set in the beautiful landscapes of Mount Phu Kao. Drive to Khong Island, the largest island of the enchanting Si Phan Don archipelago in the Mekong River, and your home for the next two nights.
Around Si Phan Don, meaning '4000 Islands', the pace of life is slow and easy, and the river views are beautiful. See the magnificent Khone Phapheng Waterfall, Southeast Asia's largest by volume. Visit Khone Island by speedboat to discover its French colonial buildings and see Liphi Waterfall, nicknamed the Devil's Corridor.
Depart Khong Island for Pakse, stopping en route to admire Tad Yuang and Tad Fane waterfalls. Continue up onto the Bolaven Plateau to pay a visit to a coffee plantation and hear about the process of planting, harvesting and roasting the beans. This evening, enjoy dinner at Pakse.
Fly from Pakse to Vientiane and drive to Vang Vieng, admiring the views as the flat river valleys give way to limestone mountains. On arrival, enjoy lunch and check in at your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Explore Vang Vieng's beautiful countryside, venturing through hillside caves and strolling along the Nam Song River, before enjoying an afternoon at leisure.
This morning, hop on the high-speed railway, which will whisk you north to Luang Prabang in just over an hour. This comfortable modern train offers a surprising contrast to the otherwise beautifully rustic country. On arrival, enjoy lunch before an introductory walking tour of this former capital. Visit the country's most famous temple, the gold-covered Wat Xieng Thong, with its Tree of Life mosaic, and the neighbouring Wat Visoun. Visit the Royal Palace, preserved as a museum, and learn about the republic's former royal family.
Head to Elephant Village, a responsible sanctuary that has been caring for rescued elephants since 2001. Meet these majestic creatures, learn how their mahouts communicate with them, and tour the sanctuary's elephant hospital and museum. Ride a Lao long boat to the Tad Sae waterfall and relax or swim before lunch. Later, visit the UXO Visitor Centre, where you'll learn about the valuable work this organisation is doing to clear rural areas of unexploded wartime bombs from the 1960s and 70s.
Rise early to witness the Buddhist ceremony of Takbat, when the monks of Luang Prabang collect alms from the locals. Visit a small art studio to try your hand at the local craft of saa paper making, using pulp and colourful flowers. Later, head out of the city to visit Kuang Si waterfall, with its beautiful cascading waters. Enjoy time here to relax under the shady trees, paddle at the water's edge, or even bathe in the beautiful turquoise pools.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Bangkok. Enjoy time at leisure in Thailand's capital before this evening's farewell dinner.
Fly to New Zealand, arriving home the following day.
All of our tour departures include international flights and taxes in the price unless a land only option is selected
We have a selection of dedicated departures for solo travellers. These departures feature a maximum group size of 18 and exclusive benefits including a single room throughout your tour, complimentary return airport transfers (within 50km radius of major Australian airports) and a cocktail on arrival at your destination. Travellers from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne also receive a complimentary Australian airport lounge pass for use prior to departure.
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All of our tours offer a single room supplement, which means you’ll have a room to yourself throughout your chosen tour. Continue the check-out process for the applicable supplement.
On most tours, you can choose our 'Happy to Share' option, which may enable you to share a twin room with other solo customers of the same gender who also request Happy to Share. If a share partner is found, the Single Supplement will be removed from your booking. If a share partner is not found, the Single Supplement will remain and is payable with your final balance.
If you are booking on a Dedicated Solo departure, a single room is already included in the price and there are no additional single supplements to pay.
With our flight inclusive option, we'll do the planning for you and meet you on arrival.
We include airport pickup upon arrival at your destination and drop off at the end of your tour (on the scheduled tour arrival and departure days) and when booking pre or post tour accommodation with us.
We partner with established and reputable airlines for your international flights.
We can assist with upgrading your seat to premium or business class for an additional cost.
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
Our On-Tour Support Team is available to provide advice about how to handle flight changes.
