The food on this trip is a real highlight. The national staple of Laos is sticky rice, which is served with all meals and is often used as a scooping device to pick food up as meals are traditionally eaten with hands and not utensils. Noodle dishes are common and the sweet offerings tend to focus around the abundance of fresh fruit available – be sure to seek out the mangosteen, the sweet segments are a local favourite and unlike any other fruit.

Western food is readily available almost everywhere. Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, in Southeast Asia the availability of certain specialised products for restricted diets, eg gluten-free or dairy-free, is minimal or non-existent and we strongly recommend you bring these items from home.

Meet your tour leader and fellow travellers in Vientiane for a group welcome dinner at a local restaurant. It is a chance to get acquainted, ask questions and hear more about the journey through Laos.

Shared meals are central to Lao hospitality. Around the table, enjoy your first taste of the capital’s relaxed evening atmosphere and the company of the people travelling with you.

Explore Laos’s capital on a guided sightseeing tour visiting Wat Si Saket, Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple, and Pha That Luang, the gold-covered stupa regarded as the country’s most important religious monument.

See Buddha images gathered within Wat Si Saket’s walls and hear why Pha That Luang holds such significance in Lao Buddhism. At Patuxai Victory Gate, discover a monument shaped by the country’s struggle against French colonial rule.

Kayak 6mi (10km) along the Nam Song River near Vang Vieng, following a safety briefing with a river guide. Limestone hills and wooded banks frame the route, while riverside gardens, fishing nets and the occasional water buffalo reveal daily life beside the water.

Pause for a leisurely lunch by the river, surrounded by caves and forest. Travelling at kayak level offers a close, unhurried view of the rural landscape beyond Vang Vieng’s town centre.

Visit the 14th-century Phu That Stupa in Muang Xai and learn from your tour leader about its continuing place in local Buddhist festivals. The town’s history as a trading centre reflects influences from both Laos and neighbouring China.

At a private home and garden, view handcrafted dyed-cotton products and learn about the Tai Lue people’s cotton-working traditions. The visit connects a historic landmark with a living craft practised in the region today.

Explore the protected forest of Nam Kat Yorla Pa on a 1.8mi (3km) jungle trail near Nam Kat Waterfall. Take in the falls and the dense greenery before following a route through the forest.

The trail crosses 15–20 rope-and-wood sky bridges, offering a different perspective among the trees without rising too far above the ground. A ground-level alternative is available for anyone uneasy with heights.

Climb approximately 300 steps to Phu Si for sweeping views over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River. The walk takes around 10–15 minutes, with glimpses of the city opening up along the ascent.

From the hilltop temple, see how the former Lao royal capital sits between river and mountains. An early visit offers a quieter setting in which to appreciate the rooftops, waterways and forested horizon.

Cruise the Mekong by slow boat from Luang Prabang to the Pak Ou Caves, set into limestone cliffs beside the river. The outward journey takes around two hours, giving you time to watch the riverbanks and surrounding hills pass by.

Step inside caves filled with thousands of Buddha images, left by devotees over generations. Their collection makes the site both a striking riverside landmark and an enduring place of Buddhist devotion.

Discover UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang on a guided sightseeing tour featuring Wat Xiengthong, one of the city’s most celebrated Buddhist temples, and the Royal Palace National Museum.

The palace served Laos’s royal family before the 1975 revolution and later became a museum. Its grounds include the ornate Haw Pha Bang pavilion, home to the revered Prabang Buddha image. Together, these sites illuminate the city’s religious traditions and royal past.

Witness Sai Bat, the dawn alms-giving tradition, in Luang Prabang if you choose to rise early. Watch saffron-robed monks receive offerings as part of a daily Buddhist practice that remains woven into the life of the city.

This is an opportunity to observe rather than a staged performance. The quiet morning setting gives space to appreciate the exchange between monastic communities and local residents with respect.

Visit Kuang Si Waterfall outside Luang Prabang, where a forest trail winds towards three tiers of cascades and milky-turquoise pools. Explore the setting on foot and enjoy a refreshing swim in the waterfall’s pools.

The journey through villages and hilly countryside offers a glimpse of the landscape beyond the city. At the falls, pale water, shaded paths and the sound of rushing cascades make for a distinctly Lao nature experience.

Try bamboo weaving and Lao cooking in Luang Prabang through a hands-on class exploring a material used throughout local life. Learn about bamboo’s cultural importance and how it influences Lao cuisine.

The combination of craft and food offers a practical introduction to traditions that extend beyond the workshop. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour; ask your tour leader about availability and arrangements.

Watch the Royal Ballet troupe perform Phra-Lak Phra-Lam in Luang Prabang. This Lao telling of the Ramayana brings a sacred story to the stage through traditional performance.

The ballet offers a different way to encounter the city’s cultural heritage beyond its temples and museums. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour subject to availability. Performances generally take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Take part in a natural tie-dye workshop in Luang Prabang for a hands-on introduction to textile-making. Work with dyeing techniques rather than simply viewing finished cloth, and see how pattern and colour take shape through the process.

Craft traditions are an important part of the region’s cultural life. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour subject to availability; booking before departure is highly recommended because places are limited.

Meet the elephants at the MandaLao Elephant Conservation project near Luang Prabang through an optional visit. It is a chance to spend time learning about these animals and the project dedicated to their care.

Elephants have a longstanding place in Lao history and cultural identity. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour subject to availability. Booking before departure is highly recommended, as places are limited.

Join an afternoon cooking class in Luang Prabang to learn the secrets of Lao cuisine through a hands-on activity. Gain a closer understanding of the ingredients and methods behind the food encountered throughout the journey.

In Laos, meals often centre on sticky rice and dishes shared around the table. This is an optional experience at additional cost, bookable on tour subject to availability; booking before departure is highly recommended because places are limited.