DAY 01 – Arrival – KUNMING

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
No breakfast.

Arrival in Kunming, welcomed by your driver, transfer to the city center (40 minutes/1hr).

If you arrive on the morning flight, you’ll have an afternoon to explore Kunming.

First you’ll take a stroll through Emerald Lake Park, where the locals love to stroll, sing, dance and play music.

Then visit the Yuantong Buddhist temple, a 15/20-minute walk from Emerald Lake.

Lunch at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 02 – KUNMING – TGV to DALI – XIZHOU

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
Breakfast at hotel.

Meet your driver at the hotel, drive to Kunming station (20-30 mins), TGV to Dali (2hrs journey. 2nd class).

Information for travelers taking the train: Please keep your train ticket in a safe place until you leave the station, where a ticket check will take place. Aerosols are not allowed on board.

Arrival in Dali, welcome by your new driver, transfer to your hotel in the village of Xizhou (1h30). On the way, visit the temple of 03 pagodas. Built in the 10th century, the 03 pagodas were built to prevent flooding in the Dali region.

Arriving in Xizhou, you can explore this ancient village (If guests choose to stay at Yanqing Shanju Inn in Dali, which is located in the old town of Dali, they will travel to Xizhou for the tour on day 03).

Lunch at your own expenses.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 03 – XIZHOU – SHAXI

Without guide – With transport – Entrances to sites at your own expense.
Breakfast at your hotel.

Meet your driver at the hotel. In the morning, visit the colorful market in Xizhou village through cobblestone streets and traditional houses.

Drive to Shibaoshan Mountain (2hrs), home to the Shizhongsi Caves and Baoxiang Temple. With a superb collection of Buddhist sculptures carved into the rock.

Depending on whether or not you fancy a short hike, you have two options:

1. For hikers
After paying the entrance fee, you take the shuttle bus to the foot of Baoxiang temple. Climb the stairs to the temple in the middle of the mountain. In this temple, you have the opportunity to visit shrines dedicated to the veneration of Buddhist and Taoist lords and saints.

Take the shuttle back to the Stone Bell temple. Watch out for monkeys during the walk and visit to Baoxiang Temple.

Arriving at the Stone Bell Temple parking lot, you will visit the impressive 13th-century Buddhist sculptures. You will then proceed to a small temple, behind which is a hiking trail. Please note that this is an easy hike, but there are some stairs to go down, and some places are a bit steep. It is possible to take the shuttle bus instead.

After an hour and a half’s hike, meet the driver at the Shadengqing Valley shuttle stop, then drive to Shaxi village (3km, 5mins).

2. For people who don’t wish to hike.
After paying the entrance fee and shuttle bus fare (you have to pay both ways), you take the shuttle bus directly to the Stone Bell Temple.

Once you’ve climbed up to the small temple after visiting the sculptures, there’s a road that will take you to the same parking lot, where you take the shuttle back.

You explore the Baoxiang temple, then return to the first parking lot to meet up with your driver, with whom you drive to the village of Shaxi (3km, 15mins).

In the late afternoon, you will continue to Shaxi village (20 mins).

Arriving in Shaxi, you’ll take a stroll through this old village on the famous tea and horse trade route.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 04 – SHAXI – LIJIANG

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
Breakfast at your hotel.

Drive to Lijiang (2hrs). Stroll through Lijiang’s old town:

Zhongyi Market. This market is one of Lijiang’s must-sees. Merchants come early in the morning to sell, trade or buy fresh produce, animals and trinkets of all kinds.

Black Dragon Pond Park. The best vantage point from which to appreciate Jade Dragon Mountain, this park is a beautiful Chinese garden, where teams of dancers, singers, Taijis and others gather.

Transfer to Shuhe village (30 mins), where you check into your hotel and take a stroll through the village.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 05 – LIJIANG: Tiger Leaping Gorge – SHANGRILLA

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
Breakfast at hotel.

Meet your driver. You leave for the Tiger Leaping Gorge (2hrs) to visit the upper gorge where the Tiger Leaping Stone is located. For this discovery, you’ll have to climb a total of 1,300 steps (the descent and ascent). If you wish, you can take the escalator, which costs 70 RMB per person (paid on site).

Drive to Shangrila (2h30). Arriving in Shangrila, stroll through the old town of Shangrila: you can climb to the hilltop monastery in the center of town. In the evening, enjoy activities such as dance performances in the square.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 06 – SHANGRILLA: Discover the surrounding area

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
Breakfast at your hotel.

Visit Songzanlin Tibetan Monastery. The largest monastery in Yunnan, Songzanlin was built in 1679 and currently houses 910 Tibetan monks. Nicknamed the Little Potala of Yunnan, the complex comprises 13 monasteries, the most important of which are Buddha, Dharma (Buddhist law) and Sangha (monk community).

After the visit, you can take a short tour of the lake in front of the monastery, where there are some great photo opportunities.

You’ll have lunch with a Tibetan family (ask in advance for reservations). Before lunch, you’ll have the opportunity to taste yak butter tea and tsampas (a dumpling made from roasted barley flour mixed with yak butter tea). It’s a good opportunity to discover the way of life of the local Tibetans in their own homes.

In the afternoon, you visit Lake Napahai. Located 5km from the town of Shangrila, this lake is home to migratory birds every year. You can discover a picturesque village next to the lake.

You can also stop to visit the small monastery of Ringha. According to Tibetan tradition, Tibetans come here to pray before their pilgrimage to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 07 – SHANGRILLA – KUNMING (B/./.)

Without guide – With transport – Entrances to sites at your own expense.
Breakfast at hotel.

Meet your driver at the hotel, transfer to Shangrila station (15 mins), second-class TGV to Kunming (4hrs/4h30).

Information for travelers taking the train: Please keep your train ticket in a safe place until you leave your arrival station, where a ticket check will take place. Aerosols are not allowed on board.

Arrival in Kunming, welcomed by your new driver, transfer to your hotel. Free time.

Information: If these TGVs have not yet been updated, we will transport you to Lijiang where you will take a TGV back to Kunming.

Meals at your own expense.

Overnight at hotel.

DAY 08 – KUNMING – LUANG PRABANG

Without guide – With transport – Entrance fees at your own expense.
Breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Kunming Nan station (40 mins), where you will take the TGV to Luang Prabang.

The railroad, built as part of China’s New Silk Roads project and opened in December 2021, crosses Laos from the Chinese border in the north to Vientiane and the Thai border. Crossing one of the most mountainous regions of Laos, this line, with its numerous tunnels and bridges, significantly shortens travel times.

– TRAIN KUNMING – LUANG PRABANG 08:08 – 15:49

Unaccompanied administrative formalities at the China/Laos border. Continue by train to Luang Prabang.

Information for travelers taking the train: Please keep your train ticket in a safe place until you leave your arrival station, where a ticket check will take place. Aerosols are not allowed on board.

Luang Prabang is a small town nestled among mountains covered in lush vegetation, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, in an unspoilt natural environment. The town’s rich architectural heritage – a harmonious blend of traditional Lao wooden houses, colonial brick urban structures and some of the most sophisticated and richly decorated monasteries in South-East Asia – and its exceptional state of preservation, make it a real gem that was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. You’ll discover sumptuous traditional wooden houses, centuries-old pagodas, the former Royal Palace and beautiful colonial administrative buildings as you stroll along its lanes…. This former royal capital, still the country’s cultural and religious center, has a very special atmosphere.

Arrive at Luang Prabang station and transfer to your hotel.

Free time for lunch and dinner.

Suggestion: You can stroll through the night market that sets up daily from 5:00 pm on the main street. It’s worth noting that most of the items on sale here today are no longer made in Laos, but come from neighboring countries.

Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 09 – LUANG PRABANG: City tour

With guide – With transportation
Breakfast at the hotel.

Suggestion (without guide/driver): If you’re an early bird, you can head out at dawn to watch the Tak Bak: a daily ritual of offerings made by the faithful to the monks who emerge from their pagodas and make their way through the city streets in long, silent processions. This religious ceremony, which is particularly important for Buddhist believers, is unfortunately often disrupted by tourists, some of whom interfere with the procession to take photos of monks who have become stars in spite of themselves, and others who take part without any knowledge of the rules to be respected… We therefore ask you to attend in silence and from a distance, out of respect for the monks and the faithful who ensure that this ritual is still maintained in Luang Prabang.

This morning, departure with your guide to continue exploring the city by tuktuk.

– The morning market of Ban Pakham, which takes place every day in a small street near the Mekong River, for a little immersion in the daily life of the local people.

– Phousi Mountain, is a mound in the middle of the peninsula, rising some 150 m above the city. A staircase of 328 steps leads to the top, where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the city, the Mekong River and the surrounding mountains.

– The former Royal Palace, now National Museum, blending French and Lao architectural elements, was the first permanent palace built in Laos for the King and his family in the early 20th century. A recently built chapel in the gardens houses the Prabang, the most sacred Buddha statue in Laos (please note that the site is closed every last Thursday of the month).

– Vat Mai, built in the early 19th century. With its low-sloping 5-sided roof, it is built in the Luang Prabang style. Its façade, covered with gold-leaf bas-reliefs, tells the story of one of Buddha’s past lives, incorporating elements of local life.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

This afternoon, hop on a tuk-tuk and start discovering the main attractions of the city! Let’s start with:

– The Heuan Chan heritage house: This former princely residence, built in the 19th century, was renovated by UNESCO when the town was listed. It is one of the few traditional Lao houses on stilts to be found in Luang Prabang.

– The T.A.E.C museum (Traditional Art and Ethnology Centre) – closed on Mondays
A small museum opened in 2007 in a listed building in the heart of Luang Prabang, its rich collections reveal the great ethnic and cultural diversity that characterizes Laos.

– Vat Visoun, construction began in the early 16th century, is one of Luang Prabang’s oldest monasteries. Destroyed by Chinese pirates in 1887, it was rebuilt in the early 20th century. Built in the Tai Lue style with baluster windows, inspired by Khmer architecture, it houses the largest Buddha in Luang Prabang…

– Vat Xieng Thong, is located on the banks of the Mekong River, at the tip of the peninsula. A royal monastery from its foundation in the 16th century until 1975, it is the most beautiful in the city and considered a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture in Laos, especially the main chapel, whose roof descends almost to the ground.

Dinner at at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 10 – LUANG PRABANG: Kuang Si waterfalls

With English-speaking guide – With transport.
Breakfast at the hotel.

You’ll then take the road to Ban Thapene, the village near which the Kuang Si waterfalls are located, passing through traditional countryside, rice paddies, market gardens alternating with teak plantations and open forest.

Nestled in the middle of the forest, the Kuang Si waterfalls are undoubtedly one of the most beautiful natural sites in Laos: a splendid cascade, extended by a succession of basins with magnificent turquoise blue water. Volunteers will have the opportunity to bathe in some of these enchanting pools. The well-appointed park also features large enclosures near the entrance, housing collared bears, a species endemic to Laos that has escaped poaching or illegal detention.

Lunch at the Carpe Diem restaurant. This restaurant offers tasty fusion cuisine in a dreamy setting on the banks of the Si River. Note that the Carpe Diem restaurant donates 5% of its profits to the ASAS association, whose aim is to build access to drinking water and help rehabilitate schools in isolated villages in northern Laos.

For those in good physical condition, you can climb the hill to reach the path leading to the spring (8km walk there and back).

Return by road to Luang Prabang mid-afternoon. Late afternoon free to enjoy the facilities of your hotel or visit the town at your own pace.

Dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 11 – LUANG PRABANG – VANG VIENG 

With English-speaking guide – With transport.
Breakfast at hotel

Free time until your transfer, with guide and driver, to Luang Prabang train station.

NOTE: Rooms are available until 12:00 pm.
(OPTION: Late Check-out, with supplement and subject to availability)

Transfer to Luang Prabang railway station, located around 15 km outside the city, to catch a train to Vang Vieng. Masks must be worn on the train and aerosols are forbidden.

– TRAIN LUANG PRABANG – VANG VIENG

Arrival accompanied by your guide at Vang Vieng station, transfer to your hotel and check-in.

The town of Vang Vieng is best known for the splendid karst landscapes that surround it, reminiscent of a land-based Halong Bay. The town is bordered by the Nam Song River, where you can go canoeing and kayaking. For a long time it was a destination only for young Western travellers, now the place welcomes tourists from all over the world, attracted by the beauty of the landscape and the various activities on offer, such as exploring the many caves in the region (up to 30 have been recorded to date).

Afternoon free to enjoy the surroundings at your own pace.

Dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 12 – VANG VIENG: Discovery of the surrounding area – VIENTIANE 

With English-speaking guide – With transport.
Breakfast at hotel.

The day begins with a short transfer to the village of Ban Tham Xang, a few kilometers north of Vang Vieng. After visiting the Tham Xang cave, you’ll take a short stroll through the countryside between karst cliffs and rice fields to the village of Ban Phatao. This is an opportunity to discover the special characteristics of a village belonging to the Hmong ethnic minority. Depending on the season, you’ll be able to watch the locals working in the rice fields, or the cattle grazing freely.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, take a beautiful pirogue trip on the Nam Song River, a chance to cruise along the karst cliffs.

You’ll then discover the Tham Jang cave after climbing 138 steps. It’s one of the largest caves in the region, where local inhabitants once took shelter from Chinese raiders from Yunnan.

Then off to Vientiane via the new freeway (approx. 01h15 travel time).

Vientiane, capital of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, is relatively modest in size compared with the capitals of neighboring countries, giving travelers the impression of a small provincial town. It has become more dynamic in recent years thanks to significant economic developments.

Check-in and free time.

Dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 13 – VIENTIANE: Discover the capital

With English-speaking guide – With transport.
Breakfast at your hotel.

First visit Pha That Luang, a great reliquary that has become one of the symbols of the nation, representing both the Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. This great golden stupa, surrounded by a cloister, was built in the 16th century on a Mon, then Khmer, religious site, and is said to contain a relic of the Buddha. Destroyed during various conflicts, it was restored in the 20th century by the French. Every year, on the full moon in November, a major festival is held here, attracting pilgrims from all over the country.

You will continue with another of the capital’s emblematic monuments, Patuxay or Anousavari, a triumphal arch built in the 60s with, rumor has it, concrete supplied by the Americans for use in the construction of airport runways. It was built to honour the memory of the deceased from pre-revolutionary conflicts.

Vat Sisakhet, with its unique architecture and cloister walls pierced by thousands of small niches housing Buddha statues. Spared when the city was destroyed by the Siamese in the 19th century, it is the largest and most beautiful temple in Vientiane.

Lunch in a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, continue your tour of the city.

Vat Ho Phra Keo was built in 1565 to house the famous Emerald Buddha (now in Bangkok). Destroyed in the 19th century, it was rebuilt in 1942. Set in a pretty garden, its sloping roof, typical of the northern Lao and Siamese style, features superb carved wooden panels and elegant colonnades. It is now a small museum.

Vat Simuang, the temple of the city’s founding pillar and home to Vientiane’s protective spirit, is the capital’s busiest temple, where locals regularly come to make wishes and offerings in the hope that they will be fulfilled, or to have their car or motorcycle blessed…

At the end of the day, take a stroll along the banks of the Mekong, which have undergone major development work in recent years… You’ll be able to observe the capital’s residents, who like to gather here at the end of the day to indulge in sporting activities… A small night market has also been set up here, offering a wide range of goods that also attract a local clientele.

Dinner at your own expense.
Overnight at your hotel.

DAY 14 – VIENTIANE – DEPARTURE 

Without guide – With transport.
Breakfast at your hotel.

Day at leisure until your transfer to Vientiane airport.

NOTE: Rooms are available until 12:00 pm.
(OPTION: Late Check-out, with supplement and subject to availability)

Meals at your own expense.