BOOK THIS TOUR TODAY and recieve a USD$500.00 discount per couple, twin share on the prices listed below. Available for all departure dates.

This China & Laos small group tour combines the best of South West China and Laos. The Thailand to China part of this small group tour takes in some history, different cultures including some local minorities and you will get to taste cuisine that rivals most others.

Our reputation for travelling at a relaxed pace amid great scenery comes to a peak in Yunnan Province with Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the world’s largest and most beautiful gorges. Add Dali and UNESCO World Heritage listed Lijiang before heading south towards Laos and the two less touristy cities of Jinghong and Mengla and you have a bit of everything.

Heading onto Laos; Firstly a Baktrax destination of Udomxai before another UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Luang Prabang. Then more sensational scenery precedes the slowest capital city in all S.E. Asia, Vientiane. All this travel is done in a sea of green jungle vistas and where time means the bus departs soon.

What time? Soon! Lastly your small group tour head back to Thailand for a visit to one of the most unusual temples on the planet of Sala Kaew Ku before an overnight train back to S.E. Asia’s busiest capital.

Group Size: Minimum 1, Maximum 8

Guaranteed to depart

English speaking tour coordinator

Visiting
BANGKOK - THE RIVER KWAI - KUNMING (China) - DALI - LIJIANG - WALNUT GARDEN amid TIGER LEAPING GORGE - JINGHONG - MENGLA - UDOMXAI (Laos) - LUANG PRABANG - VANG VIENG - VIENTIANE - NONG KHAI (Thailand).

Accommodation

• Three star hotels, (7 nights).
• One to two star guest houses and hotels, (8 nights).
• Simple guest house, (9 nights).
• Basic guest house, (2 nights).
• Overnight sleeper train, (1 night).

Transport
Bus, Train, Boat, Taxi, Plane.

Day Trips

• River Kwai, (full day).
• Kunming region, (full day).
• Dali region, (full day).
• Dali chair lift ride, (half day).
• Unguided Mekong river boat trip to a cave and local villages, (half day).
• Sala Kaew Ku temple, (two to three hours).

Entry Fees

All included when part of the itinerary.

Meals
44 meals included as per itinerary.
B = Breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner.

Itinerary

Day 1:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; BANGKOK - Our China and Laos small group tour officially starts when you check into your Bangkok accommodation. A welcoming dinner will be had in the evening. If you arrive early enough your free time could be spent visiting the enormous Chatuchak weekend market and/or, Wat Phra Kaew & the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, MBK or Siam shopping centres or take a boat ride with the locals on the Chao Phraya express to some local shops in Nonthaburi.

A few of the  dozens of other options may be Vimanmek Teak Mansion, Chinatown, Wat Traimit, Jim Thompsons House, Silom or Sukhumvit road shops.

OR? Maybe just lay back and have a traditional Thai Massage. A month in the capital wouldn't allow you enough time to see it all. D.

Day 2:

BANGKOK - A local operator will take our small group tour on a full days tour to the bridge on The River Kwai. En route you will visit a floating market and the Phra Pathom Chedi which is the tallest Buddist monument in the world.

As well as the bridge on the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi you will also visit the Allied War Cemetary and the Death Museum.  B. L. D.

Day 3:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; KUNMING - A short international flight from Bangkok today will see our small group tour in Kunming in time for a cultural performance over dinner. (China) . B. D.

Day 4:

KUNMING - A full days tour of the Kunming area today which will include the Western Hills and Golden Temple amongst other interesting places. B. L. D.

Day 5:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; DALI - A morning bus trip will see our small group tour in the old city of Dali. This is the beginning of some great shopping opportunities. Dali is another of those magical destinations where even though the ourists have arrived the historical atmosphere still remains. The Bai minorities are the main group you will see as you meander through the narrow streets and laneways. A joy to behold.  B. D.

Day 6:

DALI - A full days tour with a local operator visiting some minority villages and markets as well as a boat trip on the picturesque Erhai Lake. B. L. D.

Day 7:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; LIJIANG - A short morning bus trip will see us in another travellers favourite town of UNESCO World  Heritage listed  Lijiang with its narrow maze of cobblestone streets and canals.

Enjoy getting lost when you wander not far from your central guest house. Minority people and shopping opportunities everywhere. The Naxi is the main minority group in town so the chance to sample some Naxi speciality foods will be on hand. Maybe a Naxi sandwich of goats cheese, tomato and fried egg between two pieces of the local flat bread known as Baba.

But with  limited time and so much to see there wont be much time to eat. The Black Dragon Pool outside the old city is only a short walk away through the new, more modern city, but again, like Dali, the main attraction is strolling around the old city soaking up all the atmosphere. Another magical place. B.

Day 8:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; WALNUT GARDEN - A local bus and taxi will deliver our small group tour to another fantastic highlight of this trip, Walnut Garden. Our guest house on one side of the Yangtze River sits half way up Tiger Leaping Gorge at 2,000 metres. On the other side of the Yangtze is a massive wall of rock reaching almost 4,000 metres. Even higher snow capped peaks complete the backdrop. B. D.

Day 9:

WALNUT GARDEN - Maybe a casual stroll around one of the biggest gorges in the world or just relax at the guest house with a meal and a beer as you stare in awe at this inspirational destination. Simply sensational! B. D.

Day 10:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; LIJIANG - Return to Lijiang for any last minute shopping or sightseeing and an overnight stay. B.

Day 11:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; DALI - Return to Dali for an overnight stay. In the afternoon a chair lift with great views will take you up to visit a hill side monastery. B.

Day 12:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; KUNMING - Return to Kunming for the night. B. D.

Day 13:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; JINGHONG - Transfer to the airport this morning for the short domestic flight to Jinghong . B.

Day 14:

JINGHONG - A free day in Jinghong. Possibly a massage or some shopping in a modern Chinese department store. B.

Day 15:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; MENGLA - A morning bus ride sees our small group tour nearing Laos with your last two nights in China in Mengla . B.

Day 16:

MENGLA - A free day in Mengla to relax by the pool or get out to explore and sample some food at a Sichuan style restaurant. Mengla has few tourist attractions as such meaning you get the chance to see a real Chinese city. B.

Day 17:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; UDOMXAI - Firstly by bus this morning to the Chinese border immigration checkpoint followed by a "taxi" across no-man's land to check in with Laos immigration. And lastly another bus to the Northern Laos city of Udomxai. B. D.

Day 18:

UDOMXAI - A free day to explore laid back Udomxai. Maybe the local market or try some new food as well as your first chance to try a fabulous Beerlao. After dinner the energetic may like to walk up to a hilltop temple with some fireflies along the way to entertain you. Those wanting another masage can try another version at the Lao Red Cross. B.

Day 19:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; LUANG PRABANG -  By bus again today will see our small group tour the wonderful Unesco World Heritage City of Luang Prabang. Yet again the best way to see Luang Prabang is with a leisurely stroll.

WHERE TO START? Just about anywhere as Luang Prabang is one of the great travel destinations in Asia today. First up, while you still have the energy, try walking up the hundred or more steps to Phu Si Temple with fantastic views as the reward. Then onto, in no particular order, The Royal Palace Museum, Wat Ho Pha Bang, Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Visoun, Wat That Luang, Wat Manolom or another dozen or so other Wat's.

Cooking courses can be found  at: Tamarind; Tamnak Lao Three Elephant Cafe;  Massage and Spa's are another way to enjoy Luang Prabang for the not so energetic. Markets and other great eateries will see you get enough nourishment to complete the task at hand whatever you decide on. Dinner by the Mekong with a Beerlao being the perfect way to finish the day. B. D.

Day 20:

LUANG PRABANG - A half day unguided trip on the Mekong today to visit the spiritual caves of Pak Ou and a local village or two. B.

Day 21:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; VANG VIENG - Today by bus our small group tour will see some of the loveliest scenery in all South East Asia as you approach Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng itself is surrounded by stunning limestone karst scenery and on arrival we can sit down and relax with the sunset. B. D.

Day 22:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; VIENTIANE - A short drive today sees our small group tour in what surely must be South East Asia's smallest and sleepiest capital city. With only a little bit of the usual asian big city hustle or bustle beside the Mekong lies Vientiane.

Sightseeing begins with a short Jumbo ride to the most important temple in Laos of Wat That Luang. After that most sights can be seen on foot and include  Wat Si Saket, Wat Si Muang or wat Mixai among others. Then the Arc De Triomphe look alike of Patuxai, Lao National Museum or enjoy a drink at the cosmopolitan central Fountain Circle. B.

Day 23:

VIENTIANE - A free day to explore this sleepy hollow. Don't miss the Morning Market, (open all day).

We can again  enjoy a Beerlao beside the Mekong, with the spectacular sunset over Thailand, as the perfect way to make a final toast to Languorous Laos. B.

Day 24:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; NONG KHAI - Across the Friendship Bridge today for two nights on the Thai side of the Mekong in Nong Khai. One place highly reccommended for a look in Nong Khai is the Village Weaver Handicrafts Shop,   which was set up to encouage local girls to earn money by weaving and sells some very high quality silk and cotton products. Shops and markets along the riverside are of interest also.B. D.

Day 25:

NONG KHAI - A short trip out of town today by Tuk Tuk to the Hindu - Buddhist inspired temple of Sala Kaew Ku where a multitude of weird and wonderful statues have been created by a renowned local monk.   The  rest of the day in this extremely pleasant riverside town at  leisure. B. D.

Day 26:

Tonight your China & Laos small group tour will stay on; OVERNIGHT TRAIN - A free day before your small group tour transfers to the railway station for an overnight sleeper train to Bangkok.
A few of the other sights in Nong Khai include the temples of Wat Pho Chai, Wat Noen Phra Nao or Wat Lam Duan among others. The small Nong Khai Museum may be of interest also. B.

Day 27:

Tonight our China & Laos small group tour will stay in; BANGKOK - Our small group tour will arrive a.m. in Bangkok for a final night. The rest of the day is free for any shopping or sightseeing you may wish to do. A farewell dinner will be had in the evening. D.

Day 28:

Our China and Laos small group  tour is officially over after you check out of your hotel. An airport transfer is included also. B.

Tour Departure Dates

2012
05 May, 02 Jun, 07 Jul, 04 Aug, 01 Sep, 06 Oct, 03 Nov, 01 Dec

2013
05 Jan, 02 Mar, 06 Apr, 04 May, 01 Jun, 06 Jul, 03 Aug, 07 Sep, 05 Oct, 02 Nov

Any other date on application. (Minimum two people).

Price

USD $3,790
Single Suppliment: USD $650