Hiking Laos and Cambodia

Arrive in Vientiane and make your way to your accommodation. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel in Vientiane to rest or explore at your leisure.

Note: Check-in at the hotel begins at 14:00. Airport pick-up and pre-trip rooms are available as a supplement. Contact your trip planner for assistance.

Meet your guide at the hotel lobby at 8:00 AM to begin exploring Vientiane. You discover a capital where French colonial history blends with a distinct Laotian identity. Your exploration starts at Vat Sisaket, the city's largest and best-preserved temple, known for its unique Siamese-influenced architecture. Next, you visit Vat Phra Keo, a museum originally built to house the Emerald Buddha, set in a garden featuring elegant colonnades and carved panels. You continue to Pha That Louang, a golden stupa that stands as a masterpiece of Laotian architecture and a national symbol. Before leaving the city, you ascend the Patuxay Triumphal Arch to admire panoramic views of the skyline.

In the afternoon, you travel by private car to Vang Vieng. This drive covers 130 kilometers and takes approximately 1.5 hours. Upon arrival, you climb to a viewpoint to watch the sunset over dramatic limestone karst formations. The ascent rewards you with shifting colors across the ancient landscape, far removed from the city bustle below. As dusk falls, your guide leads you back down to enjoy the evening in Vang Vieng.

Elevation Gain: 131 meters
Hiking length: 30 minutes
Hike Distance: 0.6 kilometers

After breakfast, meet your guide at the hotel lobby at 9:00 AM. A short tuk-tuk ride leads to the banks of the Nam Song River, where a leisurely float carries you past Vang Vieng’s famous limestone karsts. The river brings you to a riverside village to connect with the traditions of the Khmu people. An elderly blacksmith demonstrates how he forges knives using ancestral techniques, eventually handing over the tools so you can try the craft yourself.

Following this hands-on experience, a local family welcomes you for a typical Khmu lunch served in their house or garden. This intimate meal provides a natural setting to learn about their animistic traditions, followed by a demonstration of how they brew "Lao Hai" rice wine. The afternoon invites a walk through rice paddies to a cave on the river’s far bank. A rest stop in a local farm hut allows time to taste the rice wine and discuss the rhythms of agricultural life before returning to your hotel in Vang Vieng for the night.

After breakfast, a driver transfers you to the station for the train to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival, your guide meets you to explore this UNESCO World Heritage city, renowned for its position at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. The cultural immersion begins at the Royal Palace, now the National Museum, which houses the sacred Phrabang Buddha and a collection of royal artifacts.

From there, you visit Heuan Chan House, a preserved wooden residence over a century old that illustrates the blend of traditional and colonial architecture. The city tour continues at Vat Xieng Thong, a magnificent temple complex known for its intricate mosaics and sweeping rooflines. In the afternoon, the Ock Pop Tok Weaving Craft Center offers a look into local craftsmanship. Artisans demonstrate silk weaving, dyeing, and batik techniques before you relax in the center's tropical garden overlooking the Mekong River.

After the visits, you settle into your hotel in Luang Prabang, with time to rest or explore nearby streets at your own pace.

Note: You must show your passport and train ticket when entering the station and on the train. Keep your ticket to exit the station.

Today, you rise early to witness the Tak Bat ceremony at dawn, observing devoted residents kneeling on the sidewalk to offer food to saffron-robed monks in a silent, respectful procession. The morning energy shifts as you explore a vibrant local market before returning to your hotel for breakfast.

Later, a drive takes you out of the city to Ban Nong Heo, a Khmu village where water buffalo roam, and blacksmiths tend to their daily tasks. From here, an easy hike leads you through hill forests and plantations, offering chances to taste fresh sugar cane juice straight from the field. The trail leads to Ban Thapene, the village located at the entrance to the Kuang Si Waterfalls.

In the afternoon, visit a village renowned for Sa paper production, learning the centuries-old process of making handmade paper from mulberry bark, a craft tied closely to Lao culture and sustainable resources. Return to your hotel in Luang Prabang to rest or explore at your leisure.

Optional Evening Experience
You can choose to embark on a gastronomic walking tour to sample Lao staples. This culinary adventure includes tasting Khao Soi or Pho, steamed Salapao buns, and refreshing Namvan dessert drinks. The walk winds through small streets for shared plates of spring rolls and cucumber salad, ending at the night market for Kaojee and coconut cakes.

Hike Distance: 4 kilometers
Hiking length: 1.5 hours
Difficulty Level: Easy

Note: For the Tak Bat ceremony, please dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered). Maintain a respectful distance when taking photos, do not cross the monks' path, and observe silence.

Start your day with breakfast at your hotel before driving 30 kilometers through the scenic Luang Prabang countryside to Ban Muang Keo, where you learn the art of traditional flower arrangements for Buddhist offerings. Visit a local temple to experience the serene spiritual atmosphere and receive a monk's blessing. Continue to a nearby village to meet locals and observe daily life firsthand.

You stop for an aperitif on a riverside beach, savoring local flavors before enjoying a traditional Lao lunch and a cup of locally grown coffee. Afterward, an easy 30-minute hike through the forest takes you to a quiet back entrance of the Pak Ou Caves. Inside the two caverns, you view thousands of Buddha statues and learn about the site's history. You return to Luang Prabang by boat, cruising downstream along the Mekong River.

Boat distance: Pak Ou Caves to Luang Prabang 30 km / 2 hours
Hiking distance: 30-minute easy forest walk

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and spend the morning exploring Luang Prabang at your own pace. Later, check out and transfer to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap. Upon arrival, meet your Cambodian driver and transfer to your hotel for check-in, staying in the same location as your accommodation, with time to rest or explore the area at your leisure.

Start your day with breakfast before meeting your guide at 8:00 AM. You travel along a road shaded by century-old trees to enter the stone gates of Angkor Thom. Inside, you admire the Bayon temple, known for its 54 towers decorated with massive carved smiling faces. Your walk continues to the Baphuon, an 11th-century mountain temple, followed by the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King, famous for its intricate Apsara sculptures.

In the afternoon, you explore Angkor Wat, starting at the central avenue to fully grasp the scale and artistic detail of this massive complex. You conclude the tour at Ta Prohm, where massive roots and tropical nature seem to consume the stone ruins. You return to your hotel in Siem Reap for a free evening.

Hiking distance: 14 kilometers / 3 hours
Elevation Gain: +150 meters / -120 meters
Difficulty Level: Easy
Terrain: Jungle trails and forest

Optional Activity
Option 1: Culinary Experience – A Taste of Cambodian Cuisine You embark on a multi-stage dinner adventure by tuk-tuk, visiting three distinct restaurants to sample local flavors. You begin with a starter and drink at Pou, followed by a main course at The Sugar Palm, and conclude with dessert at Malis. This curated progression allows you to experience the atmosphere and signature dishes of Siem Reap's culinary scene.

Option 2: Phare, the Cambodian Circus You discover Phare Ponleu Selpak, an organization that provides artistic training to young Cambodians. This energetic and professional performance blends theater, music, and circus arts to tell stories of Khmer history and modern society. The show offers a thrilling insight into the country's vibrant culture.

Option 3: Apsara Dinner Show You immerse yourself in ancient Khmer culture with a traditional dinner performance. Dancers, singers, and musicians bring local legends to life through movement and song. You enjoy a set or buffet menu of Cambodian cuisine while watching dances that represent important celebrations and historical tales.

Today, you depart in the early morning from your hotel after breakfast and drive 50 kilometers through the Cambodian countryside, passing villages, rice fields, and sugar palms, to Phnom Kulen, the largest forested area in the province. You meet your local ranger at the National Park checkpoint and embark on a 12-kilometer trek through jungle trails. You visit The River of 1000 Lingas to admire the Shiva carvings inside the stream, continue to Preah Ang Thom to see the golden Reclining Buddha, and finish at Phnom Kulen Waterfall, where you can take a refreshing swim. You enjoy a picnic lunch nearby before returning to your hotel in Siem Reap in the afternoon.

Hiking distance: 12 km / 3 hours
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Elevation Gain: +253 m / –212 m

Note: Avoid weekends and public holidays for a quieter experience. 

Today, you depart Siem Reap in the morning and drive 52 kilometers to Kompong Khleang. You board a local boat led by a captain from the village to navigate the Tonlé Sap Lake. The boat moves through various canals, allowing you to observe small floating villages before reaching the open water of the Great Lake, where the horizon stretches endlessly. During the dry season, you have the opportunity to walk and meet locals before the cruise. You return to your hotel in Siem Reap early afternoon for leisure time, or you can choose to join an optional evening culinary experience, the Phare Circus, or an Apsara dinner show.

Note: From February 15th onward, due to low water levels, large boats (10+ pax) cannot operate at Kompong Khleang. Groups of 10 or more will instead visit Chong Kneas.

Optional Activity
Option 1: Culinary experience A Taste of Cambodian Cuisine
Option 2: Phare, the Cambodian circus show
Option 3: Experience an Apsara Dinner Show in Siem Reap

Today, you enjoy a morning at leisure to relax or do some final exploration. Your room is at your disposal until 12:00. At the appropriate time, you travel independently to the airport for your departure flight.

Optional Activity
Follow the Kulen Elephant Forest. You visit the Kulen Elephant Forest, a retreat where retired elephants from Angkor Park interact freely with excellent care. You spend time learning about the herd as you follow them through their habitat, observing their relationships and behaviors. Accompanied by energetic guides, you walk with the elephants into the fields and forest, feeding them and witnessing their daily rhythms.

Hiking distance: 2 km / 30-45 mins | Level: 0 (Easy) | Terrain: Clear trail Meals: Lunch (Morning Session) or Snack (Afternoon Session)