Northern Thailand and Laos

DAY 1 International Flight

Your adventure begins as you board an international flight to Bangkok. The 11-and-a-quarter-hour overnight flight leaves London around lunchtime.

DAY 2 To Chiang Mai

This morning you'll say goodbye to busy Bangkok and head to the much calmer north. A driver will escort you to the airport where you'll catch a short domestic flight to Chiang Mai airport. Another driver will be waiting to meet you there and take you to your new hotel in the centre of town. Once settled in, head into the town to explore the ancient centre which, despite having a 700-hundred-year history, was only accessible by boat or elephant until the 1930s. As a result this is a much more traditional and authentic Thai experience than Bangkok. We suggest heading to the famous Night Bazaar, where you can hone your haggling skills shopping for local handicrafts at the hundreds of stalls and shops stretching along the Chang Khlan Road.

DAY 3 To Chiang Rai

This morning you'll be heading north east to Chiang Rai. The drive is around three-hours long so settle in and get comfortable as you admire the views from the car window. When you arrive, drop your bags off at the new hotel and then head out to explore the area. We suggest you walk up to the Lahu community, where at sunset, you will see families cooking their dinner, children playing and people chatting outside their homes.

At the edge of the Lahu village, there is a path which takes you further uphill, with views of the Mekong River and Laos to you right. The path will give you a full view of the valleys, and you'll walk through plantations and corn fields, watching any farmers still at work. You will then circle back and walk along the path on the other side of the hill to see the layered mountain range. Stop here to watch the sunset light up the sky and add a golden hue to the already picture perfect scene.

DAY 4 To Luang Prabang

Wake up to the sound of birdsong and tuck into breakfast at the lodge while the river is still shrouded in early morning mist. Then, head back to the boat for your second day of river cruising. Your first stop of the day is at the hill tribe village of Baw, where you'll meet the locals and can watch the traditional process of making Lao rice whisky. Back on board, lunch will be served as you continue downstream to the Tham Thing and Tham Phoum caves at the mouth of the Nam Ou River. These stone caves were converted into Buddhist temples in the 15th century and are now famous for housing over 2,500 Buddha statues of all sizes. They are also a pilgrimage destination for many Laotians, and wandering among the Buddha statues we're sure you'll see why.

The final stretch of the cruise will take you on to Luang Prabang, the former royal capital and your base for the remainder of the holiday. A driver will collect you from the jetty and take you to your hotel in time for dinner.

DAY 5 Home Time

After two weeks of cultural and eye-opening travel to two different but equally fascinating countries, now is the time to head home. This afternoon you'll be met at your hotel and driven to the airport where you can catch a two-hour flight to Bangkok and connect across to the overnight flight to London, which takes just over 12-hours.