• Day 1 (Jan 7) - Arrive in Vientiane Airport, where we'll meet our guide. This afternoon visit the highlights of the capital (Wat Sisaket with over 6,000 Buddha images; Haw Phra Kaew with Laos' finest Buddhist art; and the Phra That Luang stupa. 

Meals included:    None 
Accommodation:    Crowne Plaza Vientiane – Deluxe Room

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• Day 2 - Vientiane: We visit the Buddha Park with its fanciful sculpture garden, and then go to Mrs. Carol Casidy's center promoting traditional Lao weaving. Here you can get superb quality hand made silk weavings.

Meals included:    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:    Crowne Plaza Vientiane – Deluxe Room  ​

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• Day 3 - We take a train ride to Vang Vieng where we visit a tea and coffee plantation and the amazing Tham Chang Cave with its karst limestone formations. Nearby is the Nam Song River with time for us to swim in its cool waters.

Meals included:    Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:    Amari Vang Vieng – Superior Room
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• Day 4-8 - Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang (for 5 nights): Most of the major sites of Laos are within short distances from Luang Prabang, a World Heritage Site, so we will stay here for 5 nights and do trips to: a textile village called Ban Panom; the Kuang Sii Waterfalls, where we can dip in its pools, then and visit the Waterbuffalo Dairy Farm and the Asian Black Bear Rescue Center; visit the Elephant Village in the Nam Khan River valley and meet the mahouts and get to ride elephants; visit Luang Prabang'sNational Museum (formerly the royal palace) visit Wat Phonxay where we will have the opportunity to have  monk blessing ceremony; visit Wat Xieng Thong, reputed to be Luang Prabang's most vbeautiful temple with its tree of life mosaic; have a cooking class and eat in a traditional home with a local family that will also serve us home made "drinks"; have a sunset cruise on the Mekong River and watch traditional Lao dancers; visit a Hmong and a Khmu hill tribe village where we can enter local homes of these non-Lao Thai people and see traditional local weavers and craftsmen.

Meals included:  day 4  Breakfast 

                        day 5  Breakfast, Lunch

                        day 6  Breakfast, Lunch

                        day 7  Breakfast, Lunch, and Diner

                        day 8  Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:    Avani Luang Prabang – Deluxe Room 
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• Day 9 - Luang Prabang-Pak Beng: today we board a Mekong Boat and sail upstream to Pak Beng with stops at local hill tribe villages, go to Pak Ou Buddha caves where thousands of Buddha statues have been placed by locals since the 16th century. a truly spectacular site. We overnight in Pak Beng with the remainder of the day free to wander and shop.

Meals included:    Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation:    Le Grand Pakbeng – Mekong Villa 
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• Day 10 (Jan 16) - Pakbeng Mekong River Cruise to Houei Xai:Today wee have a full day cruise on the Mekong River to the border with Thailand through remote areas with beautiful scenery, and stop at a Kamu village along the way to the border with Thailand. and check into our hotel in Chiang Rai. 

Meals included:    Breakfast, Lunch ​​

Accommodation: (in Thailand) The Riverie by Katathani – 5* (Deluxe River)

• Day 11 (Jan 17) - Chiang Rai in the Golden Triangle: Today we visit an Akha tribal village and a green tea plantation. Later in the day we go to Mac Sai, a border town at the northernmost point of Thailand where many Burmese cross the border to sell the lacquerware (including lacquered horse hair cups).

Meals included:     Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:   The Riverie by Katathani – 5* (Deluxe River)
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• Day 12 - Chiang Rai-Chiang Mai: Today we visit the beautiful White and Blue temples, and Baan Dam, and the Black house with over 40 blackcolored houses. Afterwards we proceed to Chiang Mai by bus (approx. 4 hours with a locally prepared lunch on the way). Upon arrival we go to an artisan village where one can get silk, silver, paper, and lacquerware products.

Meals included:     Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:   The Riverie by Katathani – 5* (Deluxe River)
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• Day 13 - Chiang Mai was one of the first capitals of Thailand and is famous for its exquisite Buddhist temples and statues and teak wooden traditional homes (some of which we visit). We will enjoy cooking with a local family.

Meals included:     Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation:   RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – 5* (Deluxe Riverside)

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• Day 14 - Chiang Mai: This morning we visit the Tatara Elephant camp where we get to see both wild and captive elephants. This evening we have a dinner with a performance by local Yao, Lahu, Meo (Mien), Lisu, and Karen hill tribes.

Meals included:     Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation:   RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort – 5* (Deluxe Riverside)
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• Day 15 - Chiang Mai-Sukhothai: On our way to Sukhothai, another early capital of Thailand, we stop at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang with its elegant arched stucco entrance with a Naga (dragon) relief.

Meals included:      Breakfast, 
Accommodation:    Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort – 5* (Superior Room)​

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• Day 16 - Sukhothai: Today we visit a large organic rice plantation and learn about rice farming and then visit Thailand's most impressive World Heritage site with its expansive remains of its past glory and housing one of the largest sitting Buddhas in the world (one of my favorite places in Thailand).

Meals included:      Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:    Sriwilai Sukhothai Resort – 5* (Superior Room)
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• Day 17 - Sukhothai-Bangkok: On our way to Bangkok we stop at the historical part of Siam's former capital city of Ayutthaya (another world heritage site). Here we explore a number of amazing architectural monuments, temples, and various other sites. Tonight we spend in Bangkok.

Meals included:       Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation:     Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok – 5* (Grand Deluxe Room River View)​
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• Day 18 - In the morning we visit the Grand Palace and Wat Po, the most important sites in Bangkok (one must dress modestly and have long pants/skirts and shirts/blouses''ie: NO Shorts or short sleeves) as these are very holy places. In the afternoon we cruise the Chao Phraya river and go through the canals of the east side of the river and view many local temples, old houses, etc. and valso visit the temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun), made of old porcelain donated by local people. As most flights back to the U.S. depart early in the morning tonight we will stay at the Novotel Bankok at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which is just across the street from the aiport itself.

Meals included:      Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:    Novotel Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel (Superior Room)

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• Day 19 (Jan 25) - Depart for home or other destinations.

Meals included:      Breakfast​