Northern Laos by Train: Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Luang Namtha in 7 Days

Your guide meets you on arrival and takes you to your centrally located hotel. After a short rest, visit the National Museum in the former Royal Palace, with its collection of royal gifts and Lao art, and Wat Mai next door. Climb the steps of Mount Phousi to the gilded stupa at the top for a sunset view over the town and the Mekong. Finish at the night market, where hill-tribe families sell handmade textiles. Dinner is included.Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: D

Begin at Wat Sene, one of the oldest temples in town, and Wat Xieng Thong, with its famous tree of life mosaic in colored glass. Board a boat upstream on the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves, two caverns filled with thousands of Buddha images, with a stop at Ban Xang Hai, known for rice wine. In the afternoon, drive 30 km to Kuang Si Falls, visiting a minority village on the way. Swim in the turquoise pools, walk the forest paths and, if you wish, see the Bear Rescue Centre.Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, board the express train north to Oudomxay, a province home to more than 20 ethnic groups along the Nam Beng River. On arrival, you are taken to Namkat Yorlapa, a resort set in the forest. After checking in, walk through the jungle to the Namkat waterfall, crossing a scenic sky bridge on the way. Take your time at the falls before walking back to the resort for the evening.Overnight: Oudomxay · Meals: B, L

Drive in the direction of Pak Khai with views over the Nam Pak River, terraced rice fields and small villages. From here you set off on foot along a mountain trail that follows a stream through lush vegetation, meeting farmers in their fields and learning how they grow rice and fish in the stream. After about an hour and a half you leave the forest and reach Ban Phavie, a Khamu village on a hilltop. Have lunch in the village, then cool off at nearby waterfalls before returning to the resort in the late afternoon.Overnight: Oudomxay · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, take a short walk to a nearby Khamu village, then catch the train to Luang Namtha on the Nam Tha River. After checking in, visit the Luang Namtha Museum (closed weekends), with its collection of traditional clothing, tools, instruments and crafts from the region's peoples. Continue to Ban Nam Dee, known as the lantern village, where families still make paper and lanterns by hand, and cool down at the Nam Dee waterfall before returning to town.Overnight: Luang Namtha · Meals: B, L

Drive north to Muang Sing, a valley near the Chinese border. On the way, stop at villages of the Akha and Lanten peoples, whose ancestors came from the mountains of southern China and Tibet. After lunch, learn more about hill-tribe life as you visit the Chieng Tung stupa, Ban Nam Ded and Ban Nam Mai, a village of the Yao people. Return to Luang Namtha with the evening at leisure.Overnight: Luang Namtha · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, drive south to Huay Xay on the Mekong. On the way, stop at Ban Nam Chang, a village of the Lao Huay people, and Ban Poong, a Tai Lue village where families distill lao-lao spirit from sticky rice. Arrive at Huay Xay, where the tour ends at the border crossing to Chiang Khong in Thailand, ready to continue to Chiang Rai or beyond.Meals: B