Vientiane to Dien Bien Phu: Laos by Train Overland to Vietnam in 8 Days

Your guide meets you on arrival in the capital and takes you to your hotel. After a short rest, set out to see the main sights: Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still standing in the city, with thousands of small Buddha images in its cloister walls, and the former royal temple of Haw Phra Kaew. Visit Pha That Luang, the golden stupa that is the most important monument in Laos, and stop for photos at Patuxai, Vientiane's own triumphal arch. In the evening enjoy a welcome dinner at a good local restaurant.Overnight: Vientiane · Meals: D

After an early breakfast, board the express train to Vang Vieng, a small town on a bend of the Nam Song River surrounded by limestone peaks. After checking in, visit Tham Jang, a cave once used by local people as a hiding place. Then drive through rice paddies to Tham Phoukham, a large limestone cave set in the forest, meeting villagers along the way. A clear natural pool in front of the cave is perfect for a swim on a hot afternoon.Overnight: Vang Vieng · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, take the express train to Luang Prabang, the best-kept old town in Southeast Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After checking in, visit the National Museum in the former Royal Palace, with its rich collection of Lao art and royal belongings. Climb Mount Phousi to the gilded stupa for a sunset view over the town and the Mekong, then browse the night market, where hill-tribe families sell handmade textiles.Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, take a short guided walk through the town to see the places you missed yesterday, then board a boat upstream on the Mekong through quiet countryside. Stop at the Pak Ou Caves, two caverns in the cliffs filled with thousands of Buddha images. On the way back, visit Ban Phanom, a village known for hand-woven cloth, then Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek, small villages where families weave silk and make saa paper by hand.Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B, L

Drive into the hills to Ban Long Lao, visiting the Khmu village of Ban Long Lao Nung and the Hmong village of Ban Long Lao Song next door. You see how two very different communities live side by side, even sharing a school. On the way to Kuang Si, stop for a 40-minute visit to a small buffalo dairy farm. Then swim in the turquoise pools of Kuang Si Falls or walk the forest paths, with an optional stop at the Bear Rescue Centre. Back in town, watch sunset at Wat Phabath by the Mekong.Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, take the express train north to Oudomxay, a province home to more than 20 ethnic groups along the Nam Beng River. You are met and taken to Namkat Yorlapa, a resort in the forest. After checking in, enjoy a short jungle walk to the Namkat waterfall and take your time by the water before returning to the resort for the night.Overnight: Oudomxay · Meals: B, L

Drive out past the Nam Pak River, terraced rice fields and riverside villages to the start of a mountain trail. Follow 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 reach Ban Phavie, a Khamu village on a hilltop, for lunch with the community. After lunch, relax at nearby waterfalls before returning to the resort in the late afternoon.Overnight: Oudomxay · Meals: B, L

After breakfast, drive into the remote mountains of northern Laos to the Sop Hun border. On the way, stop at Pak Nam Noi, where a village market is held every ten days according to an old local calendar and people come from all around to trade. Take a short walk through a Khmu village and its temple, then continue to the border, where your Lao tour ends and you cross into Vietnam for Dien Bien Phu.Meals: B