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The soul-stirring sight of 600 saffron-clad monks collecting morning alms is an auspicious start to your exploration of the stunning mountainscapes of Laos and Northern Vietnam. Temple-filled Luang Prabang is still relatively untouristed despite its former role as royal capital and the center of Laotian Buddhism. You will visit the legendary Pak Ou Caves, a local pilgrimage site in which thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues fill the limestone caverns, and soak up the Buddhist calm of the city's unpaved back streets.
Three hours upstream on the Mekong from Luang Prabang is our lodge, nestled in the heart of amazing Laos countryside. There are mountains carved with rice terraces, greener than green fields, bubbling waterfalls and villages spread to heaven's rim. The area is home to distinct hill tribe groups, each with its own language and culture.
A short flight takes you to Hanoi and then by overnight train into the Tonkinese Alps of Northern Vietnam. The lodge's mountaintop location affords breathtaking views. Vietnam's highest peak looms overhead, while the surrounding valleys feature rice paddies and blazing green fields cut by fast-flowing streams. Layer upon layer of green ridges fade into the distance, edged by sharp, rocky peaks. You'll walk past emerald rice paddies, through bamboo and pine forests and mingle in the markets with the tribal villagers.
Your hard work is rewarded with an overnight cruise on dramatic Halong Bay. This mysterious body of water has a surreal quality, with its nature-sculpted limestone islands and outcroppings. And then, revitalized, you'll dive into delightfully chaotic Hanoi for a last few days of markets, art galleries and outstanding cuisine. |
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| FACTS: |
| • | 13 days |
| • | Local guides |
| • | Start in Luang Prabang/finish in Hanoi |
| • | Best time to travel: September - April |
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| COMBINATIONS: |
| Classic Vietnam with Angkor |
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| ITINERARY IN BRIEF: |
| Day 1: |
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Arrive in Luang Prabang |
| Day 2: |
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Luang Prabang |
| Day 3: |
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Luang Prabang-Pak Ou-Kamu Lodge |
| Day 4: |
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Kamu Lodge: Day hike (approx. 6 hours walking) |
| Day 5: |
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Kamu Lodge-Luang Prabang: Kuang Si hike (approx. 2 hours walking) |
| Day 6: |
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Luang Prabang-Hanoi, Vietnam |
| Day 7: |
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Lao Cai-Sapa |
| Day 8: |
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Sin Chai Village, Hoang Lien National Park |
| Day 9: |
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Fansipan-Lao Cai-Hanoi |
| Day 10: |
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Hanoi-Halong Bay |
| Day 11: |
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Halong-Hanoi |
| Day 12: |
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Hanoi |
| Day 13: |
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Depart Hanoi |
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416-633-5666 / 1-800-387-1483
 Indochina Revealed
Vietnam, the Mekong and Cambodia
Length: 16 days
Start: Hanoi, Vietnam
Finish: Siem Reap, Cambodia
 Foothills of the Annapurnas
Walking in Nepal
• Private Journey •
Length: 10 days
Start: Kathmandu, Nepal
Finish: Kathmandu, Nepal
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