Last updated: 2009-09-01

Itinerary

Day 1-2

Gathering in Kunming at our hotel. This is the biggest city in Yunnan province and also the capital. It has an estimated population more than 5 000 000 people. It is often called the Spring City due to its mild climate all year around. The altitude of the city is 1890 metres above sea level. Kunming is a modern city. However modern there are still some charming neighbourhoods. The Moslem part of town in particular is nice for a stroll. This area still has got many old wooden buildings. In the evenings the streets turn into a long food market, with kebabs, special noodles, nanbread and other Moslem specialities. You will also find lively night markets, where the locals are gathering for a chat, a beer and a taste of Yunnan’s many special snacks. You can walk from table to table and have a taste of things you never seen before. A lot of the food is very spicy.

In the mornings you can watch or join the hordes of people who are gathering outside the Cultural Palace or in the square outside of the hotel to do morning exercise. Some are doing taiqi; some are practising their instruments, while others are dancing local ethnical dances or tango. You might also find a local opera, where you can get a cup of tea for a few yuan at a teahouse.

There are some Buddhist temples in and around town. Some of them are situated in the Western Hills a few kilometres out of town. At the Western Hill you can walk between temples and have a look over the Dianchi Lake, one of the biggest lakes in China. Inside town there is the Green Lake Park and the Provincial Museum. A visit to a hospital for traditional Chinese Medicine is easily arranged and highly  recommended.

Day 3

Bus for 3-4 hours to the old garrison town Jianshui

Day 4-6

 Bus ride to Yangyang close to Red River were you for three days will trek between villages.

Day 7

 Early morning bus to Hekou were you enter in to Vietnam. By the border will you meet your Vietnamese tour leader. You will spend your first night in the not so charming but interesting town Lao Cai.

Day 8

 After breakfast will you go by bus, five hours, to the small town Muong Lai via Lai Chau. The landscape along the road is very hilly and beautiful and you will have the opportunity to make stops along the way, visit villages, just look at the scenery or simply stretch your legs. You will most probably have lunch in Lai Chau at a local restaurant.

Day 9-12

 In the morning after breakfast will you be transported to the trekking area outside Muong Lai. For four days will you walk in small groups through a beautiful landscape were many different minorities live in small villages. During these days will you sleep in different villages in peoples houses. Food and accommodation will be totally on local conditions. Day twelve in the afternoon will you go down by the river by boat to Muong Lai and sleep one more night at the same hotel as before.

Day 13

 In the morning an three hour bus ride To Dien Bien Phu. Here will you have time to make a city tour by foot or by bicycle. Dien Bien Phu is not a beautiful town but historically very interesting. It was around this town the French colonial army was defeated in the nearly two month´s long battle. If you are not interested in the war history can you just walk around in the town  visit restaurants, cafes or markets or sit down and watch the daily life.

Day 14

You continue to the Lao border and continue on a dirt road in the direction of the Nam Ou river. This day we go for 3-4 hours to the small village Muong May were you will sleep in the only Hotel. This small village has a perfect location since you are heading for Nam Ou river were you will catch a boat.  Muong May is a small place with a market, some local restaurants and a good place in the river for a swim together with the villagers. The landscape around Muon May is beautiful and it is nice to take short walks in the surroundings. Compared to stay overnight in Muong Khoua is it much more peaceful here with less tourists.

Day 15

 After breakfast will you continue two hour by land to Muong Khoua were you will change to boat and mak a peaceful cruise down Nam Ou river. The scenery along the river is breathtaking for and you can enjoy this for 4-5 hours until you arrive to the sleepy and peaceful little village Muong Ngoi. You will have the afternoon and evening for yourself so you can enjoy good food or just take a rest or a Lao massage.

Day 16

 After breakfast will you take a boat for 1hour down to Nong Khiaw were you will take the local bus to Luang Prabang.  By tuk tuk will you go to our hotel wich is located 10 minutes walk from the center of town.

Day 17-18

You have two days to explore Luang Prabang and the surroundings. The town itself is like a jewel with a mix of French style houses and hundreds of Buddhist temples and pagodas. Highlights should be the Emperors old castle, boat trip to Pak Ou caves, visits in Pagodas, Lao food in the market, bicycle tour outside Luang Prabang etc. It is a big pleasure just to walk around and observing people and houses in this beautiful place.

Day 19-20

 In the morning will you take a local bus to Phonsavan, 5-6 hours,  and have lunch along the way. Gradually will you see the landscape change shape outside the bus window and you are approaching Phonsavan and the plain of Jars.  Xieng Khuang Province, where Phonsavan is provincial capital, was a big battleground during the Vietnam War and was heavily bombed by American planes. It was also the place where Phatet Lao and the North Vietnamese forces on one side and a CIA backed army lead by General Vang Pao on the other side fought each other from 1964 up to 1975. Plain of Jars is an archaeological site where hundreds of big stone jars are spread over the plateau at different places. It is still a mystery what their function was and their age is also unclear. Nevertheless is it vey exciting  to see the jars and try to figure out their history.

Day 21

You take a local bus to the trekking area located around the small village Nong Het. This is a place where not many tourists make a stop they just pass through to reach the Vietnamese border.  The first night will you stay in a bungalow hotel in Nong Het.

Day 22-24

 For three days will you do trekking in the beautiful area surrounding Nong Het. The area is inhabited by minority people of different tribes and you will walk between different villages where you will sleep in private houses. Food and accommodation will be totally on local conditions. The last night will you sleep on the same hotel as when you arrived.

Day 25-26

 In the morning will you say goodbye to Nong Het and cross the border into Vietnam. The bus tour to Vinh in Vietnam will be the longest on the tour, 6-7 hours, and you will have lunch along the way. You will not sleep in a hotel in Vinh but by the sea in Cua Lo. During high season is this a crowded place but since you arrive during low season will the place be serene with empty beaches. In the afternoon day 26 you go to Vinh and catch the night train for Hanoi.

Day 27

End of tour