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Detail Itinerary

Day 1: Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Chiang Khong
Fly Bangkok to Chiang Rai with Thai International **issued by Green Trail Tours**
Upon arrival in Chiang Rai you will be met by your driver.
Transfer to Chiang Khong, a small town on the banks of the Mekong River. Chiang Khong is 130 kms from Chiang Rai and it will take approximately 2 hours to get there.
Overnight: in Chiang Khong Meals: None Transport: Air | Car

Day 2: Chiang Khong - Muang Singh
After breakfast you will be transferred to the border. After having completed immigration and customs formalities cross the border to Laos where your Lao guide will be waiting for you. Visa upon arrival is available (see our visa section for updated information). After having your passport and visa stamped you will start your journey into the wilderness. The road from Ban Houaysai to Luang Namtha has been upgraded recently. What once was a harrowing two day trip is now a mere 4 hour drive. The scenery is still magnificent. Enjoy the views. You will pass many small villages. The children delight in meeting foreigners. Despite widespread poverty you will find Laotians in general very generous and hospitable. From Luang Namtha it is another 1 1/2 hour drive to Muang Sing.
Muang Sing is a charming town located in a beautiful valley with endless ricefields and minority villages.
Muang Sing used to be part of a group of principalities loosely linked under the Muang Sing originally formed part of group of principalities loosely linked under the leadership of a political entity called Sipsongpanna in southern Yunnan province, China, the current Xishuangbanna district. It is now the commercial centre of a valley with numerous villages of differrent ethnic minorities, each with their own fascinating culture and traditions.
In the evening you can walk around Muang Sing, which is in fact a large village, and enjoy a delightful dinner in one of the small restaurants.
Overnight: in Muang Singh Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car | Boat | Car

Day 3: Muang Singh
Muang Sing's main attraction are the different minorities that live in the vicinity. What better is there to explore villages by foot and that is what we are going to do today. With your personal guide you will embark on a full day trek through the Muang Sing valley. It is an easy walk as the valley floor is flat. You will pass through villages of K'mu, Akha, Thai Dam (Black Thai) and Hmong, amongst others. Your guide will tell about their traditions, their way of living and their history. Many of these minorities live in several different Southeast Asian countries. Your guide will prepare a tasty lunch which you will have along the way.
At the end of the day you will return to Muang Sing and look back on an exciting day with many impressions and pictures to take home. Enjoy a bottle of the ever present Bia Lao.
Overnight: in Muang Singh Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: On foot

Day 4: Muang Singh - Luang Prabang
Today you will depart early. The drive to Luang Prabang is a long one. Luang Prabang is 440 kms from Muang Sing and it will take approximately 8-10 hours to get there. You will drive back to Luang Namtha and then set course for Udomxai, a busy town on the way to the Chinese border. You will have lunch in Udomxai in a local restaurant, especially selected by us.
Continue to Nam Bak. This road leads through the mountains and the views are spectacular. You will pass many villages of the Hmong minority. The Hmong build their villages above 1000m altitude unlike others. They usually still wear their traditional attire.
Before Nam Bak you will turn right to Luang Prabang and drive along the Ou River.
At the end of the day you will reach Luang Prabang, the jewel of Laos. Your stay in Luang Prabang will be one of the highlights of this trip.
Overnight: in Luang Prabang Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car

Day 5: Luang Prabang
The town Luang Prabang is an outstanding example of the fusion of traditional architecture and Lao urban structures with those built by the French colonial authorities in the 19th and 20th centuries. The town has been declared a World Heritage by UNESCO in 1995. From your hotel you can easily explore the town on foot which is what we recommend you to do today. Just breathe in the atmosphere, wander through the small alleys, visit the mystical temples (don't forget to dress properly and take off your shoes). Enjoy the wonderful Lao and French food. Go shopping for textiles (Luang Prabang has some of the best textiles of the country) or take a Bia Lao on one of the terraces along the Mekong River.
From Phousy Mountain you have a commanding view over the town. Luang Prabang has an attractive evening market in one of the side streets of Sakkarine Rd., the ideal place to find some great bargains to take home.
Overnight: in Luang Prabang Meals: Breakfast Transport: On foot

Day 6: Luang Prabang
After breakfast you will be picked up from the hotel by your guide. He will bring you to the Elephant Camp, about 15 kms from Luang Prabang. The camp is located on the banks of the Nam Khan River. You will be introduced to your elephant who will carry you for an entertaining ride of 1 to 1,5 hours to the wonderful Tad Sae waterfall. There you can take a swim and have lunch. After lunch you will go back to the camp by local boat.
You will stay overnight at the Elephant Lodge, a renovated 100 years old farmhouse. In the afternoon you can enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings or engage in one of the activities offered by the Lodge.
Overnight: in Luang Prabang Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car | Elephant | Boat

Day 7: Luang Prabang - Udomxai
Today will be the first leg of your journey to Vietnam. After breakfast you will be picked up from the Elephant Lodge and driven back to Luang Prabang. You will board a private local slow boat and set course to the Pak Ou caves. This boattrip will take about one hour. At a leisurely pace you will cruise the majestic Mekong River until you reach the caves, set in a limestone rockwall. There are two caves in the steep rock cliff at the confluence of the Mekong River and Ou River: Tham Ting, the lower cave and Tham Phum, which can be reached by a long stair case. They are full of Buddha images of varying styles, ages and size.
Your guide has prepared a delicious picnic lunch which you will enjoy on the banks of the river. You will continue to Udomxai, the gateway to China. Udomxai is 275 km. far from Luang Prabang and this will take approximately 5-6 hours for driving.
Overnight: in Udomxai Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car | Boat | Car

Day 8: Udomxai - Dien Bien Phu
Early in the morning you will leave Udomxai and drive to Muang Khua. This will take approximately two hours and a half for driving. The excitement mounts! After lunch in a local restaurant in Muang Khua we take off to the Vietnamese border. From Muang Khua to the bordercrossing Tay Trang-Ban Panghok is another 4 hours drive on a bad road.
The bordercheckpoint where you will enter Vietnam has been opened in 2007. Say goodbye to your Lao guide and driver.
After having completed immigration and customs formalities you will meet your new guide and driver and you're on your way to a new episode of this adventure: into the highlands of Northern Vietnam.
After a short while you will reach the fertile valley of Dien Bien Phu. Dien Bien Phu was the site of a historic battle in 1953 in which the Vietminh defeated French forces, an Asian "Waterloo" for the French. The victory at Dien Bien Phu was an important step on the road to independence for Vietnam. The valley is dotted with villages of ethnic minorities. You will find the Vietnamese quite different from the Laotians but just as friendly and hospitable.
Overnight: in Dien Bien Phu Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car | Car

Day 9: Dien Bien Phu - Muong Lay
Today you will drive to Muong Lay, formerly known as Lai Chau. After breakfast there will be an excursion to the historical sites of Dien Bien Phu in the morning. You will visit Hill D1, the Dien Bien Phu Museum and the former headquarters of French general De Castries. Most fun is to watch groups of Vietnamese having their pictures taken standing on top of French tanks.
Now back on the road. It is another day of spectacular scenery and minority villages. Muong Lay is about 105 kms from Dien Bien Phu and the drive will take about 2 hours. You will see different ethnic minorities as in Laos. You will pass villages of Flower Hmong, Red Zao, amongst others. Not everyone wants his picture taken, beware!
We drive to Muong Lay where we will arrive in the afternoon. Muong Lay will be flooded in a couple of years time as part of a huge hydropower project on the Da River. You will have time to wander around this charming town.
Overnight: in Muong Lay Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car

Day10: Muong Lay - Sapa
Today you will travel to Sapa, the former French hillstation, located at almost 1500 metres elevation at the foot of Fansipan, Vietnam's highest mountain. Scenerywise it doesn't get much better than this. It's a long day driving, so we will depart early. Total distance is about 200 kms but it will take about 6 hours from Muong Lay to Sapa. Drive to Tam Duong, which has been renamed Lai Chau. Continue to Binh Lu. Along the way you will pass numerous minority villages and there is plenty of time for a photostop.
Before arriving in Sapa you will cross the spectacular Hoang Lien pass. Enjoy the beautiful vistas. Sapa, originally built as a hill station for the French in 1922, is well known for its spectacular scenery and the various hilltribes that live nearby. Sapa is at around 1500 metres elevation and it can become very chilly in the wintermonths.
Most visitors are here to visit the hilltribes (mostly H'mong, Dao and Kinh people) who live in the area. Especially worthwhile is the Saturday market, where various tribes come to sell/buy goods. The ground floor is for food products, but on the first floor the minorities sell their handicrafts, such as blankets, traditional clothes, hats etc. Also during weekdays there are plenty of minority people of different tribes in Sapa.
Overnight: in Sapa Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: Car

Day 11: Sapa
Today you will embark on a daytrek to Hmong villages around Sapa. Your guide will be from the Hmong tribe and will tell you all about their customs, tradition and history. During this exciting walk you will be able to enjoy the magnificent landscapes of Sapa to the fullest. In total you will walk about 8 kms today which will take from 4 to 5 hours. A picnic lunch is included.
Although you will not be the first foreigner to visit the villages the local people are welcoming and friendly. On clear days the scenery is simply breathtaking and there is nothing better than having a drink on one of the terraces and enjoying the views and the fresh mountain air.
Overnight: in Sapa Meals: Breakfast | Lunch Transport: On foot

Day 12: Sapa
Today is a free day. It is possible to go on a one day trek around Sapa. Several Hmong and Dzay villages are within walking distance of Sapa. Terrain is mountaineous and you might have to cross the river more than once. Although you will not be the first foreigner to visit the villages the local people are welcoming and friendly. On clear days the scenery is simply breathtaking and there is nothing better than having a drink on one of the terraces and enjoying the views and the fresh mountain air.
Overnight: in Sapa Meals: Breakfast Transport: None

Day 13: Sapa - Lao Cai - Hanoi
Today is a free day. You can embark on another walk or just explore the town proper. You will have to check out of the hotel at noon though.
In the afternoon you will be transferred to Lao Cai. Lao Cai is only 38 kms from Sapa and it will take approximately one hour to get there. You will travel by overnight sleepertrain to Hanoi.
Overnight: Sleeper Train Vietnam Meals: Breakfast Transport: Car | Train

Day 14: Hanoi
In the early morning you will arrive in Hanoi. We have booked the hotel the night before so you can check in right away.
Rest of the day is free at leisure
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a delightful and exciting city. The Old French Quarter and the many lakes and parks give Hanoi a very special atmosphere. The city is located on the right bank of the Red River. It's history goes back more than 1000 years and the city boasts numerous buildings of historical significance from centuries old pagodas and back alleys to opulent buildings from the French colonial era. You won't be bored in this fantastic city.
Overnight: in Hanoi Meals: Breakfast Transport: Car

Day 15: Hanoi
Today you have the opportunity to explore Hanoi on your own. Highly recommended is a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum. Please be aware that both are closed in October, November and December. The nearby Temple of Literature is worth a visit as well. Not to be missed is a waterpuppet performance. This old art form is unique to Vietnam. 
Overnight: in Hanoi Meals: Breakfast Transport: None

Day 16: Hanoi
You can either extend your stay in Vietnam or transfer to the airport for your flight onwards (transfer not included)
End of services
Overnight: No Accommodation Meals: Breakfast Transport: None