Laos: Off The Mekong Trails
12 Days in Southeast Asia's Ancient Soul
5 Good Reasons To Do This Trip!
A newly opened high-speed rail system connects the north and south with heart-stopping views and modern comforts – and you’ll get several chances to experience this ideal way to see more of the country.
One great thing about Laos is that not everyone has uncovered what a treat it is to visit, so you can have genuine exchanges with locals and see eye-poppingly impressive cultural monuments, nearly on your own.
With nearly 5,000 Buddhist temples, or wats, gleaming across the country, no Laos trip is complete without visiting several – so of course we’ve baked them into the itinerary throughout.
Let the zingy flavours and fresh herb-explosions of Laos cuisine dance on your tongue and bring those tastes back home by learning the tricks of the trade from local chefs!
Have a few must-dos of your own? This trip strikes a fine balance between activity-packed days and snippets of free time, helping you make the most of your twelve-day adventure.
Trip Details
Trip Breakdown
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Length
12 days / 11 nights
Details
- 2-week cooling-off period applies
- Lifetime Deposit. If you need to cancel, your deposit is transferable to other trips
- Private room – no sharing required
Please refer to our payment terms in the FAQs.
Arrival
Mintra Hotel, Vientiane
Departure
Mintra Hotel, Vientiane
Group Size
12
Included
- Meals: 11 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 9 dinners
- Private vehicle transportation and 3 x fast trains
- 11 nights boutique and premium accommodation
- A top-rated and English-speaking tour leader
- All listed activities and more!
Not Included
- International Flights and travel insurance (necessary)
- Visa (See FAQs for more information)
- Additional hotel nights & late checkouts
- Drinks and other personal expenses
- Tip kitty (See FAQs for more information)
Accommodation Preview
Souphattra Hotel, Luang Prabang
Mintra Hotel, Vientiane
Namkat Yorla Pa Resort, Ban Cat
Day 1: Welcome to Vientiane!
Sabaidi and welcome to Laos! The capital city of Vientiane is waiting for you – as is a driver from our team – ready to whisk you off to your hotel.
As your car makes its way into the tangle of tuk tuks, you’ll see remnants of Laos’ French colonial past and catch glimpses of golden stupas in the distance. Take this chance to lean into Vientiane’s laidback energy, you won’t find the rush of other Southeast Asia capitals here.
Feeling curious about your fellow travellers? Get to know your Fencox family at tonight’s welcome dinner and get buzzing about your journey together, over dishes that are as exotic as the destination, complete with a glimpse of Lao entertainment (ssh, we won’t spoil that surprise!). Let your tongue dance around fresh herbs and spicy sauces, all the unique salty, bitter and sour flavours that make up Lao cuisine – and definitely make room for belly laughs for dessert.
Included: Dinner
Accommodation: Mintra Hotel (or similar), Vientiane
Day 2: Oodles of Noodles
Rise and shine, it’s time for you and your Fencox crew to meet Laos, taste buds first! Wander through the sleepy streets to uncover a local market’s secrets. Let a traditional Lao coffee (plus perhaps the crunch of a delicate lotus flower cookie) wake you up, before watching the pros make spicy Khao Piak soup and must-try papaya salad. Digest the meal by sauntering through history, exploring the gold-trimmed wats and sparkling stupas the city is so known for.
Is that a rumble in your belly again? With your appetite warmed up to Lao flavours, it’s time to hone your own noodle-making skills. Under the skilled guidance of a local family, blend hand-cut noodles and aromatic herbs into your very own Kao Piek Sen soup. Don’t forget to grab the recipe to wow your friends back home!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Mintra Hotel (or similar), Vientiane
Day 3: Fast Track to the Pearl of the Mekong
Today you’ll get to experience your first of several rides on Laos’ newly launched high-speed trains, but we’ve squeezed in a few heart-opening gems before you go. Venture to the outskirts of the city to a wild and wonderful display at Buddha Park, where over 200 sculptures are scattered into an eccentric contrast to the greenery.
You’ll also squeeze in a visit to the Lao Disabled Women’s Centre, an NGO founded on empowering Laotian women with disabilities. A learning-rich morning, yes, but also an ‘in’ to pick up a handicraft to remember the encounters and the people you’ve met.
After lunch, Luang Prabang is in your sights as your sleek ride-on-tracks glides between mountain deep tunnels and pops of Jurassic-like landscapes. You’ll love your hotel – located in the middle of it all, it’s also nestled in among flowering trees, lily ponds, and quiet paths, a veritable sanctuary for the spirit.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang (or similar), Luang Prabang
Day 4: Luang Prabang up Close
It’s been a few days since you cooked your own meal, so are you ready to level up? Mrs Noy is meeting you at the local market, happy to take you under her wing. Collect fistfuls of green onions, lemongrass, lime leaf and cilantro before sailing across the Mekong to Mrs Noy’s village. Her family will be waiting to greet you! Learn to cook local delicacies in their humble kitchen – closer to Lao cooking than any Michelin star could get you. The keyword is delicious, with yummy sprinkled on to taste.
Full of energy (from both food and experience), you’ll head back across the river to explore the pearls of this UNESCO World Heritage city, from five-hundred-year-old temples to the former Royal Palace. The real can’t-miss? Taking the 328 steps up to Phousi Mountain. It’s said that you haven’t really seen Luang Prabang unless you scale this hill, and you’ll be rewarded with mountain views and golden spires.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang (or similar), Luang Prabang
Day 5: A History of Heritage
If you’re finding yourself full of questions, today’s your day for answers. You’ll get to pick Francis Englemann’s brain, a devout lover of Laos and UNESCO consultant. He’ll offer you a behind-the-scenes look at the hidden nooks and crannies of Luang Prabang and its unique history. Step back in time at the aristocratic Ban Xieng Mouane house, a beautiful example of local architecture, and wander through the displays in the Buddhist Archives Centre in Wat Khili, a collection of over 35,000 photos.
While you may feel you have peaked regarding countryside paradise in Luang Prabang, wait until you see your next stop, Nong Khiaw. The village itself hums with welcoming residents and enticing trailheads – but with your accommodations resting just upriver, you may simply sink into a spot near the water and feel the bliss settle around you.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Pha Xang Resort (or similar), Nong Khaiw
Day 6: Cave Secrets in Nong Khiaw
Fencox travellers tend to love getting off the beaten path, and today showcases an unexpected secret. Let your guide steer you through lush jungle and active rice paddies on the short walk to Phathok Cave, a system of caves which locals used as a bomb shelter during the Second Indochina War. Also known as the “Secret War” in Laos, it made the country the most heavily bombed country in the world to this day.
You may find yourself feeling some whiplash — between the heart-stirring valley views behind you and the memories held inside the sometimes narrow and dark caves. Focusing on the present may help, as your return walk weaves through rice paddies, the heart and soul of Laos (or, perhaps more aptly, bread and butter). Laotians aren’t called the “children of sticky rice” for nothing, and now you can absorb all about how they grow and harvest the life-giving grain from your guide.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Pha Xang Resort (or similar), Nong Khaiw
Day 7: The Long and Winding (and Worth It!) Road
You’re more than halfway into your Laos adventure already, and it’s the perfect time to lean back and recharge. Dig into a sticky rice breakfast (armed with newfound knowledge about how it grew!) and board the bus for an enlightening ride into the heart of Laos’ remote north. Oudomxay is known for its rolling green hills, caves, rice paddies and ethnic tribes. The drive takes about four hours and we won’t lie – it’s a windy and bumpy trip – but travelling through patches of prehistoric jungle and tiny villages helps the time pass by quickly.
Upon arriving at Nam Kat Yorla Pa resort, your opportunity to re-energise will kick into high gear. Your new home-away-from-home really embraces the natural environment without going fully rugged, so you can soak in the pool, enjoy a drink right on the river, and reminisce over your experiences thus far with your Fencox friends over dinner at the resort.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Nam Kat Yorla Pa (or similar), Oudomxay
Day 8: The Akha and Hmong Peoples of the North
This morning, you’re off on a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with indigenous groups of northern Laos. The way to Kok Mai Ngai, an Akha village, is a long and dusty road that rewards your efforts with its time-stealing scenery.
Known for elaborate headdresses, Akha women really put their all into creating and maintaining these garments, adding new pieces every year. Walk the village with a local guide who’s just busting to give your insights into local life and the Akha’s animist beliefs, and get up close with the skilled villagers making their traditional handicrafts.
Your immersion in the local cultures continues after you’ve scaled the mountainside to reach a Hmong village at the top. Utilising all that high mountains offer, the Hmong lead a subsistence life where song fills their heritage. If you’re lucky, one of the families will invite you to visit inside their home, before it’s time to make your way back down the mountain for a farm-to-table dinner.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Nam Kat Yorla Pa (or similar), Oudomxay
Day 9: Sunset Stories
Soak up one last morning in your jungle-wreathed nirvana, revelling in the soundtrack of the river. It’s the perfect warm-up before gluing yourself to the window on today’s short train ride back to Luang Prabang – serving you some of Laos’ most heart-filling views!
The present and the past collide in Laos, and you’ve no doubt noticed the French colonialist influences woven into both architecture and cuisine, but what about sports? Time to try your hand at petanque, a beloved French pastime that is still popular today.
Round out the day with a relaxing glass of wine, while taking in the sunset on the mighty Mekong. In this mystical twilight, your hosts will begin their storytelling, painting a tapestry of notorious tricksters and landmark origin stories. The experience is heightened by the dulcet notes from the accompanying Khene, a hard-to-beat way to learn about Luan Prabang culture.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang (or similar), Luang Prabang
Day 10: Uncover Luang Prabang, Recover Your Soul
For the first time in 10 days, you have nowhere to be until 4:00 pm! Why not make the most of it by exploring the walkable Luang Prabang by foot, giving alms to saffron-robed monks in silent reverie at dawn, or simply sleeping in?
While you’ve seen several Wats already, it’s time to kick it up to another level, by taking part in a Baci ceremony. Meant to return the spirits that make up your soul back to your body and bring you peace, this ceremony is typically reserved for special occasions. And what is your discovery of Laos if not a special occasion?
As if that experience wasn’t bewitching enough, you’ll also visit a hidden temple, rarely visited by travellers, where local monks will teach you the art of chanting and meditation. The rhythmic chanting is wonderful for calming the mind, and now that your soul is intact, you can bring it all together for true alignment – how sweet your sleep will be tonight!
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Souphattra Hotel Luang Prabang (or similar), Luang Prabang
Day 11: One Last Train Ride to Vientiane
Make the most of your leisurely last morning in Luang Prabang, soaking up the riverside scenes or stopping in for a croissant at a French café (Luang Prabang boasts some of the best outside Paris)! You’ll also get one more chance for munching on Luang Prabang food at lunch, where you’ll meet young hospitality workers in training, a treat that may surprise you. Then it’s time to return to the now-familiar but still shiny-new trains – a real crown jewel of Laos travel.
Every moment counts when it’s your final night in Laos, and we’ve made this one for the books. Hold tight to your Fencox crew and relive all your shared experiences. What a cracker this adventure has been and tonight dinner will trickle in around your stories as the chefs offer up their favourite dishes.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Accommodation: Mintra Hotel (or similar), Vientiane
Day 12: Farewell Friends!
Can you believe it’s been almost two weeks of travelling through this landlocked slice of heaven in Southeast Asia? It might be hard to put into words what you’ve seen and felt on this epic adventure. Make sure to swap details with your fellow Fencox friends so you can relive the journey with those who shared it with you.
Pack a bottle of Lao rice whiskey, grab one last bowl of sticky khao niew, and give everyone a big hug before heading for the airport. Watch as the glittering stupas of Vientiane disappear beneath while you have your head in the clouds – literally and figuratively! Whether you’re headed home or off on part two of your trip, you’ll be daydreaming about this one for years to come.
Included: Breakfast
Trip Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Prior to the payment of your full balance, the final price may change if there is a significant variation in the AUD:USD exchange rate. Our trip pricing is determined by what the exchange rates are at the time of publishing the trip.
The pricing on this trip is based on an exchange rate of 1 AUD: 0.64 USD
A deposit of 25% of the total trip price is required to secure your spot. Payment can be made by credit card (fees apply) or bank deposit.
There is a cooling-off period of 2 weeks. (Applicable to all bookings made at least 120 days before trip departure.)
We have implemented a ‘lifetime deposit’ guarantee. Deposits are not refundable, but they are transferable at any time, right up until the first day of the trip.
The final balance of the trip is required 120 days in advance of the departure date. Our suppliers require upfront payment well in advance to guarantee availability.
Please refer to the full terms and conditions for further information.
Australians and New Zealanders require tourist visas to enter Laos. Currently, choose between an online application, or visa-on-arrival. We’ll be providing more guidance on visas closer to the trip departure.
Level 2
To enjoy this trip, you’ll need to be able to spend time on your feet and regularly walk for 3-4 hours (with breaks). Daily activities might include:
- walking on uneven and hilly ground
- getting on and off various forms of transportation
- climbing some stairs
You may encounter over-the-bath showers in some of the accommodations. You’ll also need to be capable of occasionally using a squat toilet. We do our best to accommodate sit-down toilets (all the hotels have them), but when you’re out for the day, and nature calls, sometimes they can’t be avoided.All activities are optional, meaning that if you don’t feel like it, you can skip it but it will be impossible to enjoy your trip if you’re not able to do a walking tour for a full afternoon. Unfortunately, this tour cannot accommodate people requiring walking aids.
Most of our trips have a tip kitty because many cultures have interesting and diverse rules when it comes to tips. We’ve found it to be the easiest way to combat over-tipping, under-tipping or having the tip fall into the wrong hands. Our goal is for guests to relax and know that the complexities of tipping are taken care of, on their behalf.
We’ll be updating this section with the tipping amount and how it’s distributed soon.
Trains in Laos have a maximum luggage weight of 20kgs, and while it’s not always enforced, this trip travels on trains three times, so we recommend keeping close to the recommended limit.
FEBRUARY
February is a fantastic time to travel in Laos – ideal for those who enjoy warm days and cooler nights. In Vientiane and Luang Prabang, daytime temperatures typically range from 25°C to 30°C, making it perfect for exploring temples and markets. As the sun sets, temperatures can cool off, so pack a light jacket for the evenings.
NOVEMBER
In November, Laos enters its cool, dry season with comfortable weather across the country. Daytime temperatures usually range from 25°C to 30°C, while nights are cooler at around 15°C to 20°C. It’s one of the best months to visit thanks to clear skies and low humidity.
Whenever we can, we’ve chosen charming boutique stays that capture the spirit of the region, mostly around 3-star comfort, and occasionally we’ve snuck in some 4-star touches. Sometimes it’s the shared patio views or unique location that make a hotel stand out. Other times ,it’s the local character that makes the stay special, and in some spots, rooms might differ in size and style.
Your accommodation will be private; in other words, no room-sharing with anyone, throughout the entire trip.
TBA
International airfares are not included.
Being tour operators (not travel agents), we are not licensed to sell flights. We recommend contacting your trusted local travel agent to book flights if you’re in need of assistance.
This trip begins and ends in Vientiane, Laos. We ask that you fly into Vientiane Wattay International Airport, as that is where your hotel transfer will be waiting for you. Included in the cost of your trip is also a departure transfer from the trip finish hotel in Vientiane to Wattay airport.
There are several 1 and 2 stop flights available from Australia and New Zealand that transit through other South East Asia countries, like Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam.
Will we be picked up at the airport?
Yes! One of our friendly team will be waiting for you in the public arrivals area of the airport. You’ll transfer directly to the hotel. The transfer is free and in a private and air-conditioned vehicle, which you will only share if there is anyone else on your flight joining the tour.
When should we arrive?
Try to arrive before midday on the start day, although earlier would be recommendable. If possible, come one day early to settle in. We can organise additional hotel nights for you at cost.
The local currency in Laos is the Lao Kip (LAK).
In the unlikely event of a health or security-related incident during a trip, we’ve engaged a local partner to assist. From our experience, there is not one framework that fits all, and every incident is unique and requires a different approach. With all trips, your guides are your day-to-day support. While behind the scenes, there is an active line of communication – between your guide, the on-ground support team, and Australian Ops.
Fencox was created because we had so many enquiries from men and women who had heard about our amazing Patch Adventures trips for women-only and wanted the opportunity to travel solo in the same way, only in a mixed group.
Fencox caters to both men and women who are solo travellers, have a genuine sense of adventure, are aged 55+, and are physically active and young at heart. Your fellow travel mates on a Fencox trip are inquisitive about the world and love exploring new travel destinations. Fencox travel mates love meeting new people, enjoy a good chat, and are happy to share a table with fellow travel mates for dinner.
If you’re travelling solo but don’t want to feel alone, this is your opportunity to share your travel experiences with other like-minded people. And best of all …. you’ll never pay a single supplement because everyone is guaranteed their own room!
