Laos Wellness Trail

This journey through Laos begins on the Thai side of the border, in the town of Chiang Khong. After clearing Thai immigration and crossing to Houay Xay, meet your guide and driver for the transfer to a shared cruise boat bound for Pakbeng, stopping en route at a local hill tribe settlement to learn about its customs and traditions. Settle in for a leisurely afternoon cruising the Mekong River, enjoying a set menu onboard as the boat winds past forested hills and riverside villages. Late in the afternoon, arrive in Pakbeng, a small hillside town midway between Houay Xay and Luang Prabang, in time to catch the sunset over the river if conditions allow. Dinner is served at the hotel. Overnight in Pakbeng.

After breakfast, head to a nearby elephant camp to join the daily bathing routine before setting off on a 30-minute mini-trek alongside the elephants, learning from their mahouts about this endangered species and the efforts underway to protect it. Following lunch, depart Pakbeng and journey north into the remote province of Oudomxay, once a quiet trading post and now an important regional hub. Check in to a resort set beside a natural hot spring, with a spa, sauna and steam room to unwind in after the day's travel. Round out the evening with a five-course set dinner blending Asian and European influences. Overnight in Oudomxay.

Set out this morning for the entirely isolated village of Ikhos, home to an ethnic group descended from Tibet and Yunnan who have seen very few foreign visitors. Your guide will explain the daily life and centuries-old customs still practiced here, in a village with a genuinely unique feel. At more than 1,000 metres above sea level, the village makes for a memorable picnic lunch spot. Afterward, take a 45-minute walk to the Hmong village of Ban Tauser, passing a viewpoint with a sweeping 360-degree panorama along the way. The Hmong trace their origins to the high steppes of Tibet, and a visit here offers insight into their way of life, including the importance of livestock to the community. Return to the resort in the late afternoon. Overnight in Oudomxay.

After breakfast, drive around two to three hours to Muang Khua, a small town on the banks of the Nam Ou River. From here, board a private longtail boat for a cruise downstream along one of the most scenically dramatic stretches of river in Laos, wilder and less travelled than the Mekong. Enjoy a picnic lunch along the way, spotting local villages as the boat winds through the limestone landscape. In the late afternoon, arrive in Nong Khiaw, framed by dramatic limestone peaks, and check in to riverside accommodation on the banks of the Nam Ou. Take some time at leisure before sunset, perhaps in the sauna, then enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Nong Khiaw.

After breakfast, begin the drive to Luang Prabang. Along the way, there is the option to stop at the Pak Ou Caves, known locally as Tam Ting, where two caverns carved into towering limestone cliffs at the confluence of the Nam Ou and Mekong Rivers hold thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues. Continue on to Luang Prabang to check in and freshen up, with lunch free at leisure. In the afternoon, set out by tuktuk for an architectural insight tour with Francis Engelmann, who has spent more than twenty years researching Laos's ancient sites and helped prepare the studies behind Luang Prabang's 1995 UNESCO World Heritage nomination. As the day winds down, climb the 328 steps of Mount Phousi for a panoramic sunset view over the city, with the option to browse the evening hill tribe market on the way back down. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Spend today in a guided retreat designed to relax and restore. At 6:30am, begin with a Welcome the Day meditation session, followed by Morning Mantras, a series of gentle stretches to wake the body. After a healthy breakfast at 8:30am and some quiet reflection time, return for a 30-minute Intention Session. Following lunch at leisure, spend the afternoon by the pool or with a custom spa treatment, before a 4pm yoga and meditation session combining movement, focus and coordination, held beside the hotel's private pool on hotter days. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

For those who wish to join, there is the option to witness a quieter version of the alms-giving ceremony, or Tak Bat, in front of the hotel this morning, as monks make their daily rounds collecting offerings from the local community. Afterward, travel to Kuang Si Waterfalls, where a short, gentle walk leads to a private champagne breakfast overlooking the falls' turquoise pools, laid out with locally sourced ingredients from hand-woven tablecloths and baskets to fresh fruit juice and coffee grown on the Bolaven Plateau. Spend some time exploring the waterfall's various levels afterward, with the option to swim in the natural pools. On the way back to town, there is an optional stop at a rescue sanctuary caring for 23 rescued Asiatic bears, best visited in the late morning while the bears are most active. Return to Luang Prabang for some free time at leisure. This evening, take part in a Baci, one of Laos's oldest traditions, held to call back the spirits before a journey or major life event. The ceremony takes place at Wat That Luang, a lesser-visited temple built in 1818 and historically used for royal funeral rites, its stupas illuminated by candlelight. Afterward, enjoy a wine dinner at Tangor, serving Southeast Asian flavours paired with an excellent wine list (closed Sundays). Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Enjoy some free time at leisure before transferring to the airport for your departing flight.