Laos – Along the Mekong to the Northern Jungles
Yoga trip with Andrea Stejskalová

Day 1 – Travel to Southeast Asia

PRAGUE – BANGKOK
Departure from Prague. A journey to Southeast Asia awaits you. You will have a stopover in Abu Dhabi during the trip. You will spend the night on the plane.

Day 2 – Transfer in Thailand

BANGKOK – CHIANG RAI

After arriving in Bangkok, you will take a domestic flight to Chiang Rai.

Ubytování: Grand Hotel Vista Chiang Rai (or similar) / 1 night

Day 3 – From Thailand to Laos and a cruise along the Mekong River

CHIANG RAI – HUAY XAI – PAKBENG

Early morning departure from Chiang Rai to Huay Xai. After passing through border control, you will cross the Mekong River to Huay Xai in Laos, where your Lao guide will be waiting for you at the border crossing. After completing the border formalities, you will board a comfortable private traditional boat for a cruise along the Mekong River. The scenery along this section of the Mekong is probably the most beautiful on the entire river. During the river cruise, you will stop at several villages of ethnic minorities, such as Ban Huay Nokkhom, a Hmong tribe village, and Ban Kone Teun, a Thai Lu tribe village famous for weaving. Upon arrival in Pakbeng, you will be transferred to the hotel, where you will have the rest of the day free.

Accommondation: Pakbeng Lodge/ 1 night

Day 4 – Journey to Oudomxay

PAKBENG – OUDOMXAY

After breakfast, you will depart by private transfer on a picturesque journey to Oudomxay, with stops for photography and visits to villages along the route, such as Ban Yor, an interesting Tai Leu minority village. You will arrive in Oudomxay at lunchtime.

Accommondation: Nam Kat Yorla Pa/ 3 nights

Day 5 – Exploration of the Nam Kat tropical rainforest

OUDOMXAY

Morning yoga. In the afternoon, you will embark on a three-hour trek with a biodiversity expert as your guide. You will explore the lush Nam Kat rainforest, where up to 60 species of orchids can be found, with 4 to 6 of them blooming depending on the season. Along the way, your guide will show you various orchids and provide detailed information about each species. You will get close to these botanical treasures and capture their beauty with your camera. After the trek, you will visit the Nam Kat Biodiversity Museum, where you will find a fascinating collection of insects, butterflies, reptiles, and other wildlife. The museum offers a deeper understanding of the fragile ecosystems of the surrounding rainforest. You will learn about rare and endangered species and the importance of nature conservation in this well-designed educational museum. You will have the rest of the day free at the resort.

Day 6 – Free day in Nam Kat Yorla Pa

OUDOMXAY

You can use the free day for practicing yoga, hiking in the area, or relaxing at the resort.

Optional activity: Suspension bridge to the Nam Kat waterfall

Day 7 – Journey to Nong Khiaw

OUDOMXAY – NONG KHIAW

Morning yoga. In the morning, you will travel north for a two-hour journey to the riverside town of Muang Khua, where you will board a private local boat for an unforgettable cruise along the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiaw. After approximately 2.5 hours, you will disembark and board a minibus for a short ride around the new Nam Ou hydroelectric power plant, then board a second boat to continue the river cruise downstream. This section offers stunning scenery and remote villages, including Ban Sob Jaem, a Khmu and Tai minority village accessible only by water. You will arrive in Nong Khiaw in the late afternoon. After checking into the hotel, you have the option to take a short bike ride to the picturesque local limestone caves in the area (bikes are available at the resort, and your guide will be happy to assist), or ascend to the viewpoint above the river with panoramic views of Nong Khiaw and the surrounding area.

Accommondation: Mandaka Ou/ 2 nights

Day 8 – Free day in Nong Khiaw

NONG KHIAW

You can use the free day for practicing yoga, hiking in the area, or relaxing at the resort.

Optional activity: Exploration of villages along the Nam Ou River and Tad Mok waterfalls

Day 9 – Transfer to Luang Prabang

NONG KHIAW – LUANG PRABANG

In the morning, you will travel south by road to Luang Prabang. The morning journey will take you through rolling countryside, where you can enjoy the beauty of the Nam Ou River and the surrounding rice fields. At the point where the Nam Ou River flows into the Mekong, you will stop, board a private boat, and cross the Mekong to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. These are two caves nestled in a limestone cliff overlooking the Mekong, filled with thousands of Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Then, you will travel by boat along the Mekong to Luang Prabang, where a minibus will be waiting for you for a short transfer to the hotel. You will arrive in the late afternoon.

Accommondation: My Dream Boutique/ 3 nights

Day 10 – Discovering of capital city Luang Prabangu

LUANG PRABANG

Morning yoga. You will begin your half-day city tour with a visit to the charming Royal Palace Museum, which provides an excellent overview of the culture and history of this ancient city. Then, you will walk through quiet alleyways to the beautiful Heuan Chan Heritage House. You will explore the house, its historical artifacts, and architectural charms, and learn about its connection to the Royal Palace. After refreshing with icy tea in the gardens, you will continue walking across the peninsula to Wat Xiengthong, the most historic and enchanting temple of the country. With its roof curving low to the ground, the temple's architecture best represents the classic style of Luang Prabang. You will walk through the temple complex and then cross the street to Wat Khili, where this temple's charming traditional library houses a historical photographic exhibition of Buddhist heritage. The last stop of the day is the excellent Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre, which provides a wonderful insight into Laos's rich and diverse ethnic and cultural composition.

Time for early afternoon yoga.

In the afternoon, you will transfer to witness the evening monastic chants at one of the temples where monks and novices gather for their daily rituals. You will enjoy the meditative chants at Wat Aham, Wat Thatnoy, or Wat Pak Kharn.

Day 11 – Activities in Luang Prabang

LUANG PRABANG

You can arrange with your guide to start early in the morning (5:30) and witness the daily morning ritual of "Tak Bat," or the alms-giving to monks, and participate in it. This is a unique ritual that the local residents of Luang Prabang still observe today. You will also visit the local fresh food market to see how locals shop, and then return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, you will travel outside the city to the stunning Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you can refresh yourself by swimming in the turquoise pool or walk along forest trails. Next to the waterfalls is the Bear Rescue Centre, which does excellent work protecting and rehabilitating the rare Asian black bear. You will return to Luang Prabang at noon, where you have the option to stop at Ock Pop Tock, the silk weaving center. Here, you will receive a guided tour and learn about the silk weaving process.
Time for evening yoga.

Day 12 – Farewell to Laos and departure to Europe

LUANG PRABANG – BANGKOK – ABU DHABI – PRAHA

Private transfer to the airport in Luang Prabang. On the return journey, you will take a short flight to Bangkok, and from there, via Abu Dhabi, to Prague.