Depart from Home for Siem Reap, Cambodia
Please schedule your flights to arrive in Siem Reap on November 22. For North American residents, that means that you need to leave home on November 21, or earlier if you choose.

Arrival in Siem Reap
At the Siem Rep Airport, we will be met by our guide and transferred to the Angkor Village Resort. Overnight Angkor Village Resort.

Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
After a night's rest and breakfast, we have our first meeting as a group. We then head out to start our explorations of the wonderul temples of Angkor. We begin at Angkor Thom which houses some of Angkor’s most famous monuments. We arrive via the South Gate, an impressive stone gate carved with elephants and 4 giant sandstone faces. We enter the city on the backs of elephants and arrive at the Bayon Temple which lies exactly in the center of the city. The monument is famous for the 54 towers representing the 54 provinces of the then Great Khmer Empire. Each tower has 4 faces. We then continue on foot to the Baphuon, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King. In the afternoon, we explore the temples of the Small Circuit. The most famous among these is Ta Prohm temple, built in the mid 12th to early 13th centuries. Ta Prohm is unique in that it has been left largely as it was found: overgrown by jungle trees and vines, with many parts of the temple crumbling to the ground. This makes Ta Prohm one of the most picturesque and memorable of the Angkor temples. Our visit will also include Banteay Kdei, a Buddhist monastery from the late 12th Century, and Srah Srang, also known as the "pool of ablutions". We end our tour at the twin towers of Chau Say Tevoda and Thommanon. Tonight we have dinner at Champay Restaurant in Siem Reap town. Overnight Angkor Village Resort. Meals: B, D.

Angkor Wat at Sunrise
We leave the hotel before sunrise and transfer to the Angkor Wat temple to see the sunrise, a most spectacular sight! Then it's back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we return to magnificent Angkor Wat, the largest religious temple in the world, built in the early 12th century. Inside the temple the walls are covered by carvings and bas-reliefs depicting Hindu mythology and the wars Suryavarman II made during his reign. Angkor Wat is also well known for the 2000 Aspara dancers decorating the temple. The afternoon and evening are free for you to explore Siem Reap's shops and restaurants. Or just relax by the pool at the hotel. Overnight Angkor Village Resort. Meals: B.

Roluos Group
This morning, we take tuk tuks for an unforgettable visit to the Roluos group of temples, not far from the Angkor Village Resort. The Roluos temples pre-date the great temples of Angkor by 300 years and are rarely seen by visitors to Siem Reap. Afterwards, we visit a nearby orphanage which houses and trains orphans in the ancient Cambodian art of leather puppet making. Here the children will personally teach us to design and make our own puppets. We then have a private picnic lunch at one of the ancient temples of the Roluos group. Last year our group made a donation to help build a school for a Laos hill tribe. This year, we have made arrangements to pay for the building of a water well at a Cambodian village. Quality water for villages is in very short supply. These wells help meet the demand and are very much appreciated by the villagers. After our picnic lunch, we will visit the village we are helping to build the well for, to attend a little dedication ceremony. The rest of the evening is free time. Overnight Angkor Village Resort. Meals: B, L.

Siem Reap - Luang Prabang, Laos
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Luang Prabang. On arrival in Luang Prabang we will be met and transferred to our check-in at the Villa Maly Hotel. Late in the afternoon we explore Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. We visit Wat Pa Houak, Wat Thammothayalan, and continue to climb the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside at sunset. We then have a group dinner at L'elephant Restaurant. The evening is left free to wander Luang Prabang and its famous night market. The night market is dominated by the ethnic minorities of the surrounding hill tribes, coming to market in their traditional costume and selling their handicrafts. The night market is on the main street of the city and starts from 5pm to10pm daily. Overnight Villa Millay Hotel. Meals: B, D.

Luang Prabang
For early-risers (5:30AM) there is a very special dawn visit to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from Luang Prabang residents. We also have the opportunity to make offerings to the monks for those of us that choose to do so. Then we go back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we share a special introduction to Buddhism and meditation with the Venerable of Wat Phou Khuay. In the afternoon we visit the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. We then continue to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-reliefs and then onto the most photographed temple in all of Laos: Wat Xieng Thong, and finally Ecole des Beaux Arts. Overnight Villa Millay Hotel. Meals: B.

Luang Prabang
Today we take bicycles for an easy ride out into the countryside. After picking the right bike, we leave Luang Prabang on a small dirt road that guides us out into nature and remote areas. The first stop we have is at Wat Pa Phon Phao, a forest temple famous for the teachings of Ajahn Saisamut. This large golden stupa contains three inside levels plus an outside terrace with a view into the countryside and Luang Prabang. The inside walls are painted with many Buddhist stories and moral admonitions. After another short ride, we arrive at Ban Panom. This village, populated by Thai Lue (a tribe with its origins in Southern China), is well known for cotton and silk hand-weaving. Here we have the opportunity to check out how to make the traditional Lao Cotton on a weaving loom. As we continue, the dirt road will bring us through teakwood plantations and rice fields up the Nam Khan valley. We pass the tomb of Henry Mouhot, the French explorer who showed Angkor Wat to the world. We will continue our bike adventure through rice paddies and some forests before we arrive at the Elephant Park Project area and the sensational Lao Spirit Resort. This wonderful place is located 15 km from Luang Prabang along the Nam Khan River. This unspoiled valley is one of the most beautiful places in the area. From here we will ride elephants through the stunning landscape on our way through small forests along the Nam Khan River up to the amazing Tad Sae waterfalls. At the waterfall or in the river, we can go for a swim or just relax on the banks of the river. Lunch will be served either at waterfalls or at the Mountain View Veranda of the Lao Spirit Resort. After a short boat ride, we get back on our mountain bikes and ride back to Luang Prabang. Overnight Villa Millay Hotel. Meals: B, L.

Luang Prabang
This morning we have time to visit some of Luang Prabang’s most important temples, Wat Visoun and Wat Aham. We then visit the Kuang Si Waterfall, south west of Luang Prabang. Along the way, we will stop at the fresh produce market in Talad Phosy and visit some local villages. We have a picnic lunch near the Kuang Si Waterfall. Here there is plenty of time for relaxing, It is possible to walk to the top of the falls via a steep track and if the weather is good, swim in the clear water at the foot of the falls before returning to Luang Prabang in the afternoon. Enroute we stop to visit the weaving village of Ban Xang Khong where traditional Lao textiles are woven and where Sa paper is made. Early this evening we have the unique opportunity to experience one of Laos’ oldest and most sacred traditions: The Baci Ceremony. The purpose of the Baci, which is a mix of Animist and Buddhist beliefs, is to call back escaped spirits to the body. This is something that is very important before major events such as weddings, births, travel or welcoming friends. Dinner is served at the end of the Baci ceremony. An opportunity for us to sample authentic Lao cuisine! Overnight Villa Millay Hotel. Meals: B, L, D.

Luang Prabang - Kamu Lodge
After breakfast, we go to the pier in Luang Prabang, where we board a longboat for a highly scenic 2+ hour boat ride up the Mekong River. On the way to Kamu Lodge, we stop at the Pak Ou Caves. In Pak Ou, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into the two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimeters to the size of a human. We continue up river for an additional 45 minutes before reaching Kamu Lodge. Kamu Lodge is an eco-lodge set in the jungles of Laos, along the bank of the Mekong River. It boasts 20 private canvas tents and is faithful to the local style where each tent is protected from the elements by a thatch roof. This allows the Lodges' grounds to harmoniously blend with the surrounding landscape. The tents are decorated with bamboo and wooden furniture and feature a private attached bathroom and toilet with solar powered hot water and electricity. Upon our arrival at Kamu Lodge, we enjoy a welcome drink and lunch. After lunch, is free time to participate in the activities offered by the lodge, such as rice planting and harvesting in the surrounding rice fields; jungle walks to search for medicinal plants; trekking through the forest to waterfalls; traditional fishing techniques; archery; or simply relax in this uniquely peaceful jungle setting on the banks of the Mekong River. Overnight Kamu Lodge. Meals: B, L, D.

Kamu Lodge
This morning, a Kamu Lodge guide will lead us to Ban Kok Phou, the village where a school is being built with donations from last year's group. In the afternoon, under the shade of a sala, we have a meditation session, followed by an introduction to yoga techniques by a local yoga instructor. Overnight Kamu Lodge. Meals: B, L, D.

Kamu Lodge - Luangsay Cruise to Pakbeng
Breakfast at Kamu Lodge and some free time to relax before we board a longboat for our Luangsay cruise at 11:00AM. This is the first leg of our journey to the Phu Chaisai Resort in Chiang Rai. A delicious buffet lunch is served on board and a brief stop is made at Ban Baw to observe the processing of traditional rice alcohol. The boat will arrive at Luangsay Lodge before sunset for our overnight stop. Dinner is served on the lodge terrace, overlooking the Mekong River. Overnight Luang Say Lodge. Meals: B, L, D.

Pakbeng - Huay Say - Chiang Khong - Chiang Rai
Breakfast is served on the lodge terrace. Then we board our longboat for the second leg of the cruise to Phu Chaisai Resort in Chiang Rai. Stops are made enroute to explore rural life along the Mekong River. A buffet lunch will be served on board. Reaching Huay Sai before 5:00PM, we complete our Lao immigration formalities, then board a local boat to cross the Mekong River (about 10 minutes) to enter northern Thailand at the city of Chiang Kong. Here we proceed through Thai immigration and customs. After clearing customs we transfer to Phu Chaisai Resort for check in. A quote from the Phu Chaisai website: "Phu Chaisai is now an oasis of spirituality for city dwellers that seek refuge from the wear and tear of the city. One can’t help but be impressed by the beauty of the tranquility and the natural setting. Thirty-four rooms were made of bamboo and are void of television sets and electronic alarm clocks. In the warm embrace of Mother Nature, many can make peace with their inner selves." Overnight Phu Chaisai Resort. Meals: B, L.

Chiang Rai, Thailand
Breakfast at the hotel and then we spend a full day visiting a variety of hill tribes which have settled in the Chiang Rai area. we will learn about the lifestyles of these various groups, and get a glimpse into their daily lives. We explore the hills surrounding Mae Chan and visit a Yao hill tribe Village before continuing to the local market to pick up ingredients for our lunch. After buying the groceries for our lunch, we go to Doi Mae Salong and visit Santi Kiri. Santi Kiri is a Yunan Chinese Refugee settlement that has tea & coffee plantations. We will have time to visit the co-op store, where home-made wines and other locally grown products are sold. Now it's time to put those groceries we bought to use! We will visit a family of a hill tribe village in their home. There we will be shown how to cook our lunch by the lady of the home. We will eat our lunch, most likely with the family looking on, as they are too polite to eat with us. After lunch, we will visit the village of the well know Padong Long-Necked hill tribe. The women of this village place a brass coil around their necks to give the appearance of stretching the neck when in actuality it lowers the ribcage. The remainder of the day and evening is free. Overnight Phu Chaisai Resort. Meals: B, L.

Chiang Rai
Full day at leisure until time for our farewell dinner and closing circle at the resort. The resort will be setting up a private location for our dinner and closing circle. Overnight Phu Chaisai Resort. Meals: B, D.

Chiang Rai - Bangkok
Breakfast at hotel and day free at leisure until our transfer to the Chiang Rai airport for our flight to Bangkok and then back to our homes (if we decide to leave!). Meals: B.