Signature: Laos and Cambodia's Ancient Traditions

Welcome to Laos. Your expedition begins as you touch down in Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city nestled at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel to settle in. Take a moment to absorb the atmosphere of this spiritual center, where golden temple roofs glint through the palm trees and the air is heavy with the scent of frangipani. In the evening, gather with your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers for a welcome meeting and dinner to celebrate the start of your expedition through Laos and Cambodia.

Meals included: Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.Activity - Join the Expedition Leader and group for a welcome reception with drinks and finger foods, an orientation/presentation, and a welcome dinner at the hotel.Accommodation - The Luang Say Residence

Step into the serenity of Wat Xieng Thong, the "Golden City Monastery," admiring its sweeping roofs and intricate glass mosaics that catch the morning light. Engage in a special monk chat, learning directly from a resident about monastic life and the path of enlightenment. Continue to Ock Pop Tok for an exclusive founder-led tour, diving into the colorful world of Lao textiles. Try your hand at natural dyeing, creating a scarf to take home. The day culminates in a profound cultural exchange: visit a local family in Ban Nongkham for a Baci ceremony. Tie white cotton threads around wrists to call back the spirits, then share a traditional family-style dinner and warm conversation in their home.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Visit Luang Prabang’s most important temple, Wat Xieng Thong, including a special monk chat to learn about monastic life, spirituality, and Buddhist traditions.Activity - Experience an exclusive founder-led tour of Ock Pop Tok, with a Silk Road textile seminar, weaving demonstrations, and a hands-on natural dye workshop.Activity - Arrive at the hotel for free time in the afternoon.Activity - Join a local host family for cultural activities from lemongrass-stuffed cooking and bamboo weaving to a traditional Baci Ceremony followed by a family-style Lao dinner.Accommodation - The Luang Say Residence

Rise in the mist of dawn to participate in Tak Bat, the sacred alms-giving ritual. Kneel quietly on the sidewalk to offer sticky rice to the silent procession of saffron-robed monks—a timeless rhythm of Luang Prabang. Wander the morning market, smelling the fresh herbs and river fish, before boarding a boat for a scenic cruise along the Mekong. Transfer to the turquoise pools of Kuang Si Waterfall, surrounded by dense jungle. Here, visit the Free the Bears Rescue Centre. Guided by a conservationist, learn about their efforts to protect sun bears and Asiatic black bears, even helping to prepare their food. Return to town to explore the vibrant night market after dinner.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Rise and shine to participate in Luang Prabang’s sacred alms-giving ritual and explore the morning market with a coffee stop before returning back to the hotel for breakfast.Transport - Enjoy a scenic cruise.Activity - Depart the boat and continue by minivan to Kuang Si Waterfall. First, visit the Kuang Si Bear Conservation Center with a conservationist before continuing on to see Kuang Si Waterfall with lunch.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - During your free time, relax at your hotel or explore your surroundings.Activity - Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the night market.Accommodation - The Luang Say Residence

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Luang Prabang, perhaps visiting a French colonial café. Enjoy Lunch before transferring to the airport for your flight to Siem Reap, the gateway to the Khmer Empire. Settle into your hotel, transitioning from the quiet of Laos to the historic energy of Cambodia. This evening, dinner at the hotel is included, but at your leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Transport - Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Accommodation - Shinta Mani Angkor

Wake in the pre-dawn hours to witness the silhouette of Angkor Wat's lotus towers against a violet sky. As the sun rises, explore the world's largest religious monument, marveling at the intricate bas-reliefs that tell Hindu epics in stone. Continue to the Bayon Temple, where 216 giant stone faces smile enigmatically from the towers, watching over the forest. Take a mid-day break for lunch at a local restaurant inside the complex then walk through the jungle-claimed ruins of Ta Prohm Temple, where massive silk-cotton tree roots strangle the stone walls in a slow-motion embrace. Head back to the hotel for some time at leisure before connecting with the local culture at a family-style dinner, tasting the distinct flavors of Khmer cuisine and reflecting on the empire you have walked through.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Activity - Witness the iconic sunrise over Angkor Wat before returning back to the hotel for breakfast.Activity - Visit Bayon and Ta Prohm Temple with a stop for a light lunch at a local restaurant in between visits.Activity - Sit down for a delicious dinner at Spoons Restaurant, part of SPOONS a Cambodian Organization that works with underprivileged young adults and gives them the opportunity to be self-supporting by providing them with education, training, and employment opportunities in the hospitality industry. Their vision is to create a future where all young adults will have equal opportunities to gain independence and be able to shape their own lives.Accommodation - Shinta Mani Angkor

Begin with a scenic boat ride to Kampong Kleang, observing life in the stilted villages hovering over the water. Visit the New Hope Project, a G Adventures-supported initiative providing healthcare and education to youth. Meet a co-founder to see the impact firsthand then enjoy lunch at the community restaurant. In the afternoon, gain exclusive access to Conservation D'Angkor. Step behind the scenes to see how looted artifacts are restored, a vital effort to preserve Khmer heritage. Travel between sites with the Lady Tuk Tuk drivers, a project empowering women in tourism. The expedition concludes with a farewell dinner and a Khmer drumming show performed by lady drummers, celebrating the depth of history and the resilience of the people you have met along the way.

Meals included: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.Activity - Hop-on a wooden boat and enjoy a scenic ride through the high-stilt house village of Kampong Kleang.Activity - Enjoy a traditional meal of Khmer food at the New Hope Vocational Training Restaurant, an initiative kickstarted by G Adventures. Providing skill-building opportunities to marginalized community members, the project also funds the adjacent free community school and health centre. Visit the restaurant run by locals and see how the New Hope project has supported positive change in the community. Learn about the social enterprise and meet one of the co-founders, followed by a guided walk through the project and its impact on the local community.Activity - Travel to Conservation D'Angkor by Lady Tuktuk Drivers, a G Adventures-supported organization.Activity - Gain exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to the Angkor Conservation Center, an area not open to the public before returning to the hotel.Activity - Enjoy a private dinner in Bensley’s Art Gallery, accompanied by a wrap up presentation by the local expert and a unique performance.Accommodation - Shinta Mani Angkor

Your expedition through Southeast Asia concludes today. Transfer to the Siem reap airport, provided at any time during the day.

Meals included: Breakfast

Exclusive inclusions: Transport - You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.Activity - Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.