A 29-day small-group journey for up to 12 travellers, from the Mekong River villages of Laos and the temples of Luang Prabang and Angkor Wat to the Cardamom wilderness, Kampot's riverside orchards, and the history of Phnom Penh.
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Laos and Cambodia, neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia, are known for the World Heritage Sites of Luang Prabang and Angkor Wat and for their shared rich French colonial past. On this extended tour we not only take in the key sights, but we take the time to get off the tourist trail and to uncover what makes these two destinations so special.
We start our adventure in Vientiane, Laos’ delightfully friendly capital, studded with crumbling French mansions, bougainvillea-blooming streets and steaming noodle stalls. Next up is the little visited North of Laos to experience the ethnic diversity of the many hill tribes in the region of Luang Namtha and observe local customs and traditions. A 2-day journey down the mighty Mekong River then awaits culminating in an arrival in Luang Prabang, which captivates even the most jaded travellers with its brew of gleaming temple roofs, crumbling French provincial architecture and multi-ethnic inhabitants. Next, we head south to the spectacular lush jungle of the Bolaven Plateau and immerse ourselves in authentic coffee culture and visit some of the most alluring scenery in Asia, the landscape scattered with volcanos and sparkling waterfalls. We conclude the Laos leg of this remarkable tour visiting the mystical 4000 Islands, a one-of-a-kind river archipelago where the Mekong River spreads out over a width of 14km. Laos is a country that stays with you long after you leave, and this extended itinerary gives you the time to truly feel it.
Laos and Cambodia Encompassed
Drawn from the full tour dossier — the standout days, encounters and views our specialists keep coming back to.
The tour opens in Vientiane with a full day across the capital's Buddhist landmarks — Wat Sisaket, Wat Ho Pha Kheo, Wat That Luang, the Patouxai monument, and the COPE Visitor Centre — before an internal flight north brings three days in Luang Namtha among the Akha, Hmong, Khmu, and Lanten communities. Village visits, a two-hour jungle walk to a Lanten settlement, a picnic at Nam Dee Waterfall, and demonstrations of traditional weaving and bamboo paper making combine cultural depth with forested highland terrain, whilst a drive through the Nam Ha National Park precedes the transfer to Huay Xa. The 6.5-hour Mekong slow boat cruise from Huay Xa to Pakbeng — with a riverside village stop and a Lao buffet lunch aboard — continues the following day via a Hmong village visit and the Pak-Ou Caves to arrive in Luang Prabang.
Luang Prabang delivers the Laos chapter's most concentrated cultural encounters: Kuang Si Falls, the Sunbear Refuge, and the Buffalo Dairy Farm on the first full day, followed by a fresh market tour, a private cooking lesson at a local family home, a Baci blessing ceremony in Ban Mano village, and a meditation session in a hidden temple. The pre-dawn monks' alms ritual (Sai Bath) closes the Luang Prabang section before a flight south to Pakse and the UNESCO-listed Wat Phou temple complex. The Bolaven Plateau — explored via the Jhai Café, the Mystic Mountain Coffee plantation and roasting demonstration, and the Dan Xinxay inactive volcano trek — yields the falls of Tad Moun, Tad Champee, and Tad Fan with its drop of over 100 metres. Two days on Don Khone Island in the 4000 Islands close the Laos chapter, culminating at Kon Phapheng Waterfall — Asia's largest by volume.
Cambodia opens in Siem Reap with an immersive sequence of Angkorian heritage: a Buddhist pagoda monk water blessing ceremony, the jungle temple of Ta Phrom, Angkor Wat, a 20-kilometre bicycle exploration of Angkor Park and surrounding villages, and a Dragon Boat ride on the Angkor Thom moat. Phnom Kulen National Park the following day adds a UNESCO waterfall, the Preah Ang Thom Buddha statue, the Terrace of Sdach Kum Ling, and the intricately carved Banteay Srei temple, alongside the Cambodia Land Mine Museum, a Pre Rup Temple sunset, and an evening at the Phare circus. Battambang extends the cultural journey with a bamboo train ride, the ancient Ek Phnom temple, a tour of the Phare Ponleu Selpak arts campus, the Killing Caves at Phnom Sampeou, and a sunset bat emergence.
The Smiling Gecko Farm and the Cardamom Tented Camp form the most remote section of the tour: a Wildlife Alliance Rangers patrol through protected jungle, a visit to the Ranger Station, a local Khmer lunch, river swimming, and kayaking on the Preak Tachan River reveal a Cambodia of active conservation and wilderness. The coastal town of Kep and the riverside town of Kampot follow, with a bicycle journey through rice fields and orchards against the Elephant Mountains and along the Kampot River rapids. Phnom Penh closes the tour across a sunset boat trip on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers and a full day at Wat Phnom, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda, the National Museum with its Angkorian artefacts, the Choeng Ek Killing Fields, and the Tuol Sleng prison.
Key moments for Laos and Cambodia Encompassed
Full itinerary · 29 days
Reserve your place with a 10% deposit. Final balance due 70 days before departure. Single-room supplements optional — most travellers happily share.
Every one of our Laos journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Before travelling, consult the latest UK FCDO advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/laos. Laos is generally a safe destination, though travellers should be aware of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in remote rural areas — our Laos itineraries stick to safe, well-established routes. US travellers should check travel.state.gov for current guidance.
Independently verified reviews from travellers who joined Laos and Cambodia Encompassed. Rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ reviewers.
“This was our first tailor-made trip with Undiscovered Destinations, to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. All of our requests were accommodated and we had a fantastic time.”
V
Cambodia
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“This was our first tailor-made trip with Undiscovered Destinations, to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. All of our requests were accommodated and we had a fantastic time.”
V
Cambodia
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
Make Laos and Cambodia Encompassed your own — adjust the route, dates, pace or who travels, or start from a blank page with a specialist. We'll bring the details of this trip straight into your enquiry.
Join a small-group departure, or let our Laos specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
Common questions
Maximum 12 travellers — that's the cap on every Undiscovered Destinations small-group tour. Small enough to eat in a local family home; large enough to share the wonder with other like-minded travellers.
Yes — there's no compulsory single supplement on our small-group tours. You get your own room at no extra cost. About 60% of UD travellers come solo, so you'll be in good company.
Fitness requirements vary by itinerary, from gentle to demanding. The day-by-day tour dossier sets out walking distances, terrain and any altitude so you know what to expect. If you have specific concerns, speak to our team before booking — they can talk you through a typical day.
The next available departures are 26 October 2026; 15 February 2027; 25 October 2027. See the "Pick your departure" table further up the page for the full schedule and per-departure pricing.
Included items vary by tour — see the full list above. On this trip, expect: Arrival and departure transfers; Overland transport throughout with professional driver; Domestic and regional flights as shown in the itinerary; and more. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
This tour visits Laos and Cambodia. Each destination has its own page with practical information, climate, and the attractions our specialists recommend — linked from the itinerary above.
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