Start in the bustling city of Kuala Lumpur. Transfer to your hotel before meeting with your Tour Leader and group for a Welcome Meeting and dinner.
This morning we travel from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth by train before taking the ferry to Georgetown. There is time to relax by the beach before taking in some of the culinary delights of Penang.
Today we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town with fascinating street art, temples and wonderful views from Penang Hill.
We continue our journey up the Malay peninsula through lush tropical forest and plantations to the Thai border at Padang Besar where we join the overnight sleeper service to Bangkok.
With just a short stay in Thailand's colourful & flamboyant capital today our local guide will share some of the classic highlights as well as some less well known aspects of this amazing city. Today we escape the city to explore the calm and cool gardens and private collections of the Prasart Museum.
Today we venture to Ayutthaya about 80 kms north of Bangkok. Founded c. 1350, Ayutthaya became the second Siamese capital after Sukhothai. Ayutthaya is now an archaeological ruin, characterized by the remains of tall prang (reliquary towers) and Buddhist monasteries of monumental proportions, which give an idea of the city’s past size and the splendor of its architecture.
A day in the city visiting Wat Arun, Wat Pho where you will also be treated to a massage before joining our overnight train to Nongkhai and the Laos border.
Tree-lined boulevards blend Buddhist temples with French colonial era architecture. Our sightseeing includes the 16th century Pha That Luang. We also visit the imposing Patuxai Victory Monument, commemorating independence from France and often called the 'Arc de Triomphe' of Vientiane. This evening enjoy a sunset stroll along the banks of the Mekong River.
A day to further explore Vientiane from the unique Buddha Park with its multitude of Buddhist and Hindu statues, Wat Si Muang and COPE Visitor Centre.
This morning we rejoin the train north to the beautiful UNESCO city of Luang Prabang. Today we explore the city taking in views from Phousi Hill, as well as the Ok Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre. Set in lush gardens and located on the banks of the Mekong, the Living Crafts Centre is the perfect place to learn more about the fascinating world of Lao textiles. This afternoon we visit the Kuang Si waterfalls.
Wake up as the sun rises, we will prepare to join the most sacred tradition of Laos, the daily morning alms giving then visit the temporary morning market. We visit the Royal Palace Museum, Mekong River Cruise to Pak Ou Caves, Ban Xanghai village to observe rice wine, Wat Sene, Wat Xieng Thong, Heuan Chan, Wat Prabath for sunset (weather permitting) and, if interested and time permits, Night Market
This morning we board the train for the recently completed 750km rail link from Luang Prabang to Kunming, China. The journey will take us through the incredible scenery of northern Laos and southern Yunnan Province.
The climate and relaxed ambience of Kunming is perfectly suited to a leisurely walk, and our sightseeing today will take us through the old alleys to Cuihu Park, with its many bridges and pagodas, and nearby the Yuantong Buddhist Temple.
Beyond the city we visit the enchanting 'Stone Forest' - these unusual and unique karst stone formations are a highlight of Yunnan Province.
Back aboard the train enjoy some stunning scenery as we travel to Chengdu (Sichuan Province) famous spicy food.
This morning we enjoy a tour of the city. The afternoon is at leisure allowing time for you to visit other sites such as the panda research base should you wish to do so. Sichuan cuisine is renowned in China and internationally, we sample some of its classic dishes this evening before boarding the overnight train to Xining, Qinghai Province - high on the Tibetan Plateau (2275m).
A high speed train takes us to Xian, ancient Chang'an. Once this was the glittering capital of Cathay. Old pagodas, city walls and watchtowers remain.
We explore the city to see the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Grand Mosque, walk the Muslim quarter and the food streets.
The city still captures the romance of its rich imperial past and the glories of the Silk Road. There is so much to explore in this city, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Shaanxi History Museum being some of the highlights.
NB: For journeys operating outside of July and August we will be including a tour of the Terracotta Warriors. In July and August free time will be available should you wish to arrange a visit there. Our experience is that it is incredibly crowded during those months and therefore it is not included at that time.
We have more time today to perhaps walk the city walls or wander the laneways of Xian.
We journey north to Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia in China, offers a unique blend of Mongolian culture, history, and natural beauty. We arrive by train in the evening.
We spend the day exploring Hohhot famous for its contrasting bustling markets and open grasslands. We enjoy some hot pot before joining the evening train that will take us onwards towards Mongolia.
Our train rumbles along the Trans Mongolian Railway. The villages and fields of northern China slip away as we head north. As the sun sets we’ll cross the Gobi Desert bound for the Mongolian border and its quirky yet friendly capital of Ulaanbaatar.
We arrive in the morning into the capital and we travel out across the grasslands, through the countryside that was once the home to Genghis Khan and his Golden Horde, to the pristine Terelj National Park for a night stay in a ger – the traditional home of the Mongolian people.
This morning we return to the city via the giant statue to Genghis Khan. We then bid farewell after an epic adventure with tales to tell on our return home.
Day 1
Kuala Lumpur - Journey begins
Day 2
To Kuala Lumpur to Penang
Day 3
Penang
Day 4
Penang to Bangkok
Overnight train
Day 5
Bangkok
Day 6
Bangkok
Day 7
Bangkok and depart to Laos
Overnight train
Day 8
Arrive Vientiane
Day 9
Vientiane
Day 10
Vientiane to Luang Prabang
Day 11
Luang Prabang
Day 12
Luang Prabang to Kunming
Day 13
Kunming
Day 14
Kunming
Day 15
Kunming to Chengdu
Day 16
Chengdu
Day 17
Chengdu and to Xian
Day 18
Xian
Day 19
Xian
Day 20
Xian to Hohhot
Day 21
Hohhot to Erlian
Overnight train
Day 22
Erlian to Ulaanbaatar
Overnight train
Day 23
Ulaanbaatar to Terelj National Park
Day 24
Ulaanbaatar - Tour concludes
