Snow Lion Expeditions

• Destinations
• Laos

Followers of the Today Show and New York Times are learning what Snow Lion guests have known for years.  Laos is one of the most enchanting destinations in Asia, if not the world.  In April 2008, Matt Lauer filmed a "Where in the World is Matt Lauer" segment from in front of the Wat That Luang in the capital of Vientiane. Earlier this year, the New York Times named Laos the #1 destination in the world.  Yet less than a decade ago, Laos was largely unknown to Western travelers.  

Since the Lao People's Democratic Republic reopened its doors in the 1990s, a steady flow of visitors has trickled into this old-fashioned country.  Visitors to this least populated Southeast Asian country will be rewarded with sights of a rugged natural landscape and ethnically diverse people where not much changed since French explorers set foot here more than a century ago.  Laos's life-line is the Mekong River, which runs the length of the landlocked country and in places serves as a boundary with Thailand and Burma.  Set on a broad curve of the Mekong, Vientiane is perhaps Indochina’s most modest capital city.  To the north, Luang Prabang was once the heart and soul of the ancient kingdom of Lane Xang and today it is Laos's most enticing destination, with a spellbinding panoply of gilded temples and weathered shops.  In between, Vang Viang is set in a spectacular landscape of rice paddies and karsts.  Further south, near the former royal seat of Champasak, lie the ruins of Wat Phou, one of the most important Khmer temples outside Cambodia.  South again, the countless river islands of Si Phan Don lie scattered across the Mekong, boasting scores of traditional fishing communities and the chance to spot the rare Irawaddy dolphin.

	$
'	21 Days

From Tibet to the Sea

Follow the literal and figurative Mekong River from Shangrila, Tibet to its delta near Saigon, Vietnam on an epic overland trip which explores natural and cultural wonders of Tibet, Naxi, Bai, Dai, Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese cultures.

Sep 27, 2008 - Oct 17, 2008 / Apr 11, 2009 - May 1, 2009 / Oct 10, 2009 - Oct 30, 2009

	$
'	21 Days

Indochina Explorer

Piece together the mosaic of myriad traditions as you journey through Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. We'll sail amidst the islands of Halong Bay, savor baguettes in Hanoi, board river boats on the Mekong, wander awestruck among the ruins of Angkor.

Nov 9, 2008 - Nov 29, 2008 / Feb 15, 2009 - Mar 7, 2009 / Nov 8, 2009 - Nov 28, 2009

	$
'	14 Days

Laos North to South

The NBC Today Show's Matt Lauer was enchanted when he visited in April 2008. We reveal this magical country via Buddhist shrines inside mountain caves, historic sites and a three-day cruise down the Mekong River to the country's most gorgeous waterfall.

Oct 20, 2008 - Nov 2, 2008 / Dec 15, 2008 - Dec 28, 2008 / Jan 26, 2009 - Feb 8, 2009 / Feb 23, 2009 - Mar 8, 2009 / Oct 20, 2009 - Nov 2, 2009 / Dec 15, 2009 - Dec 28, 2009

	$
'	20 Days

Mick's Mekong Adventure

Mick O’Shea was the first person to kayak the 3,000 miles of the Mekong River from Tibet to the South China Sea. On this trip, we join him for 375 miles of eco-adventure of the Mekong River in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Nov 11, 2008 - Nov 30, 2008