Sticky Rice Service Itinerary|

*Note: This trip runs north to south and south to north on alternating weeks. The first trip Junio 16th will run south to north with the rest following the alternating pattern. Therefore you may either arrive to Vientiane or Luang Prabang on the first day in Laos depending on what week you choose.

Day 1, Tuesday
Relax and prepare yourself for your adventure on world-class Singapore Airlines. Meet other students, watch on-demand movies and unwind. A Rustic Pathways Flight Leader will accompany each of our escorted group flights from Los Angeles, making sure that your journey is easy and enjoyable.

Day 2, Wednesday

Ghost Day - After flowing through different time zones and passing the International Date Line today is ‘lost’ in the ambiguity of international travel. Don’t worry - you’ll be able to pick up a free day on your flight home.

Day 3, Thursday
The morning begins as you arrive into Singapore after midnight. You’ll be greeted in Singapore by Rustic staff who will show you the way to our coach bus which will take us to Hotel 81 not far from the airport. We’ll get you checked in and you’ll be able to get some well-deserved rest until morning. You’ll get a wake-up call to come down and enjoy a nice buffet breakfast outside at the pool. Go for an early morning swim if you’d like before packing up your things and heading back to the airport for the connection to Bangkok. Arriving in Bangkok early afternoon, you’ll be greeted by many staff and program leaders who have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. From Bangkok you will fly to Udon Thani on the border of Thailand and Laos and hop into Rustic Pathways vans for the trip across the “Friendship Bridge” to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. After getting checked into our guesthouse we will head to the banks of the Mekong for a delicious meal as we watch the sunset over the giant river. It is then time for a well-earned rest.

Day 4, Friday
Today we will explore Vientiane, visiting the Laos Revolution Museum, various temples, the infamous Pratuu Xai (a replica of the Arc d’ Triumph) for a view over the city and of course the famous morning market, which is filled with everything from chickens to scarves to televisions. As we explore the quaint city streets and watch the saffron robed monks pass by we will begin to experience the easy going, friendly way of life that is Laos. In the evening we will have our first bowl of delicious noodle soup, one of many to come! Tonight we will hit the sack early as we have an early morning departure ahead of us.

Day 5, Saturday
This morning we will begin to travel northward into the hills of Laos. Our first destination is Nam Ngum Reservoir, a giant fresh water lake dotted with small islands. We will spend a while on the lake swimming and taking longtail boat rides to some of the outlying islands to meet some of the locals who live and farm on them. In the afternoon we will head to Houay Phoung Village where our first service project will take place. Rustic has two staff members from the village and they will are looking forward to showing you around. In the evening the village children will gather around for an English lesson with you.

Day 6, Sunday
Today you will put in a full day of work around the village. Your service work will include teaching at and improving the small school, doing simple maintenance and repair projects around the village, and assisting at the local Buddhist temple. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish in a full day’s work as a Rustic Pathways team. While you are working you will also be interacting with the locals and probably grinning ear to ear the entire time as children run by waving and farmers pass by taking the fruits of their labor into town.

Day 7, Monday
In the morning we will depart Houay Phoung and head northwards into the dramatic lime stone mountains of northern Laos. On our way we will stop at the lazy town of Vang Vieng to go inner tubing down the Nam Som River. This is a great experience that allows you to float on your back watching the giant mountains drift by as children splash and wave and fisherman in small dugout boats throw nets into the flowing waterway. After this break from travel it is back into the vans and up to the UNESCO Heritage town of Luang Prabang. We will be arriving here in the evening and will immediately fall into the rhythm of this quaint French colonial outpost along the Mekong. As we walk from our guesthouse to a fabulous dinner the glowing temple atop Pousi Mountain will welcome us to our home for the next couple of days.

Day 8, Tuesday
In the morning we will rise early to give alms to the myriad of orange robed monks who come to Luang Prabang’s many temples to study and meditate. We will then take a quick tour of the town’s temple’s and old colonial buildings and then head out to the countryside to a remote village and get our hands dirty with service work once again. By the end of the day you will be happy to sit down to a delicious meal and barely have enough energy to walk through the bustling night market with it’s dazzling array of local handicrafts and textiles.

Day 9, Wednesday
We will rise early again and head out to the village for more service work. After putting in some solid hours of helping our new friends we will head back to Luang Prabang in the afternoon for a boat ride up the Mekong to a cave filled with Buddha imEdad. As we head back to town the sun will be falling behind the mountains as we reminisce on a great week in Laos. After one last feast of Lao food we will walk the streets of Luang Prabang one last time before heading off to bed.

Day 10, Thursday
Today many of us will say goodbye to Laos. As we fly out over the Mekong we will have one last chance to gaze on the mighty river and the emerald mountains as they fall beneath the wings of the airplane. Those who are staying on in Laos for other programs will transfer to Vientiane and have a day of looking around there. Those who are connecting to other Asia programs will head to their next destinations. Those who are heading home will fly to Bangkok and meet their flight group there.

Packing List: Sticky Rice Service

*We will be moving over a lot of land and packing as light as possible will make your trip much more enjoyable.  Check in luggage should not be over 15kg or 30 pounds, overweight luggage will be assessed a fee by the airline.