This Grand Indo-China trip offers a wonderful chance to explore two of South East Asia's great cultural centres, the North Thailand hills and Laos' Mekong Delta. There can be no better way to witness the stunning scenery and experience the friendliness of the people. After an opening tour of Bangkok, we journey to Chiang Mai in the north. Here we trek by foot and on elephant back - plus rafting on a bamboo raft - to the hillside villages. A highlight of Chiang Mai will be the holy Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple visited by Buddhist pilgrims all year round. Next, it's on to Laos - a country standing in great contrast to Thailand and one hardly touched by tourism. Its landscape is both stunning and raw and its people welcome visitors with open arms. The highlight of this leg of the tour is a truly memorable boat trip on the Mekong River with the chance to see in all its splendour the spectacular and ever-changing scenery and the rural waterside life. Following on from there are visits to the cultural centres of Luang Prabang, with its monks in their colourful robes going about their religious rituals, and the capital Vientiane.