As we leave Bangkok on day one, we recommend arriving a couple of days early to see some of the sights of this fast paced city including the Royal Palace, Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Pho.
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Days 1 - 6
Our adventure begins as we leave Bangkok and head for the border with Cambodia. This country is unfortunately mostly known for the terrible, violent reign of Pol Pot, however Cambodia has a rich historical past and today is a friendly and beautiful country to travel in. Our first stop is Battambang, a small city on the banks of the River Sangkei. From here we drive through lush, green forests and past paddy fields until we reach Sihanoukeville on the coast. This is a great place to chill out after the hustle and bustle of Bangkok - you can sunbathe during the day and then stay on the beach for an evening meal of freshly caught and cooked seafood.
Days 7 - 13
Next we travel north to Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. This is a really nice relaxed city with some impressive sites to see and great bars and cafes to try out. The Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum are all worth a look. We also take the time to visit the sobering S21 prison (once a school, later turned into a terrible prison by the Khmer Rouge) and Choeung Ek, more commonly known as the Killing Fields.
Moving on, we head to Siem Reap, a small town near to one of the largest and most outstanding temple complexes in the world. Angkor Wat was once the centre of the Khmer Empire from the 10th to the 15th century and it stretched throughout Cambodia into Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and the Malay Peninsular. Angkor Wat refers to the central temple but the whole site was actually a royal city and covers over 160 km2. The city was abandoned after the decline of the empire and the surrounding jungle gradually took over, enveloping the buildings in vegetation. The main sites of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Preah Khan have been cleared and restored but there are many smaller sites that still look as though they have yet to be discovered, enwrapped in the jungle, some with trees literally growing through the walls.
Days 14 - 18
After a 2 or 3 days exploring Angkor we return to Thailand and visit the Ruins of Phimai. Originating from the 12th century, these are also from the Khmer period and are Thailand's largest sandstone shrine.
Continuing north we reach the mighty Mekong River which creates the border between Thailand and Laos. These two neighbours are very different, Laos having missed out on tourist and commercial booms. Life is slow paced, the towns and cities are small with no big developments and the population are welcoming and friendly. Our first port of call is Vientiane, the country's capital, built alongside the Mekong River. Unlike any other Asian capital, the city is quiet and laid back, its small population unhurried and traffic jams a rare sight. Most of the city is fairly recently built since the original site was mostly destroyed by the Siamese 200 years ago. You will now find French colonial, traditional Lao and modern buildings lining the wide streets, plus many wats and museums, as well as cafes where you can enjoy a beer overlooking the river.
Vientiane's most significant sight is That Luang Stupa, which is of greatest importance to Lao Buddhists as it was believed that the Buddha's breastbone was to be found in the original stupa built in 300AD (a stupa is a religious structure, originally built to cover the remains of Buddha). Wat Sisaket is the city's oldest wat and houses thousands of Buddha statues and in Wat Phra Kaeo, you'll find many Laos, Khmer and Burmese works of art.
Days 19 - 24
Time and weather permitting, we can take a boat along the Mekong River for part of the journey north. We arrive in the once royal city of Luang Prabang. Another small, quiet town on the Mekong River, Luang Prabang is in a beautiful setting amongst lush green mountains and due to its wonderful architecture and historical past, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can walk up Mt. Phousi for a fantastic view over the city, river and the surrounding countryside. Xieng Thong Wat is a must see. It is one of the most important wats in Luang Prabang as well as the most beautiful with it's mosaics, carvings and frescoes, a 16th century bronze of a reclining Buddha and an impressive funeral chariot. You can also have a look around the Royal Palace, built by the French for the King early last century or take a trip up the Mekong to visit the Pak Ou caves, home to 4000 Buddha images.
Days 25 - 31
Continuing through the mountainous north of the country, we reach Luang Namtha. From here, there are opportunities to trek with a guide for 2 or 3 days to visit remote minority villages. The different hill tribes that live in these areas include Hmong, Thai Lu and Thai Dam amongst others and all have distinctive dress, customs and language. It is important to be aware of the impact we have when visiting these areas and we recommend that you listen to the advice of your guide regarding behaviour, dress, gifts etc.
Our final drive in Laos brings us to the border with China. We cross and enter the Xixuangbanna region in the south of Yunnan province. It almost feels like we're still in South East Asia here amongst the Dai people who live in stilted wooden houses and whose language is closer to Thai than Mandarin. The name Xixuangbanna comes from the original Thai name of Sip Sawng Panna meaning 12 Rice Growing Districts. Here you can visit Dai villages and markets and discover ruined temples in the surrounding rainforests.
Further north we find the Stone Forest, 270 million year old limestone karst rocks that have eroded to form huge pillars of stone in various shapes. There are walking paths around the area that take you to uniquely named rocks such as Baby Buffalo and Moon-Gazing Rhino. Time permitting we will stop in Kunming, a major city and Yunnan's capital. Most of the city has been modernised but there are some interesting temples and museums to visit.
Days 32 - 37 Dali is a quaint old town at the foot of the 4000m high Cang Shan - Jade Green Mountain. Wandering its cobbled streets, you can picture this city as it once was, the centre of the powerful Nanzhao Kingdom before it was defeated by Kublai Khan. Nearby is Erhai Hu (Ear-shaped Lake) which you can explore by mountain bike or on the regular ferries that travel back and forth to small villages dotted around the lake. You may find one of the local Bai markets or perhaps see fishermen using trained cormorants to catch fish. For a fantastic view of the lake and Dali, it's possible to walk or take a chair lift up to the temple of Zhonghe Si. Also near Dali are the Three Pagodas, built over 1100 years ago and the tallest being 70mtrs high.
Lijiang is a fascinating and atmospheric town. A massive earthquake in 1996 destroyed much of it but most of the old town survived and has since been restored and renovated. The whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it's easy to see why as you explore the winding, cobbled streets lined with canals and old, wooden buildings. The matriarchal Naxi people inhabit Lijiang and you're likely to see traditionally dressed women in the Old Market Square. If we have enough time we will journey north to Tiger Leaping Gorge where the Yangtse River squeezes through an incredibly deep and narrow gorge creating churning rapids amongst beautiful mountain scenery.
Days 38 - 44
Continuing north we enter Sichuan Province, renowned for its spicy food and home to the critically endangered Giant Panda that lives in its forested mountains. Time permitting, we stop en route to Chengdu, at Emeishan, a Buddhist mountain covered in temples and monasteries, linked by hiking trails with fantastic mountain views. Nearby at Leshan is the Grand Buddha, a 70mtr statue carved from the red cliff that rises above the Dadu and Min Rivers. Your best view is from a boat but you can also climb to a platform to gaze directly at the Buddha's huge head and facial features.
Chengdu, the provincial capital, is in the heart of Sichuan and there is a wealth of things to see and do. At Wenshu Temple you will see worshippers through the haze of incense smoke and can join them for green tea in the monastery's tea house. Other sights include the Tomb of Wang Jian, Green Ram Temple, Du Fu's Cottage and there are several more temples, parks and museums. High on most travellers' list is the nearby Giant Panda Research Station where you can observe these rare animals up close. As the station has had some breeding success, you may be lucky to see some young Pandas and their smaller cousins, Red Pandas can also be seen.
Days 45 - 48
Leaving the hills of Sichuan behind we continue north to Xi'an in Shaanxi Province. Xi'an is renowned the world over for the Terracotta Warriors, a 2000 year old army that stood guard over the tomb of Qin Shihuang until their discovery by villagers in 1974. Over 7000 figures of soldiers and horses have been excavated and restored and you can view these in the huge arena where they are displayed. It is thought that the warriors may have been modelled on their real life counterparts as the face of each one is slightly different.
We leave the truck here and jump on board the overnight sleeper train to Beijing. This is a great opportunity to try out your Mandarin and no doubt there will be one or two English speakers, keen for conversation.
Days 49 - 52 Beijing is a huge, sprawling city, full of people, bicycles, traffic, history, tradition and modernisation and jam packed with great restaurants, shops and awesome sights. We include a trip out to the Great Wall, an incredible construction and icon of China, built over a timespan of 2000 years and stretching over 6000km. The wall was first constructed in the 3rd century BC under Emporer Qin Shihuang and later added to and renovated, particularly in the 15th century. After the Ming Dynasty it was neglected but in the last century it became one of the most famous sights in the world and in 2007 became one of the new 7 Wonders of the World. Walking along the wall involves some quite steep climbs but you are rewarded with views of the wall lining the ridges of the green hills far into the distance.
Beijing has a huge amount of sights to keep you busy for a few days including: Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao lies in state in his mausoleum; the Forbidden City, home to Imperial China and emperors for over 500 years; the Temple of Heaven, the largest sacrificial complex in the world and the Summer Palace, the extravagant summer home of the 19th century imperial court.
Days 53 - 59
Returning to Xi'an by train, we re-join the truck and have a couple of days to see Xi'an's interesting sights including the 7th century Big and Little Goose Pagodas, the Drum and Bell Towers and the historical City Walls. As well as a Tao Temple, Xi'an has a mosque and the narrow streets of the Muslim Quarter are great to explore.
Langzhou is the capital of neighbouring Gansu province and was once a stop on the famous Silk Road. The Gansu Provincial Museum exhibits Yangshao pottery and interesting artefacts from the days of the Silk Road trading route. There are also temples and pagodas to see, a 13th century iron bell or you can try out the town's renowned noodles along with a Yellow River beer. If time permits we can take a trip along the Yellow River to Bing Ling Si where caves containing Buddhist images have been carved into the cliffs.
Days 60 - 64
Nearby Linxia was also an important trading place on the Silk Road and its markets today are well worth a visit. This area is home to 3 minority people, the Hui, Donziang and Uyghur. Xiahe is home to the Labrang Monastery, one of the six most important in Tibetan Buddhism and home to over 1700 monks.
Continuing west we travel through mountainous country to the grasslands of Qinghai Province and Qinghai Lake. This is the largest salt water lake in China and from March to June, a stopover for huge flocks of migrating birds including bar headed geese that fly over the Himalayas, thousands of metres above sea level.
Travelling through grasslands grazed by herds of yak and sheep, we continue across the Tsaidam Depression. Gradually we ascend to the Tibetan Plateau and an area that sees the beginnings of some of the most important rivers in Asia including the Yangtse River. These few days are hard going, free camping at night and travelling on rough roads across the harsh and wild landscape. Our reward is the breathtaking scenery of distant snowy mountains beyond the vast plains. Crossing our highest pass, Tanggu La at 5100m, we leave Qinghai Province and enter Tibet.
Now named the Tibetan Autonomous Region by the Chinese, this country has been under Chinese rule for nearly 60 years. There is little suppression of religion and Tibetan Buddhism is still going strong, although the Dalai Lama remains exiled in India. Geographically, Tibet consists mostly of the huge plateau at an average of 4000m above sea level.
Days 65 - 68
We arrive in Lhasa, the fascinating capital of Tibet and our reward after a few days hard travelling. The most prominent and impressive feature is the stunning Potala Palace - home of the exiled Dalai Lama. Built atop Mount Marpori, the 13 storey high edifice consists of two parts, the White Palace and Red Palace and you can explore some of the 1000 rooms, chapels and halls. You can also visit a host of other sites: the Dalai Lama's summer palace, Norbulingka; Tibet's most significant monastery, Jokhang; Sera Monastery where you may see monks carrying out their unique method of debating; the Garden Monastery in stunning scenery; Drepung Monastery on the outskirts of Lhasa or you may just like to wander the stall-lined streets of Barkhor in the old part of the city.
Days 69 - 72
Leaving Lhasa, we cross the Kamba La Pass at 4510m and see the sparkling Yamdrok Tso - Turquoise Lake (occasionally, if conditions are bad, this road is closed and we take an alternative route). We descend along a rough road to the small town of Gyangtse, where you can visit Palkhor Monastery housing Tibet's largest stupa as well as the historical old fort. Unfortunately this was the scene of a brutal and unnecessary battle in 1903, initiated by a British Colonel and in which thousands of Tibetans were killed. Further west is Tibet's second city, Xigatse. Here we can visit the 15th century Tashilhunpo Monastery, spiritual home of the Panchen Lama and which houses the tallest Buddha in Tibet.
Days 73 - 76
We drive through agricultural land before climbing to a higher altitude again and reaching the town of Tingri. From here it's possible to make the optional jeep trip to the Rongbuk Monastery, the highest monastery in the world and Everest Base Camp for close up, awesome views of the world's highest mountain.
If we're lucky with the weather we will have stunning views of the Himalaya and Everest from Lalung Leh pass at 5050m. En route to the small town of Nyalam, we stop at Milarepa's cave once home to a reclusive Buddhist saint.
Days 77 - 82
It's a steep descent towards the border as we leave the barren landscape behind and begin to see more vegetation, eventually turning to forest. Crossing the Friendship Bridge, we enter Nepal and drive the short distance to the Last Resort, situated in a beautiful, forested area where the Bhote Kosi River flows through a deep gorge. Here you can bungy jump, go rafting, canyoning or do a canyon swing - all optional! Our final drive takes us through the Nepalese countryside, past villages and fields and eventually entering the capital city of Kathmandu.
Kathmandu is legendary amongst travellers and a fantastic place to celebrate the end of our journey. Despite being a busy, growing city, there are many great things to see and do. You can while away a few hours soaking up the atmosphere in Durbar Square, which is located in the old town and is full of temples, shrines, stupas and towers. In Thamel you can shop for handicrafts and afterwards enjoy a Newari meal along with traditional dances. There are more temples throughout the city and neighbouring Patan - plenty to occupy a few days at the end of your trip!
If youre interested in Asia overland travel, enquire about Asian Odyssey trip or any of our other overland trips today!
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