Laos: Come With Nothing, the Mekong Expedition

Arrive into Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ) and meet your Program Leaders who will be with you for the duration of the program. Head to Phosri Mountain in the center of Luang Prabang’s old city for a spectacular view of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and the historic city between them. After a delicious dinner, join the group for an orientation discussion about the week ahead, expectations for your adventure, and an introduction to the local culture.

Explore the charming riverside town of Luang Prabang by bike and visit the Unexploded Ordinances Offices, operated by the UN, where you will learn the extent of the impact of the Vietnam War on Laos and it’s continuing effect today. Sit down with a monk to chat about Buddhism and visit the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center to learn more about the diverse ethnic groups of northern Laos. This afternoon, float downriver to the mystical Pak Ou caves. Each year, hundreds of pilgrims journey to this site and leave behind tiny Buddha images that fill the cave. Hike up Phousi Mountain in the center of town for a view at sunset, before heading to the night market to wander the stalls for unique handicrafts.

Leave the city behind and venture into the hills of northern Laos to your first rural village. For the next three nights, you’ll be living in a homestay with other students. Get to know your host family over breakfast together each morning and adapt to life without electronics or western amenities. Work together as a group on infrastructure-based service projects in Luang Prabang province.

Set out on foot and trek through the beautiful countryside on a three-hour hike across rice paddies, over lush green mountaintops, and through forests on the way to the famous Kuang Sri waterfall. Marvel at the seven-tiered falls as the crystal blue waters drop from high on a cliff!

Drive through stunning mountain roads to Nong Khiaw, where you’ll notice that life moves at a slower pace. Settle into your riverside bungalows and head out of town on bikes to visit the Pa Tok caves, which were used by the local government during the war. Tonight, join a discussion and reflect on what you have learned and set goals for your next village homestay experience.

Spend these days in a village in the hills outside of Nong Khiaw town. By now, you may find you have gotten into the rhythm of life in this part of the world and picked up some skills along the way! Work with locals on their community-driven infrastructure project. In your downtime, spend some time journaling, cooling off by the river, playing games with the local children, and speaking with the village leader.

This morning, say goodbye to your homestay hosts and head back to Luang Prabang. Learn about public health in Laos at the Friends Without a Border Hospital Visitor’s Center. Then, relax with a traditional Lao massage. Enjoy a final celebratory meal tonight at the Base, complete with traditional Laotian dancing and music.

At the end of each program, students reflect on their experiences and the issues they engaged with, and talk about how to apply this new understanding to their own worlds. During or after their closing discussion, groups participate in Rustic Ties, a unique and powerful activity that allows students to capture the memories and learning moments of their program to process and share with their communities back home.

On your last morning in Laos, rise early and enjoy one last French baguette and Lao coffee before heading to the airport for your departing flight. Your Program Leaders will take you to the airport for your departure as you say goodbyes and reflect on your adventure.