HIGHLIGHTS

• Soak up the charming atmosphere and religious landmarks of Luang Prabang, UNESCO World Heritage Town.
• Participate at dawn in centuries-old "Tak Bat" Buddhist alms ritual in Luang Prabang.
• Trek to Kuang Si Waterfalls and visit the Asian Bear Rescue Centre.
• Explore the dramatic scenery of stunning Vang Vieng.
• Take a wildlife tour at Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary.
• Wander the sleepy Laotian capital and gap its most iconic keys.
• See coffee plantations, ethnic villages and waterfalls in the Bolaven Plateau.
• Travel back in time to visit the pre-Angkorian temple of Wat Phou.
• Discover the ways of life and tranquil beauty of Southern Laos' 4,000 river islands.

Day by Day itineraries

Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival.

"Sabaidee" - Welcome to magical Laos! Upon arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport, you will be picked up by Laos Travel's representative and transferred to your hotel for checking in. Enjoy a welcome drink and choose to relax or explore nearby sights on your leisure time.

Positioned at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and surrounded by verdant mountains, the ancient royal capital of Luang Prabang is considered the heart of Laotian culture and retains a unique ambiance. It has many great cafés, restaurants and night food stalls which emerge at dusk, ask the guide for personal recommendations to enjoy your dinner.



Meals: N/A.

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Luang Prabang Pak Ou Caves City Tour.

Following breakfast at the hotel, visit the former King's Palace, now the National Museum. The many items nicely displayed include rare furniture, traditional costumes, arts, jewelry, ornaments as well as working tools and utensils of the early part of the 20th century. Then visit Wat Xieng Thong, the most photographed temple in Luang Prabang.

Next, you'll board a private boat for the Mekong River cruise to the sacred Pak Ou Caves. Locally called Tam Ting, the caves are filled with thousands of gold-lacquered Buddha statues, coming in a wide range of sizes. During the boat ride, take note of the fishermen and villagers going about their daily life on the river. For many, the Mekong plays an integral role in daily life and represents one of the only means of transportation and commerce.

From the caves, the boat continues to Ban Muang Keo Village where you can see local weavers and whisky distillers honoring their ancient traditional crafts. Before returning to your hotel, climb the steps of Mount Phousi for a gorgeous view of the town.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 3: Luang Prabang Alms Giving Kuang Si Waterfall.

An early start provides the fantastic opportunity to witness the captivating centuries old daily tradition of the alms giving ceremony, Tak Bat. Before sunrise, hundreds of saffron-clad monks file out from the old town's 35 temples to collect their daily alms from faithful local residents.

Back to the hotel for breakfast, then spend the morning exploring the area around one of Luang Prabang's most impressive and picturesque waterfalls, Kuang Si. Trek through jungle parklands to Kuang Si Bear Rescue Centre, located nearby. Established in 2003, the centre has rescued numerous bears from wildlife traffickers and traditional medicine traders. Here, you will help-out with the bears' midday scatter feed. Next, walk through the national park to the Kuang Si Waterfall, where a 60m cascade feeds into multi-tiered turquoise pools; and if you feel energetic, climb to their source and go for a swim.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the tranquil park.

Afterwards, return to the town to relax or explore more of the local area independently.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.

Day 4: Luang Prabang Vang Vieng.

Leave Luang Prabang for Vang Vieng in Central Laos through dusty villages and winding mountain roads (approximately 7 hours). A stop will be made in Kasi, a famous fruit growing region. The mountain scenery is impressive, but the road can be rough, especially as attention is now being diverted from maintaining the roads to building the new railway from China.

Situated on the Nam Song River, Vang Vieng, originally named Mouang Song, is surrounded by towering limestone karsts and is a great place to enjoy being out in and surrounded by nature. After checking in to the hotel, use tonight to plan out your next few days with your guide.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vang Vieng.

Day 5: Explore 4,000 Islands Pakse.

With plenty of rock climbing, kayaking and hiking options all around the village, Vang Vieng is a brilliant stop-over to break up the drive between Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Vang Vieng is a wonderful introduction to the countryside landscape that makes Laos such an unparalleled visual feast.

After breakfast at the hotel, your tour guide will take to to the north of Vang Vieng, where you'll firstly visit Tham Xang (Elephant Cave). This cave owes its name to a remarkable limestone formation, and lies on the banks of the Nam Song River. Enjoy panoramic views from one of the vistas here.

The nearby Tham Hoi Cave (Snail Cave) winds its way deep into the mountain. You'll float through the cave on inflatable tubes, exploring its long corridors and wonderful limestone formations. A pool of cool spring water lies at the mouth of Tham Nam (Water Cave), giving you a great opportunity for a swim.

Following a picnic lunch, trek to a Hmong village, passing through rice paddies and vegetable gardens. Return to Vang Vieng by kayaking down the Nam Song, taking you through idyllic scenes of rural life, with limestone mountains in the background.

Rest of the day, you are recommended a short stroll down to the riverbank in time for sunset, where there are a number of areas to sit and take in dramatic scenery. Be sure to bring a camera to catch some amazing snaps.



Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vang Vieng.

Day 6: Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary Vientiane.

This morning, drive about 1 hour through scenic fields, hills, and forests to the Vang Vieng Elephant Sanctuary. It is is part of that positive trend, working to promote preservation and protection. There, you will learn about elephants in Laos, history, behaviors, feeding needs and habitat.

Walk with your guide through the sanctuary, where you will find free-roaming elephants and hear their individual stories. You will be able to touch, feed, photograph, and interact with the elephants at your leisure. You will accompany the elephants to a nearby lake or river and join them in the water for a refreshing bath.

Enjoy some snacks and fresh fruits, before traveling to Vientiane. En-route, stop at Nam Ngum Reservoir, one of the largest man-made lakes in South East Asia, and take a boat trip to visit local fishing communities. Continue on to Dongmarkhai Market, where among the market stalls, insects sell as local snacks.

Arrive in Vientiane, spend rest of the day at leisure in this peaceful capital. Enjoy the numerous cafés, restaurants and spas as well as shopping, including the evening market on the banks of the Mekong River.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane.

Day 7: Vientiane City Tour.

Today you will discover the essential landmarks and iconic sights that the small and charismatic city of Vientiane has to offer. Vientiane remains a tranquil laid-back character, a world away from the frantic capitals in Asia, and most attractions can be reached on foot.

Start at Wat Sisaket, believed to be Vientiane's oldest surviving temple, left intact after the Siamese invasion of 1828. The interior walls of the cloister are covered in niches containing over 2,000 silver and ceramic Buddha images. Next is a visit to Wat Phra Keo, built originally to house the famed Emerald Buddha and now a religious museum that displays a collection of art representing Lao and Khmer artefacts. Continue to Wat Si Muang - the most popular one in town, before visiting Patuxai Monument, Laos' version of the Arc de Triomphe and its most prominent monument.

The city tour also takes you to the golden spired Pha That Luang, constructed in the 16th century and regarded as the holiest site in Laos, and the Buddha Park, built in 1958 by Luang Pu, a yogi-priest shaman.

Vientiane has many great restaurants with Lao, Thai, French, Italian, Mexican and Chinese cuisines available, ask the guide for personal recommendations to enjoy your dinner.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane.

Day 8: Vientiane Fly to Pakse Bolaven Plateau.

Have a breakfast at the hotel then fly south to Pakse, the capital of Champasak Province. On arrival, meet another tour guide and driver of Laos Travel then begin your discoveries with a scenic drive through mountains and winding roads all the way up to the region of Bolaven Plateau.

An expanse of highland formed from an ancient volcano, Bolaven Plateau is resplendent with lush jungles, rivers, scenic farmlands and diverse ethnic communities. Explore this naturally beautiful and cool climate elevated region. Start with a visit to the Tad Fane Waterfalls, 120 meters high and located in the Dong Hua Sao Nature Reserve. Continue to the Tad Champi and Tad Yeung waterfalls, which drop an impressive 42 meters and are surrounded by lush vegetation. Then head to a tea and coffee plantation and learn why the Bolaven Plateau is an ideal area for these plantations. Enjoy an exceptional fresh organic cup of coffee prepared with a unique technique at the Jhai Coffee House in Paksong and meet some ethnic minorities.

Transfer back to Pakse in the late afternoon. If time permits, take a short orientation tour of the town, explore its colonial and Chinese-style buildings and a local market. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse.

Day 9: Pakse Wat Phou Khong Island.

After breakfast, check out the hotel and journey along Mekong River to Don Khong in the south of Champasak. Stop at Wat Phou, otherwise known as Vat Phou, to visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back more than 1,000 years, Wat Phou is a spectacular pre-Angkorian temple that sits amidst the rice fields and waterways of southern Laos. Explore this mythical temple ruins and tumbledown structures.

Enjoy lunch en-route, and continue to Khong Island, the biggest island in Southern Laos and the start of the 4,000 Islands. Called "Siphandon" in Laotian language, this area is where the Mekong stretches over 14km wide and houses thousands of islands between its cascades and rapids. Here the Mekong River is at its widest and dotted with thousands of small islands.

Later in the afternoon, you will arrive in the peaceful island of Don Khong, home to small villages and plantations, where you'll spend the night. The remainder of the day, it's recommended to explore the area either by bicycle or tuk-tuk.



Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Khong Island.

Day 10: Explore 4,000 Islands Pakse.

Embark on a traditional long-tail boat and cruise amongst the Siphandon riverine archipelago. Explore this peaceful rural island where locals live out a simple life. Once a minor 19th century French Indochina settlement, Don Khong reveals a handful of colonial-era buildings including an old French railway station. Visit awesome Liphi Waterfalls, nicknamed the "Corridor of the Devil", a natural border between Laos and Cambodia and habitat of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins (sadly, the last known river dolphin in the transboundary pool in the Mekong between Laos and Cambodia was found dead on 15 February 2022).

Continue to the 10km-long Khone Pha Pheng Falls, Southeast Asia's largest waterfall (by volume) and one of Laos' most magnificent natural attractions. Hear the thunderous roar and gaze at the awesome power created by millions of litres of water crashing over rocks.

After relaxing on the boat ride, enjoy a local-style lunch served in a nearby restaurant.

Return to the mainland by boat and then travel back to Pakse by car, arriving in time for sunset.



Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse.

Day 11: Pakse Departure.

A transfer will take you to Pakse Airport for your onward travels. Depending on flight schedules, it may be necessary to book a day-use hotel or another overnight stay in Pakse (at additional charge).



Meals: Breakfast.