Private arrival transfer included.
The balance of the day is at your leisure.
Sleepy, quaint, yet full of life and color, the town of Luang Prabang is one of our most darling destinations in Southeast Asia. The fusion of traditional Lao architecture and French colonial buildings against the backdrop of lush mountains creates a truly unique townscape. UNESCO agrees, hence why Luang Prabang is listed as a World Heritage Site! This town has much to offer the discerning travel enthusiast, and we’ll take today to uncover some of its many charms.
The day will begin by gaining some historical context at the National Museum (housed in the building of the former royal palace), before heading to the stunning Buddhist temples of Wat Mai and Wat Xieng Thong, two of the city’s most renowned masterpieces. We will take some time to meet resident monks and partake in a blessing ceremony before indulging in a delicious traditional Lao lunch.
In the afternoon we will visit the informative Traditional Art and Ethnology Museum as well as the the Living Crafts Centre to learn about the many cultures that make up Lao’s population and the beautiful handicrafts and textiles they produce. No day trip of Luang Prabang is complete without a stroll through a local market, so we’ll make sure to head to one of the most lively just a short drive outside of town (this one is authentic and not touristy).
We’ll crown the day with a short walk up the sacred hill of Mount Phousi, where a panoramic sunset view over Luang Prabang awaits.
Time: full-day (10:00 or 11:00 am start is recommended)
Inclusion: private transport, English speaking guide, entrance fees, snacks and refreshments Meals: lunch
Notes
• The itinerary for today is flexible.
• Luang Prabang is small with lots to see so we can customize this on the fly depending on your
interests.
Therapeutic Elephant Trek
Luang Prabang was once the capital of a kingdom called Lan Xang, which translates to “land of a million elephants”. While there certainly aren’t that many elephants nowadays, it is still possible to observe these gentle giants in a natural
environment. Today you’ll explore the mysterious beauty of the Lao jungle while enjoying an intimate experience with
elephants at a reputable and ethically-minded conservation sanctuary near Luang Prabang. You will be picked up from your hotel and brought to the village of Xieng Lom, from where you’ll take a quick boat ride across the Nam Khan River to meet your elephant companions for the day. You will be introduced and given the chance to feed them some special treats before watching and helping (if you wish) as the elephant trainers give them a bath and spa treatment. And then the main event: a 2.5 kilometre trek alongside the elephants through jungle, streams, and rice fields. This experience is
likened to a type of therapy as the gentle, slow movement of the elephants in a lush and stress-free environment produces a remarkably calm energy. After the trek you will be served a delicious Lao meal freshly made from organic produce grown on-site. There you can relax, kick-back, and process the day’s experiences on the veranda overlooking the river and misty mountains.
Time: half-day (8:30 or 9:15 - 13:15 or 13:45)
Inclusion: private transport, English speaking guide, snacks and refreshments
Meals: lunch
Notes
• It is a 30 minute drive and a few minutes boat ride to reach the elephant sanctuary.
• The trek is light and at a slow pace, covering 2.5 kilometres in total taking up to two hours.
• Bathing the elephants is an optional activity and may not be possible on cold days (elephants don’t enjoy cold baths
either!).
Leisure day.
Today, you will leave Luang Prabang town by road down to Vang Vieng. A drive will take around 6 hours passing by ever green mountainous landscapes. Stop en route to visit some villages along the way. We will stop at Phou Bieng Fa restaurant for lunch. Arrive in Vang Vieng in the second half of the afternoon, and then we will head to caving at Blue Lagoon (Phou Kham cave). A 15-minute drive through the countryside will take you to a cliff with a cave hosting Buddha images. Ascend and refresh in this highly perched grotto. At the foot of the site runs a stream with turquoise waters in which you can swim! Transfer to the hotel for check in and free at your leisure.
Time: full-day
Inclusion: private transport, English speaking guide, snacks and refreshments
Meals: N/A
Depart from hotel in Vang Vieng and cross the Nam Song River via a bamboo bridge before starting off the day with passing rice paddies toward the view point where we can enjoy surrounding. After this we shall head off via mountain bike on a tour which covers approximately 26km through the karst range of the Nam Song & Vang Vieng. After reaching the far side of the short bridge, a steep hike leads to Dok ngern “silver flower” Cave. Its hidden corridors are filled with an endless array of stalagmites and stalactites!
Continuing westwards the trail gets increasingly rough as we follow the narrow valley of the Houay San stream until Pha Deng 'red cliff' comes into sight to the right. Continuing on we arrive in Phonxay the first village on the banks of the Nam Kouang. The road here continues south and runs beside the Nam Kouang; we continue our cycling until reaching Blue Lagoon 2 and here we spend swimming. After spending great reflection here, we continue until the crossroads in Ban Nathong Tai where the road to the Nam Song Bridge is met which leads us back to Vang Vieng where a sunset drink by the river marks the end of a great cycling adventure.
Time: full-day
Inclusion: private transport, English speaking guide, entrance fees, snacks and refreshments
Meals: lunch
Notes
• Cycling time is approximate 4 hours, and then exploring by caving and walking for around 1.5 hours.
Private transfer to the Vientiane airport (3 hour drive)
Suggested flight: ( Not Included)
LAO Airlines #303Depart Vientiane at 1600 - Arrive Pakse at 1715
Arrival transfer to the hotel.
After our meeting at the Sinouk Coffee House at 9:30am, we transfer you to our cruise boat via long tail riverboat, for your 2.5-
hour journey to Champassak.
Upon boarding at the Vat Phou boat, we help you to your cabins to unpack, before serving lunch on deck. All meals are
included on the Vat Phou Mekong cruise and our galley produces the finest of Laotian, Vietnamese and Thai dishes, lovingly
prepared and beautifully presented.
The highlight of the afternoon is the Vat Phou ruins the majestic pre-Angkorian 10th century temple complex and our boat’s
namesake. You have time to visit the museum at the ruins site, walk up to the highest temple and take as many photos as you
would like.
As dusk falls, we transfer you back to the Vat Phou boat for a chance to enjoy the tropical sunset on the deck. Dinner is served
on board, while the boat docks for the night alongside a remote Laotian village.
Time: full-day
Inclusion: private transport and logistics, English speaking guide, entrance fees, snacks and refreshments
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Huei Thamo Oum Muong Temple Khong Island by Vat Phou Cruise
Breakfast is on board as we set sail for the village of Tomo. This is a small village a few minutes’ walk away from the mysterious hidden forest temple of Oum Muong. Afterwards we rejoin the boat to continue our cruise southwards.
Lunch is on the deck, while we leisurely sail closer to the wild paradise known as the 4,000 Islands All meals are included on the Vat Phou Mekong cruise and the galley produces the finest of Laotian, Vietnamese and Thai dishes, lovingly prepared and beautifully presented.
Late afternoon we disembark from the boat to walk through Ban Deua Tia, a small Laotian Village where the traditional way of life has not changed in centuries, you will also visit the local school and share some time with the students.
Our day’s cruise finishes at the most northern tip of Don Khong, the largest inhabited island in the river archipelago. After dinner, the evening is yours to relax and enjoy.
Time: full-day
Inclusion: private transport and logistics, English speaking guide, entrance fees, snacks and refreshments
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Don Khone Pha Pheng Waterfall Pakse by Vat Phou Cruise
While you have breakfast on the deck, the Vat Phou boat cruises down the Mekong to the small village of Ban Veuthong, where you board a small boat to meander among the 4,000 Islands to Khone Island. You will visit the old French railway, the French colonial house and walk across the bridge that links Khone and Det Islands. Enjoy a lunch at a local restaurant on Don Khone Island along the banks of the river. This afternoon you will visit the Khone PhaPheng waterfalls, the “Niagara of the East”. After your visit to Phapheng waterfall you will be transferred back to Pakse by bus where the tour will end.
Time: full-day
Inclusion: private transport and logistics, English speaking guide, entrance fees, snacks and refreshments
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Departure Transfer.
