BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival – Luang Prabang – Half Day City Tour
Day 2: Luang Prabang – Big Brother Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou Caves
Day 3: Luang Prabang – Khuang Si Waterfall and Ban Chan
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Xiengkhuang
Day 5: Xieng Khuang – Plain of Jars and Muang Khoun
Day 6: Xiengkhuang – Muang Khoun –Vang Vieng
Day 7: Vang Vieng – Half day tour – Vientiane
Day 8: Vientiane – Half day city tour
Day 9: Vientiane – Pakse – 4000 Islands
Day 10: 4000 Islands and surrounding
Day 11: 4000 Islands – Tad Lo – Pakse
Day 12: Pakse – Departure
Day 1: Arrival – Luang Prabang – Half Day City Tour (D)
In the afternoon, we visit the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts; the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture ; the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.
Tonight we enjoy our welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant in town. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 2: Luang Prabang – Big Brother Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou Caves (B, L)
The day starts with a visit to the Big Brother Mouse shop to select some books for the village visit. We then head north by car along route 13 to a unpaved road to Ban Khia Luang village where we have ample time to visit the school, play with the kids and watch them enjoy their new books. We also take some time to explore the rest of the village, where we can see weaving or visit the local temples.
We stop for lunch at the village, which can either be a western picnic lunch, or traditional Laos food such as sticky rice, laap and fresh vegetables.
After lunch, we head to Ban Khoklin to take our private boat down the Nam Ou River for 30 minutes to Pak Ou Caves, where two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Then we continue down the Mekong River back to Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 3: Luang Prabang – Khuang Si Waterfall and Ban Chan (B)
This morning, we boat cross the Mekong River to the picturesque village of Ban Chan, a pottery village. Then visit the morning Phousi Market, where we will see such diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings.
In the afternoon, we visit local villages of Laos ethnic minority groups like: Ban Ouay, a Hmong village; Ban Ou a Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village. In the rest of the day, we have our time to explore the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where we can cool off with a refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Xieng Khuang (B)
08:00AM, we meet tour guide and driver at lobby of the hotel then transfer to Xieng Khouang. The 4 hour journey will give us plenty of opportunities for photos and visiting hill tribe villages.
Upon arrival, we check in hotel and relax.
In the afternoon, we visit Site 1 of the Plain of Jars, an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are scattered all over the plateau. Overnight in Xieng Khouang.
Day 5: Xieng Khuang – Plain of Jars and Muang Khoun (B)
This morning we have time to visit the MAG exhibition and Site 2 of the Plain of Jars; Site 3 via a Tai Dam and Laos Leum village.
In the afternoon, we visit the old capital of Muang Khoun and the nearby villages, home to the Hmong hill tribe and Tai Dam people. Overnight in Xieng Khouang.
Day 6: Xieng Khuang – Muang Khoun –Vang Vieng (B)
This morning we have time to visit the interesting Central Market in Phonsavan, and then we travel to Vang Vieng by road. Arriving at Vang Vieng at mid afternoon, we check in hotel and relax. Overnight in Vang Vieng.
Day 7: Vang Vieng – Half day tour – Vientiane (B, D)
Breakfast at hotel; we explore the famous caves of Tham Jang, which was once used by the local people as a hideout from Chinese invaders. We also cross the river to Ban Huai Ngai, a very pleasant village where we can explore the different lifestyles of the locals.
In the afternoon, we head south to Vientiane, where we arrive before sunset. Dinner and overnight in Vientiane.
Day 8: Vientiane – Half day city tour (B)
We are relax at hotel in the morning.
14:00, we meet tour guide and driver again and start our half day Vientiane city tour with the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket; a temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues; and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.
Before getting back to hotel, we visit Laos national icon, That Luang Stupa, stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Overnight in Vientiane.
Day 9: Vientiane – Pakse – 4000 Islands (B, L)
Breakfast will be prepared as take-away by hotel staff this morning for our early flight to Pakse today. We meet tour guide and driver at lobby of the hotel and transfer to the airport to take our short flight to Pakse.
On arrival, we drive south to Champassak and to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatically situated temples. We have time to explore these intriguing Khmer ruins, which are perched at the base of Mount Phu Kao.
Following lunch, we continue our journey by road and long tail boat to the 4000 Islands area, where we have the rest of the day to relax. Overnight in 4000 Islands.
Day 10: 4000 Islands and surrounding (B)
Today we explore Khone Island. We begin by re-tracing the French colonial-past at Ban Khone, where some old colonial houses still stand and glimpse the first Laos railway with its own locomotive.
We continue our exploration of the area of the 4000 islands by boat; visit the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as the Samphamith, which forms a natural border between Laos and Cambodia.
In the afternoon, we return to Ban Nakasang, drive to the famous waterfall of Khone Phapeng – the largest waterfall in South East Asia, also known as the ‘Niagara of the east’. Overnight in 4000 Islands.
Day 11: 4000 Islands –Tad Lo – Pakse (B)
This morning we leave Khone Island to the Bolevean Plateau, which is known for its cooler temperature being located high above the Mekong Valley. The area is famous for its many waterfalls, and the most beautiful of these falls, Tad Fan, we visit. Tad Fan waterfall is spectacular with twin waterfalls plummeting into a deep gorge surrounded by flourishing vegetation. A trip to the plateau provides a refreshing break from the heat and allows us to observe the cultivation of rich coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops that can be seen en route.
In the afternoon, we arrive at Tad Lo, home to another scenic waterfall and numerous ethnic minority groups, visit the villages of Alak, Nge, and Katu. Then we return to Pakse. Overnight in Pakse.
Day 12: Luang Prabang – Departure (B)
Today our awaiting vehicle will transfer us to Pakse Airport for our flight to home. Trip ends.
