About Manifa Travel
We believe meaningful travel grows through relationships—with the people who welcome us, the landscapes we explore, and the traditions we encounter.
For Manifa Travel, this means valuing local expertise, supporting the people who care for elephants and cultivate the land, and creating opportunities for visitors to learn through shared experiences. It is an approach rooted in our home and expressed in every journey we create.
Travel Laos in harmony—with nature, with heritage, with community.
Rooted in Luang Prabang. Connecting travellers with the people, nature, and heritage of Laos
Founded in 2003 by local Lao people, Manifa Travel is a tour operator based in Luang Prabang. With more than 60 employees, including over 10 full-time guides, we welcome more than 20,000 travellers each year.
Our expertise centres on day trips and multi-day journeys in and around Luang Prabang, complemented by tailor-made travel throughout Laos and ground-handling services for international travel companies.
We have been featured in internationally recognised travel publications, including Lonely Planet guides and National Geographic Traveller. We are also a leading provider of local tours in Laos on major booking platforms, including GetYourGuide and Viator.
From our offices in Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw, we bring together local knowledge, carefully planned itineraries, and longstanding community relationships to help travellers discover the country we call home.
Our Story
Manifa Travel was established in 2003 by local Lao people whose experience guiding travellers dates back to the early years of Luang Prabang’s recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That foundation continues to shape our work: sharing not only the region’s celebrated sights, but also the stories, traditions, and everyday relationships that give them meaning.
In 2009, we established Manifa Elephant Camp along the Mekong River, approximately 25 kilometres north of Luang Prabang. Set across more than 100 hectares of natural forest, the camp became a cornerstone of our activities, bringing together elephant care, mahout knowledge, and opportunities for visitors to learn about the relationships between elephants and people in Laos.
In 2025, we expanded into the Kuang Si area with Kuang Si Heritage Rice Farm. The place allows us to connect travel with the forests, rivers, farming traditions, and communities of northern Laos.
Elephant Experiences
At Manifa Elephant Camp, we invite visitors to discover the living relationships between elephants and people in Laos. Our experiences are rooted in the knowledge of local mahouts, whose work brings together daily care, practical skills, and a close understanding of the elephants they live and work alongside.
Feeding, forest walks, elephant riding, and river bathing offer different ways to take part in this shared world. Throughout these experiences, mahouts guide encounters and share their knowledge of the elephants and the surrounding forest.
For us, caring for elephants also means supporting the people and places that sustain their lives. We bring together elephant care, mahout livelihoods, and time in the forest, helping sustain the knowledge and relationships at the heart of human–elephant coexistence in Laos.
Mekong and Nam Ou River Journeys
The rivers of northern Laos are central to local life and to many of the journeys we create. Our private and shared cruises explore the Mekong around Luang Prabang and Pak Ou Caves, passing limestone cliffs, riverside villages, and forested hills.
We also offer journeys between Luang Prabang and Nong Khiaw that combine river travel and overland transfers, with opportunities for village visits, hiking, and kayaking. These experiences turn the journey between destinations into a memorable part of the holiday.
Cultural Discovery and Outdoor Adventure
Our tours bring together the cultural and natural diversity of Luang Prabang and its surroundings. Travellers can explore temples and markets with local guides, visit Lao and Hmong villages, trek through forests, cycle along rural trails, kayak on the rivers, or spend time at Kuang Si Waterfalls.
We offer both shared excursions and private itineraries, with experiences suited to different interests, schedules, and levels of activity. Throughout, our guides bring places to life through local stories and personal insight.
Kuang Si Heritage Rice Farm
Established in 2025, Kuang Si Heritage Rice Farm celebrates the living traditions of Lao rice cultivation. Located approximately five kilometres from Kuang Si Waterfalls, the farm includes around two hectares of terraced rice paddies and a traditional Lao stilt house.
Hands-on activities introduce visitors to the work and knowledge behind a staple of Lao life—from selecting seeds and planting seedlings to harvesting and processing rice, according to the season. A farm-to-table Lao lunch completes the experience, connecting time in the fields with the food and hospitality shared around the table.
Travel Throughout Laos and Industry Partnerships
Beyond our own excursions, we arrange tailor-made journeys throughout Laos for independent travellers, families, and private groups. Our services bring together guiding, transport, accommodation, and activities within a coordinated itinerary.
We also work with international travel companies as a local ground-handling partner, providing itinerary planning and on-the-ground coordination. Our team combines local expertise with the practical capacity to support both individual bookings and group travel.
