After the trek, take time to admire the turquoise pools of Kuang Si Falls before returning to Luang Prabang by minivan.

Alternatively, you may opt for a complimentary sunset cruise along the Mekong River, arriving back in Luang Prabang by boat. Upgrades to a private boat are also available for an additional fee.

Choose Your Starting Village

Moderate Trail — Ban Long Lao (F11-1P)

Distance: approximately 9km | Elevation difference: approximately 300m | Highest point: approximately 800m above sea level

We’ll pick you up from your hotel at around 9:00 AM and drive to Ban Long Lao, a Hmong and Khmu village southeast of Luang Prabang.

From the village, the trail passes through rice fields, orchards and farmland before climbing into the forested hills. Allow approximately 3–4 hours of walking, with uphill and downhill sections along the way.

The standard route includes lunch at a small, open-air restaurant run by a local Khmu family beside a natural spring. Enjoy a freshly prepared Lao meal, with a choice of dishes, in peaceful forest surroundings before continuing towards Kuang Si Falls.

Easy Trail — Ban Nong Heo (F11-2P)

Distance: approximately 5km or 9km, depending on your lunch choice | Elevation difference: approximately 150m

Departing at around 9:30 AM, we travel by boat and car to Ban Nong Heo, a Khmu village approximately 90 minutes from Luang Prabang.

Begin with a short village walk, passing traditional stilt houses and observing everyday rural life. We then follow a trail through countryside and forested hills towards Ban Thapene, the entrance village to Kuang Si Falls.

Choose from two options:

• Shorter walk — approximately 5km: Have lunch in Ban Thapene before entering Kuang Si Falls.
• Extended walk — approximately 9km: Continue beyond Ban Thapene to the forest spring for lunch at the same Khmu family-run restaurant visited on the Ban Long Lao route. Afterwards, approach the falls from above and descend towards the main cascades.

Although the extended option is similar in distance to the Ban Long Lao trek, it involves less elevation change. Choose the shorter option if you prefer a lighter walk, or the extended option if you would like to include the forest spring and its peaceful lunch setting.

Enjoy Kuang Si Falls

Whichever route you choose, you’ll have time to explore the cascades, swim in the designated turquoise pools, relax beside the water and visit the bear rescue centre.

Visit Kuang Si Heritage Rice Farm

Continue to Kuang Si Heritage Rice Farm to see the terraced paddies and learn how water from the surrounding mountains and the Kuang Si area supports local rice farming. Enjoy freshly pressed sugarcane juice while discovering the connections between the forest, water and rural livelihoods.

Optional Mekong Sunset Cruise

Finish the day joining with a relaxing sunset cruise back to Luang Prabang, arriving at around 6:30 PM. (This boat is shared with other tours. Please contact us via email to arrange a private boat.)

If you prefer an earlier return, a minivan transfer is available instead of the cruise, arriving in Luang Prabang at around 5:30 PM.

Private tour:

Moderate Trail — Ban Long Lao to Kuang Si Waterfalls (F11-1)　/　Easy Trail — Ban Nong Heo to Kuang Si Waterfalls (F11-2)

The tour price includes the 100,000 LAK (approx. $4.40 USD) entrance fee for Kuang Si Falls

Joint Tour:

Kuang Si Falls: Village & Forest Trek with Mekong Sunset Cruise (F11)

Inquiry:

If you have any questions regarding this tour, please feel free to contact us.
To make a booking, please do not use this inquiry form; instead, click “Book Now” and use the form that appears.

Entrance fee for Kuang Si Falls (100,000 Kip, or approximately 4.40 USD) is included.

Joint tour:

Kuang Si Heritage Adventure: Mekong Cruise, Rice Fields & Waterfalls (F18)

INQUIRY:

Discover the natural beauty and cultural diversity of the Luang Prabang countryside on a private day tour. Spend the morning at Kuang Si Falls, with time to explore and swim, then visit a small community-created museum in a Hmong resettlement village for an insight into life in the highlands.

After a riverside buffet lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp, board your private boat to visit Pak Ou Caves and the limestone scenery where the Nam Ou meets the Mekong. Stop at Ban Xang Hai before rounding off your day with a sunset cruise back to Luang Prabang.

Your Itinerary

Hotel pickup: 9:00 AM | Arrival in Luang Prabang: approximately 5:30–6:00 PM, followed by hotel transfer

8:15-8:45 AM — Hotel Pickup & Drive to Kuang Si Falls

We collect you from your hotel and travel by private vehicle through the countryside to Kuang Si Falls.

Kuang Si Falls — Two Hours to Explore & Relax

Enjoy approximately two hours at the falls. Follow shaded paths past turquoise pools, admire the main waterfall, and take time for photographs. If you wish, enjoy a refreshing swim in the designated swimming areas or simply relax beside the water.

Ban Na Uang — Hmong Village & Community Museum

Continue towards Manifa Elephant Camp, stopping along the way at Ban Na Uang, a Hmong resettlement village.

Visit a small museum created by villagers to introduce their former way of life in the highlands. This community-led presentation offers a local perspective on Hmong heritage and the lives villagers wish to share and remember.

Buffet Lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp

Arrive at Manifa Elephant Camp for a buffet lunch beside the Mekong. Enjoy a relaxing break before the afternoon cruise. Vegetarian options are available.

Cruise to Pak Ou Caves

After lunch, board your private boat and cruise upstream to Pak Ou Caves. Explore the lower cave, filled with Buddha images, and, if you wish, climb the stairs to the upper cave. Discover a sacred riverside site that has welcomed generations of worshippers.

Scenery at the Nam Ou–Mekong Confluence

Continue by boat around the meeting point of the Nam Ou and Mekong rivers. Take in the dramatic limestone cliffs and enjoy opportunities for photographs before turning downstream.

Ban Xang Hai

Stop at Ban Xang Hai, known as the “Whiskey Village,” to discover the local tradition of making lao-lao, Lao rice spirit.

Sunset Cruise & Hotel Transfer

Relax as your boat carries you downstream towards Luang Prabang. Enjoy the late-afternoon light and the changing colours of the river and surrounding hills as the day draws to a close.

Arrive at the pier at approximately 6:00 PM, then transfer by private vehicle to your hotel.

All times are approximate and may vary with road and river conditions and the time spent at each stop. The afternoon cruise begins after lunch; its departure time depends on the morning’s journey. Swimming is subject to local conditions, and sunset timing varies by season.

Price:

This private tour includes admission fees for the waterfall and cave (totaling approximately $7 per person).

Joint Tour:

Kuang Si Waterfalls, Mekong Sunset Cruise, Pak Ou Caves (F17-2)

Option 2: Afternoon & Sunset Cruise

Hotel pickup: 11:00 AM | Arrival in Luang Prabang: approximately 5:30–6:00 PM, followed by hotel transfer

11:00 AM — Hotel Pickup & Departure

We collect you from your hotel and transfer you by private vehicle to the pier. Settle aboard your private boat for an upstream cruise of approximately 1½ hours to Manifa Elephant Camp.

Around 12:30 PM — Buffet Lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp

Enjoy a buffet lunch beside the Mekong, with vegetarian options available. Take time to relax before continuing your river journey.

1:30 PM — Cruise to Pak Ou Caves

Depart from the camp and cruise upstream to Pak Ou Caves. Step ashore to explore this riverside Buddhist site, with time to visit the lower cave and the option to climb to the upper cave.

Cruise Around the Nam Ou–Mekong Confluence

After visiting the caves, enjoy a scenic boat excursion around the confluence. This is an opportunity to appreciate the limestone landscape from the water and pause for photographs before turning downstream.

Ban Xang Hai & Donkhoun Island

On the return journey, stop at Ban Xang Hai to explore the village, then continue to Donkhoun Island for a short walk before the final stretch of your cruise.

Sunset Cruise to Luang Prabang

Relax on board as you cruise downstream in the late-afternoon light. Enjoy the changing colours of the Mekong and the surrounding hills as the day draws to a close.

Arrive at the pier in Luang Prabang at approximately 5:30–6:00 PM. A vehicle will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel.

All times are approximate and may vary with river conditions and the time spent at each stop. Sunset timing varies by season.

Children: Under 110cm tal: Free

Joint Tour:

Mekong Cruise & Pak Ou Caves (H01)

In the village, your guide will show you around. We will learn about the Hmong and Khmu people’s different roots and ways of life. We will visit the village hospital, school, knife maker, and corn processing plant. If you are lucky, you will meet the village shaman.

We will eat a traditional Hmong dinner prepared by our guide and Hmong host family. (You are welcome to join us in making dinner if you like.)

Day 2: We will wake up at 7:00 to see how Hmong people process rice into candy, have breakfast at 8:00 or 9:00 am. In the morning of the second day, we will experience a traditional ceremony of the Hmong people. We will sacrifice a chicken for the ceremony to pray for our good luck and receive a bracelet from the Hmong people at the ceremony. We will visit a nearby village hospital, school, knife maker, and corn processing plant. If you are lucky, you will meet the village shaman. (You can have opportunities to communicate with the children, such as introducing yourself to them and teaching them a little English. We recommend that you bring stationery that you can buy in Luang Prabang as a gift.) At 10:00 am, we will leave the village and walk  a couple hours to the Nam Pa River where we can take a refreshing swim before boarding our truck for an hour drive  to Manifa Elephant camp.

Check in to the Elephant Camp cottage, have lunch, enjoy elephant experience in the afternoon (Each person will have time to interact with one of the elephants and experience the traditional skills of a Laotian mahout.), then enjoy free time after dinner. Overnight in a private cottage with air conditioning and hot shower.

Day 3: We will get up and have breakfast. You can choose from the following activities (lunch included)
1). Cycling / Kayak to Pak Ou Caves / Mekong sunset cruise (to Luang Prabang)
2). Kayak to Pak Ou Caves / Visit Kuang Si Waterfalls in the afternoon
Transfer back to your hotel in Luang Prabang around 6:00-6:30 PM.

November 1, 2026 – March 5, 2027: Minimum number of booking: 1
July 21, 2025 – October 31, 2026, March 6, 2027: Minimum number of booking: 2

Please contact us if your group does not meet the minimum number of participants.

Day 1 — Kuang Si Falls Your Way
Make the turquoise pools and cascading waters of Kuang Si Falls the centrepiece of your first day. Combine your visit with Luang Prabang’s World Heritage sights, explore the countryside through a Mekong cruise and rice-field adventure, or discover traditional Lao rice farming through a hands-on experience followed by a sunset cruise.

Day 2 — Pak Ou Caves & the Mekong
Discover the Buddha-filled Pak Ou Caves and enjoy a sunset cruise on the Mekong. Choose a day that includes World Heritage sightseeing, an introduction to the lives of elephants and their mahouts, or an active countryside journey by bicycle, kayak, or both.

Whether you are drawn to local culture, life along the river, or outdoor adventure, this flexible package brings together two full days of discovery with fellow travellers. Explore the options below and select your preferred tour for each day.

Day 1

Option 1: Luang Prabang World Heritage & Kuang Si Waterfalls (F23)

Luang Prabang World Heritage & Kuang Si Waterfalls (F23)

Option 2:Kuang Si Heritage Adventure: Mekong Cruise, Rice Fields & Waterfalls (F18)

Kuang Si Heritage Adventure: Mekong Cruise, Rice Fields & Waterfalls (F18)

Option 3: Kuang Si Waterfall & Rice Farm Experience with Sunset Cruise (F27)

Kuang Si Waterfall & Rice Farm Experience with Sunset Cruise (F27)

Day 2

Option 1: Luang Prabang World Heritage, Pak Ou Caves, Mekong River Sunset Cruise (F24)

Luang Prabang World Heritage, Pak Ou Caves, Mekong River Sunset Cruise (F24)

Option 2: Full-Day Glimpse Elephant Mahout Experience, Pak Ou Caves, Sunset Mekong Cruise (F10)

Full-Day Glimpse Elephant Mahout Experience, Pak Ou Caves, Sunset Mekong Cruise (F10)

Option 3: Full-Day Glimpse Elephant Mahout Experience, Kayay to Pak Ou Caves & Sunset Mekong Cruise (F04)

Full-Day Glimpse Elephant Mahout Experience, Kayay to Pak Ou Caves & Sunset Mekong Cruise (F04)

Option 4: Cycling & Kayak to Pak Ou Caves, Sunset Cruise (F21)

Cycling & Kayak to Pak Ou Caves, Sunset Cruise (F21)

Option 5: Cycling & Mekong Sunset Cruise, Pak Ou Caves (F28)

Cycling & Mekong Sunset Cruise, Pak Ou Caves (F28)

• Cycling and Mekong cruise
• More than 70% flat paved roads suitable for cycling beginners and families.
• Cycling with Trek Marlin7
• Bikes available in sizes for heights 145cm (4’9″) and up
• Take a boat to the Buddha Caves in the afternoon.
• Beautiful sunset boat trip to Luang Prabang

Take a two-wheeled adventure going out of Luang Prabang city. Pedal on the road along the Mekong river trails to the temples and villages, rice paddies. In the afternoon, enjoy kayaking in the majestic nature on the Mekong River and its tributary, the Ou River, and visit the famous Pak Ou Caves. Learning about local villages and different aspects of life: farming cycle, vegetable grown, domestic animal farming with the warm and enthusiastic greet from friendly kids and locals.

Pick up at around 8:30 am from your hotel in Luang Prabang and head to Nam Ou Bridge, 30km north of Luang Prabang.　From there, we will begin cycling along the path along the Nam Ou and Mekong rivers. This cycling route to Manifa Elephant Camp is approximately 14 kilometers long and follows dirt and paved roads with little traffic and only used by locals. It’s flat except for about 50 meters of ups and downs along the way. Enjoy the scenery along the river and stop at villages to get a glimpse of farming and local life.

After a buffet lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp, we take a long tail slow boat to trip on the mighty Mekong river. Enjoy the many views from the water, witness rural Laos, pass by local villages, fishers, and children and soak up the scenes of daily life by the river. Our boat travels slowly along the Mekong to Pak Ou Caves. We arrive at a small boat landing dock where stairs lead you straight to the cave. These limestone caves have been places of worship for thousands of years, and Buddhist statues and idols have filled these natural caves. Hear legends and stories about the caves from your guide and explore the caves.

After visiting the caves, the boat will enter the Ou River to see the spectacular limestone cliffs. Back on the Mekong River again, we go down the river a 30-minute and a bit. Our trip makes its last short stop at the Ban Xang Hai, also known as the Whisky Village. Here you see the process of making Lao Lao, the country’s beloved rice whiskey. Depart from Ban Xang Hai from 16 to 16:30 and slowly return to Luang Prabang for an hour and a half to two hours. You can see the beautiful sunset from the boat.
We will get to Luang Prabang between 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm. Drop-off points are the post office on the main street, near the night market, or at your accommodation (by prior arrangement or request).

Notes

• Tour price includes entrance fee, hotel pick-up/drop-off
• Laos is a very sunny place, so we recommend wearing sunscreen and a hat when going outside.
• During sightseeing, you will enter the temple. Please do not wear revealing clothing as this is a sacred place.

You will get up early in the morning (5-30 – 5:45, sunrise time) and have a fantastic opportunity together with the locals to witness the captivating centuries old daily tradition of the alms giving ceremony. Following that, we will visit the local morning market. You return to your hotel for breakfast around 7;00.

We will pick you up again at 8:30 and take you to  a small park on the peninsula tip. You will have a brief introduction to Luang Prabang, standing where the Nam Khan River meets the Mekong River. From there, walk to Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in the country. Learn from your guide the typical architecture of the Luang Prabang style temples with their spectacular low sweeping roofs. Join local pilgrims for a glimpse into the daily Buddhist beliefs of the people.

Next, we will go temple hopping in the neighborhood. At Wat Sene, where there is a school for novice monks, you may meet again with novice monks you met on the morning alms.  Afterwards, we will visit the Royal Palace museum.  It houses a lot of interesting historical items. Every item tells a story…so you will learn quite a lot from your guide about Lao history and about Laos’ royal.

The morning tour ends with a climb up Phousi Hill. Rising 150m in the centre of town, you enjoy spectacular 360 degree views across the city and its many temples, and over the surrounding landscape to the mountains in the distance. You will be taken to the city center or to your hotel to complete the tour.

Transfer to Manifa Elephant Camp by minivan. Lunch will be served there. After lunch, board the boat from the elephant camp. we will enjoy cruising along the Mekong River to Pak Ou Caves. We arrive at a small boat landing dock where stairs lead you straight to the cave. These limestone caves have been places of worship for thousands of years, and Buddhist statues and idols have filled these natural caves. Hear legends and stories about the caves from your guide and explore the caves.

After visiting the caves, the boat will enter the Ou River to see the spectacular limestone cliffs. Then a 30-minute boat ride down the Mekong River will take us to Whisky village. Here you see the process of making Lao Lao, the country’s beloved rice whiskey, and taste the fresh local delights. Then we will go down the Mekong River and enjoy a sunset cruise to Luang Prabang. Tour.  Ends at around 6.00 pm.

Prices include credit card charges and are not subject to additional charges.
Cancellations (full refund) and date changes (if possible) can be made free of charge up to the day before

Joint tours:

Option 1 Alms giving + morning market(sun rise time-6:30) + City tour (8:30-12:00) + Lunch @ Manifa Elephant Camp (12:00-13:30) + Mekong River Cruise Pak Ou Caves (13:30-18:00): 
$50 per person for a solo traveler or a group of 3 or less
$48 per person when you book together with 4 or more of your friends

Option 2 City tour (8:30-12:00) + Lunch @ Manifa Elephant Camp (12:00-13:30) + Mekong River Cruise Pak Ou Caves (13:30-18:00):
$48 per person for a solo traveler or a group of 3 or less
$46 per person when you book together with 4 or more of your friends

Children: Under 110cm tal: Free

Private tours:

Please contact us via email if you wish to upgrade to a private tour. The reference prices for the itinerary above (which, unlike joint tours, include all admission fees) are listed below.