Trip Type: Private Starts: Pakse Ends: Luang Prabang Departs: Any day of the year Difficulty: Easy

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Itinerary

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You will be warmly welcomed at Pakse Airport. Your guide will meet you at the airport and transfer to Done Daeng, and home to La Folie Lodge where you have the rest of the day to relax or to explore the island. Overnight on Done Daeng

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After breakfast, drive to Wat Phou, located in the heart of Champasak, and the former Royal Capital of the Champa Kingdom. The pre-Angkorian Wat Phou temple was built between the 6th and 13th century and is situated on a hillside offering spectacular views of the surrounding plains and the Mekong River. The temple received World Heritage status from UNESCO in 2002 and is divided in two parts. The lower part consists of two ruined palace buildings at the edge of a pond, which was used for ritual ablutions. The upper section, the temple sanctuary itself, once enclosed a large Shiva phallus, known in Hindu religion as a linga but today is largely in ruins. It was later converted into a Buddhist temple but much of the original Hindu sculpture remains. The impressive Naga or snake-head lined stairway is surrounded by frangipani trees, the Lao national flower. Return to Don Daeng Island after lunch. Afterwards, free time in and around the hotel.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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After breakfast, we set off again to explore the surroundings of the 4000 islands. The Si Phan Don (meaning 4 000 Islands) is a riverine archipelago located in the Mekong River, Champasak Province in southern Laos. Si Phan Don is characterized by numerous islands, half of which are submerged when the Mekong River is in flood. The principal islands of Si Phan Don are Don Khong (the largest), and Don Det and Don Khone.

You cross the Mekong by small boat to Ban Muang pier. From here, drive 1.5 hours overland in your private minivan towards the Cambodian border. First stop at a boat pier in Ban Nakasang, where you board a small boat to cruise to Don Khone Island. Here, you can hop on a tuk tuk or bicycle and visit the remnants of the French colonial area, including an old pier, a railway station, a former French hospital building and the maritime office. Enjoy lunch on the island and continue in the afternoon with a visit to the Liphi waterfalls, nicknamed the “Corridor of the Devil“. Local daredevils put fish traps at the bottom of the falls to catch fresh fish each day.

Return back to the mainland and visit the Khone Phapheng waterfalls. The falls are the main reason why the Mekong River is not navigable into China. The majestic sight of the falls is a highlight of southern Laos, covering an impressive 10 km stretch of the Mekong.

Stay at a hotel on 4000 Island

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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After breakfast, head to Pakse. Lunch in Pakse. Take the afternoon flight to Vientiane. Pick up from Vientiane Airport and transfer to hotel in Vientiane.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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Vientiane is a charming capital city adorned with temples and faded French colonial architecture. In this morning, you will get to know the capital on a city tour and visit major attractions such as Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple with thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and Wat Phra Keo, the former royal temple where the famous Emerald Buddha statue was located. On the way to the famous sacred structure, the That Luang Stupa, a national treasure of Laos, we will also have the opportunity to photograph the imposing Patuxai Monument, known as the Arc de Triomphe of Vientiane.

After lunch at a restaurant in town, Transfer to the railway staion. Take the train to Vang Vieng and be transferred to the hotel from Vang Vieng station.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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8:30 am after the breakfast you will be picked up by the tour guide to visit Nam Xay Viewpoint, you will start the climb to the viewpoint – 250m (approx. 30mins). Once you reach the top you will find the most spectacular views, with picturesque landscape over the paddy fields that “pop” out in clear view from their flat surroundings.

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After the trek back down the mountain, you will continue to visit Tham Phu Kham Cave and Blue Lagoon. Tham Phu Kham Cave and Blue Lagoon is an improvised eco-water park in a scenic village close to Vang Vieng. Observe sharp stalactites and stalagmites as you descend down steep walls to reach the largest hall of the cave, which holds the bronze statue of a reclining Buddha, with several other smaller Buddha images revered by locals. The green-blue waters of the lagoon outside the cave provide a beautiful relaxation spot, as well as the opportunity to re-live your younger years as you jump off a tree into the water. During your tour, you can also try your hand at abseiling one of the water slides. You will be transferred back to the city and have time for lunch.

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In the afternoon, we visit Tham Chang cave (Elephabt Cave), one of the biggest and most beautiful caves in Vang Vieng. The sight is worth the climb as the view inside the cave is spectacular. If time permits, a optional boat cruise on the Nam Song River to admire the sunset is available. ($10 per boat) we will drop you off at your hotel in Vang Vieng to complete the day’s tour.

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(Breakfast, Lunch)

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Leave Vang Vieng in the morning and drive 235km, 7 hours to Phonsavan.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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Today we will spend one day touring the Plain of Jars and Xieng Khouang and take you to the legend of Jars and traces of the history of the Second Indochina War.  

After breakfast, we will move on to visit the Jarls Plain. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has presented Laos with a certificate allowing the registration of the Jarls Plain as a World Heritage Site in 2019. The site encompasses hundreds of large stone jars scattered across the plateau. We will visit Thong Hai Hin, known as Jarl Site 1. It is the most visited archaeological site located 8 km southwest of the city. 

Jahr Site 2 (Hai Hin Hoo Sarat) is approximately 20 km southwest of the city. Next, at Ban Na Pia, near site 2, the villagers of Tay Puan reuse UXO scrap from unexploded bombs to make spoons, which they sell as souvenirs.

In the afternoon, we will head to the ancient capital of Muang Khoun, the 14th-century royal palace of the Phuan Kingdom and the capital of the French colonial provincial city until recently. Once a major city along with Luang Prabang, today only a few ruins remain, including Wat Piawat. The invasion of Thai and Vietnamese soldiers, the looting by Chinese bandits in the 19th century, and a bomb storm that lasted nearly a decade during the Second Indochina War left the town devastated, and the kingdom’s elaborate temples nothing remained. The parts of the town had been reduced to ruins by 1975.

Afterward, we return to Phonsavan at around 4 pm and visit MAG UXO Center and Official Tourist Information Center to deepen our understanding of history. 

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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We head out from Phonsavan to Luang Prabang 260km. On the way, we stop at the town of Nong Tang and see a site of more than 200 years old Buddha images in Tham Pha Caves. The caves were also hospitals and shelters during the Indochina wars. We will stop and see varied Hmong and other hill tribe minority villages along the road. They are nice, friendly and welcome you to visit. Continue driving uphill, enjoying the mountain scenery, forest, and landscape. Around noon, we stop at Muang Phu Khoun, a village in the heart of the Hmong people. We have a lunch break and enjoy the magnificent mountain scenery.

Upon arrive in Luang Prabang before evening, climbing up Phousi Hill. Rising 150m in the centre of town, Mount Phousi cuts a distinctive figure on the Luang Prabang skyline. The hill is a popular as a place to watch the sunset. From the summit you enjoy spectacular 360 degree views across the city and its many temples, and over the surrounding landscape to the mountains in the distance. 

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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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 the famous Wat Xieng Thong temple. For centuries, the temple was considered the ceremonial gateway to the city and was the arrival and departure point for foreign dignitaries. We will walk up the stairs to the main gate and enter the temple like ancient dignitaries.

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. Finally, 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.

Transfer to Manifa Elephant Camp for lunch. You will be offered a delicious buffet lunch at the restaurant overlooking the Mekong river and meet elephants roaming free. In the afternoon we will visit Pak Ou Caves by boat. We will see 4000 Buddha icons in the caves overlooking the Mekong River. After a stop at a village where Laotian rice wine is made, enjoy a two-hour sunset cruise on the Mekong River and return to Luang Prabang.

 

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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This morning begins early in the morning (5:15 am in March to October and 05:45 in November to February. There is also an option without Alms giving). We pick you up from your hotel and you have a fantastic opportunity together with the locals to witness the captivating centuries old daily tradition of the alms giving ceremony. Following that, we visit local morning market. You return to your hotel for breakfast around 7;00.

We will visit Wat Wisunarat, the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. We take a van to Ban Thapene, a village which sits at the foot of the stunning Kuang Si Waterfalls. Upon arrival, you will have time to enjoy magnificent waterfalls as well as bear rescue center. After enjoying lunch at a private waterfall restaurant near the waterfall park, return to the city and spend free time in Luang Prabang. In the late afternoon, transferred to a small village called Ban Mano to witness the refined grace of a private Baci ceremony, led by the Nai Ban (village chief). As a welcome, the kind villagers will greet you and gently tie cotton cords around your wrists. These cords symbolize luck, friendship and good health and are the villagers’ way of offering you tidings of good fortune. The Baci ceremony will be held at a local family home where you can appreciate the great reverence for this important tradition.

(Breakfast, Lunch)

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Enjoy free time in Luang Prabang until flight time. we will transfer you to Luang Prabang airport.

(Breakfast)

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Reference Price

Accommodation prices are subject to change. See spreadsheet for all hotel options.