A Glimpse of Laos – 9 Days

Duration: 9 Days/8 nights
Start/End: Luang Prabang/Vientiane
Tour Type: Experience, Culture, and Sightseeing
Tour Customizable: Definitely!
Guide: Local Engish Speaking Guide (other languages upon  your Request)
Transportation: Private transportation by air-conditioned car

Brief Itinerary:

Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival – Baci Ceremony (D)
Day 2: Cycle Pak Ou Cave, return boat and Mount Phousi (B, L)
Day 3: Hike Khoang Si waterfall (B, L)
Day 4:  Morning Alms Giving – Elephant Village Tour –  Tad Sae Waterfall (B, L)
Day 5: Luang Prabang Community Project (B)
Day 6: Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng (B)
Day 7: Vang Vieng – Kayaking and Tubing – Vientiane (B)
Day 8: Vientiane City Tour (B)
Day 9: Vientiane Departure (B)

Day 1: Luang Prabang Arrival – Baci Ceremony (D)

Sabaidee! Welcome to Laos! the land of a million elephants. As soon as you arrive at Luang Prabang international airport, our driver and tour guide will be waiting for you with your name tag. And then transfer to the hotel for check-in.

You are in Luang Prabang, an ancient town which has reconsigned by UNESCO World Heritage. Before your Laos Tours starts, our tour guide will have a quick briefing about the program at the hotel lobby. Then we will head out to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site, start with a visit to Wat Xieng Thong – “The Monastery of the City” before you make your way to the city’s oldest and prettiest temple Wat Visoun. Our next stop is the National Museum also known as the former Royal Palace. Then continue to Houen Chan Heritage House to learn more about Laos culture.

In the evening, you will be attended Baci Ceremony which is one of the traditional rituals of Laos. You can tell your guide and he or she will prepare for you. Remember to dress the formal to show respect with the monks.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Cycle Pak Ou Cave, Return Boat and Mount Phousi (B, L)

This morning, we receive a bike and a short introduction then head out to Pak Ou Village from Luang Prabang. After approximately 25 kilometers of cycling in both smooth and rough road, reach the village of Ban Pak Ou. After a short rest, cross the Mekong River to Pak Ou and Thamting Caves, located on the Mekong riverbank. Now, let’s explore the interesting and mysterious Pak Ou Caves, which are two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims.

Embark on a traditional boat downstream the Mekong River with your bicycles. On the way, stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where you can sample the local produce of Lao rice wine. your next stop will be Ban Xang Khong, famous for Saa paper-making. Then, return to Luang Prabang, climb up to the top of Mount Phousi for a panorama view of the city and Mekong River. The evening is free to visit Night Market to see the lively atmosphere in Luang Prabang. Here you can have a chance to shopping in Luang Prabang Market.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
Time: 2 hours cycling / 2 hours boating

Day 3: Hike Khoang Si waterfall (B, L)

This morning, surely add full of energy and we drive to the nearby valley southeast of Luang Prabang. Long Lao Village will be the next stop, where you will begin our hiking tour. Before trekking, you can explore the life and culture of this village where Khamu and Hmong people live. How peaceful Lao people are!
Continue trekking into the mountainous Lao countryside of Luang Prabang. And then hiking along, you will enjoy the fresh when passing the orchards, rice fields, and vegetable gardens and before reaching the forested mountains with quite wild jungle scenery and some graded climbs.

In the afternoon you will arrive at the crystal clear Kuang Si Waterfall, which is known as one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Southeast Asia. An exciting forest trail will lead you to the end of your trek and your reward – enjoy the paradise on the ground deep into the cool water, listen to the sound waterfall down from the fall, Kuang Si Waterfall where we will have plenty of time to relax and swim.
While in the Kuang Si Waterfall park, besides to see the beautiful views, visit the Kuang Si Bear Rescue Sanctuary where you can find great information about Asian sun and moon bears and the Free the Bears protection program, surely will be the interesting experience for you.

Experience the new Lao Buffalo dairy which produces cheese and a range of delicious dairy products. You will see the local people learn how to milk a Buffalo, cuddle a Buffalo for the perfect selfie and try some incredible ice cream. Of course, you also taste it. The Buffalo may be the stars of the show but the playful pigs, chickens and cute rabbits are also plenty of fun for the young and young at heart!
We’ll return late afternoon by vehicle. The tour concludes late afternoon in Luang Prabang.
Trekking distance totally is 9 km (5.5 mi), about 3.5 hours of medium difficulty, slippery when wet. Trekking mainly in the flat. There is also a rocky section up and down a small hill of about 20 minutes.
Overnight at Luang Prabang

Day 4: Morning Alms Giving – Elephant Village Tour – Tad Sae Waterfall (B, L)

Get up early in the morning, If the Alms Giving makes you impress, So today let’s join the ritual in the morning with the local people. Tell your guide on the last day and he or she will prepare for you. Or you can buy it at the store. The offerings are normally sticky rice, flowers, fruits and sometimes money.
Afterward, back to the hotel for a proper breakfast.

After that, our driver will transfer to visit Elephant Village Camp. Here, we have two options for you.

Option 1: General Tour about Elephant

At 09:00 am: Listen to a briefing from your tour guide about Elephant Village and elephants in general. You will more understand about the Elephant Village before beginning the tour. Start the activity with Elephant Feeding: one step to get up close and personal with elephants, including one young elephant. Then, move to visit Elephant Hospital: Meet our elephant doctor and learn about the checkups he performs. Learn About the Surroundings: Explore the surrounding villages and farms to see the life of Elephant Villages’ people. Continue to the trip, let’s visit the museum to learn more about elephants and their plight. Continue the activities, learn more how elephant Dung Paper is made which you will make you interesting and you also can see by your own eyes as well as join in.
The last activity in the morning has a Basic Mahout Training which you will learn how to command elephants using the local language. The tour is finished around 11:30. Lunch is serviced at the same time.

Option 2: Dung Papermaking (max 10 pax per day)

At 09:00 am: Welcome greeting by your guide and participate in a short briefing about elephants before start with the first activity Elephant Feeding: Get up close and personal with elephants, including one young elephant. Then, let’s go to visit the elephant museum and elephant hospital to learn more about the plight of elephants. The museum helps you more understand about the Elephant Villages, then you can walk around the camp to collect elephant dung with the tool prepared by the locals. After that, there is a short course to learn about why Elephant Dung makes a good paper. Here will the process Dung. First, wash the dung, boil it to kill off bacteria, use a threshing machine to soften the dung. Dung can make Souvenir. You will see the local make a souvenir from dung paper. And then you can get it to bring your home as a gift.
After that, Lunch will be served at the Elephant Camp restaurant. Buffet lunch served with coffee/tea and drinking water (vegetarian options available)

Afternoon, say goodbye with the village, and transfer by boat to visit Tad Sae Waterfall and have time to relax and have short hiking around, swimming is possible.
Back to Luang Prabang by late afternoon. And overnight at Luang Prabang

Day 5: Luang Prabang Community Project (B)

Today, we will make your these days in Laos more meaningful when joining in some activities. We will choose from one to two local schools to start the project. Come to the local school, you can teach the student English, play football with them or other games, a traditional game like Petanque. You also can donate or give books. At night is your free day to explore Luang Prabang street.
Overnight at Luang Prabang

Day 6: Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, it’s time to say goodbye the ancient town, Luang Prabang and take 6-hours driving to Vang Vieng (200 KM). Along the way, stop at Phou Pheng Fa – the highest peak of the area. Don’t forget to take a lot of pictures with stunning views.

Arriving in Vang Vieng at around noon, and check-in your hotel.
In the afternoon, let’s go to explore Tham Jang caves and Blue Lagoon. Have time to swim or attend other activities on your own. Vang Vieng is known as the heaven for the outdoor activities in Laos such as kayaking, tubing, zip – line, etc.
Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Day 7: Vang Vieng – Kayaking and Tubing – Vientiane (B)

This morning, from Vang Vieng, it’s about 10km north to visit the ethnic Khmu village of Viengsamay where you will enjoy one of the products of Vang Vieng, kayaking, and you shall be addicted by the beautiful Nam Song river. After that, continue traveling downstream to Tham None (Sleeping cave), which is one of the biggest caves in Vang Vieng and served as a rescue shelter for the villagers during the Second Indochina War. And now, it becomes home of the family of bats and the ‘Magic Stone’ of Vang Vieng. If you visit the village on the rainy season, you will have a wonderful opportunity to swim through the entrance to the cave. The final stop will be a gentle paddle which brings you to Vang Vieng.

Time: 15 minutes transfer, 2 hours kayaking, 1h caving
After that, transfer to Vientiane (4 hours driving). We will arrive at Vientiane in the early evening. Check-in your hotel in Vientiane.
Overnight at Vientiane.

Day 8: Vientiane City Tour (B)

This morning, we will explore Vientiane and its outskirt with a visit to the oldest temple Wat Sisaket dated back from 1818 with thousands of Buddha images from many countries. Continue to Wat Prakeo, the former royal temple of the Lao monarchy and originally built in 1565, is home to the Emerald Buddha image. We then head to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa and have a short stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.

After lunch in a restaurant in town, we drive out of the city to visit the Buddha Park where hundreds of manmade Buddhist and Hindu sculptures are displayed. Then transfer to visit the COPE center to know more about the affection of war to local people.
Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 9: Vientiane Departure (B)

End of 10 days in Laos with an unforgettable time. Now, It’s time to say goodbye Laos, the land brings to you a strange feeling. Enjoy the breakfast and sip a cup of coffee before our driver transfer you to the airport. We wish these days in Laos will be unforgettable experiences. Let’s tell us about your trips in Laos. Once again, thanks for using our service!

 

 
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