Discover Laos: 10-Day Cultural and Adventure Tour

After breakfast at the hotel we will see some of the highlights of Luang Prabang including a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts from the Royal period in Luang Prabang. We are seeing the city’s oldest temples, the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roof sweeping low to the ground, representing classical Lao architecture, the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham. 

Next we move to the Ock Pop Tok Living Crafts Centre & Shop, where you can see the silk weaving process in action and purchase some exquisite examples of traditional Lao textiles. The Centre also has a restaurant where you can enjoy traditional and fusion dishes with the gentle melody of weaving looms humming in the background.

We will end our culture and handicrafts day at Yen Sabai Book and Arts Centre where you have the opportunity to participate into a traditional Paper Stenciling class (only available Monday – Friday).

You can enjoy a coffee at the centre’s café if you chose before our climb to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred gilded stupa and to enjoy the panoramic view of the city and the sun setting over the Mekong River. 

Decenting the mountain your will find yourself in the midst of the famous Luang Prabang Night Market, where you can find a unique selection of handmade textiles and handicrafts locally made by both ethnic Lao and hilltribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang

This morning we drive to Khouangsi Waterfall stopping along the way to visit the morning Phousi Market, this where all locals of Luang Prabang come to do their daily shopping.  You will see a variety of local foodstuffs and products including dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among the chickens, fish, vegetables and fruit, everything needed for daily life in Laos.

On arrival at the Khouangsi Waterfall you will have the opportunity to cool off with a refreshing swim in the topaz pools below the falls, walk along the forest trails and visit the Bear Sanctuary.

Upon return to Luang Prabang we board our private boat for a pleasant and scenic cruise up on the Mekong River to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. These caves are an ancient pilgrimage site and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha images left there over hundreds of years. 

Returning to Luang Prabang you will visit Ban Xiengkek and Ban Xangkhong where villagers making jute paper and continue to visit the textile village of Phanom, a small village known for its hand weaving

After that you will take the high speed train to Vang Vieng  18h20 – 19h12

Arrival in Vang Vieng. Transfert to your hotel

Overnight in Vang Vieng

We depart Vang Vieng and cross the bridge over the Nam Song River before starting the day by cycling past rice paddies toward the first view point, an excellent place for a few pictures. After this we head off through the karst range of the Nam Song & Vang Vieng. After a short ride we have a steep hike up to Dok Ngern, the Silver Flower Cave. Explore the hidden corridors, filled with an endless array of stalagmites and stalactites!

From here the trail gets a bit rough as we cycle along the narrow valley of the Houay San stream until Pha Deng ‘red cliff’ comes into view on our right. We will stop here for a short break and to take some pictures.

We continue until we arrive in the first village, on the banks of the Nam Kouang River. Here the road heads south and runs alongside the Nam Kouang; we will follow this road until we reach one of the Blue Lagoons. We will take a break here and you will have a chance to relax, swim and take some photos. We then cycle back to Vang Vieng in time for sunset. 

Overnight Vang Vieng

This morning we start the day with a walk around the local market. We board our boat for a relaxing trip on the Nam Song River, exploring the breathtaking mountain landscape and stopping to explore the famous Tham Jang Cave, used in the early 19th century in defense against the Chinese invaders

Afternoon, you will take the Lao High Speed Train to Vientiane 14h45-15h45. Arrival in Vientiane, transfert to your hotel. After that you will visit the main shopping district

Heading for the waterfront your evening is free to enjoy a few drinks watching the sunset over the Mekong River, explore the Night Market and take in some of the city’s nightlife. Overnight in Vientiane

This morning we head out to see the major highlight. You are seeing the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket, with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit the national icon of Laos, That Luang Stupa, stopping along the way to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph

Afternoon, we drive south from Vientiane city to see the Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures set in parkland on the banks of the Mekong close to the Friendship Bridge. Here we find over 200 religious images dating back some 500 years faithfully recreated by a mysterious Biddhist monk.

Your evening is free to explore the Night Market and sample some local cuisine at one of the many restaurants the town has to offer. Overnight in Vientiane

On arrival at Pakse, we head for the refreshing mountain climate on the Bolevan Plateau.  The area is famous for its many waterfalls and we will visit two of the best, Tad Fan, with it’s impressive twin falls cascading over 100 metres to the valley floor below and Tad Ngeuan, with it’s prisitine pools for taking a refreshing dip and coffee shop and plantation where you can sample some real Lao coffee. 

Along the way you will see the rich soils of the region being cultivated for coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops before we arrive at Tad Lo, home to another scenic waterfall and numerous ethnic minority groups and visit the villages of Alak, Nge, and Katu before before checking in Tad Lo. Overnight Tad Lo.

After an early breakfast, we head down the montains towards Champasak and the 4000 islands area.  Passing through Pakse town we will visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia's most dramatically situated mountain top temples.

We continue our journey by road to Don Khong, the largest island in the South Mekong river region known as the 4000 islands, one of the most scenic areas in Laos. Overnight in Don Khong

Following breakfast we continue our exploration of the area of the 4000 islands by boat and visit the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as the Samphamith, which forms a natural border between Lao and Cambodia.

We return to Ban Nakasang and drive to the famous waterfall of Khone Phapeng, the largest waterfall in South East Asia, also known as the 'Niagara of the East'.

Late afternoon we return to Pakse by road. Overnight in Pakse

After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport for your departure flight.