8D7N Northern Laos

On arrival at Luang Prabang international airport, welcomed by local guide and driver, then get transferred to hotel.

Check in hotel (room available at 14h00) and time at leisure.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning alms giving ritual to saffron clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving this procession. Stop and visit fresh local markets and back to hotel for breakfast.

This morning, depart to visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao.  Continue to visit Wat Aham. Next, visit to the most photographed temple, Vat Xiengthong. Located at the end of peninsular closed to the confluence of Mekong and Khan River. Then move to Wat Sene Souk Haram or literally “Temple of a 100 000 treasures”, one of the most beautiful temples in Luang Prabang, singular by its restored painting of a deep ochre colour, flamboyant and glittering with gold.

This afternoon, continue to former Royal Palace, now the National Museum. Visit Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief. During Pimai, the Lao New Year, the Prabang normally housed in the Royal Palace Museum is brought and put on public display in this temple.

Nighttime is for your own discovering Luang Prabang night market

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

Breakfast is served at hotel.

This morning, transfer to the pier where you board a traditional boat, for a relaxing cruise upstream on the mighty Mekong River. Enjoy stunning mountain scenery and witness the simple rural lifestyles. You will reach Pak Ou caves at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers. In these 2 caves are displayed hundreds of sacred centuries-old Buddha images which are the object of pilgrimages during the Lao New Year festivities around mid-April.  Stop on the way and visit Ban Xangkhong, a weaving village, where you can jump into wooden looms with local expert for practical and experience.

Then driving (~3h) to Nong Khiaw. On arrival, check in hotel and time at leisure or walking around this small town.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

Breakfast is served at hotel.

This morning, embark and enjoy a journey on small boat (~1h) on Nam Ou river to Muang Ngoy where you start hiking tour (~3.5h-4h for 2 ways) to discover traditional local life in the authentic village of Ban Na. Along the way, stop to visit Tham Kang Cave, a site of historical significance as it served as a shelter for the local population during the Second Indochina War. The cave is also known for its stunning limestone formations, including stalactites and stalagmites shaped over centuries.

After lunch in village, walk back to Muang Ngoy and take the return cruise (~1h) to Nong Khiaw. Stop on the way to visit authentic village of Ban Huay Hoi.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in hotel.

This morning, after breakfast, driving back to Luang Prabang (~4h).

In the afternoon, continue travelling outskirt of Luang Prabang through green rice paddies and farms. On your arrival at the Kuang Sy fall, enjoy your short walking on trails of falls to visit the bear rescued center and enjoy front main waterfalls with spectacular views and surrounding of orchids inside the park and falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools.

End of visiting, driving to hotel for check-in. Time at leisure.

Meals on your own. Overnight in hotel.

After breakfast, you will be driven to the Elephant Village, a center with a focus on the protection and rehabilitation of elephants in Laos.

• Arrival at the Elephant Village Camp: Welcome greetings and participate in a short briefing about elephants
• Elephant Feeding: Get up close and personal with elephants
• Explore Elephant Village:  Visit our elephant hospital, museum, gallery and dung paper making facility!
• Learn to communicate:Enjoy the impressive experience of being a Mahout and how they communicate (elephants riding not available)
• Boat trip to the Tad Sae Waterfall: Ride in a traditional Lao long boat to the Tad Sae Waterfall and relax or swim in the clear water.  Swimsuit recommended!  (note: water levels will vary with seasonal conditions)
• Lunch at Elephant Camp restaurant.  Your buffet lunch is served with coffee / tea and drinking water (vegetarian options are available)

In the afternoon, transfer to train station and catch train to Vang Vieng. Arrive and check in hotel. Time at leisure.

Dinner on your own. Overnight in hotel

After breakfast, descending the Nam Song by long tail boat leads us through idyllic scenes of rural life: a unique sight with the limestone mountain in the background.

Next, heading to Tham Jang cave 172 steps where you can see the spectacular views of the city and the landscape.

Then drive to Vientiane, capital of Laos. On arrival, start city tour by visiting Wat Sisaket with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues. Next, visit the huge golden That Luang monument, where all Lao citizen respect as holy pagoda.

End your day by Victory Monument Patuxay, which looks like the Arc de Triumph. This was built at the end of the Indochina wars with money rumored to be American, and earmarked for the airport’s new runway. Thus the departing Americans dubbed this monument the vertical runway! Have a look at the lovely arches inside the monument.

Meals on your own.  Overnight in hotel

After breakfast, free time until your transfer to the airport for your international flight.

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