Laos Explorer

Welcome to Luang Prabang! Our Guide and Driver will transfer you to your hotel and assist with check in. Join our Welcome Meeting at 7.30pm where your Guide will introduce you to Luang Prabang and run through the plan for the next few days. Then head out with your group to explore the Night Market and enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a local Lao restaurant.

Meals: Welcome Dinner

Accommodation: Sunrise Garden or similar

Head out after breakfast to discover the spiritual and cultural roots of Luang Prabang. You will visit Vat Mai, and then it’s a short walk to explore the National Museum, formerly the old “Royal Palace.” From here, climb Phou Sii Mountain to enjoy panoramic views over Luang Prabang.

Coming off the mountain, we will hop back into our air-conditioned vehicle to visit two more of the town’s beautiful and historic temples, Vat Xieng Thong and Vat Vi Soun. For a change of pace, we head to the traditional Weaving Centre.

After lunch, we will head down to the river to board our private boat, cruising up the Mekong to visit Pak Ou Buddha Caves. Set into the dramatic limestone cliffs at the confluence of the Mekong and Ou Rivers, these caves are home to over 4,000 Buddha images. We will visit two caves, the lower Tham Ting Cave and the upper Tham Theung Cave. Both caves serve as shrines to the river spirit and Lord Buddha and have been visited by pilgrims over many centuries.

On our cruise back to town, we’ll stop at the Whisky Village and the Mulberry Paper Village, ending with a sunset on the river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Sunrise Garden Hotel or Similar.

Today we begin by visiting the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center. The Centre is dedicated to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of ethnic minority groups in Laos and showcases traditional arts, crafts, and customs.

Next we visit the “older water melon temple”, Wat Visounarat. This temple dates back to 1513 and was named after King Wisunarat (Visoun), who ruled Laos from 1501 until 1520. It’s the oldest Buddhist temple in Luang Prabang and serves as the city’s Museum of Religious Arts. 

From here we enjoy a countryside drive to Na Ouane village to visit the Hmong Exhibition which highlights the Hmong culture and daily life. They will demonstrate how to use traditional agriculture tools, play traditional musical instruments and cook traditional Hmong cuisine. 

Walking across the road we will take lunch at Pha Daang Gardens, 4ha of organic gardens, grassland, rice paddies and fish pond. Your traditional Lao Banquet will be cooked by Ms La, whose family were cooks for the old royal family for many years. 

After lunch we will drive on to Kuang Si waterfalls. The turquoise waters of Kuang Si flow over many limestone rocks on their way from the mountain springs to the main waterfall and then down the cascading pools and on into the Mekong River. Limestone particles in the water which contain high levels of calcium carbonate reflects light making the water appear a stunning turquoise-blue colour. Pack your bathers, we have the chance to go swimming here!

On our walk down from the falls we will visit the Free the Bears Centre which is home to more than twenty Asiatic Black Bears. These bears have been rescued from an array of dire circumstances and now have happy life at the Centre.  

We will return to town in the late afternoon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Sunrise Garden Hotel or Similar.

It’s an early start this morning. Leaving at your hotel at 5:00 am we will take up a position on the street where we will view the traditional Alms Giving Ceremony. From there we will take a walk through the Morning Market where you will had the opportunity to sample some of the traditional foods, snacks and sweets on sale. 

As we come out of the market we will make our way down to the river bank to sample a traditional Lao breakfast of Lao coffee and noodle soup at the Pa Sa Nee Yom Local Restaurant. 

After breakfast you will be dropped back at your hotel where the rest of the day is free for you to explore.

You might like to visit the OckPopTok Living Crafts Centre, explore the Old Town further, sign up for a Cooking Class or take a workshop offered by the Arts & Ethnology Centre. Or perhaps shop for handicrafts and silk scarves, chill out by the pool or take a tour of the Living Rice Farm. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Sunrise Garden Hotel or Similar.

This morning you will be picked up from your hotel at 10.15am and transferred to the train station. On the way to the station we will stop to give the opportunity to buy snacks and coffee for the journey.

Your fast train departs at 11:41am and will arrive in Vientiane at approximately 1.45pm. On arrival we will head into town for lunch.

After Lunch we will explore the city’s main attractions before checking in at our hotel.

We will start at That Luang Stupa which is a sacred monument and one of Laos’ most impressive religious structures. It was founded in the 3rd century to house the breastbone of Buddha, which was brought to Laos by an Indian missionary. The current structure was built by King Setthathirat in 1566, after Vientiane became the capital of Laos. 

From there we will visit Pa Tu Xai Victory Gate, this massive concrete arch on Lang Xang Avenue is reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the monument commemorates Laos’s resilience and eventual independence, as well as those who lost their lives in the wars that got them to that point. 

Finally we will visit the Cope Centre. COPE (Cooperative Orthotic & Prosthetic Enterprise) is the main source of artificial limbs, walking aids and wheelchairs in Laos. Its excellent Visitor Centre, part of the organisation’s National Rehabilitation Centre, offers myriad interesting and informative multimedia exhibits about prosthetics and the UXO that sadly makes them necessary.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation: Eastin Hotel or Similar. 

It’s our final day 🙁 We have the chance for a final explore of this captivating place, before we get ready for our farewells.

Your airport transfer is included.

Meals: Breakfast