Day 1: Arrival – Vientiane
On arrival in Vientiane, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Time permitting, your half day city tour enables us to see the
major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket, a
temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal
temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald
Buddha Image. We also visit Laos national icon, That Luang Stupa,
and we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument,
which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph.
Overnight in Vientiane (Green Park hotel)
Day 2: Vientiane - Prabaht Ponsan - Sala Hin Boun (B-L)
You will be picked up from your Vientiane Hotel this morning, and travel
south along route 13. Enroute we stop at Prabaht Ponsan, an
Ancient LPQ stupa dating back to the 15th Century. It is
also home to the Ancient LPQ Budhhas footprint, discovered in 1933, and
now an important religious site in Laos. Following lunch we continue
onwards into Khammoune province and into the mountainous area, where a
stop at a view point near Khoun Kham offers a breathtaking view
over the surrounding area. We eventually reach Ban Naphouak, where we
board a local boat on the Hin Boun River. The journey upstream
takes us past some stunning limestone karst scenery, as well as a number
of villages with smiling waving children. We reach your accommodation
for the night Sala Hin Boun, late afternoon. You have the rest of the
day at leisure.
Overnight at Sala Hin Boun.
Day 3: Sala Hin Boun - Kong Lor Cave (B-L)
After breakfast at Sala Hin Boun we continue by boat upriver to Kong Lor
village, where you have the chance to explore, before boarding a smaller
boat into the famous Kong Lor Cave. We navigate through the
cave, which is over 7km long and includes a spectacular cavern over 100m
high. Following lunch in a remote village on the other side of the cave,
we return to Sala Hin Boun before sunset.
Overnight at Sala Hin Boun
Day 4: Sala Hin Boun – Vientiane – Luang Prabang (B-L)
Following breakfast we set off by road to Naphouak, before heading south
by boat through some of the most spectacular gorges found in Southeast
Asia. Along the way we make a stop for lunch and a picturesque Lao
Loum village, and then we are picked up by car and transf
directly to Vientiane airport for your evening flight to Luang Prabang.
Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Overnight in
Luang Prabang (The Chang Heritage hotel – )
Day 5: Luang Prabang –Kuang Si Waterfall and half day city tour (B)
First we visit the morning Phousi Market, where you will see such
diverse offerings as dried buffalo skin, local tea and saltpeter among
the chickens, vegetables and hill-tribe weavings. Laos is also known for
its traditional crafts, and today you will visit local villages of Lao
ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, a Hmong village, Ban Ou a
Laoloum village and Ban Thapene, a Khmu village. This then takes us to
the beautiful Khuang Si Waterfall where you can cool off with a
refreshing swim in the pools or walk along the forest trails. We then
return to Luang Prabang. Your half day city tour this afternoon begins
with a visit to the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of
interesting artifacts. We then head to the magnificent Wat
Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which
represents classical Laotian architecture. We also have time to visit
the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham
and Wat Mai.
Overnight in Luang Prabang (The Chang Heritage hotel )
Day 6: Luang Prabang – Big Brother Mouse – Ban Khia Luang – Pak Ou
Caves (B-L)
The day starts with a visit to the Big Brother Mouse shop to
select some books for the village visit. We then head north by car
along route 13, before taking an unpaved road to Ban Khia Luang
village. We then have ample time to visit the school, play with the
kids and watch them enjoy their new books. We also take some time to
explore the rest of the village, where you can see weaving and visit the
local temple. We stop for lunch at the village, which can either be a
western picnic lunch, or traditional Lao food such as sticky rice, laap
and fresh vegetables cooked by the villagers.
After lunch we say goodbye to the village and drive to Ban Khoklin, which takes us
through some beautiful scenery of mountains and paddy fields. At Ban
Khoklin we then board a private boat down the Nam Ou River for 30
minutes to Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands
of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by
pilgrims and continue down the Mekong River back to Luang
Prabang, arriving back there by late afternoon.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
(The Chang Heritage hotel)
Day 7: Luang Prabang – Departure (B)
Depending
on your flight, you may have time at leisure before you will be
transferred to the airport in time for your departing flight.
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