The Ultimate Laos Adventure Tour 14 days

At 9:30 am you will be greeted and met at the Luang Say reception area in Laos, and then you will board your comfortable Luang Say boat for the trip down the Mekong River. As you leisurely cruise down the river, you will stop at tribal minority villages such as Ban Houy Nokhom (a Hmong village), Ban Kon Toum, and Thai Lu (a weaving village). Upon arrival in Pakbeng, you will transfer to beautiful Luang Say Lodge where you will have the rest of the day at leisure. At 6:30, you will enjoy a traditional performance of ethnic minorities and then dinner will be served at the restaurant before an overnight stay in the Luang Say Lodge.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will continue your waterway journey to Luang Prabang. En route, you will stop at Ban Thone, a Khmu village where, depending on the season, you may see the locals panning for gold, making baskets, and or blacksmithing. Following lunch on the oat, you will have time to visit the sacred Pak Ou Caves, filled with thousands of Buddha images. Then, you will continue your cruise down to Luang Prabang, arriving in the late afternoon. You will stay overnight at the five star Luang Say Residence.

After breakfast, you can visit the Royal Palace Museum, hosting a range of interesting artifacts. From there, you will begin your walking tour, taking in some of Luang Prabang's hidden secrets and going down the quiet back lanes leading to Wat Xiengthong. Along the way, you will stop at Wat Chomkhong, known for its decorative carvings. This area contains a mix of beautiful old French Colonial buildings and traditional old Lao houses, which you will have time to admire, along with a stop at the small but charming Wat Phapai. You will also pass by the Fine Arts School to see some of the quality artwork on display. Your final visit is to magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Luang Prabang style. You will have lunch at local restaurant and an overnight in Luang Prabang.

An optional early start will give you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (often in the form of sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique to Laos, it being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the ritual. You will go back to your hotel for breakfast and enjoy a half day guided tour of the city and the weaving village, starting with a visit to Wat Visoun, known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa' due to its shape. You will also visit the Arts and Ethnology Centre which gives you further insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos. You will then visit the weaving and textile villages of Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek. You will have lunch at a local restaurant and the afternoon free at leisure. You may want to climb up sacred Phusi Mountain to watch the sunset over the Mekong River before an overnight stay in Luang Prabang.

Today you will take a drive 30 km south to visit Kuangsi Waterfall which, though not very high, is spectacular and beautiful with its green surroundings in a preserved national park. En route, you will stop to visit a fresh produce market, Talad Phosy, and also visit Ban Na Oune, a small village of the Hmong hill tribe, the best known minority group in Laos. Just before arriving at Kuangsi Waterfall, you will visit a village of the Khmu minority group, Ban Tha Pane, followed by a picnic lunch at the shady park near the waterfall. There will be plenty of time for relaxing and a swim in the cool water, before you head back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon. The rest of the day will be spent visiting various crafts shops, silver smiths and the Hmong market, where the embroidery works of Hmong women are on display. You will stay overnight in Luang Prabang.

You start early this morning (around 8am) for the drive to Xiengkhuang, famous for the ‘Plain of Jars'. The road follows a twisty mountain route, and you will make your first stop at Houi Hei, offering great views of the surrounding mountains. you will continue to explore Ban Kiu Kam Pone, a Khmu village, before arriving in Phou Khoun for lunch. You will continue on the road into Xiengkhuang Province, reaching the highest altitude of the day (1,500 m above sea level) just after Phou Khoun. You can stop at Ban Son Boom, a Hmong village before your final stop of the day at the hidden Buddha Cave. The cave and region played a major part during the Vietnam War, as the cave served as an army hospital. You will arrive at your hotel by early evening. and have an overnight stay at Auberge de la Plaine des Jarres.

You will take a morning visit to the Mines Action Group or MAG office, to learn about the work they do in clearing land mines and unexploded ordnance in the area. You will then transfer out to Jar Site 1, the largest site, and Jar Site 3, located on top of a hill offering great views of the surrounding countryside. You will return back to Phonesavan town for lunch and then go to the airport for your flight to Vientiane for a two night stay at the Green Park Boutique Hotel.

After breakfast at the hotel, you will have a tour of Vientiane which, although the capital city, still has the feel of a small provincial town. The wide boulevards are almost devoid of traffic, and with its many temples, the city retains the feel of another age. Your tour will include visits to the major temples of Vat Sisaket, Vat Phrakeo and the impressive That Luang Stupa (the country's most important monument). You will also see the Arc de Triomphe, the National Museum and the main market. The rest of the afternoon will be free at leisure before an overnight stay in Vientiane.

You will depart Vientiane early to catch the morning flight to Pakse. On arrival at Pakse Airport, you will be met and transferred to Tadlo, passing many charming villages and rolling hills. The deep contrast between the lush, green vegetation and the red surface of basaltic soil is an incredible thing to see as you pass along. You will then stop at tea and coffee plantations, followed by a stop at Tad Fan Waterfall, a picturesque twin chute waterfall. You will explore another interesting minority village, Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village boasting a sacrificial altar. You will arrive at the beautiful Tadlo Waterfall in the afternoon, where you have the rest of the day at leisure for a stroll around, a swim on the river, or watching the elephants bathe and enjoying sunset over your Lao beer. Also, you may opt for a short elephant ride to take in the beautiful scenery. You will stay overnight at Tadlo Lodge.

A scenic drive delivers you to the former royal capital of Champasak, a gateway to the pre-Angkoran temple of Wat Phu. The hillside edifice was once an important sanctuary of the Khmer Empire. The temple structure was partly destroyed during the area's turbulent history, yet it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. You will follow the walkway from the lower to the upper section, which features various iconic forms, including Vishnu, Shiva and Kala. The temple upper ground also affords a spectacular view of the surrounding valley and the mighty Mekong River. You will then visit Wat Phou Museum and Oum Moung Temple. Then, you will drive to the 4,000 Islands, and 30 minutes by boat from the central market,you will arrive at Done Khone Island. You will reach the picturesque island of Don Khone by afternoon, just in time to watch the sunset over the Mekong River. You will stay overnight on Khone Island at Auberge Sala Done Khone.

Following breakfast, you will leave Don Khone and have the option of exploring the island by bicycle, admiring some of the old French Colonial buildings and Liphi Waterfall or "the Corridor of the Devil". You will have lunch at a local restaurant. You also have the option of taking a local boat out to search for the rare freshwater dolphins that reside in this area of the Mekong. You will return to Khone Island for an overnight stay.

After an early breakfast, you will take a long tail boat to Khone and head back to the mainland. You will visit Khone Phapheng waterfall, considered the largest by volume in Southeast Asia, and set within an area teeming with wildlife, making this one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. You will have lunch during then continue to Don Daeng Island, where you will have the afternoon free to explore the island by bicycle, or just relax. You'll stay overnight on Don Daeng Island at La Folie Lodge.