Description of the program
Day 1: Arrival at Vientiane
Upon your arrival in Vientiane. Once the visa and formalities are settled, you will be met by your guide and you will be transferred to your hotel. In the afternoon, visit Wat Sisaket temple, dating from 1818, one of the most beautiful and important of the capital. It is the only one not to have been destroyed during the Siamese invasion and it includes traditional parts of the Laotian monastery. Wat Ho Phra Keo, where you can admire beautiful pieces that are one of the main riches of Laotian art. The Patuxai, a small triumphal arch that sits at the northern end of Lane Sang Street and visit That Luang, the country's most popular monument, is both a religious symbol and a symbol of the unity of the country. Finally, Wat Simuang, considered as the lucky temple of the city. Overnight in Vientiane.
Included meals: lunch and dinner.
Day 2: Vientiane – Flight for Luang Prabang
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Upon arrival transfer to your hotel. In the afternoon, visit Vat Visoun, completely rebuilt from Delaporte's sketches following the invasion, looting and destruction of the city in 1887 by the "Black Pavilions", pirates from southern China. We also visit Vat Aham right next door, where is the altar of the two main geniuses of Luang Prabang and the Vat That where are enclosed the ashes of King Sisavang Vong, in the great central reliquary. Then climb the 328 steps that lead to Mount Phousi to enjoy the panoramic view. Visit the evening Hmong market where you will find ethnic handicrafts. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 3: Luang Prabang - Kuang Si - Luang Prabang (35km /45 minutes of road)
Optional: very early in the morning, around dawn, you can see the long lines of Bonzes coming out of their pagoda and walk the streets to receive food offerings from the faithful. A unique show that takes place every day of the year...
Breakfast at the hotel. The tour begins with the discovery of the Royal Palace, now converted into a National Museum where you will admire the Pra Bang, golden Buddha who gave his name to the city, the attributes of royal power, bronze drums, etc ... Continue with Vat Mai, a temple renowned for its gilded bas-reliefs and the life of one of the reincarnations of the Buddha. It is in this monastery that the image of Prabang is displayed on the occasion of the Pimai, Lao New Year celebrations. Then the Wat Sene, whose golden facade instantly catches the eye, finally you will admire the splendor of Vat Xieng Thong, richly decorated and located at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong. Excursion to the falls of Kuang Si. Stop in two ethnic villages on the way. Possibility to swim on site (bring swimsuit and towel). Night at the hotel.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
SPECIAL: At the end of the day, you will participate in a "Baci". Mixture of animism and Buddhism, this ceremony is specific to Laos: it aims to "call minds" to the one who invokes them before performing an important task or to live a major event (birth, marriage, journey, etc.).
Day 4: LUANG PRABANG – OUDOMXAY
Luangprabang- Pak Ou (30km/ 1-2 hours of cruise)
Pak ou- Oudomxay (118km/ 4-5 hours of road)
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Oudomxay. Possibility of stopping for the visit of the villages of minorities. Overnight in Oudomxay.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 5: OUDOMXAY - LUANG NAM THA - MUANG SING
Oudomxay- LuangNam Tha (115km/ 5 hours of road)
Luang Nam Tha- Muang Sing (59km/ 1-2 hour of road)
After breakfast at the hotel, you will take the road with a French-speaking guide, by private car, to Luangnamtha capital of the province. Meeting with the peoples of the high regions. Departure to Muangsing, the former capital of the Lu Principality of 12000 rice paddies, populated by a mosaic of ethnic groups who still live to the rhythm of their ancestral traditions. En route visit the village of Hmong Striped, visit the village of Lenten to Bane Tawan, visit the Khmu village to Bane Pinh Ho, and Iko to Bane Ko Lak Kham May. Arrive Muangsing late afternoon. Transfer and installation at the hotel. Overnight in Muang Sing.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 6: Muang Sing – Luang Nam Tha (59km/ 1-2 hours of road)
Transfer by private car with French-speaking guide to visit the city market to discover the different ethnic groups (early in the morning for the bravest). Departure for the Chinese border and free zone of Pangthong. Visit ethnic villages Iko, Lu, visit Bane OudomSinh (9km from the city) then walk about 25 minutes to villages (Iko Aka) and visit Yao villages: ChongKa, NamMay, DoneThanh. In the afternoon, return to Luangnamtha (60Km). Installation at the hotel. Visit the NamNGene village (4 km from the town, rice alcohol village), and Thai Dam to Bane Thong Poung (weaver village) and visit the Luangnamtha National Museum. Overnight in Luang Nam tha.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 7: Luang Nam Tha – Oudomxay – Nong Khiow (210km /4-5 hours of roads)
Breakfast at the hotel, visit the local market before departure by road to Nong Khiow via Oudomxay where you can visit the temple of Pra Xack Kham with the sacred Buddha, who according to legend, has supernatural powers. You will arrive in Nong Khiow in the early evening. Overnight in Nong Khiow.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 8: Nong Khiow – Pak Ou – Luang Prabang (7- 8 hours of cruise)
After breakfast, transfer to the pier, then take a boat trip on the Nam Ou River, one of the major tributaries of the Mekong, to its mouth. You will pass many waterfalls, fishing villages, located on both sides of the river. En route you will visit the sacred caves of Pak Ou, which open on the side of the cliff on the bank of the Mekong at the mouth of the Nam Ou River. Visit the sanctuary sanctuaries of Tham Ting and Tham Poum, home to thousands of Buddha offerings accumulated over the centuries. Picnic lunch on board. Stop at Ban Xang Hai village, specializing in the distillation of rice alcohol. Arrival in Luang Prabang at the end of the day. Transfer to the hotel then free time. Overnight at the hotel in Luang Prabang.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 9: Luang Prabang – Pakse
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit of a weavers' village and homemade mulberry paper workshops in Xang Khong and visit of Wat Xieng Lek before transfer to the airport for flight to Pakse. Arrival in Pakse, transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, you will visit Wat Luang Temple which features a monks school in a period building. You will also visit a village specialized in sandstone sculpture. You will take a short walk to see people carving the Buddhas in the wild. From there, you can also visit a village where people make fabrics with their traditional method. You will end with a panoramic view of the Mekong. Overnight in Pakse.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 10: Pakse – Wat Phou – Khong Island (130km/ 1-2 hours of road)
Breakfast at the hotel. Bus transfer to the ancient capital Champassak, 40 km south of Pakse. Visit of the site of Wat Phou, classified since March 2002 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This temple dates from the pre-Angkorian period. In the afternoon, continue to Khong Island, the largest island on the Mekong River. Overnight in Khong.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 11: Khong Island – Khone Papheng – Khong Island (22km/ 1 hours of road)
After breakfast. Embark on a local boat for 1h30 cruise to the peaceful islands of Done Det and Done Khone, formerly the terminals of the only railway built in Laos. Walk to Wat Khon Thai and Lippi Falls. Road towards Khone Papheng, on the Cambodian border, at the southern end of the country to admire the biggest Mekong waterfall in Laos. In the afternoon return to Khong Island. Overnight in Khong.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 12 Khong Island – Kiet Ngong – Pakse
Khong Island - Kiet Ngong (130km 2-3 hours of road)
Kiet Ngong – Pakse (100km / 1-2 hours of road)
After lunch, transfer leaves the road to the temple Ou Moung. Then you will continue to the village of Ban Kiet Ngong for an elephant ride of 1h30 (2 people per elephant). Back to Pakse in the afternoon, transfer to the hotel. Night in Pakse.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 13 Pakse – Boloven – Tad Lo – Tad Yuang – Pakse (100km/ 1-2 hours of road)
After breakfast, visit the Bolaven plateau with a tour of the coffee and tea plantations. Then falls of Tad Lo. Possibility of stopping in minority villages. In the afternoon, continue to Tad Yuang Falls. Return to Pakse at the end of the day and transfer to the hotel. Night in Pakse.
Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Day 14 Paksé – Flight return
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the airport for the return flight. End of the trip.
Included meals: breakfast