
Start city: Pakse
End city: Luang Prabang
Duration: 12 Days 11 Nights
Departure: Daily, upon your request.
Cities to visit: Pakse, Phou Asa, Wat Phou, Vientiane, Oudomxai, Muang La, Luang Prabang
- Extendable with optional tours from Pakse and from Luang Prabang
Tour Brief
Day 1- Welcome to Pakse – arrival
Day 2- Pakse - Wat Phou – Phou Asa
Day 3 - Phou Asa, Jungle Elephant Safari
Day 4 - Phou Asa, Pakse, Vientiane
Day 5 - Vientiane, Oudomxay, Muang La
Day 6 - Muang La tour
Day 7 - Muang La - Nong Khiaw
Day 8 - Nong Kiaw – Muang Ngoi
Day 9 - Nong Khiaw, Luang Prabang
Day 10 - Luang Prabang, Walking Tour
Day 11 - Luang Prabang – Kuangsi waterfall
Day 12 - Depart Luang Prabang
GROUP SIZE | PRICE/Person | |
---|---|---|
6 Persons | $1,939 | Reservation |
4 Persons | $2,124 | Reservation |
2 Persons | $2,492 | Reservation |
1 Person | $4,017 | Reservation |
> 6 Persons | Contact us for even better offer |
Day 1- Welcome to Pakse, Laos
Upon arrival at Pakse Airport, you will be met by your guide and transfer to hotel in Pakse.
The rest of your day is for free at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse
Day 2- Pakse - Wat Phou - Oup Mong
Morning transfer to Champasak to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou; one of South-East Asia's most dramatically situated temple sites and superb views of the Mekong River. Designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2001, the site dates back to the 5th century, predating the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Whilst much of the origins of Wat Phou are unclear, it is believed that the Khmer Hindus built the original temple and eventually made Angkor Wat their capital.
Then, you will visit the atmospheric ruins of Oup Mong, a Khmer temple at Ban Houei Tomo, set deep within the forest.
Transfer to Kingfisher Eco Lodge in the afternoon, the remainder of your day is yours to spend as you wish.
Accommodation: Hotel in Kingfisher Eco Lodge
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Phou Asa, Jungle Elephant Safari
Start your day at the village of Khiet Ngong where you will meet the elephants and their mahouts before setting off out across the surrounding paddy fields and wetland. Entering the nearby jungle that surrounds the area, your seat – or howdah – gives you a unique vantage point to experience the jungle environment while cicadas and bird sounds accompany you along the way.
After several hours, break for lunch near a stream whilst your elephants are allowed to roam off in search of a light snack of their own!
Continue riding throughout the afternoon, all the time learning some basic commands and tricks from your mahout, returning to your lodge around 4pm.
Accommodation: Hotel in Phou Asa.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 - Phou Asa, Pakse, Vientiane
Transfer to Pakse Airport in time for your morning flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Vientiane, capital of Laos, is often overlooked by travelers due to Luang Prabang’s status as one of the world’s premier travel destinations. Busy and hectic in comparison to the rest of the country, it is actually quite sedate when compared to most other capital cities in Asia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, the city has a population of less than a million and is a true blend of east and west. French Colonial architecture sits side-by-side with gilded temples and due to its status amongst many travelers as Laos ‘2nd city’, you get to enjoy its wealth of highlights without the large crowds so often encountered in Luang Prabang.
Enjoy a short tour of the city centre, taking in a few of the key highlights such as Wat Sisaket, with its thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the Patuxai Monument which has more than a passing resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe.
Then visit Pha That Luang. The giant golden stupa is a sight to see as the bright gold holds a sharp contrast to the pure blue sky.
Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5 – Vientiane - Oudomxay - Muang La
Transfer to the Vientiane Airport in time for your flight to Oudomxay.
Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and transferred to Muang La, located on the outskirts of Oudomxay. The remainder of your day is at leisure to enjoy the serenity of the Muang La Resort and its welcoming hot spring baths.
Accommodation: Hotel in Muang La
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Muang La tour
Depart Muang La by 4x4 vehicle for a day of trekking and exploring the local area where you will discover minority hill tribe people and their fascinating way of life. Today’s journey is truly off the beaten track and ensures some stunning mountain views along the way.
Commence trekking over farmland and hills, with a picnic lunch trek for 45 minutes at the beautiful village of Ban Phavie, a Khamu Village atop a hill, and with superb views over the surrounding area.
After lunch we continue trekking to reach a beautiful waterfall where you can relax and freshen up. Return to Muang La in the late afternoon where the remainder of your day is spent at leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel in Muang La
Trekking time/grade: 5 hours/moderate
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7 - Muang La – Nong Kiaw
Today you will take the transfer from Muang La to Nong Kiaw.
Nong Khiaw is a remote village situated on the banks of the Nam Ou River and flanked on either side by stunning mountainous backdrops.
The remainder of your day is at leisure so why not take a stroll along the riverbank, wander through local villages, or just settle back with a Beer Lao!
Accommodation: Hotel in Nong Khiaw.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 – Nong Kiaw – Muang Ngoi
We leave Nong Khiaw at 8:30am and cruise up the river via a traditional long boat. Along the way, we stop off to visit several different ethnic villages. We actually pass straight through Muang Ngoi at first and pay the village of Ban Sop Jam a visit. This village is famous for its traditional Lao silk and cotton weaving, here you can purchase some beautiful textiles if you wish.
After spending some time in the village, we turn around and return back downstream to Muang Ngoi. Upon arrival, we take some time to have a break and a coffee before heading off on a small trek which takes us through some gorgeous scenery consisting of limestone cliffs, mountains and rice paddy fields.
Along the trek, we visit a historical cave which was used as bomb shelter by the local during the second Indochina war. Upon returning back to Muang Ngoi we board our boat for the cruise back down the river whilst watching the beautiful sunset over Nong Khiaw, arriving back just before dark.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Nong Kiaw
Day 9: Nong Khiaw – 100 waterfalls - Luang Prabang
We’ll start the day with a boat ride on the Nam Ou to a small village where you can learn about the way of life along this river. Then we’ll trek through small streams and rice paddies to reach the base of the 100 waterfalls. The next few hours you will see only water and jungle and hear the sound of clear waterfall cascades. The pools around you are very inviting for a refreshing splash.
Your guide will lead you through the cascades and prepare a local style lunch on the falls in the middle of it all. Then we’ll take a small villagers’ trail from the top of the falls back down into the valley; along the way, you’ll take in views of the landscapes of the Nam Ou valley.
Hiking back to the village, we’ll have more time to observe the daily life here before heading back back by a small boat to Nong Khiaw.
Later of this day, transfer back to Luang Prabang.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.
Day 10 - Luang Prabang, Walking Tour
An option (although we highly recommend it; in fact, we almost insist) for early-risers is to wake before dawn to witness the long lines of orange-robed monks leaving their pagodas to receive offerings of food from the residents of Luang Prabang. It’s a fantastic experience and for many a highlight of their visit to this iconic city.
Following breakfast at the hotel, we will visit the former king’s palace, which is now a museum. The many items nicely displayed include rare furniture, traditional costumes and arts, jewelry, ornaments as well as working tools and utensils of the early part of the 20th century. Then we embark on a tour of this enthralling town to visit Wats Xieng Thong, the Golden City monastery, which dates back to the 16th century and is considered to be the finest in Laos. Furthermore, we visit the fine temples of Wats Mai, Vixoun, and wat That Luang. then visit the Traditional Art and Ethnology center. Later that day, we adjourn to the Phousi Holy Hill to enjoy the marvelous panoramic views of the town at sunset.
at night, visit the night market by your own.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang.
Day 11 - Luang Prabang – Kuangsi waterfall
This morning you will visit the morning Phosi 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, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turqoise pools or walk along the forest trails.
You will have visit to Kuangsi butterflies center before transferring back to town.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang
Day 12 - Depart Luang Prabang
Your day is at leisure until your transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
Meals: Breakfast
Your day is at leisure until your transfer to the airport for your onward flight.1. Are tour dates of flexible?
Yes, this tour package is private and you can depart on any dates at your convenience.
2. Can I extend or change my stay?
Absolutely! Extra days can be arranged in most areas if desired. Let us know how you would like to customize your trip and we will do our best to accommodate you. You can ask helps from our travel consultant to amend or extend your stay (subject to availability of hotels and flights; surcharge may be applicable).
3. Are the rates displayed per person or per room?
The prices shown on our website are per person based on twin/ double accommodation.
4. Any surcharges if my travel dates are during Christmas or New Year Holidays?
The rates are regular price and they are not included a compulsory dinner (Gala Dinner) on the day of Christmas or New Year Eve. Surcharges depend on specific hotels you stay at, so our travel consultants will give further information to you in communications.
5. Are there any discounts available?
We offer select trip discounts periodically throughout the year, especially in the low season (Summer time in Vietnam is from May to Sep). Please contact our travel consultants to get more details.
6. How do I pay when I want to book this tour?
We accept payment by debit/ credit card (Visa, Master, Amex), cash and bank transfer. When you confirm a booking with us, we will send you our online payment link or bank details to deposit 30% of the total tour cost. The balance will be due as soon as you arrive in Cambodia. Our travel consultants will give more details via email about payment instruction.
7. Are meals included?
We have tried to balance flexibility and convenience regarding meal options. This tour package includes daily buffet breakfast at hotels and some lunches or dinners as listed in parenthesis next to the tour itinerary on each day tour. In the major cities, where there are a wide variety of restaurants, we generally do not include meals to allow our travelers the flexibility of choosing their own food preferences. Our tour guides can recommend some options for our clients to choose from according to traveler's interest & budget.
8. What type of food is typical of Vietnam?
Vietnamese cuisine is quite varied from the North to the Centre and to the South, having had many external influences over the years that have created an interesting mix of cooking methods and ingredients. French presence in the recent past has led to the assimilation of French cuisine influence, and is often attributed with Pho noodle soup's rise to popularity. Most meals include rice, as well as fish sauce which is a popular condiment added to almost every meal throughout the country.
9. What if I have a special request on food?
You just need to share us your request on type of foods, we will choose a right restaurant and order suitable menus for you.
10. What are the accommodations like?
Vietnam Tours only recommends good hotels rated from 3 stars to luxurious resorts. They are located within walking distance of the town center and the reception generally speaks English. For more information, check with your travel consultants to view pictures of our suggestion on standard hotels/ lodges/ resorts. Don't forget that you can give your favorite name of hotel brands to us, so we can get your concept.
11. What type of transportation is used?
Our Vietnam tours utilize a variety of primarily private transportation (arranged just for your groups) including new and modern vans/ cars, motor boats, etc. We use a mix of private (vans/ cars)/ public transportation (domestic flights, sharing cruises, trains) to provide travelers with the safest and most efficient transit in each area.
12. Is this tour suitable for kids?
Yes! If you have children traveling with, ask your travel consultants to customize the tour program to fit a variety of interests and ages. We also focus on family friendly vacations with less travel and minimum drive times and maximum in-country activity that will keep younger minds engaged.
13. How many people are typically on your tours?
We only offer completely private tours, so only the people you book for will be on the tour. If you are alone, it will just be you and your guide. If you are a couple, just the two of you and your guide, and so on. We believe this is the best type of tour, so that it can be personalized to you, go at your own pace, and so that you can have the full attention of your guide for the duration of the tour.
14. Is this trip a good choice for solo travelers?
Yes, it is. You will still have a private tour guide and driver to accompany throughout the journey. However, you have to cover all expenses regarding accommodations (single room), tour guides, transportations because no-one shares cost with.
15. Do tour rates include international flights?
This tour only includes domestic flights. We find that it is usually less expensive for travelers to book these separately and this also allows you the flexibility to choose the schedule and routing that is most convenient for you. You can purchase international flights on your own, or we can certainly help you arrange these flights with an airfare consolidator who specializes in international flights.
16. How do I get to the hotel from the airport when I arrive?
When you arrive at airports, you will be greeted with your name on our driver/ tour guide's welcome sign, then get transferred to your hotel.
17. How if bad weather such as storm, flood, landslide occurs during my holiday with Vietnam Tours?
Our Travel Consultants and Tour Operators keep checking weather forecast every-day, if the weather is bad and it may affect to your safety, we will discuss with you regarding a tentative program immediately.
18. How much should I budget for tips?
Tips are not compulsory on any of our tours. However, it is customary to offer a small tip for exceptional service. Other travelers opt to bring small souvenirs from their home to give to tour guides and drivers along the way.
19. Is travel insurance included? And is it recommended?
Travel insurance is not included in our tour price. Absolutely, we recommend you to contact with your local agent in your country to buy travel insurance before you go.
20. How to change or cancel my reservation?
- You can change or amend your schedule in advance or during your trip but surcharge maybe applied according to our contract with local suppliers, hotels and airlines. Regarding cancelation terms, please check out this link: https://asiatravelandleisure.com/terms-conditions.html
Want to Ask a question?
- Domestic flights
- Accommodation with daily breakfast at selected hotels
- Private tours, transfers and all services as mentioned in the itinerary
- Services of a private driver and air-conditioned vehicles
- Service of English speaking guides in every location
- Entrance fees for all mentioned sights visited
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary.
Call us on 0084 983 787 868 to speak to one of our experts.
Comments
1. Two travellers for ten days start on 3 Jan till 14 Jan
2. Two Adults and one child (12 years old) for ten days starting from 28 Dec till 6 Jan
Thank you very much for your request.
Our travel consultant is working on the options and will send you back soon.
My best regards,