Highlights of Laos: Temples, Culture, Rivers, Nature, Villages & History

Today you begin your journey by boarding your outbound flight to Luang Prabang. If either of your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 am), you will have to arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure date/day.

Take your holiday to the next level and enjoy an optional Thailand pre-tour of a 4-night stay, a city tour with a Bangkok – Siem Reap flight (subject to availability).

Overnight on board.

Upon your arrival, our staff will meet you and transfer you to your centrally located hotel. Luang Prabang is considered one of the best-preserved traditional cities in Southeast Asia, offering a charming and tranquil atmosphere with its natural scenery and cultural landmarks. After a short rest, we’ll visit the National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which houses a collection of artifacts showcasing the richness of Lao culture throughout the ages. We will also visit Wat Mai and climb to the top of Mount Phousi to explore the sacred, gilded stupa and enjoy the beautiful sunset views of the city and the Mekong River. We will end the day by visiting the Night Market, where you can peruse a lovely selection of handmade textiles.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Today, we will board an upstream cruise on the Mekong River, offering a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside. We will stop at the Pak Ou Caves, which are sanctuaries consisting of two large caverns, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images. Along the way, we will also stop at a few villages, including Ban Muangkeo, where the local rice wine is produced, and Ban Xiengmene. We will also have a chance to climb up to Wat Chomphet, offering one of the best views of Luang Prabang from across the river. Once we return to Luang Prabang city, we will take a short drive to Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek – small villages well known for their silk weavings and Saa (jute) papermaking.

Overnight in Luang Prabang.

After breakfast, we will catch the express train to Oudomxay. This province is home to 23 ethnic minority groups. Upon arrival, our staff will meet you and transfer you to the jungle resort, Namkat Yolapa. After checking into your hotel, we will enjoy a short trek through the jungle to the Namkat waterfall. You can take your time at the waterfall before returning to the hotel for an overnight stay.

In the morning, we will depart from Namkat Yolapa towards Pak Khai, enjoying stunning views of the Nam Pak River, terraced rice fields, and small villages along the riverbanks. Upon arrival, we will begin our trek along a mountain trail that follows a mountain stream through lush vegetation. You will have the opportunity to meet local farmers working in their rice fields, and learn about their farming practices, as well as hunting and fishing in the mountain stream. After about 1.5 hours, we will leave the forest and arrive at Ban Phavie, a beautiful Khamu village located on top of a hill. After having lunch in the village, we will continue on to nearby waterfalls, where you can relax in the refreshing waters and enjoy the peaceful surroundings (weather permitting). We will return to Namkat Yolapa at around 2:30 PM and arrive in the late afternoon.

After breakfast, we will take a short walk to the Khamu village and observe the colorful way of life of these people before catching the express train to Luang Namtha, which is located on the banks of the Tha River or Nam Tha. Upon arrival, our staff will meet you and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. After a short rest, we will visit the Luang Namtha Museum, which houses collections of anthropological significance. Here, you can see ethnic clothing, tools, instruments, and artworks, providing insight into local culture and history. We will also visit the Lantern Village of Ban Nam Dee, where you can observe ethnic traditions in action and cool off by the beautiful Nam Dee waterfall. In the evening, we will return to Luang Namtha for overnight.

After breakfast, we will begin our journey to Muong Sing with stops at several hill tribe villages, including Ekor (Aka) and Lan Taen. These tribes were originally from Sino-Tibetan descent. After lunch, we will explore the hill tribe way of life and visit Chieng Tung stupa, Ban Nam Ded Village, Ban Nam Mai Village of Yao people, and Pang Thong local checkpoint, located at the Laos-China border. We will return to Luang Namtha in the evening, and the remainder of the day will be yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Overnight in Luang Namtha.

After breakfast, we catch an express train to Vang Vieng, a small and tranquil town nestled on a bend of the Nam Song River. After check into your hotel, we explore the famous caves of Tham Jang, which was once used by the local people as a hideout from Chinese invaders. Today ends with a superb sunset panorama reflecting over the Nam Song River.

Overnight in Vang Vieng.

After breakfast, we drive through paddy fields to the Tham Phoukham caves, which are the country’s beautiful and famous limestone caverns surrounded by forest. Along the way, you will meet local villagers and learn about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can swim and refresh yourself from the heat. After spending the day at the caves and the surrounding area, we return to Vang Vieng and catch the train to Vientiane. On arrival in the capital, you will be met by our staff and transferred to your hotel. Vientiane is a charming and fascinating place with an interesting mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, and American influences. After a short rest, an orientation walk is a pleasant way to spend the day, strolling around some of the city’s most historical sites and seeing some of the French colonial architecture. We will bask in the sunset by the Mekong Riverside and continue to explore until late evening.

Overnight in Vientiane.

After breakfast, we will visit some of the capital’s major sights, starting with Wat Sisaket, which houses more than 8,000 Buddha statues. Next, we will visit Wat Ho Prakeo, which was formerly home to the Emerald Buddha statue, and That Luang Stupa, the most significant monument in Laos. We will also see the Patuxay (Lao Arc de Triomphe), which commemorates those who lost their lives during past wars and is now the city’s main landmark.

In the afternoon, we will head out to Buddha Park, an enchanting collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures scattered near the Friendship Bridge. There are approximately 200 religious images here, and we will have time to explore and learn about their history. Watching the sunset over the Mekong River will be a perfect way to end the day.

Overnight in Vientiane.

Today, we will take an early flight to Pakse. On arrival at Pakse airport, we will head east into the Bolaven Plateau by road. The Bolaven Plateau is known for its cooler temperatures as it is located high above the Mekong Valley. Our first stop is at Houey Ten, a Katu village that specializes in knifemaking. Next, we visit a tea plantation and then stop at Tad Fan Waterfall, a picturesque twin chute waterfall. We then make a stop at a coffee plantation on the way to Tha Teng Market, a colorful ethnic minority food market. After that, we explore another interesting minority village, Ban Bong Neua, an Alak village that boasts a sacrificial altar. Later, we have a short visit to Tadlo waterfall, before continuing our tour of the Bolaven Plateau and visiting the head Pha Suam waterfall to explore the ethnic minority villages of Lao Teung.

Overnight in Bolaven.

After breakfast, we drive south to visit the fascinating UNESCO protected pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatically situated temples. They are perched at the base of Mount Phu Kao and date back to the 5th century. We have time to explore these intriguing Khmer ruins, which are perched at the base of Mount Phu Kao. We continue our journey by road to the 4000 Islands area, where you have the rest of the day to relax.

Overnight in Khong Island.

After breakfast, we continue our exploration of the 4000 Islands area by boat and then explore Khone Island by bicycle. We start by retracing the French colonial past at Ban Khone, where some old colonial houses still stand, and catch a glimpse of the first Lao railway with its own locomotive. We also visit the beautiful Liphi waterfall, also known as Samphamith, which forms a natural border between Laos and Cambodia. We then return to Ban Nakasang and drive to the famous Khone Phapheng waterfall – the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia, also known as the “Niagara of the East”.

Overnight on Khong Island.

After breakfast, you will have a free day to explore Khong Island on your own. You can choose to visit local markets, take a leisurely stroll along the Mekong River or simply relax at your hotel. Later in the day, you will be transferred to the airport in Pakse for your departure flight. The airport transfer is included in the tour package. This marks the end of your adventure with Lumle. We hope you had an enjoyable trip and look forward to seeing you again on your next adventure.

Tour Ends