Merveilles du Laos

Luang Prabang arrival (D)

Arrival at Luang Prabang airport, welcome by our guide and driver and transfer to the hotel.

Luang Prabang was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. It has become a world-renowned tourist destination for its 32 temples built during the French colonial era.

Welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang – City tour (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.

City tour to discover the different temples: Vat Visoun, Wat Sene, Wat Mai, Wat Aham, and the old royal palace, converted into a national museum where we can admire the statue of Prabang, the attributes of royal power and other valuable objects and souvenirs dating from the old regime.

Then visit the weaving villages of Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek.

In the afternoon, ascend the 328 steps of Mount Phousi with a superb panoramic view of the city and the Mekong valley.

In the evening, stroll around the night market where visitors can buy various snacks and appetizers or bargain for mountain clothes or wood carvings.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Luang Prabang.

Luang Prabang – Pak Ou Caves and Kouangsi Falls (B/L)

Option: Wake up early in the morning to see the long lines of monks coming out of their pagodas and receiving food offerings from the faithful. A unique spectacle in the country.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit the beautiful temple of Wat Xieng Thong, the prettiest temple in the city, then depart for a boat trip on the Mekong to the sacred Pak Ou cave, housing a hundred gilded wooden Buddha statues.

On the way back, continue the tour to visit the famous Kuangsi Falls (35km).

Then, visit the ethnic minority villages: Ban Na Ouane (Hmong), Ban Ou (Lao Loum) and Ban Thapene (Khmu).

On the way back, we visit the weaving village of Ban Phnom, known for beautiful silk weaving, and the tomb of Henri Muhot, the first French explorer, and we enjoy the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath Tai.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.

Luang Prabang – Vang Vieng (B/L)

After breakfast, today we take National Road No. 13 North, crossing mountain slopes, valleys and rivers.

Throughout the journey, we can observe the beautiful landscape of Laos: traditional villages, rocky mountains mixed with limestone cliffs of all shapes.

Stops at Ban (Hmong) KiowPacham, at the crossroads of Sala Khoukhoune, the town of Kasi and the famous village of Ban Pha Tang.

Arrival in Van Vieng in the afternoon, check-in at the hotel located on the banks of the Nam Song River. Then visit the town and Tham Chang cave.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel in Vang Vieng.

Vang Vieng – Vientiane – City tour (B/L)

After breakfast, morning visit to Vang Vieng to enjoy the magnificent natural scenery and take some walks or explore the local market.

Then, transfer to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

Arrival and quick check-in at the hotel.

Visit the capital of Laos: the Wat Phra Keo temple which housed the Emerald Buddha before being taken to Bangkok by the Siamese in 1779, the beautiful wooden temple of Wat Si Saket, the oldest in the city, and the gilded reliquary of That Luang.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Vientiane.

Vientiane – Pakse – Bolovens Plateau (B/L/D)

Early morning wake up and transfer to Vientiane airport for the flight to Pakse. Welcome and transfer to Tad Lo (120 km), located in the far northeast of the Bolovens Plateau, rich in crops such as tea, coffee, cardamom, vegetables and fruits.

On the plateau, we can also visit the ethnic minority villages: Alak, Lawe, Katu, Ya Heune… and a beautiful eco-tourism site at Pha Xuam.

Arrival in Tad Lo, check-in to a bungalow, located on the banks of the Sexet River in the forest.

Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Tad Lo Lodge.

Bolovens Plateau (Tad Lo) – Wat Phou – Khong Island (B/L/D)

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for Champassak province, famous for the pre-Angkorian site of Wat Phou.

During the journey, visit the city of Paksong: the coffee export center, the beautiful Tad Fan waterfall, and the traditional tea production workshop at km 32.

The next visit is the Wat Phou edifice, which was built between the 9th and 13th centuries, before the erection of the Angkor Wat complex in Siem Reap. We will also visit the historical heritage museum of Champassak.

In the afternoon, we continue our journey towards Khong Island.

Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight on Khong Island.

Khong Island – 4000 Islands Region (B/L/D)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for a local boat excursion to the widest sector of the Mekong, where nearly 4000 islets and peaks emerge during the dry season, giving it the beautiful name "Siphandon - Four Thousand Islands".

During the trip, we will anchor at the peaceful island of Ban Khone to visit the remains of the French colonial period, the Liphi (Somphanith) waterfalls, and the village of Ban Khone.

Lunch and dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Ban Khone.

Khone Island – Phou Asa - Pakse (B/L)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Return to the left bank of the Mekong at Ban Na Kasang, then depart to visit the famous Khone Phapheng Falls, the most important on the Mekong route, before returning by road towards Pakse.

Stop at the village of Ban Khiet Ngong for an elephant ride to the summit of Phou Asa, which is topped by an ancient citadel.

From there, you will have a panoramic view over the preserved area of Dong Houasao and the Mekong Valley.

In the late afternoon, we return by road to Pakse. Transfer to the hotel, then visit the city and the central market (if time permits).

Lunch at a local restaurant. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Pakse.

Pakse – Departure (B)

After breakfast, transfer directly to the airport for the departure flight.