Itinerary
- Day 1
Luang Prabang
You'll get picked up at the airport and head to your hotel. If time allows, there's a half-day tour taking you through the Royal Palace Museum, Wat Xiengthong temple with its characteristic sweeping roofs, plus the stupa at Wat Visoun and the shrines of Wat Aham and Wat Mai.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Royal Palace Museum
- Visit to Wat Xiengthong temple
- Visit to Wat Visoun stupa
- Visit to Wat Aham shrine
- Visit to Wat Mai shrine
Landmarks/POIs Royal Palace Museum Wat Xiengthong Wat Visoun Wat Aham Wat Mai - Day 2
Luang Prabang
Start by stopping at Big Brother Mouse shop to pick out books, then drive north to Ban Khia Luang. You'll check out the school, spend time with the kids, and hand over the books. After that, walk through the village to see weaving and the local temple. Lunch happens in the village (choose between western picnic or traditional Lao food), then you'll take a private boat down the Nam Ou river to Pak Ou Caves with its thousands of gold Buddha statues. The final stretch back to Luang Prabang follows the Mekong, arriving by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Western picnic lunch or traditional Lao food such as sticky rice, leap and fresh vegetables cooked by the villagers)
Included Activities
- Visit Big Brother Mouse shop to select books
- Visit Ban Khia Luang school
- Play with village children
- Visit village weaving
- Visit local temple in Ban Khia Luang
- Private boat trip on Nam Ou river
- Visit Pak Ou Caves
- Boat trip down Mekong River
Landmarks/POIs Ban Khia Luang village Pak Ou Caves Nam Ou River Mekong River - Day 3
Luang Prabang
Cross the Mekong by boat to reach Ban Chan pottery village, then head to Phousi Market to see what's available. You'll visit several ethnic minority villages: Ban Ouay (Hmong), Ban Ou (Laoloum), and Ban Thapene (Khmu). Later, get to Khuang Si Waterfall for a swim or walk through the forest trails. The drive back to Luang Prabang takes you in by late afternoon.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Boat crossing of Mekong River to Ban Chan
- Visit Ban Chan pottery village
- Visit Phousi Market
- Visit Ban Ouay (Hmong village)
- Visit Ban Ou (Laoloum village)
- Visit Ban Thapene (Khmu village)
- Visit Khuang Si Waterfall
- Swimming in Khuang Si pools
- Forest trail walks at Khuang Si
Landmarks/POIs Ban Chan Phousi Market Ban Ouay Ban Ou Ban Thapene Khuang Si Waterfall - Day 4
Luang Prabang to Vientiane
After a transfer to the airport, you'll fly to Vientiane. Once there, someone meets you and takes you to your hotel. The half-day tour covers Wat Sisaket temple full of tiny Buddha statues, Wat Prakeo (the former royal temple that once held the Emerald Buddha Image), That Luang Stupa which is Laos's national symbol, and the Patuxay Monument styled like Vientiane's version of the Arc de Triomphe.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Wat Sisaket temple
- Visit Wat Prakeo temple
- Visit That Luang Stupa
- Visit Patuxay Monument
Landmarks/POIs Wat Sisaket Wat Prakeo That Luang Stupa Patuxay Monument - Day 5
Vientiane to Tad Lo
Head to the airport early for your flight to Pakse. Once you land, you'll travel west into the Bolaven Plateau by road. You'll see Tad Fan waterfall where twin falls drop into a deep gorge, and drive through areas where coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops grow. Later you reach Tad Lo to check out another waterfall and visit villages where Alak, Nge, and Katu ethnic minorities live.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Tad Fan waterfall
- Visit Alak village
- Visit Nge village
- Visit Katu village
Landmarks/POIs Bolaven Plateau Tad Fan waterfall Tad Lo waterfall Alak village Nge village Katu village - Day 6
Tad Lo to 4000 Islands
After breakfast, leave Tad Lo and make a stop at Pha Suam waterfall while exploring Lao Teung villages. The route goes through Pakse, then you'll cross the Mekong by ferry to reach Wat Phu, a pre-Angkorian temple sitting in a dramatic location. Following lunch, board a long tail boat heading to the 4000 Islands area where you can relax for the rest of the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit Pha Suam waterfall
- Visit Lao Teung villages
- Visit Wat Phu temple
- Long tail boat trip to 4000 Islands
- Mekong River ferry crossing
Landmarks/POIs Pha Suam waterfall Wat Phu 4000 Islands - Day 7
4000 Islands
After an early breakfast, travel south by road and boat to reach Done Khone. Walk through Ban Khone to see colonial houses and the first Lao railway with its old locomotive. From there, continue exploring the 4000 islands by boat to visit Liphi waterfall (also called Samphamith), which marks the natural border with Cambodia. Afterward, head back to Ban Nakasang and drive to Khone Phapheng waterfall, the largest in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the 'Niagara of the east.'
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Ban Khone French colonial houses
- Visit first Lao railway
- Boat exploration of 4000 islands
- Visit Liphi waterfall
- Visit Khone Phapheng waterfall
Landmarks/POIs Done Khone Ban Khone Liphi waterfall Khone Phapheng waterfall - Day 8
4000 Islands to Pakse / Departure
After breakfast, you'll get transferred back to Pakse for your flight to Siem Reap in Cambodia, or you can exit Laos by road from the Chongmek International checkpoint into Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Chongmek International checkpoint
