Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Vientiane
Your flight gets in and you'll be picked up at the airport for a transfer to your hotel in Vientiane. Check-in starts at 14:00, so if you arrive earlier you can arrange airport pickup separately for an extra fee if needed. This gives you time to settle in and get oriented before dinner.
Optional Activities
- Airport pick-up service
- Day 2
Vientiane to Vang Vieng
Meet your guide at 8:00 am and spend the morning walking through Vientiane's main temples: Vat Sisaket, Vat PhraKeo, and Pha That Louang Monastery. You'll also climb up Patuxay (the triumphal arch) to get views over the city. After lunch, a private car takes you toward Vang Vieng. You'll arrive there as the afternoon winds down, giving you the evening to explore and grab dinner along the river.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Vat Sisaket Temple
- Visit Vat PhraKeo Temple
- Visit Pha That Louang Monastery
- Visit Triumphal Arch of Patuxay with panoramic city views
Landmarks Vat Sisaket Temple Vat PhraKeo Temple Pha That Louang Monastery Triumphal Arch of Patuxay - Day 3
Vang Vieng
Your guide meets you at 9:00 am for the day's activities. You'll take a tuk-tuk to Nam Song River for a cruise under the limestone cliffs, then visit a Khmu ethnic village. There you'll try blacksmithing with a local artisan and have lunch with a Khmu family. In the afternoon you'll hike through rice fields to explore a cave and stop at a rice hut to try the rice wine you learned to make earlier. It's a full but relaxed day mixing physical activity with hands-on learning.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Khmu lunch in the home or garden)
Included Activities
- Tuk-tuk transport to Nam Song River
- Nam Song River cruise
- Blacksmithing demonstration with Khmu artisan
- Traditional Khmu lunch with local family
- Lao Hai (rice wine) making lesson
- Hike through rice fields
- Cave exploration
- Taste local rice wine at rice hut
Landmarks Nam Song River 
- Day 4
Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang
Head to Vang Vieng train station early and board a train to Luang Prabang. Once you arrive, your guide meets you and takes you to the Royal Palace (now the National Museum) where you'll see the sacred Phrabang Buddha. After that you'll check out Heuan Chan House and Vat Xieng Thong temple. Before wrapping up, stop by Ock Pop Tock Weaving Craft Center with its tropical gardens overlooking the Mekong. It's a packed introduction to this UNESCO World Heritage town.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Palace/National Museum
- Admire Phrabang Buddha sculpture
- Tour Heuan Chan House
- Visit Vat Xieng Thong Temple
- Explore Ock Pop Tock Weaving Craft Center
- Enjoy tropical garden at Ock Pop Tock
Landmarks Royal Palace/National Museum Heuan Chan House Vat Xieng Thong Ock Pop Tock Weaving Craft Center - Day 5
Luang Prabang
You'll need an early start at 05:30 to catch the Tak Bat ceremony where monks collect alms from locals, a spiritual scene worth experiencing. Then head to the local market for breakfast back at your hotel. Later in the morning, drive out to Ban Nong Heo Khmu village to see traditional houses and how people live there. You'll take an easy hike through countryside with some nice viewpoints, then stop at Ban Thapene village near Kuang Sy waterfalls. The afternoon takes you through a traditional Sa paper production village. An optional food tour runs in the evening if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Tak Bat ceremony experience
- Local market visit
- Ban Nong Heo Khmu village exploration
- Countryside hike through forests
- Ban Thapene village visit
- Sa paper production village visit
Optional Activities
- A Taste of Laos evening gastronomic food tour (start time between 17:00-18:00)
Landmarks Ban Nong Heo Ban Thapene Kuang Sy Waterfalls - Day 6
Luang Prabang
Drive out to Ban Muang Keo village to learn how to arrange flowers for monk offerings. Then visit a local temple for the spiritual atmosphere and get a blessing from a monk. You'll chat with villagers about their lives and have drinks and local snacks on a Mekong River beach. Lunch is traditional Lao food followed by local coffee. After that, hike for 30 minutes through forest to reach caves through a hidden entrance where you'll see thousands of Buddha statues. Return to Luang Prabang by boat down the Mekong, which takes about 2 hours and is a nice slow way to end the day.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional Lao cuisine with locally grown coffee)
Included Activities
- Traditional flower arranging lesson at Ban Muang Keo
- Local temple visit with monk blessing
- Village interaction and cultural immersion
- Aperitif on Mekong River beach
- Traditional Lao lunch with locally grown coffee
- Forest hike to caves
- Cave exploration with Buddha statues
- Leisurely Mekong River boat trip back to Luang Prabang
Landmarks Ban Muang Keo - Day 7
Luang Prabang to Oudomxay
Your driver picks you up around 8:30 am and takes you to Luang Prabang train station. You'll board a train heading northeast to Oudomxay. Once you arrive, transfer to Namkat Yorla Pa ecotourism resort in a protected forest area by the Nam Kat River. Check-in opens at 14:00. The afternoon and evening are free, so you can relax or book activities through the resort if you want.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- On-site activities at Namkat Yorla Pa lodge
Landmarks Namkat Yorla Pa Nam Kat River - Day 8
Ikhos and Hmong Villages
Your local guide takes you to two ethnic villages: the Ikhos and the Hmong, both representing distinct groups in Laos. You'll climb to around 1,000 meters elevation for nice mountain views. The Ikhos village is isolated and the people there come from Tibetan and Yunnan origins, so you'll learn about their customs and traditions that go back centuries. You get a picnic lunch in the scenery. If you're up for it, there's an optional hike to an abandoned Hmong village with 360-degree views, and then you can visit an active Hmong village to see how they live, raise animals, and work. Head back to the resort by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch in beautiful mountain surroundings)
Included Activities
- Visit isolated Ikhos village
- Learn about Ikhos customs and traditions
- Picnic lunch in mountain surroundings
- Visit active Hmong village
- Learn about Hmong way of life and livestock
Optional Activities
- Short hike to abandoned Hmong village with 360-degree panoramic views
Landmarks Ikhos village Hmong village - Day 9
Oudomxay to Luang Prabang
Start early with a drive through dense forest to a jungle trail. You'll hike toward a waterfall, crossing suspension bridges and walking along narrow forest paths. Once you reach it, you can rest or swim in the cool water. The return route is different, making a full loop back to where your car is waiting. In the afternoon, transfer to Oudomxay train station and board a train back to Luang Prabang. When you arrive, transfer to your hotel and check in.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Jungle hike to waterfall
- Walk across suspension bridges
- Swimming at waterfall
Landmarks Jungle waterfall - Day 10
Departure from Luang Prabang
Check out by noon and head to the airport for your flight home. If you want, there's an optional half-day elephant experience available that morning. It includes time at Elephant Village Camp, a longtail boat cruise to Tad Sae Waterfall where you can swim, lunch at the camp, and then back to your hotel before heading to the airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Half day with elephants experience including private pick-up from hotel, Elephant Village Camp welcome, longtail boat cruise to Tad Sae Waterfall, lunch at camp restaurant (vegetarian option available), English-speaking tour guide
Landmarks Elephant Village Camp Tad Sae Waterfall
