Overview: This special Vientiane-Luang Prabang Tour highlights the best of Laos with Luang Prabang heritage site discovery, elephant riding, visit to villages, and explore the history of LaosTour brief:
Day 1: Vientiane arrival
Day 2: Vientiane city tour – fly Luang Prabang
Day 3: Luang prabang discovery
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Elephant Riding-Khouangsi waterfall
Day 5: Luang Prabang departure
Itinerary
Day 1: Vientiane arrival (B)
Upon arrival meet your guide and transfer to your hotel for check in. Afternoon visit major shopping area continuing to the Vientiane Central Market of Talad Sao where the major goods display; including fresh food, household, textiles, gold, silver and ancient souvenir varied display and return to your hotel. Overnight in hotel in Vientiane.
Day 2: Vientiane city tour –Luang Prabang(B)
After breakfast, enjoy exploring Vientiane capital city, we start to visit the major sights of the capital; including the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. On the way to the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Then free leisure until transfer to airport for your flight to Luang Prabang. Pick up at airport and transfer to hotel. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel. Luang Prabang has been claimed by the UNESCO to be ‘the best preserved city in South East Asia’. Overnight in hotel in Luang Prabang.
Day 3: Luang Prabang discovery(B)
Today, we enjoy a short-guided tour seeing the city’s oldest temple of Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture style. We then embark on a cruise upstream on the Mekong River, which also gives us a breathtaking view of the tranquil countryside as well as explore the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by pilgrims. Along the way, we stop at the village of Ban Xanghai, where they make the local rice wine. On return, we take a short drive to Ban Phanom, a small village known for its hand weaving. Afterward, we visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun and the shrine of Wat Aham, Wat Mai, we then climb up to the top of mount Phousi for an enjoyable exploration of the sacred, gilded stupa as well as a panoramic view of the city at sunset and the Mekong River. From there, we explore the Night Market, where you can find a lovely selection of handmade textile made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight at the same hotel in Luang Prabang.
Day 4: Luang Prabang – Elephant Riding-Khouangsi waterfall (B)
An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning rituals of saffron-clad monks collecting offerings of Alms (ubiquitous sticky rice) from the faithful residents. This tradition is very unique in Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving the procession.
After breakfast, drive out of town about 7KM visit the elephant camp at Ban Noon. En route stop at famous and well-known village, Ban Phom Nom, almost all of those villagers are weavers. They used to be servants and made handicraft souvenirs for the last king of Laos. Another stop at Henrimouhot monument at Kang Noon, a French man, who founded Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, but he died at Kang Noon when he moved to Laos for his discovery as Mararia. Then continue to the camp. Arrival, your guide brief about those 10 elephants jabout original come from and daily living condition, and take some vegetables for those elephant, then take an elephant ride about 1hour & half through a jungle down to Kharn River.
Return to the town visit local villages of Lao ethnic minority groups at Ban Ouay, Hmong Village, Ban Ou, Laoloum Village and Ban Thapene, Khmu Village, and then drive to the beautiful Khouangsi Waterfall where you can cool off with a refreshing swim in the turquoise pools or walk along the forest trails. After returning to Luang Prabang by late afternoon, we continue to Ban Xangkhong, a village well known for its silk weavings and for its Saa (jute) Papermaking. We return to the city by late evening to observe the sunset at Wat Siphouthabath. Overnight at the same hotel.
Day 5: Luang Prabang – departure (B,L):
After breakfast, depart to visit The National Museum (close Tuesday) at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through to the last sovereign, then visit 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, then transfer to airport for your flight back next to destination. End service