Laos Northern & Southern Highlights Tour

Today’s visits will include:
Vat Visoun: The city’s oldest temple, unique with its wooden balustrade windows.
Vat Aham: Located next to Vat Visoun, framed by two large banyan trees.
Vat Xieng Thong: The Temple of the Royal City, a vast complex of sacred buildings, one of Laos’ artistic gems and the city’s most beautiful temple.
The Royal Palace: Now transformed into the National Museum (closed on Tuesdays).
Wat Mai: Constructed in the late 18th century, a sanctuary with a five-tiered roof and three parasols.

In the evening, explore the Hmong Night Market, which is set up on the main street every day from 5 PM to 10 PM.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Luang Phrabang.

Suggestion for early risers: Head to a crossroads in the city center at sunrise (around 5:30 AM) to witness the long silent processions of saffron-robed monks from the numerous temples of Luang Prabang collecting offerings from the faithful. Respect them, watch them in silence, and refrain from disrupting their walk.

Transfer to the pier for a cruise on the Mekong River. Visit the sacred Pak Ou Caves, which house hundreds of Buddha statues. Continue to the Khamu Lodge, where you’ll receive a welcome drink, then settle into your spacious tent equipped with all modern comforts. Lunch takes place in an open-air sala set in the middle of a rice field.

The afternoon offers multiple activities related to the daily life of the Kamu people, including rice cultivation, gold panning in the Mekong, traditional fishing, and village exploration. Test your skill in an archery contest! Enjoy a typical Kamu minority dinner. Dine at the lodge and spend the night in your tent (with twin beds).

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Khamu Lodge.

In the morning, cruise back to Luang Prabang. After disembarking near Ban Pak Ou for lunch, your driver will be waiting to take you back to Luang Prabang. Along the way, visit Kuang Si Falls and explore Kuang Si Falls Butterfly Park, a must-visit place that opened in January 2014. You’ll also stop to visit ethnic minority villages, including Ban Ouay (a Hmong village), Ban Ou (a Lao Loum village), and Ban Tha Peine (a Khmu Lao village). Upon arrival in Luang Prabang, transfer to Wat Siphouthabath to admire the sunset. Dine at a restaurant and spend the night at a hotel.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.

You have free time before taking the flight to Pakse, the largest city in southern Laos. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be greeted and transferred to the Champasak province. From there, you’ll take a cruise ride to Daeng Island, home to the beautiful La Folie Lodge, where you will spend the night.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Done Daeng.

After breakfast, we’ll take the boat back to Champasak to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou, one of the most spectacular temples in Southeast Asia. You’ll have time to explore these intriguing Khmer ruins perched at the foot of Mount Phu Kao. Our next stop is Ban Khiet Ngong, located within the Xe Pian National Protected Area. Upon arrival, we’ll go for an elephant ride (1.5 hours) to Mount Phou Asa, crowned by an ancient citadel. From there, we’ll have a panoramic view of the pristine Dong Houas region and the Mekong Valley. Then, transfer to the Fisher King Eco-Lodge for the night.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Ban Khiet Ngong.

In the morning, we’ll head further south to visit Khone Phapheng, considered the largest waterfall in volume in Southeast Asia. It’s truly impressive, located near the Lao-Cambodian border, nestled in an area teeming with wildlife, making it one of the most spectacular destinations in Laos.

From there, we’ll head to Ban Nakasang and take a small boat to the 4000 Islands area to explore the peaceful villages of Ban Khone. Here, you can see remnants of the French colonial era and trace the old colonial past, including old French colonial buildings and remnants of the first Laotian railway line with its locomotive. We’ll continue to explore the 4000 Islands region by tuk-tuk and visit the wonderful Liphi Waterfall, also known as the “Devil’s Corridor,” one of the most beautiful waterfalls marking the Lao-Cambodian border. If we’re lucky, we might even see the rare Mekong Irrawaddy freshwater dolphin at Ban Hang Khone, the Devil’s Corridor. The rest of the day is your own free time to relax.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Don Khone.

Our next destination will be the Bolaven Plateau. On our way, we’ll pass through lush plantations, hills, forests, and villages. Part of the pleasure of traveling in this region is observing the beautiful countryside and meeting the local people. We’ll stop in some of the neighboring villages, home to the Kato hill tribe. The hill tribe people are invariably friendly, welcoming you with waving hands and smiling faces. These ethnic minorities maintain their age-old cultural traditions and are distinct from each other in their clothing.

We’ll continue our journey through the Paksong Bolaven Plateau. The Bolaven Plateau is known for its cooler temperatures as it’s situated at a higher elevation above the Mekong Valley. Rivers flow from this high plateau in all directions and then plunge over lush forests, creating a series of spectacular waterfalls. The landscape around Tad Fan Waterfall is spectacular, with twin waterfalls cascading freely into a deep gorge surrounded by thriving vegetation. A trip to the plateau offers a refreshing break from the heat and allows you to see the rich coffee, tea, cardamom, banana, and other plantations in the region. This journey provides visitors with the opportunity to venture off the beaten path and discover some of the lesser-known regions of Laos, exploring the wild beauty of this southern area. We’ll spend the night at Sinouk Coffee Garden.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Bolaven.

In the morning, we’ll bid farewell to the Bolaven Plateau and return to Pakse. Upon arrival, we’ll have a short transfer of about 15 km north of the city to visit Ban Saphai and take a boat ride to visit the remote island of Done Kho. The village is famous for its unique history and culture, as well as traditional hand-weaving.

We’ll then transfer to your hotel in the mid-afternoon, and you’ll have free time for the rest of the day.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.
Overnight in Pakse.

You have free time for your own exploration of the city of Pakse before taking your departure flight.