14 or 15 DAYS TOUR – In the earth of northern LAOS  

 

DAY 1 – WELCOME VIENTIANE – LAOS CAPITAL 

Upon arrival in VIENTIANE from Bangkok, or Hanoi, or Ho chi Minh City or by train from Bangkok, meet your driver at airport or at Friendship bridge and transfer to your hotel.  Free time for the rest of the day during which you can enjoy and relax with a traditional LAO massage included. In the evening, you can take a walk along Mekong river at sunset time and visit the night market.  

Dinner and night in VIENTIANE

 

DAY 2 – CITY TOUR VIENTIANE

With your driver or your local experienced English speaking guide and driver, travel by comfortable

and spacious with AC car (HYUNDAI VAN 9 or 12 seats). Today, a city tour bring you the best sites of

VIENTIANE,  Laotian capital nested on the left bank of Mekong river with a peaceful atmosphere  :

WAT SISAKET temple with more than 8000  Buddha's statues  which  is believed  to be

Vientiane’s oldest surviving temple built between 1819 and 1824 by Chao Anou, WAT HAWO PHRA KEO

  is national museum of religious art temple (museum builds on the model of a former royal temple) ,

sheltering various works of Laotian and Khmer sacred art, WAT THAT LUANG, the single most

important religious monument in  Laos, a symbol of Buddhist religion and LAO sovereignty,

 then PATOUXAI, (Arch of Triumph) built quite recently and is today as the land mark of Vientiane

before return to your hotel.  There a lot of choice for dinner in a restaurant on the banks of the Mekong. 

Dinner and Night in VIENTIANE

 

DAY 3 – VIENTIANE TO VANG VIENG

After your  breakfast, head  up  north by car (3 or 4 hours)  with lunch on the banks of NAM NGUM  lake created in 1971, strewed with nice little islands. After a stop in HOUAY MO village (which is specialized in dried fishes) we arrive in VANG VIENG,  small city closed to NAM  SONG river surrounded by jagged limestone karsts where we can make a little ride with local boat at sunset time. 

Dinner and night in VANG VIENG

 

DAY 4 – VANG VIENG AND ARROUND

After visit of the famous THAM CHANG cave, we ride by bicycle (16 kms) or motorcycle (52 kms) with stop and visit small typical Laos villages and THAM POUKAHM cave, surrounded by rice fields and limestone karsts. After lunch in a local restaurant, swim in the beautiful green blue river or in the blue lagoon

Dinner and night in VANG VIENG

 

DAY 5- VANG VIENG TO LUANG PRABANG WORLD HERITAGE SITE 

Today, we travel by car for about 7 hours, to LUANG PRABANG on a nice road surrounded by typical and wild landscape, during which we’ll stop in some ethnic villages and take pictures of wonderful views. After a lunch in a local typical restaurant facing a vertiginous viewpoint, we’ll arrive in LUANG PRABANG in the evening, the fascinating ancient royal capital which is may be the best preserved traditional city in South East Asia . With its charm, its splendid natural scenery and cultural sights make it one of the most delightful places to visit in LAOS. Dinner and night in LUANG PRABANG

 

 

                                                                                                   DAY 6 - CITY TOUR LUANG PRABANG  

                                                                                                   If you wish, wake up early to see (and participate to) the early morning ritual of

                                                                                                   saffron clad monks taking offerings from the local people and visit the morning

                                                                                                   fresh market. After breakfast, enjoy tour of the most important oldest temples:

                                                                                                   WAT XIENG THONG, WAT MAI, WAT XIENG MOUANE, WAT AHAM   and WAT

                                                                                                   VISOUN.  After lunch,   travel by car out of town 30 KM  to the wonderful clear

                                                                                                   blue KUANG SI  waterfalls, where you can swim,  relax and trek to the top of the

                                                                                                   falls. You can also there visit a daily exhibition showing how to protect Asian’s

                                                                                                   bears. Return to city. 

                                                                                                   Dinner and night in LUANG PRABANG.

 

DAY 7 - CITY TOUR LUANG PRABANG 

After visit the fresh food PHOUSI market, we will visit the Royal Palace Museum, former king’s palace, was built in 1904, which is now a national museum, with rare furniture, traditional costumes, arts, jewelry, ornaments, working tools.  After lunch we will visit BAN XANG KHONG village, where we can see natural silk weaving and paper product. Back in the city, enjoy a free walk in the old streets and along Mekong river. Removal at your hotel or at the airport and end of the trip and services.

 

DAY 8 - LUANG PRABANG – NONG KHIEW – MUANG NGOI

After your  breakfast, head up north by car for about 130 kms to NONG KHIEW where we take a slow boat to sail on the NAM OU river (for about 1h30), surrounded  by wonderful landscapes and tropical vegetation, to reach MUANG NGOI village. After having lunch in a local restaurant, we go for a walk in the middle of the rice fields area.

Dinner and night in a MUANG NGOI guesthouse.

 

DAY 9 – MUANG NGOI TO MUANG LA

We board another slow traditional boat for about 4 hours 30 min to MUANG KHOUA along the NAM OU river that is surrounded by jagged limestone karsts. Then we stop to visit a few small ethnic villages which are very interesting, especially because of their variety, before reaching MUANG LA village.  Dinner and night in a MUANG LA guesthouse, a very nice place by the river.

Important to know:

With driver alone  option , you travel alone by boat from Nong Khiew to Muang Khoua  while your driver follow the road to reach you at Muang Khoua pier.

With driver and official guide option, your guide stay with you all time during, while your driver follow the road to reach you at Muang Khoua pier.

 

 

 

                                                                                  DAY 10 – MUANG LA TO LUANG NAMTHA

                                                                                  After breakfast, we take a mountain road again, in the LAOS provincech is the most          

                                                                                  ethnically diverse of all with over 20 ethnic groups, we will make a few stop to visit villages

                                                                                  such as AKHA PARA, and TAI DAM (where we can taste rice whisky, a sticky rice alcohol    

                                                                                  product) and also the village of KHAMOU surrounded by wonderful                                                                                   landscapes. We cross OUDOMXAI city, and visit the VAT PHU THAT                                                                                   temple at the top of a hill. On arrival in LUANG NAMTHA, free walk in this typical city.                                                                                   Dinner and night in LUANG NAMTHA guesthouse

 

DAY 11- AROUND LUANG NAMTHA discover

After the visit of the local and typical market of LUANG NAMTHA, and of THAT PHUM PHUK Stupa, we start a one day tour(with a local guide)  to visit some of plenty ethnic villages present in this area such as Akkas, Yaos, Thaim Dam, Hmong ethnic groups including BAN NAM DI ET LAO HUAY villages in the middle of green mountains and protected forest. After the visit of the provincial museum and handicraft products we’ll have Dinner and night in LUANG NAMTHA guesthouse 

 

DAY 12 – LUANG NAMTHA TO BAN YOR village

We travel by car down to south east way to reach and     discover BAN YOR TAI LU ethnic village.  After installation at our hosts, you can take part in diverse activities with local people:  works in rice fields, preparation of the dinner, games with the children. Dinner and night hosted by local (typical accommodation / basic comfort) or If you prefer, we can continue to OUDOMXAI city with dinner and night in OUDOMXAI

 

DAY 13 – BAN YOR village (or OUDOMXAI) TO PAKBENG

With many stops along the way from BAN YOR to PAKBENG city to save pictures of this marvelous land of rugged mountains which some are 2000 meters high. Upon arrival in PAKBENG, an important commercial activity place where goods arrive and start from Thailand, Burma and China, you can have a 1 or 2 hours elephant trek far from beaten tracks or simply enjoy the peaceful life along the Mekong river. Dinner and night in PAKBENG

 

DAY 14 – PAKBENG TO LUANG PRABANG

We board a slow collective boat for about 6 hours unforgettable cruise on Mekong river with local people to LUANG PRABANG. Have a lunch on board (prepared before departure).  Along the way, enjoy and observe the quiet local fife on the banks of this mythical river.  On arrival in LUANG PRABANG, transfer to your hotel or at the airport to take your departing flight. End of the trip and services, or

 

DAY 15 – LUANG PRABANG TO VIENTIANE

Way back crossing mountains to VIENTIANE (about 8 hours) transfer to your hotel or at the airport to take your departing flight. End of the trip and services.

 

Your booking must be written and sent by email, 2 months at least before starting date with driver and 3 months at least before starting date with guide and driver

 

Did you know? Lao Wheels Travel can organize for you any kind of other trip and services.   Please, just ask