Travelling deep into this intriguing landlocked country, from the charming town of Luang Prabang in the north to the picturesque and unspoiled 4,000 Islands in the south, you explore the mysterious Plain of Jars, soak up the colonial atmosphere of the laid-back capital, Vientiane, and be captivated by crumbling Wat Phou as well as the scenic boloven plateau.

Day 1: Arrival - Luang Prabang
On arrival at Luang Prabang Airport , you are met by our guide and transferred to hotel. The royal capital of the former Lane Xang Kingdom, Luang Prabang with its gleaming temple roofs, colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop, retains an unique charm rarely found in all Asia. There are plenty to see in this delightful town, some of which are the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the Srilankalese styled temple of That Marko, the shrine of Wat Aham and the five tiered roof Wat Mai. We visit these sites in a half day guided tour before embarking on a climb up to Phousi Hill for a beautiful panorama view from the town center to the mighty Mekong River. There are 329 steps leading us on zigzag way past various temples to the sacred, gilded stupa of Wat Phousi at the summit. O/N in Luang Prabang.

Day 2: Luang Prabang - Pakou Caves - Luang Prabang
Today we continue seeing this charming town with the famous Wat Xieng Thong, which nestles at the meeting of the Mekong and the Nam Khan River. The temple structures are decorated in various ways with gilded stuccoes ,doorways and marvellous tree life mosaic pattern on an outer wall, representing the ancient temple architecture of Luang Prabang. We board a boat for a leisurely trip on the Mekong River, stopping en route at Ban Xang Hai to visit the distillation of potent local rice wine. Upon leaving this riverside village we wave our way through the stunning mountain landscape to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. They are crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes, all brought there by devout villagers. We explore these famous grottos and cruise back to Luang Prabang Town. On arrival we catch a short drive to Ban Phanom , a well known weaving village of the Tai Lue people who used to make royal silk weaving textiles for the Lao former royal family. O/N in Luang Prabang. (B,L)

Day 3: Luang Prabang - Khouang Si Waterfall - Luang Prabang
The mountainous areas around Luang Prabang Town are also home of many ethnic groups and various stunning waterfalls dispersed in secluded jungle. Today we catch a drive southwards to Phosi Market that sells a wide array of local goods and handicrafts. Upon leaving this lively market we make our way through the verdant and rugged scenery to Ban Thapene , Ban Xom and Ban Namai which are conquered by the Lao Loum, Khmu and Hmong people. They are very poor but have interesting culture and colorful history. These tribal groups have originally settled in mountain side therefore it may involve some short walks to visit their villages. We arrives at Khouang Si Fall and spend the time relaxing in marvellous setting of waterfall and lush forest. The waterfall tumbles over multi tiered limestone formations into the cool and clear pools ideal for anyone seeking an enjoyable escape. O/N in Luang Prabang. (B)

Day 4: Luang Prabang - Xieng Khouang ( Overland)
The former Royal Palace has been turned into a national museum, which displays a lovely collection of the artefacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the early kings right through the last sovereign. We visit this masterpiece and set forth to the remote Xieng Khouang, which was devastated by American bombing between 1964 and 1973. These back roads are a great way to explore the real Laos. We see very few other travellers, mostly rural dwellers who are just as interested in finding out about our lives as we are of theirs. The journey is very long , but we can can make many stops at our pleasure, to stretch our legs and catch some wonderful photographs. The drive will deliver us to Phonsavanh, center of Xieng Khouang by mid or late afternoon depending the roads and traffic conditions. O/N in Xieng Khouang. (B)

Day 5: Xieng Khouang - Vang Vieng
Heading out of town we make a short drive to visit the "Plan of Jars", an impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large stone jars are littered all over the plateau. These huge jars are supposedly over 2,000 years old, but most of archaeologists are still mystified about their purpose. We depart Xieng Khouang and drive along a zigzag way through the breathtaking mountain landscape to Vang Vieng. This small and tranquil village is rapidly developed with the advent of tourists, but the beautiful scenery with a mixture of quiet water and limestone outcrops unchanged for century. We arrives in Vang Vieng by mid or late afternoon depending on roads and traffic conditions. O/N Vang Vieng. (B)

Day 6: Vang Vieng - Vientiane
The perfect way to start our exploration of Vang Vieng is a boat trip along the tranquil Nam Song River. We navigate past the stunning mountain landscape to Tham Jang Cave. This sacred cavern was once used by local people as a hideout from Chinese invaders. We walk uphill to visit Tham Jang Cave and enjoy wonderful views across the idyllic valley to the beautiful panorama of Vang Vieng Town. The reminder of time is free for your own discovery of Vang Vieng. There are various options to choose from, some of which are biking, kayaking or caving. These optional activities are not included; however our guide is on hand to advise you with invaluable information. By mid afternoon we regroup at our hotel and travel by roads to Vientiane past the undulating terrains and the interesting villages. O/N in Vientiane. (B)

Day 7: Vientiane
The charming and fascinating capital of Laos, Vientiane is small city conjuring up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao, Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. We start our city tour with Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. Close to this masterwork is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We see these sites before continuing to Patouxai. This imposing monument standing in Lane Xang Avenue, is well known as Vientiane's own Arc de Triomphe and provides a stunning views of the city. Heading out of town we see the giant Friendship Bridge and the impressive Buddha Park. This landmark represents a blend of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical monk on a parkland located by the Mekong River. The perfect way to round off our day is to watch the spectacular sunset over the Mekong River from one of riverside bars. O/N in Vientiane. (B)

Day 8: Vientiane - Pakse - Wat Phou - Khong island
The southern bound journey begins as we board a flight to Pakse. On arrival you are greeted by our guide and transferred to the boat landing for a leisurely trip on the Mekong River towards the former royal capital of Champasak, a gateway to the pre-angkorian temple of Wat Phu. This hillside edifice was once an important sanctuary of the Khmer Empire. The temple structure was partly destroyed in turbulent history however it is still fascinating to walk among the ruins. We follow a walkway from the lower to the upper section, which features various forms including Vishnu, Shiva and Kala. The temple upper ground also affords a spectacular views from the surrounding valley to the mighty Mekong River. We visit Wat Phou Museum and Oum Moung Temple before we make our way southwards to Khong Island past the many peaceful villages. O/N in Khong Island. (B)

Day 9: Khong Island - Done Khong - Khone Phadeng - Khong Island
Today we embark a traditional boat to venture into the widest reach of the Mekong River from where thousands of islets jut out in dry season, giving this area a lovely name” Si Phan Done ”. The longtail boat passes Done Ket and Done Som before it races across the water towards the peaceful island of Done Khone. We stroll through Ban Khone village to explore different local lifestyle close up and some relics of the French colonial period. Upon leaving this island we wave our way to Liphi water fall, which are also called " Corridor of the Devil". The rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins may be seen in this scenic area. At end of the cruise we drive south to visit Khone Phapheng Waterfall which boast the largest one in Southeast Asia. The rest of day will be free for your own exploration of the town or simply relaxation. O/N in Khong Island.( B)

Day 10: Khong Island - Paksong - Tatlo - Pakse
The fertile volcanic plateau of Boloven is our following destination. We travel by roads across Paksong past many charming villages and rolling hills. The deep contrast of lush vegetation and red surface of basaltic soil is incredible all along the way. A part of our pleasure of travelling in this region is to observe the beautiful countryside and meet local people. We visit en route the biggest growing coffee area before we arrive at Tatlo Waterfall. This mountainous area is home of the many triple groups including the Alack , Katang and Nge people. They still retain their age old cultural traditions and are recognisably distinct from each other by their dress. By mid afternoon we leave Tadlo for Pakse, stopping en route at the scenic Phasoume Waterfall and a nearby Katu village. O/N in Pakse. (B)

Day 11: Pakse - Departure
The bustling town of Pakse is ideally located at the confluence of the Mekong and Xedone Rivers therefore it is a gateway to southern region and nearby plateau. Today we have time for our own exploration of the town and strolling around the shopping area. The trip ends after your transfer to Pakse Airport for departure. (B)

INCLUSIONS: +Transportation in private air-conditioning vehicle with driver + Accommodation : twin sharing room at mentioned hotels or similar one + Domestic flights Vientiane – Pakse +English or French speaking guide +Entrance fee to indicated sights + Meals as indicated: B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner + Boat trip in Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Khong Island

EXCLUSIONS: Other meals, tip, drinks, airport tax, single room supplement, personal expenses, travel insurance, visa, flight in / out of Laos, any optional additional tours or activities during free time, surcharge for peak season, local holiday days and gala dinner

TRIP NOTES

-LAOS IS A DEVELOPPING COUNTRY WHOSE INFRASTRUCTURE MAY DIFFER FROM WHAT YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR HOME LAND. THE ROAD CONDITIONS ARE POOR AND THE ACCOMOODATION IS SIMPLE IN REMOTE AREAS.

-THE ITINERARY IS CORRECTED AT THE TIME OF VIEWING. OCCASIONALLY, THE PROGRAMME CHANGES AS WE MAKE IMPROVEMENT STEMING FROM OUR PAST TRAVELLERS' COMMENTS AND OUR OWN RESEARCH OR DUE TO LOCAL CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL. THIS INCLUDES FESTIVAL, PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, WEATHER AND FLIGHT DELAY,.. THAT MAY EFFECT THE ITINERARY.

-THE TRIP INCLUDES SOME MEALS AS MENTIONED AT THE ITINERARY HOWEVER OUR GUIDE WILL BE ON HAND TO ADVISE YOU AS FAR THE AVAILABLE RESTAURANTS WHERE YOU CAN ENJOY LOCAL FOOD AT YOUR OWN BUDGET. THE MEAL COST IS ALL DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICE OF EATING PLACE. THE PACKAGE TOUR WITH FULL BOARD MEAL IS ARRANGED UPON REQUEST .

-THE DRESS STANDARDS ARE CONSERVATIVE THROUGHOUT ASIA. LOOSE ,LIGHTWEIGHT, LONG CLOTHING ARE ALL RESPECTFUL COOL IN ASIAN HOT CLIMATE. IN ADDITION TO YOUR ITEMS OF PERSONAL CLOTHING, WE SUGGEST YOU TO BRING TRAINER OR SNEAKER SHOES, TORCH/FLASH LIGHT, HAT, RAIN COAT FOR WET SEASON, SUN CREAM, SUNGLASSES, DAYPACK, TOILETRIES AND SMALL TOWER, INSECT REPELLENT.

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