Prices below are per person, twin-sharing costs in US Dollars (USD). Pricing does not include airfare to/from the tour and any applicable taxes. For single supplement rates and taxes (if any), please refer to below Prices & Dates table. For general information on flights to/from the tour, click here.
Your Travel and Accommodation Arranged For You
Tips Included for Driver, Restaurant Staff, Local Guides
Authentic Local Experiences With Lots Of Inclusions.
Select a date below to reserve your spot:
The above prices are subject to an additional $53 for taxes/fees levied on flights that occur as part of the tour. The internal airfares ARE included (any exceptions are listed in red below), but we list the taxes separately on your invoice as they are beyond our control and can change at any time.
Optional Single Supplement: $550 USD (number of singles limited).
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Day 1 Arrival in Luang Prabang
Arrive in Luang Prabang - Welcome to Laos!
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Included Meal(s): Dinner
Day 2 Luang Prabang: Town Touring
In the 14th century, this city was established as the royal capital by Fa Ngoum, the first monarch of Lan Xang, the "Land of a Million Elephants" (a charming and evocative nickname from times gone by. Latest figures indicate that Loas's population of wild elephants is in the range of 800-1,200). By this time, the city had already been the seat of local kingdoms for 600 years. According to legend, the site of the town was chosen by two resident hermits and was originally known as Xieng Thong -- "Copper Tree City."
We have an orientation of this charming town, with its one main street lined with colonial era buildings housing shops and cafes. We have a chance to explore the town on foot and to climb to the top of Phu Si Hill. Looking directly downwards you can see that the former royal palace has a cruciform ground plan.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
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Day 3 Luang Prabang Area
An early departure today takes to the Mekong River for a boat journey to visit the Pak Ou Caves. The boat is long and quite large, covered, with comfortable seat cushions, life jackets and a WC.
The Pak Ou Caves are two clefts in the side of a mountain stuffed with thousands of old Buddha images. The site has long been sacred for the Lao, even prior to Buddhism, when they worshipped spirits. The lower cave has over 4,000 images, ranging from 3 inches to 9 feet tall, stuck into nooks and crannies. The upper cave's Buddha images are placed far back into the cliff, so it's handy to have a flashlight. A real highlight of a trip to the caves is the breathtaking view of the mountains, villages, and fishermen during the 2-hour boat ride.
We return to Luang Prabang and visit the Royal Palace, a museum containing a collection of 15th-17th century Buddha statues including the significant Golden Buddha. The last member of the Lao royalty to live here was Sisavang Vong's son, Crown Prince Sisavang Vatthana. The private chapel is one of the most interesting wings of the palace. Here you will see the priceless gold Phra Bang Buddha in Abhayamudra (dispelling fear). It is made from 90% pure gold and is said to weigh 50 kg (110 lb).
We finish with a tour of the 16th-century Wat Xieng Thong with its richly decorated wooden interior. Wat Mai is another old temple of classic Luang Prabang design with gracefully curved roofs. We see many 400 year old wooden Buddha statues at Wat Wisunalat.
Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4 Luang Prabang - Phonsavan & Xieng Khouang (the Plain of Jars)
Today we travel by road to Xieng Khouang and the Plain of Jars. Please note that this is likely a full day of travel with rest stops en route.
Overnight in Phonsavan.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 5 The Plain of Jars
In the 18th and at the beginning of the 19th century, Xieng Khouang was the center of a kingdom of the Hmong (Meo). In 1832, it was conquered by the Vietnamese, annexing the entire region. The town of Xieng Khouang was totally destroyed during the Vietnam War. Even though it has been rebuilt in 1975, the name Xieng Khouang is now primarily used in reference to the province of the same name.
The highlight of our visit here is the "Plain of Jars." Scattered over the plain are hundreds of enormous limestone jars, each about 1 to 2.5 metres high, with a diameter of about 1 meter. There is still no explanation as to how the clay jars found their way onto the plain, nor what purpose they served. Archaeologists have come up with the wildest theories, among them a claim declaring them brewery cauldrons. More likely, the jars are enormous urns. Many jars were destroyed or damaged during the Vietnam War, when American planes bombed positions of the communist Pathet Lao.
Overnight in Phonsavan.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6 Phonsavan - Vang Vieng
Today we travel by road to Vang Vieng, a small village nestled in a scenic bend in the Nam Song River and surrounded by breathtaking limestone scenery. This is rapidly becoming Laos's premier destination for eco-tourism. The outcrops have inspired many Lao legends and stories in Lao literature and are known as "Phou Suan Mon Nang Eua", meaning "Silk Tree Garden Mountains of the Princess". The area also contains an extensive network of caves some of which are outlets for underground streams.
The latter part of our drive is truly spectacular -- limestone cliffs and sheer drops. About 20 kms before Vang Vieng, we'll stop at a bridge with a lovely view of karsts. There's also an attractive wat immediately before the bridge.
Overnight in Vang Vieng.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 7 Vang Vieng - Viangchan
Today we travel by road to Viangchan (Vientiane), the capital of Laos. Time-permitting we may be able to see a bit of Viangchan today upon arrival.
Overnight in Viangchan.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8 Viangchan Touring
Today's sightseeing takes us to Pha That Luang, a gold-covered large Buddhist stupa in the centre of the city. Since its initial establishment, suggested to be in the 3rd century, the stupa has undergone several reconstructions as recently as the 1930s due to foreign invasions of the area. It is generally regarded as the most important national monument in Laos and a national symbol. The architecture of the building includes many references to Lao culture and identity, and so has become a symbol of Lao nationalism.
We also stop at Haw Pha Kaew, a temple now serving as a museum of religious artifacts. It was a royal family temple for worshiping the Jade Buddha and holding religious ceremonies. The magnificent temple is three storeys high with gorgeous palace hall and huge Buddha altar. However, in 1779 A.D, the King of Siam with his army invaded the city and looted the Jade Buddha as well. Many precious collections can be seen there, such as the gold throne, the wood carving of high quality and statues of Buddha of various sizes and shapes.
We also travel to Buddha Park (aka Xieng Khuan), a famous sculpture park with more than 200 religious statues including a huge 40-metre high reclining Buddha image. It was built in 1958 by Luang Pu Bunleua Sulilat, a monk who studied both Buddhism and Hinduism. This explains why his park is full not only of Buddha images but also of Hindu gods as well as demons and animals from both beliefs. The most outstanding ones include Indra, the king of Hindu gods riding the three-headed elephant (aka Erawan and Airavata), a four-armed deity sitting on a horse and an artistic deity with 12 faces and many hands, each holding interesting objects. They are all equally impressive not only because of their enormous size but because they are full of interesting details and interesting motifs.
This evening you may wish to take a stroll along the river front and take in the giant sprawling market, with its instantly recognizable red-roofed stalls and crowds of people who come to snap up a bargain or just soak up the laidback Mekong atmosphere.
PLEASE NOTE that some or all of today's sightseeing and your departure tomorrow may be managed and guided by one of our local associates. This is due to the fact that your Tour Leader may be leaving early in the day with travellers who have chosen to extend their tour to include Vietnam.
Overnight in Viangchan.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9 Departure
Departure from Viangchan.
BON VOYAGE!!
Included Meal(s): Breakfast
Inclusions
Full-time Tour Leader services
Breakfast and dinner daily (see detailed itinerary for daily meal plan).
All transport, accommodation, sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary.
Gratuities for drivers, restaurant staff, porters, local guides.
Airport transfers for land & air customers and for early arriving/late departing land & air customers who book their extra hotel nights through us.
Exclusions
International airfare to/from the tour.
Tour Leader gratuities, most lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), domestic and international (if applicable) air taxes, visa fees, and any excursions referenced as 'optional'.
Airport transfers for Land Only customers.
Optional trip cancellation insurance.
Seasonality and Weather
Our October departure is just outside of the coolest time of year and the end of rainy season in Laos; it still rains now and then, but not too much to seriously affect our trip. The scenery is green and lush, and the weather is generally pleasant at this time of year. We will likely still experience some heat, but our October visit avoids the possibility of being caught in cold weather outbreaks that tend to descend from the north Nov-Jan, which can uncomfortably chilly.
Our March date also skips the cool and cloudy winter period and the heat of summer, which begins in May. March may be somewhat less green overall as things begin to dry out; that said, it's an interesting time as it coincides with the harvest of various crops.
Overall you should prepare for warm-hot, sometimes sticky weather with the possibility of rain and some chilly nights/mornings in a few locales.
Transport and Travel Conditions
Land transport throughout will be by private air-conditioned bus. Most of the driving days are not long, but progress can be slow due to the nature of the roads and traffic. Internal flights via scheduled regional carriers.
The tour is not strenuous though it is busy; you must be steady on your feet and be able to endure some heat and some long days. We have numerous walking tours and visit several sites that are LARGE with steps and uneven surfaces. Our level "2" rating for this tour refers to the ambitious itinerary, full travel days, early starts, walking tours, uneven surfaces, and the possibility of heat in some locales.
Porters are available at hotels but you must be able to manage with your baggage at airports. age with your baggage at airports.
Am I suitable for this tour? Please refer to our self-assessment form.
Activity Level: 2
These are particularly busy tours that feature a lot of moving around, sometimes by train and short journeys on local transport. Walking tours of towns and cities are leisurely but you should be prepared to be on your feet for several hours. Some of our cultural trips that occur at high altitude and/or require greater independence with baggage handling (at hotels, airports, train stations) also fall into this category.
To learn more about the Activity levels, please visit our tour styles page.
Accommodation
Hotels used on tour are modern, comfortable, well-located, air-conditioned, 3-4 star properties with en suite bath/toilet. Some are resort-style boutique properties with plenty of charm and atmosphere. Single rooms are limited and possibly smaller than twins. Laundry facilities are available at most hotels for a reasonable price.
Click on "Map & Hotels" tab elsewhere on this page for more info.
Staff and Support
Tour Leader, driver, local step-on guides in various locales.
Group Size
Maximum 18 plus Tour Leader
Tour Extensions
This tour is part of a series that can be upgraded to make for a longer trip. For more options, please refer to tour code/s:
Tour Overview Countries Visited: 2 Acivity Level: 2 Tour Style: Cultural
This 22-day Laos & Vietnam tour will give you the chance to discover the relentless beauty of Laos and Vietnam.
Laos' rich history, matched with its splendid natural environment, will wow anyone with the slightest sense of adventure.
Both Laos and Vietnam hold opportunities for boat trips to view ancient structures along the shores; the tours along Vietnam's Perfume River and Laos's Mekong River have unimaginable surprises in store.
The capital cities have bustling markets for any visitor to become enveloped in and the most stressful thing will be trying to choose the perfect gift for loved ones back home.
Tour Overview Countries Visited: 3 Acivity Level: 2 Tour Style: Cultural
Our Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia tour starts at Luang Prabang, Laos, which has a vast array of colonial era buildings that are interspersed with many interesting shops and cafes.
Stand face-to-face with the famous Golden Buddha while visiting the Royal Palace.
A trip down the Mekong River will give you a chance to discover the 4,000 images along the Pak Ou Cave walls.
Empathize with baffled archeologists as we see hundreds of large jars strewn across Xieng Khouang's Plain of Jars.
Then it's off to Vietnam where all the sights will surely overwhelm the senses; from Hanoi's breathtaking architecture to the historical richness of Ho Chi Minh City.
An excursion to Cambodia's Angkor Wat is an opportunity that will not be passed-up.
Regions visited: Southeast Asia
Countries visited: Laos
*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.
The following is a list of sample hotels at some locations included on this tour. The hotels shown here are meant to provide a general sense of the standard of hotel we usually aim for; they are not necessarily confirmed for your chosen departure.
