Laos 11 Days Tour - Private tour - 25% off

Laos 11 Days Tour - Private tour - 25% off

Note: This tour can be customized to meet your own needs.

Day 1 Luang Prabang Arrival

Day 2  Luang Prabang City Tour

Day 3  Luang Prabang - Shangri Lao Elephant Adventure

Day 4  Luang Prabang - Kuang Si - Vang Vieng

Day 5  Vang Vieng Discovery

Day 6  Vang Vieng - Vientiane

Day 7  Vientiane City & Buddha Park

Day 8  Vientiane - Ban Kong Lor

Day 9  Exploring Kong Lor Caves

Day 10  Ban Kong Lor - Vientiane

Day 11  Vientiane - Departure

Day 1 Luang Prabang Arrival

Arrive in Luang Prabang. Welcome to the spiritual capital of Laos.

A private car and guide from Cyclo Travel & Leisure will meet you and transfer  you to the hotel for check-in and a chance to freshen up.

This afternoon, the guide will lead guests through the town for a brief orientation tour, allowing them to get a taste of the unique atmosphere of this UNESCO-listed town. Wedged between the mighty Mekong River and its tributary, the Nam Khan, Luang Prabang is a beautiful blend of French colonial buildings and Lao architecture. Stop to join in a game of petanque with the friendly locals. This is the perfect way to interact with Lao people, gaining an insight in to their lifestyle, which mixes ancient traditions with colonial influences. It is also a good opportunity to try sample Beerlao (for the adults!) and local snacks.

Finish the half-day tour by climbing the 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi to enjoy a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding countryside. Stop at the evening hill tribe market.

Enjoy welcome dinner at Coconut Garden. This is a great introduction to Lao food which also caters for western tastes and children.  Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2  Luang Prabang City Tour

Today, take a half-day guided tour of Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The guide will pick you up from your  hotel after breakfast.

Start the city tour at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum, where guests will be able to discover the history of Laos. Continue on foot to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief, and Wat Sensoukarahm, which features a beautiful dazzling golden façade. Finish the tour at Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. Located at the end of the peninsula, close to the Mekong, this temple was built in 1560 by King Setthathirat and is decorated with ornate carvings and mosaics.

Lunch at Tamarind restaurant. Enjoy a fresh menu of Lao dishes in a family run restaurant dedicated to promoting a greater understanding of the local cuisine. As guests order, the friendly staff will explain the ingredients and customs of the cuisine. (Note: closed on Sundays)

This afternoon is free at leisure.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Day 3  Luang Prabang - Shangri Laos Elephant Adventure

Today, follow the footsteps of Dr. P Neis who on October 14th 1883 explored the Nam Khan River.

Our guide from Cyclo Travel & Leisure  will meet you at your  hotel in Luang Prabang and transfer  you to the Explorer Camp located 15km outside the city.

The guide and a local veterinarian will provide information about the elephants, before you  have a chance to feed the elephants or simply relax by the riverside.

Then it’s time to start an elephant ride through forests and over hills to the protected Huay Sae hidden valley. Here, you leave their elephant to spend the night.

Enjoy a luxury lunch of traditional Lao food by a secluded waterfall. Swimming in the natural pools may be possible, depending on the water level.

After lunch, continue trekking for 1.5 hours on foot. The adventurous trail crosses bamboo bridges and passes waterfalls with blue pools in dense jungle. As guests reach the end of the valley, traditional horses from the hill tribes will be waiting for you to carry their bags. They will accompany you for another 30 minutes’ trekking along fields and forest to the Nam Khan River.

Board a luxury bamboo raft and slowly float downstream, which is a relaxing 1.5-hour journey with an optional 30-minute stop at the Tad Sae Waterfall.

At 16:30 PM the guide will meet  and transfer you back to Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 4  Luang Prabang - Kuang Si - Vang Vieng

After breakfast, take a short transfer through the Luang Prabang countryside to the Kuang Si Waterfalls. Along the way, the drive will pass through beautiful landscapes of rice fields, hills and small villages. There are also viewpoints overlooking the Mekong River.

Stop en route to visit a small village which is home to one of the area’s many ethnic minorities. Guests will have an opportunity to learn about their traditions and culture, much of which has remained unchanged for centuries.

Upon reaching Kuang Si Waterfall, relax and enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. The water tumbles down a large drop and cascades gently in to several cool, clear pools, where guests can enjoy a refreshing swim (please dress modestly).

Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch next to the falls.

For the adventurous, it is possible to walk to the top of the falls via a steep track where stunning views await at the top.

You might also like to visit the bear sanctuary which is next to the falls, run by Free The Bears Fund Inc. There are currently 23 Asiatic black bears living in the sanctuary, which has saved them from poaching. The main threat to these bears is poaching due to the use of their bile in Chinese medicine. You can read about the bears’ habits and observe their playful nature, whilst learning about the difficulties they face.

On the way back to Luang Prabang, you will stop at the Kuang Si Butterfly Park to visit the beautiful garden filled of hundreds of Laos’ butterflies! (Note: closed on Tuesday)

Then, depart for a drive down the spectacular Route 13 towards Vang Vieng (05 hours drive) . Stop in Kasi, a fruit-growing area along the way. This journey passes through spectacular scenery and guests might want to stop regularly for photos. Please be aware that there are numerous sharp bends, steep climbs and descents along these mountain roads.

Arrive in Vang Vieng, a small town on the banks of the Nam Song River surrounded by spectacular limestone karst scenery.

The rest of the afternoon is free at leisure with the driver and guide at guests’ disposal. Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Day 5  Vang Vieng Discovery

This morning, the tour begins by crossing the Nam Song River for a short drive to Tham Pou Kham (Golden Crab Cave) and the Blue Lagoon. You might like to go for a cold swim in the Ka River's waterhole. The water is clean, deep, and safe if guests feel brave enough to jump in. There is also a slide for kids and life jackets are available.

Transfer back to the center of Vang Vieng, with an optional  stop at a local village where women still weave on traditional looms.

Take a local long-tail boat (two people per boat) to cruise for approximately one hour upstream on the Nam Song River, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way.

Arrive at the extensive Organic Farm, which specializes in refreshing mulberry tea as well as having a range of livestock and organic crops. Take a short tour of the Organic Farm and enjoy a delicious lunch there.

In the early afternoon you will be driven back to your hotel.

The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Day 6  Vang Vieng - Vientiane

Enjoy a leisurely morning before starting the drive to Vientiane. Roughly 1.5 hours from Vang Vieng guests will reach Nam Ngum Lake, the largest in Laos and a very beautiful spot.

This artificial lake was built to produce electricity and was the first hydroelectric dam ever built in Laos. The dam generates 160 mega watts of electric power (electricity being one of the most significant sources of income in Laos).

From here the drive to Vientiane takes around 2.5 hours and the rest of the day is free at leisure.

Enjoy dinner at Xang Khoo restaurant which offers a tempting selection of Laos dishes and Western meals, including French crepes. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 7  Vientiane City & Buddha Park

This morning, drive out to Buddha Park. The drive takes around 45 minutes along a road which serves as an important link between the Lao capital and Thailand. On the way, stop and take photos of the Friendship Bridge which was built by the Australian government in 1994 and links Laos and Thailand.

Arrive at Buddha Park and enjoy a stroll around the park. Also known as Xieng Khuang, this unusual park is filled with more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues. The quiet and tranquil setting along the Mekong River is a contrast to the slightly eccentric sculptures which were built in 1958 by a Lao shaman. The concrete sculptures are bizarre but intriguing, sitting majestically in the peaceful park.

After visiting Buddha Park, start the drive back to Vientiane.

Next, you will stop at the serene Wat Sisaket - the only temple left intact after the Siamese (Thai) invasion in 1828. It is one of the most beautiful temples in the capital and its breezy teak covered hallways are filled with thousands of miniature Buddha statues.

Continue on to the nearby Wat Phra Keo. Used as a religious museum, Wat Phra Keo displays a collection of both Lao and Khmer works of art. Also nearby is the Presidential Palace. Although guests are not allowed inside, it provides a good glimpse of the town’s colonial past as this building formerly served as the French governor’s palace.

Enjoy a delicious Lao-style lunch at Makphet Restaurant. Established by Friends International (www.friends-international.org), Makphet is a charity-run restaurant which aims to train the area’s street children in the hospitality industry. Professional chefs from around the world have volunteered their time in developing the menus and training the staff. The food is excellent and the staff excel in bringing true Lao hospitality into their service.

After lunch, the rest of the day is free at leisure.

Tonight, you might like to walk along the banks of the Mekong River as the sun begins to set. Stroll along the river, stop to enjoy a cold drink, or sample a snack from one of the many local food stalls. This area is very popular with locals who go to exercise in the park in the evenings and guests can also browse the evening market for souvenirs. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 8  Vientiane - Ban Kong Lor

This morning you will be met by your driver and guide in Vientiane, to begin the journey south along Route 13. This first leg of the journey takes around three hours and it is interesting to have a quick stop at Wat Prabath Phonsane (‘Temple of the Footprint of Buddha’).

Lunch will be included at a local restaurant (guests can discuss with their guide where they would like to stop).

The drive then leaves Route 13 and enters the Phou Hin Poun NPA (National Protected Area). The scenery will become much more spectacular, featuring limestone karsts, forests and rice paddies. From leaving the main road to reaching the destination will take approximately two hours.

Upon arrival in the small town of Ban Kong Lor the rest of the day is at leisure for you to admire the views. Overnight in Ban Kong Lor.

Day 9  Exploring Kong Lor Caves

This morning you will get  a short drive (5-10 minutes) towards the Kong Lor Caves. Life jackets and head torches will be provided before a short walk to the main entrance of the cave. Upon entering the cave, you will board a long-tail boat for a journey through the length of this spectacular cave, along an underground section of the Hin Boun River. It will be 7.5km before you see daylight again!

The river flows all-year-round and reveals vast formations of stalactites and stalagmites, which can be explored partly on foot whilst inside the cave. In places the cave is up to 90 meters wide and 100 meters high. The cave is still used by local villagers as an access route to the region beyond (it is far quicker than climbing over the mountains through which this cave cuts!).

Once out on the other side, guests can stop for refreshments and walk to local villages, enjoying the scenery and observing a simple way of life (guests can discuss with the guide how far they would like to walk).

Return by boat, travelling ‘downstream’ through the cave to Ban Kong Lor. Enjoy lunch (on your  own account) and take some time to relax.

Later this afternoon the guide will accompany you on an optional walk through the villages surrounding Ban Kong Lor. The soft light of the late afternoon is arguably the most photogenic and you should meet lots of villagers as they walk home from the fields, markets and schools.  Overnight in Ban Kong Lor.

Day 10  Ban Kong Lor - Vientiane

After breakfast you will be driven back to Vientiane, a journey of approximately five hours.

Arrive in Vientiane and check-in at the hotel.

This afternoon is free at leisure.

This evening, you will have a chance to participate in a unique, traditional Lao ceremony. The Baci is performed in celebration of important events such as weddings, births, or for welcoming guests, and is a means of expressing good will and good luck to others.  During the Baci, special flower trays and food treats are prepared which are then touch by the participants while a Buddhist mantra is chanted.  After the chanting is completed, cotton threads are tied around the participants’ wrist whilst they receive an individual blessing. Overnight in Vientiane.

Day 11  Vientiane - Departure

After breakfast, you are free at leisure until the guide and private car pick you up from the hotel for the transfer to the airport for the departure flight. End of our services !

Accommodation based on 2 adults in a shared twin or double room.

Meals as mentioned in the itinerary .

Tours and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicles.

English speaking  guide.

 All entrance fees as indicated in itinerary.

International flights (quoted separately).

Meals other than mentioned above.

Camera/video entrance fees.

Personal expenses.

Travel insurance, tips, visa.

Other services not clearly indicated in the package inclusions above.