13 Days Through Laos: A Journey Full of Surprises

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Prepare for an immersive adventure through the heart of Laos with our "Surprising Laos" 13-day tour! This meticulously designed itinerary is perfect for those seeking an in-depth excursion into Laotian culture and local life, covering some of the country's best destinations, including the spiritual Luang Prabang, the adventurous Vang Vieng, the historical Vientiane, and the wild south of Pakse. The most thrilling highlights of this journey include a 3-day, 2-night expedition exploring breathtaking ziplines and an incredible treehouse overnight stay in Pakse, alongside a tranquil escape to Si Phan Don, the "4000 Islands" area, to witness mighty waterfalls. If you are an adventure seeker or a nature lover, do not miss this chance to see an authentic Laos through the locals’ eyes.

OVERVIEW ITINERARY

Here is overview itinerary. Please contact for more details and better offers. 

Day 1: Luang Prabang: Arrival & Leisure

Day 2: Luang Prabang: Ethnic Villages & Kuang Si Waterfall Immersion

Day 3: Luang Prabang: Elephant Village & Tad Sae Waterfall Excursion

Day 4: Luang Prabang → Vang Vieng: Morning Rituals & Scenic Drive

Day 5: Vang Vieng: Cycling, Caves & Kayaking

Day 6: Vang Vieng → Vientiane: Nam Ngum Lake & Capital Wonders

Day 7: Vientiane → Pakse: Flight South & Bolaven Plateau Introduction

Day 8: Pakse: Treehouse & Zipline Jungle Adventure (Overnight Treehouse)

Day 9: Pakse: Ziplining & Trekking Continues (Overnight Treehouse)

Day 10: Pakse: Via Ferrata Challenge & Return to Town

Day 11: Pakse → 4000 Islands: Ancient Ruins & Island Bliss

Day 12: 4000 Islands → Pakse: Mighty Waterfalls & City Return

Day 13: Pakse: Departure

DETAIL PROGRAM:

Day 1: Luang Prabang: Arrival & Leisure

• Meals: None

• Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

• Activities:

  • Upon your arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport (LPQ), you will be warmly welcomed by your local guide and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

  • The rest of the day is at your leisure. Take time to rest and refresh, or venture out for some initial independent sightseeing to begin soaking in the tranquil atmosphere of this charming town.

  • Meals are on your own, offering flexibility to explore local dining options.

Day 2: Luang Prabang: Ethnic Villages & Kuang Si Waterfall Immersion

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

• Activities:

  • After breakfast, your second day in Laos begins with a journey to the ethnic Khmu village of Ban Long Lao. Here, you'll observe the lifestyles of culturally distinct minority groups and witness how they harmoniously coexist, even sharing the same school.

  • Continue your journey along a scenic trail that leads through tropical and mountainous forest before reaching the breathtaking Kuang Si Waterfalls.

  • Upon arrival at Kuang Si, enjoy a short walk on the trails, visiting the bear rescue center before reaching the main waterfalls. Marvel at the spectacular views and the surrounding orchids within the park. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers, plunging hundreds of feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools – perfect for a refreshing dip.

  • Transfer back to Luang Prabang by van. On the way, stop to visit a few villages inhabited by H'mong and Lao Loum people. Your guide will introduce you to local residents, offering a wonderful opportunity to engage with their daily activities such as wooden cotton spinning, weaving, rice harvesting, and tending to green vegetable farms, providing an authentic glimpse into rural life.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 3: Luang Prabang: Elephant Village & Tad Sae Waterfall Excursion

• Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Luang Prabang

• Activities:

  • Your third day tour in Laos begins with an exciting experience: driving a scooter to the Elephant Village, a dedicated center focused on the protection and rehabilitation of elephants in Laos.

  • Upon arrival, meet the camp manager and learn about the vital work carried out by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers in caring for these majestic animals.

  • Receive basic mahout training, learning how to control an elephant just like a professional mahout!

  • After lunch at the village, take your own elephant down to the Nam Khan River for an exhilarating and once-in-a-lifetime bathing experience, connecting with these gentle giants.

  • Enjoy a relaxing time at Tad Sae Waterfall (note: this is a different waterfall from Kuang Si, typically accessed by boat, and is seasonal).

  • Return to town by scooter.

  • Dinner is on your own.

Day 4: Luang Prabang → Vang Vieng: Morning Rituals & Scenic Drive

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Vang Vieng

• Activities:

  • Optional Early Morning: Wake up early to participate in the serene daily morning alms giving ritual to saffron-clad monks on the street. Laos is unique in being the only Buddhist nation still preserving this ancient tradition. After the ceremony, return to your hotel for breakfast.

  • Morning: Transfer to visit Phousi Market, an enormous local market on the outskirts of town that caters to the daily needs of local people rather than tourists. Explore its bustling alleys and observe authentic commerce.

  • Then, embark on a scenic drive to Vang Vieng. Along the way, stop at some local villages to observe daily life and enjoy splendid landscapes from high viewpoints, capturing the beauty of the Lao countryside.

  • Upon arrival, check into your hotel in Vang Vieng.

  • Enjoy free time to walk around Vang Vieng town, soaking in its unique backpacker-friendly atmosphere and stunning karst mountain scenery.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 5: Vang Vieng: Cycling, Caves & Kayaking

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Vang Vieng

• Activities:

  • This day tour in Laos takes you to several exciting sites around Vang Vieng, introducing you to the thrill of cave explorations and offering insights into local life, before concluding with kayaking on the Nam Song River.

  • Grab your mountain bike and cross the Nam Song River via a picturesque bamboo bridge.

  • Start your day exploring one of the most unusual caves in the area, 'Tham Poukham' (Blue Lagoon), also known as the amazing "Cave of the Golden Crab."

  • Your guide will then escort you to Tham Jang Cave, accessible by 172 steps, where you can discover its historical significance and enjoy spectacular views of the city and the surrounding landscape.

  • Transfer to the ethnic Khmu village of Viengsamay, where, after an introduction to the basics of kayaking, you will set off down the beautiful Nam Song River, enjoying the serene flow and stunning limestone karsts.

  • End of your fifth day tour in Laos, transfer back to your hotel for resting.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 6: Vang Vieng → Vientiane: Nam Ngum Lake & Capital Wonders

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Vientiane

• Activities:

  • After breakfast, depart from Vang Vieng for your journey to Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

  • On the way, make a stop for a relaxing boat cruise (1 hour) on the Nam Ngum Lake, enjoying the beautiful scenery over this vast artificial lake.

  • Upon arrival in Vientiane, check into your hotel.

  • Afternoon: Your guide will take you to Buddha Park (also called Wat Xieng Khouane), located about 25 km south of Vientiane. Along the way, you can observe the Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge, built by the Australian government, which connects Vientiane with Nong Khai in Thailand.

  • Upon arrival at the park, take your time to walk around. It's filled with more than 200 artistic statues linked to Buddhism and Hinduism, mostly made of concrete or bricks coated with cement, including an enormous 40-meter-high Buddha statue. Near the entrance is a 6-meter-high building, called the Pumpkin Tower, which is divided into 3 floors: Hell, Earth, and Paradise. At the top of this tower, you will have an amazing panoramic view of the entire Buddha Park.

  • At the end of your visit, transfer back to town.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 7: Vientiane → Pakse: Flight South & Bolaven Plateau Introduction

• Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse

• Activities:

  • Start your seventh day tour in Laos with an early transfer to Wattay Airport (VTE) for your domestic flight to Pakse (PKZ) in southern Laos.

  • Upon your arrival at Pakse airport, you will be warmly welcomed by your local driver and Lao guide who will take you to the Bolaven Plateau, an ideal place to enjoy the freshness of the tropical mountains and famous for its coffee.

  • Visit the village of Katouat, which rarely sees tourists, where many families are coffee farmers. You'll join local farmers in their work on the plantations, learning how to pick coffee cherries by hand, ensuring only the ripe ones are selected.

  • With a full basket of cherries, you'll return to the village’s coffee factory where the coffee is pulped, fermented, and washed.

  • Enjoy lunch with the villagers, a truly local experience.

  • Afterward, you'll see how the beans are dried by the sun (a process that can take up to 25 days depending on the weather) and how the dried beans are hulled to become the green beans, which are then sold to countries like France, Germany, and Japan. As the last step, you'll witness the roasting and grinding of the green beans, culminating in the enjoyment of one of the best coffees in the world.

  • Afternoon: Immerse yourself in the paradise of magnificent waterfalls. Visit Tad Fane, the highest waterfall in the country, featuring two powerful cascades that plunge about 120 meters high.

  • Transfer back to Pakse town.

  • Dinner is on your own.

Day 8: Pakse: Treehouse & Zipline Jungle Adventure (Overnight Treehouse)

• Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

• Accommodation: Treehouse (located 10m above ground)

• Activities:

  • Your eighth day tour in Southern Laos promises to be an exciting day filled with fun in a simply stunning environment! All activities will be done by foot – no cars, no noise, no fumes! The main attraction is a system of ziplines traversing steep gorges in touching distance of waterfalls, with a 'via ferrata' challenging adventurous spirits.

  • You will arrive at Ban Nongluang after a 1-hour drive by sharing van from Pakse. Stroll for a while through the village and chat with the friendly locals. The village guides, who will accompany you for the next three days, will provide important first safety instructions.

  • Then, hike through coffee plantations and vegetable gardens until wild semi-evergreen forest gradually takes over. The trail winds down, sometimes quite steeply, passing ravines, beautiful waterfalls, and flower-studded plateaus. Along the way, the guides explain plants traditionally used in the village kitchen or as herbal medicine.

  • A breathtaking canopy walkway high in the trees, crossing a steep river valley, presents a first challenge.

  • You will pass the huge 'Tiger' waterfall and reach the giant 'Kamet' fall (named after a monkey), where the water plunges more than 100m down into a relatively narrow, densely forested valley basin with waterfalls appearing everywhere. This is where the ziplines start, and the real thrill takes its course! Brace yourself for an adventure of a lifetime!

  • Enjoy lunch in the wilderness, explore the forest secrets of the area, and take a cooling swim before mastering the unbelievable ziplines. The cables crisscross the valley in front of the majestic water wall, stunningly high, with you perfectly cooled by the spray of the water. Experience the sensation of being weightless and truly one with nature.

  • After a day of great activity, finally settle for the night in the wonderful camp with a restaurant nearby. For dinner, local food and absolutely delicious barbecues are on the menu.

  • Chatting and recollecting the gorgeous experiences of the day, or just relaxing and dreaming under the stars, you will finally retire into your own treehouse, almost 10m above ground. These houses, designed in traditional style and made of wood, bamboo, and grass, can only be reached by – a zipline! Bathrooms near the restaurant offer hot and cold water. An instant cozy sleep, shrouded by the fiddling sound of forest crickets, is guaranteed.

Day 9: Pakse: Ziplining & Trekking Continues (Overnight Treehouse)

• Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L), Dinner (D)

• Accommodation: Treehouse

• Activities:

  • Wake up amidst the enchanting warbling, piping, chirping, and twittering of the innumerable birds in the dense canopy around you.

  • A simple European-style breakfast prepares you for an easy 30-minute trek through the magnificent forest before reaching the first cable.

  • Be ready for extended flights through the jungle, with the longest zipline of 400m as a real highlight. Its speed, its felt infinity, and the proximity to the usually invisible upper stratum of the forest provide an amazing and unforgettable experience.

  • A picnic lunch is served in the best of nature.

  • Return to the camp in the later afternoon by passing the 'Red Rock' stream, where you will have time for some rest and swimming before falling asleep in your treehouse for another magical night.

  • Dinner will be served at the local restaurant within the camp.

Day 10: Pakse: Via Ferrata Challenge & Return to Town

• Meals: Breakfast (B), Lunch (L)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse

• Activities:

  • Your tenth day marks more challenges and also the day for saying 'goodbye' to the treehouses!

  • After breakfast, slowly trek uphill, passing a section of forest where gigantic trees dominate, untouched by illegal loggers.

  • Then, it gets a bit tough and jaw-dropping when the trail suddenly "ends" at a steep rock wall, only passable on a 'via ferrata', where iron U-bolts are securely fixed into the rock. There's no way of getting around but to overcome this thrilling obstacle! Don't worry, it's all safe, and you are secured by state-of-the-art safety gear. It's not truly long, just incredibly thrilling.

  • Upon reaching the top of the mountain, one of the highest peaks in the area, an open plateau rewards everyone for all the 'hardship' – and for a last time – with stunning views of three waterfalls and vistas over the Mekong, deep into neighboring Thailand.

  • Enjoy your lunch here before an easy 1 hour 30 minutes hike back to Ban Nongluang, where a van will be waiting to bring you back to Pakse town.

  • Dinner is on your own.

Day 11: Pakse → 4000 Islands: Ancient Ruins & Island Bliss

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Don Khone

• Activities:

  • After breakfast, depart for Champasak to explore the fascinating Pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phou, one of the oldest archaeological sites in Laos. This Khmer temple, nestled at the base of a curiously shaped 1,416-meter mountain, holds unique discoveries such as engraved cliffs, an elephant figure carved out of natural rock, and gatekeepers (Dvarapala). Enjoy a magnificent view over the Mekong River from the third platform of the ruins.

  • The driver will then take you to Nakasang village, where you will begin your scenic cruise on a traditional long-tail boat to Don Khone in the captivating 4000 Islands area (Si Phan Don).

  • Just 5 km long and 3 km wide, Don Khone is an ideal destination for a leisurely walk or bike ride. On this island, you'll discover an abandoned railway and charming Colonial French Buildings, remnants of its past.

  • Once you reach Don Khone, take the opportunity to explore the beautiful Li Phi Waterfall (also called Somphamit Waterfall), which lies between the islands of Don Xang and Don Khone, forming a natural border between Laos and Cambodia. The main road to reach it is well-preserved and decorated with bamboo groves.

  • Before ending your excursion, cross an old French bridge connecting Don Det, a neighboring island, for a pleasant stroll and to soak in the tranquil island life.

  • Then, check into your hotel in Don Khone for resting.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 12: 4000 Islands → Pakse: Mighty Waterfalls & City Return

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: Hotel in Pakse

• Activities:

  • After breakfast, embark on a boat to cruise back to Ban Nakasang.

  • Before returning to Pakse, discover the awe-inspiring Khone Phapheng Waterfalls, creating mighty rapids on the Mekong River. These are the largest waterfalls in Southeast Asia, often referred to as the 'Niagara of the East'. Near the falls' exit, you'll find a small market offering traditional Lao products at reasonable prices.

  • Upon your arrival in Pakse, check into your hotel.

  • Enjoy some free time to discover the hidden treasures of the city independently.

  • Lunch and dinner are on your own.

Day 13: Pakse: Departure

• Meals: Breakfast (B)

• Accommodation: None (Departure Day)

• Activities:

  • After breakfast at the hotel, depending on your flight schedule, you will be transferred to Pakse International Airport (PKZ) with your driver to take your departure flight.

  • Ends of services!