Day 1: Luang Prabang arrival Day 2: Luang Prabang’s treasures Day 3: Cooking class at Bamboo Tree and cruise on the Mekong Day 4: Luang Prabang – Kuang Si water fall Day 5: Luang Prabang – Elephant ride Day 6: Luang Prabang - Vientiane Day 7: Vientiane city tour Day 8: Vientiane - Pakse – Tadlo Day 9: Tad Lo – Khong Island Day 10: Siphandone Day 11: Siphadone – Pakse Day 12: Pakse departure
Highlight
The villages along the Mekong in the vicinity of Luang Prabang
The region of 4000 islands in the south of the country
The waterfalls on the Bolovens plateau
The local markets of Luang Prabang
Elephant ride and cooking class
The ancient temples and colonial houses of Luang Prabang
Vientiane pagodas
The temples of Vat Phou in Pakse
Full itinerary
B (Breakfast), L (Lunch), D (Dinner)
Open and close
Arrival at Luang Prabang Airport, welcome by the iLOTUS TOURS guide and transfer to your hotel. This peaceful city, world heritage, is located in the heart of a mountainous region in the north of the country.
Car: 10km Night: hotel
This day is dedicated to the most important sites of Luang Prabang: venture into Wat Visoun, a temple from the 16th century rehabilitated into a small religious museum, then into Wat Aham, a temple from the early 19th century. Two guardians, laid at the foot of the staircase, represent two characters from the Ramayana (Hanuman, the monkey god and the ferocious Yaksa). Next, Wat Xiengthong, the most important temple of the city dating from the 16th century and embodying the elegance and grace of Luang Prabang architecture. Climb up the 328 steps of Mount Phousi leading to the top of the sacred hill. This shady Mount dominates the sky of Luang Prabang and offers a splendid 360° panorama of the surrounding villages and the Mekong. At the end of the day, enjoy some free time to wander through the wide night market, where you can find a collection of beautiful textiles handmade by local tribes. Overnight at the hotel.
Hiking: 3h Night: hotel
8:45 am - Meet at our restaurant the Bamboo Tree (opposite the Vatsene temple or the Namkhan river). Welcome tea or coffee, choice of recipes and payment. 9:00 am - Visit to the Pho see market 10:00 am - Welcome to our "Bamboo Tree" organic garden. Visit the vegetable garden and its organic vegetables. 10.50 am - Demonstration of bamboo braiding with a craftsman from the neighboring village. 11:30 am - Learning how to prepare vegetables (peel, cut, ...), spices and different ingredients. And technique for stuffing lemongrass. 12h05 - Cooking of the different preparations according to the local Laotian techniques under the benevolent eye of the Chef. 1:00 p.m. - When the cooking is finished, it's tasting time. Enjoy your meal ! (cold drinks will be served). Around 2 p.m, embark on a narrow, fast local boat, for an excursion on the Mekong River to Pak Ou. Many wonders await you on this journey: lush landscapes, typical villages and authentic local life. Pak Ou sanctuaries consist of two large caves and thousands of Buddha representations ranging from a few centimeters to two meters in height. Typical Laotian villages in the area are barely visible behind this thick screen of foliage. You will pass by slender canoes sailing near the shore, floats and bamboo poles marking the location of nets and fish traps, before returning to Luang Prabang by late afternoon. Night at the hotel.
Walking: 1h Night: hotel
After breakfast, drive south for about 30 km to a protected national park where are the Kuang Si Waterfalls. These famous low waterfalls offer a spectacular and beautiful sight in their green setting. Stop along the way and explore Talad Phosy Market, famous for its fresh fruits from all over the region. Discover the village of Ban Na Oune, populated by Hmong, probably the most famous minority group in Laos. Continue your journey and just before getting there, explore the village of Ban Tha Pane, inhabited by the Khmu ethnic minority. Take a short walk to Kuang Si waterfalls. Have a picnic lunch in nature or at a local restaurant before returning to Luang Prabang. Enjoy some free time to wander through the old town and its local market.
Car: 60km/2h Night: hotel
After breakfast, transfer to the elephant village, where you will enjoy a pleasant elephant trek experience. Then a boat trip will take you to Tad Se waterfall before returning to the village. This waterfall is particularly spectacular in the rainy season, feel free to go for a swim. Take a break for lunch at a local restaurant, before getting back to Luang Prabang in the afternoon and enjoy some free time. Night at the hotel.
Car: 30km Night: hotel
Free time to explore the city of Luang Prabang: local market, old quarter. Afternoon, transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Vientiane. Upon arrival, meet with your guide and driver to transfer to your hotel.
Car: 30km Night: hotel
After breakfast, explore the most important historical and religious sites of the capital: Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple to survive the Siamese war in 1828, and its cloister with more than 8000 Buddha statues; Wat Phra Keo, the former royal temple turned into a museum of religious art, originally erected to house the famous emerald Buddha that the king brought back from northern Siam. Today, it displays a collection of Buddha statues, antiques and artifacts found around Vientiane. On the way to the famous stupa That Luang, stop to take pictures of the imposing Patuxay monument, which recalls the Parisian Arc de Triomphe. The rest of the day is free for you to shop at Vientiane Market. Do not miss out on Laotian textiles, hill tribe artworks, crafts and ancient items in general. Overnight at the hotel.
Night: hotel
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your domestic flight to Pakse. Upon arrival, meet with your guide, and drive (on a road known as the old coffee route) to Tadlo on the Bolovens Plateau. Stop after about 35 km to visit the famous Tad Fan Waterfall and the ethnic villages in the surrounding countryside. Overnight in Tadlo.
Car: 90km/2h Night: hotel
After breakfast, your guide and your driver will pick you up at the hotel for a full day of exploring the Pak Se province. First, a small detour will allow you to discover ethnic minorities in authentic villages. Continue your journey to Wat Phu in the vicinity of Pakse. Wat Phu is a unique site in Laos where there are Khmer remains dating from the 9th to the 12th century. A 2-hour tour will take you to explore these Khmer ruins on top of a green hill, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO in 2001. Get back on the road towards the region of 4000 islands. Hop on a motor boat for a short ride to reach Don Khong, the most important island of this unspoiled site. Overnight at Don Khong.
Car: 300km/7h Night: hotel
After breakfast, cruise in a huge area named "the four thousand islands", famous for its biodiversity and its picturesque karst peaks. Discover the falls of Lippi, whose name, "spirit trapper" in Lao, refers to the local beliefs that currents act as a trap for evil spirits. Stop to explore an old railway, built in 1897 by the French to bypass the powerful rapids preventing navigation. Return to Ban Nakasang and head south to visit Khone Phapheng, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. Overnight at Khone Island.
Walking: 1h Night: hotel
Free time to discover the daily life of the inhabitants on the islands. In the early afternoon, board a boat at Ban Nakasung to cross the Mekong. Road towards Pakse. Chek in hotel.
Car: 130km/4h Night: hotel
Transfer to Pakse airport for the return flight. End of our services.
Car: 10km
€ 1,020euro/personneUSD
The price includes
þ Accommodation and breakfasts in hotels on the accommodation list
þ Meals clearly mentioned in the program: B = breakfast; L = lunch; D = dinner
þ The entrance fee to the sites
þ Competent English–speaking guides throughout the trip except the free days when it is mentioned clearly: without a guide
þ Private air – conditioned car for all land transport except free days when it is mentioned clearly: without driver
þ One litre of drinking water per person per day
þ Domestic flight in economy class
þ All logistic services necessary for the program
The price does not include
ý International flights and airport taxes from/to your country
ý Visa fees
ý Means of transport not mentioned in the program
ý Meals not mentioned in the program
ý Tipping for services: local guides, crew members, drivers, porters…
ý Drink, telephone, linen or all personal expenses not mentioned in the "price includes" section
You need to know
Trip price
All prices mentioned in the quotes provided to clients are in US Dollars (USD). Euros are accepted, but the exchange rate will be determined by the international website https://www.xe.com/ on the date the payment is made. iLOTUS TOURS guarantees the rates mentioned in the quotes, invoices, or documents given to the client. Upon payment of the deposit or the full price, we guarantee the price of your trip (excluding changes made by you). However, certain force majeure situations may require us to adjust our prices to meet the travel conditions described in the quote. These force majeure situations may include: • An unpredictable and significant increase in the rate of our local providers (hotels, trains, planes, junks, boats, road vehicles...) • A significant currency fluctuation that has a considerable impact on the exchange rate • The introduction of a new tax imposed by the government Proof of these force majeure events will be provided to the client. In these cases of force majeure, even after the deposit has been paid, the client may refuse these increases and cancel their trip. We commit to refunding the deposit you have paid.
Reservation and Confirmation
All reservations must be sent to iLOTUS TOURS by email at: contact@ilotustours.com • Registration must be accompanied by a deposit of 25% of the total cost of the trip and 100% of the cost of international flights. • The deposit required for trips lasting less than one week is 50% of the total trip cost. • A larger deposit may be required in the case of last-minute bookings or depending on the specific requests of certain high-category hotels or airlines. • The balance must be paid upon your arrival, without any reminder from our side. • Upon confirmation of the booking, an invoice will be sent to the client by email.
Payment
The trip can be paid for in cash, by bank transfer, by credit card, or through an application (Wise, Revolut, One Pay...): • Cash payments must be made at the iLOTUS TOURS office located in Hanoi, and the client will not be charged any payment fees. • Credit cards: we accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and JCB. Any bank fees are the responsibility of the client. • Bank transfer in US dollars or euros.
Cancellation by the Client
In the event of trip cancellation, all cancellations must be confirmed by email. The client must pay cancellation fees corresponding to the following rates: • 25% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 30 days before the trip start date. • 50% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 10 days before the trip start date. • 75% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS less than 3 days before the trip start date. • 100% of the total trip price, if the cancellation reaches iLOTUS TOURS 2 days before the trip start date or in case of no-show. For trips to Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, your travel advisor will provide you with all the information regarding the deposit and cancellation fees.
Cancellation by iLOTUS TOURS
iLOTUS TOURS reserves the right to cancel trips agreed upon with clients for reasons related to a force majeure situation: war or the threat of war, riots, a natural or nuclear disaster, a port blockade, looting, fires, and any terrorist activity, adverse weather conditions, an epidemic, quarantine, or any similar event. In all these cases of cancellation, iLOTUS TOURS will deduct the amount of these penalties from the deposit paid by the client but will refund the remaining amount to the client by bank transfer, with the client covering all bank fees.
