IN THE CAPITAL OF MINORITIES IN LAOS 12 DAYS

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.

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.

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.

Hop on a local boat cruise up the Mekong River to reach the charming Kamu Lodge. Stop on the way to explore the sacred cave of Pak Ou where, over time, pilgrims have laid hundreds of Buddha statues of all sizes. Continue to Kamu Lodge, lost in the wilderness. After lunch, discover the village and its hospitable inhabitants, its rice paddies and virgin nature. Night at the lodge.

In the morning, embark the cruise and head to Pakbeng, a local trading city in the region where elephants can be seen in semi-freedom. The ethnic groups of the region trade in their traditional handicrafts. Free time to discover this small town at your leisure. Overnight at the hotel.

Explore the morning market where residents of nearby villages and hill tribes come together to buy and trade goods. Departure for Luang Nam Tha on the national road 13. Stop along the way for the meeting with many local ethnic groups: H’mong, Khamu, Lao… Arrival in Luang Nam Tha, capital of the steep mountains and impenetrable tropical forests. Check in hotel. Free time.

Luang Namtha is a valley where vast rice fields are planted surrounded by high green mountains. Discovery of these extraordinary landscapes as well as the villages of the Lanten, Kamu, Akha and Yao minorities. Stop at Had Yao village and its craft cooperative which makes baskets, jewelry, ethnic fabrics; then continue to Ban Nam Dee, to observe the manufacture of bamboo paper and in Ban Pa Sak village, specializing in silk weaving. At the end, visit the ethnographic museum of Luang Nam Tha which offers a first approach to the ethnic groups of the region, mostly from South China.

Departure towards Muang Khua, a Vietnamese border town via Muang La. Discover the typical landscapes and the local ethnic groups: Lanten, Kamu, Akha and Yao… In Muong Khua, the dominant population is Vietnamese, which makes it an important center of trade. The rest of the day free at your leisure.

Boarding of canoes of about ten meters, equipped with a powerful engine which allows them to cross the rapids on both the climb and the descent. Winding course full of pitfalls: rocks on the surface of the water, tree trunks and rapids. The boatmen show remarkable mastery, leaving you the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful sailing. Stop to visit fishing villages: Sop Chem and Hatsa. Arrival in Muang Ngoi in the afternoon. Check in hotel. Free time to explore the village at your leisure.

After breakfast, take the boat for a few minutes downstream. In the village of Sopkhan, hike in karst scenery to reach a H'mong village. Lunch break. Resume the hike to discover a Khmu ethnic village. Cross the Nam Ou River and return to Muang Ngoi.

After breakfast, continue your boat trip to Nong Khiew, a village on the Nam Ou River banks, then drive to Luang Prabang. Stop several times along the way to explore villages. Then head to the Pak Ou Caves, located along the Mekong River. Pak Ou sanctuaries consist of two large caves and thousands of Buddha representations ranging from a few centimeters to two meters in height. Stop at Ban Xang Hai village to learn about the local distillery of sticky rice alcohol. Arrival in Luang Prabang, transfer and overnight at the hotel.

Depending on your departure flight, free time to discover the city at your leisure. Transfer to the airport, departure flight. End of our services.