Day 1: Thailand - Houeixay - Muang Sing
On arrival at Houeixay in Laos from Chiang Khong (Thailand), you are
met by our guide and driven to Houeixay Town. This outpost is an
important trading center between China and Thailand who have left
their influence in local architecture and culture. The exciting
exploration of northern Laos begins as we embark on a private car
for a long day traveling through the most mountainous region of Laos
to Muang Sing. Along the way we can make stop as you please, to
stretch your legs and take some wonderful pictures. We arrive in
Muang Sing by mid or late afternoon depending on road and traffic
conditions. O/N in Muang Sing.
Day 2 : Muang Sing - Huaylong Kao - Muang Sing (
Trekking)
Today we make our way north
towards Huaylong Kao before we embark on an exiting
walk, following the footpath used by local people. We
pass through the breathtaking mountain landscape to the
seldom visited hamlets, home of the Yao, Akkha and
Lantern people. They are settled there longtime ago and
still retain their traditional culture and habits. The
trekking is strenuous at times, with some little steep
uphill and downhill walking; however some physical
preparation will enable you to fully enjoy this
adventure. At end of the walking day we meet up with our
waiting vehicle and stretch our legs on a drive. O/N in
Muang Sing. (B,L)
Day 3: Muang Sing - Luang Namtha
The traditional morning market in Muang Sing also
attracts numerous ethnic minorities who converge from
the outlying valleys and mountainsides to sell their
goods and buy provision. Heading out of town we off on a
drive along the zigzag way and pass many sleepy hamlets
linked to the road which is the main artery of trade in
the northern region. There are some stop en route to see
the homeland of Akha, Lao Houei and Iko people who are
very poor, but have an interesting local culture and a
colorful history. These tribal groups have originally
settled in high mountain side therefore it may involve a
walk to visit their villages. On arrival in Luang Namtha
Town we check in hotel and enjoy a short walk tour
exploring this hill town. O/N in Luang Namtha. (B)
Day 4 : Luang Namtha - Oudomxay - Muang La -
Muang Khoua
Today we have a chance to
see the lko minority people at Ban Lakkham Mai on our
way to Mouang La, which is set by the Nam Phak River and
surrounded by the undulating mountains . This hill town
do not have much to see besides Pra Xack Kham Temple
with its sacred Buddha image. The 400 year old statue
legendarily possesses many supernatural powers which are
widely worshipped among local people. Upon leaving Muong
La, the roads begin to deteriorate; however many
villages dot the hillsides and the undulating terrains
make for an interesting journey. Along the way we make
several stops at the seldom visited villages of the Iko,
Hmong Lai and Khmu people and are sure to attraction
their attention as this part of the country receives
very few visitors. O/N in Muang Khoua. (B)
Day 5 : Muang Khoua - Nam Bak - Nong Khiow
The following destination of our trip is Nong Khiow. This beautiful village
set by the Nam Ou River, boasts a stunning limestone
mountain backdrop and genuine local colour. We begin our
day with a visit to Muang Khoua Market, an important
trading hub of this mountainous region. The colorful
hill tribe people are often seen in this conglomeration.
Upon leaving Muang Khoua we catch our vehicle for an
interesting drive though a beautiful mountain areas to
Nong Khiow. These back roads are a perfect way to
explore the real Laos. We see very few other travellers,
mostly rural dwellers who are just as interested in
finding out about our lives as we are of theirs. On
arrival at Nong Khiow we spend the remainder of our day
to walk around or simply relax. O/N at Nong Khiow. (B)
Day 6: Nong Khiow - Pakou Caves - Luang Prabang
Upon leaving the tranquil village of Nong Khiow we embark a boat cruising
through the breathtaking mountain scenery to the
mysterious Pakou Caves. They are crammed with thousands
of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various sizes, all
brought there by devoted villagers. We visit these
famous grottoes and navigate on the Mekong River down to
Luang Prabang. This tranquil town with its gleaming
temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning
mountain backdrop has been claimed by UNESCO to be the
best preserved traditional city in South East Asia. We
check in hotel and stroll around to catch our first look
of town. There is little traffic on roads and monks in
orange robes scurry in all directions carrying umbrellas
to shade themselves from the sun. O/N in Luang Prabang.
(B,L)
Day 7: Luang
Prabang
The exploration of this delightful town includes the magnificent Wat Xieng
Thong, which is overlooking the Mekong River. The temple
structures are decorated in various ways with gilded
stuccoes , doorways and marvellous tree life mosaic
pattern on an outer wall, representing the ancient
temple architecture of Luang Prabang. We follow it with
the national museum. This interesting mansion displays a
lovely collection of treasures and artifacts reflecting
the richness of Lao culture dating from the days of the
early kings right through the last sovereign. There are
also plenty to see in this town, some of which are the
impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the Srilankalese styled
temple of That Marko, the shrine of Wat Aham and the
five tiered roof Wat Mai. We round off our day with a
walk up to Phousi Hill for a beautiful panorama view
from the town center and the mighty Mekong River. There
are 329 steps leading us on zigzag way past various
temples to the sacred, gilded stupa of Wat Phousi at the
summit. O/N at Luang Prabang. (B)
Day 8: Luang Prabang - Khouang Si Waterfall - Luang
Prabang
The mountainous areas around Luang Prabang Town are also home of
many ethnic groups and various stunning waterfalls
dispersed in secluded jungle. Today we catch a drive
southwards to Phosi Market that sells a wide array of
local goods and handicrafts. Upon leaving this lively
market we make our way through the verdant and rugged
scenery to Ban Thapene , Ban Xom and Ban Namai which are
conquered by the Lao Loum, Khmu and Hmong people. They
are very poor but have interesting culture and colorful
history. These tribal groups have originally settled in
mountain side therefore it may involve some short walks
to visit their villages. We arrives at Khouang Si Fall
and spend the time relaxing in marvellous setting of
waterfall and lush forest. The waterfall tumbles over
multi tiered limestone formations into the cool and
clear pools ideal for anyone seeking an enjoyable
escape. O/N in Luang Prabang. (B)
Day 9: Luang Prabang - Xieng Khouang ( Overland)
Today we have an option to rise early to view the procession of monks on
their daily outing collecting alms, a practice dating
back centuries. The local people wait out the front of
their houses with food for the monks to collect and
bring back to the temple. After breakfast we enjoy a
walk around the local shops, which are well known for
the hand-weaving and interesting artefacts. We leave
Luang Prabang and drive along a winding way through the
scenic mountain landscape to Xieng Khouang. This remote
province was devastated by American bombing between 1964
and 1973. The journey is very long and difficult at
times, but we can make many stops as we please, to
stretch our legs or simply catch some wonderful
photographs. O/N in Xieng Khouang. (B)
Day 10: Xieng Khouang - Vang Vieng
Heading out of town we make a short drive to visit the "Plan of Jars", an
impressive archaeological site where hundreds of large
stone jars are littered all over the plateau. These huge
jars are supposedly over 2,000 years old, but most of
archaeologists are still mystified about their purpose.
The following destination of our trip is Vang Vieng via
a seven hour overland trip. This small and tranquil
village is rapidly developed with the advent of
tourists, but the beautiful scenery with a mixture of
quiet water and limestone outcrops unchanged for
century. We arrives in Vang Vieng by mid or late
afternoon depending on roads and traffic conditions. O/N
Vang Vieng. (B)
Day 11:
Vang Vieng - Vientiane
The exciting exploration of Vang Vieng begins with a boat trip
along the Namsong River, giving us a taste of adventure
and an interesting visit to Tham Jang Cave. This sacred
cavern was once used by local people as a hideout from
Chinese invaders. We walk uphill to see Tham Jang Cave
and enjoy wonderful views across the idyllic valley to
the beautiful panorama of Vang Vieng Town. The remainder
of time will be free for your own discovery of Vang
Vieng. There are various options to choose from, some of
which are biking, kayaking or caving. These optional
activities are not included; however our guide is on
hand to advise you with invaluable information. By mid
afternoon we regroup at our hotel and travel by roads to
Vientiane past the undulating terrains and the rustic
villages. O/N in Vientiane. (B)
Day 12: Vientiane
The charming and fascinating capital of Laos, Vientiane is small city
conjuring up exotic images, with the curious mix of Lao,
Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, French influences. We start
our city tour with Wat Sisaket, the oldest temple still
standing in Vientiane. This amazing structure features
remarkable frescoes and Buddha statues. Close to this
masterwork is the former royal temple of Haw Pha Kaew
which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.
We see these sites before we continue to Patouxai
standing in Lane Xang Avenue. This imposing monument is
well known as Vientiane�s own Arc de Triomphe and
provides a stunning views of the city. Heading out of
town we see the giant Friendship Bridge and the
impressive Buddha Park. This landmark represents a blend
of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures created by mystical
monk on a parkland located by the Mekong River. The
perfect way to round off our day is to watch the
spectacular sunset over the Mekong River from one of
riverside bars. O/N in Vientiane. (B)
Day 13: Vientiane - Departure
There is a free time for your own exploration of the town and catching up on
some shopping areas. The trip ends after your transfer
to Wattay Airport for departure. (B)
