Green Tour of Laos

📍 Vientiane Airport – Vientiane (4 km): 15 min

Welcome to Vientiane, the capital city of Laos!

Upon arrival, our guide and driver will be waiting at the airport to provide transport to the hotel for check in. After checking in, embark on a half-day discovery tour of Vientiane’s hidden gems.

Begin the tour at the serene Wat Sisaket, one of the most beautiful temples in the capital. Continue onwards to visit the nearby Wat Phra Keo, which is used as a religious museum, displaying a collection of both Lao and Khmer works of art. Also nearby, take note of the Presidential Palace (from the outside), which reflects the city’s colonial history.

Next, visit COPE, an association working to help landmine victims. A visit to the center provides in-depth information about the history of the American/Vietnam war and the lasting impact of unexploded ordinances (UXO) in the area and the efforts underway to clear them.

Continue to the Patuxay monument, Laos’ version of the Arc de Triomphe. Climb to the top for some sweeping panoramic views of the city below. The final stop of the tour will be the 16th century That Luang, the holiest site in Laos.

Enjoy a delicious lao-style dinner at Lao Kitchen.

Overnight in Vientiane

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

📍 Vientiane – Trek departure point: 1,5 hours Trek: 4/5 hours

Today’s adventure is an Orchid Trek, an authentic ecotourism experience close to Vientiane. This tour is led by the villagers of Ban Hatkhai and aims to improve their well-being, as well as to increase their incomes. The Orchid Trek also offers a tool for environmental and cultural awareness and encourages orchid preservation and conservation.

Depart from Vientiane early for a 1.5 hour drive to the trailhead. The Orchid Trek leads through Phou Khao Kway National Park, one of the closest National Parks to Vientiane. The park is home to more than 50% of the wild orchid species of Laos and a variety of different plants. Likewise, Phou Khao Kway is home to a diverse animal population, including wild elephants.

Start walking from Pha Xay to enjoy a beautiful view of the waterfalls. Trek through the varied landscape of bamboo forests, evergreen forests, rainforest, and open air fields. Along the way, spot some orchids and indigenous wildlife.

Stop for a picnic lunch alongside a river bank, keeping an eye out for different butterfly species in the area.

Resume the walk, continuing towards Tad Xay waterfall. The water cascades down seven levels and is a great spot for swimming. Alternatively, take a rest before transferring back to Vientiane.

En route, stop at the interesting Dong Mak Kai Market, which hosts a range of interesting foods on offer, including ant eggs and insects!

Return to Vientiane around 17:30.

Overnight in Vientiane

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Vientiane – Vientiane Airport (4 km): 15 min Luang Prabang Airport – Luang Prabang (4 km): 15 min or Vientiane - Vientiane Train Station (17 km): 30 min Luang Prabang Train Station – Luang Prabang (12 km): 25 min

After breakfast, enjoy free time at leisure for last minute shopping before a transport will be provided to the airport ( or train station) for the flight ( or train) to the capital. 

Suggested flight:
Depart Vientiane at 1210 on QV101 (Lao Airlines), landing in Luang Prabang at 1255.

Suggested train: 
Depart Vientiane at 16.05 on train C84, arriving in Luang Prabang at 18.00.

On arrival in Luang Prabang, our guide and driver will be waiting to provide transport to the hotel.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

📍 Luang Prabang Hotel – E-bike station (2 km): 5 min

For early risers, there is a very special dawn visit to watch the monks collecting the alms. As the sun begins to rise, long lines of orange-robed monks leave their pagodas and walk barefoot down the streets collecting offerings from Luang Prabang residents.

After breakfast at the hotel, depart with the guide (08:30) for a cycling tour of the city.

After doing a fitting and adjusting the bikes, start the tour at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum, to explore the history of Laos. Continue to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief, before continuing on to Wat Visoun. Ride along the 16th century Wat Aham before reaching Wat That, where the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are kept inside a large central stupa. Ride on a bit further along the Nam Khan River to visit Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang.

Enjoy lunch today at Tamarind, offering some of the best local food in Luang Prabang.

Note: closed on Sundays

This afternoon, ride out to the Phosy Market. The guide will offer explanations of the different items on display, and may also encourage sampling some of the local delicacies! Anything purchased at the market directly supports the vendors.

Continue the ride to Ock Pop Tock, a non-profit organization seeking to preserve traditional Lao weaving techniques, a trade which was once an important source of income for many Lao families. A short tour introduces the process of silk weaving from the initial stages of creating the dyes to the final process of loom weaving.

Ride along the Mekong for the final stop of the day: the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre. The centre is dedicated to exploring the rich diversity of Laos’ ethnic minorities with a variety of traditional costumes, tools, and artifacts are on display.

Note: closed on Mondays

Return to the hotel by bike.  

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Luang Prabang – Living Land Farm (5 km): 15 min Luang Prabang – Kuang Si (32 km): 1 hour

Depart from the hotel today at 08:00 for a short transfer into the countryside. 5km outside Luang Prabang, the Living Land Community Farm is an entirely organic farm in a beautiful rural setting, flanked by rice paddies. The stilted wooden farm buildings house an interactive museum to give an insight into many aspects of rural life in Laos.

Enjoy a guided walk through the organic vegetable farm and learn all manner of trades, from thatched-roof making and basketry to noodle production and extracting the juice from sugarcane.

Experience the life of a farmer trying out a variety of activities, including ploughing the rice fields with one of the resident buffaloes (a muddy experience!) Also, learn a bit about the 13-step rice production, sampling some rice-based snacks afterwards.

Please note that the activities will be shared with other visitors. The maximum group size is 10 people.

Transfer another 30 minutes away from Luang Prabang to Kuang Si Waterfalls. Upon reaching the falls, enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. In addition to the beautiful natural surroundings, it is also possible to swim in the turquoise pools below (please dress modestly.) For the adventurous, walk to the top of the falls via a steep track where stunning views await.

There is a chance on the way back to visit the Free the Bears sanctuary, housing 23 Asiatic Bears rescued from poaching. Additionally, a stop can be made at the unique Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm, a social enterprise that produces sustainable and delicious cheese while giving back to the community and environment. While the buffalo may be the stars here, there are also playful pigs, cheeky chickens and rollicking rabbits that are just as fun to interact with for the young and young at heart. Enjoy a homemade ice cream at the cafe before saying goodbye to the Buffaloes and the team. (Opening Hours: 9.30am – 5.30pm, Monday - Sunday)

Transfer back to town this afternoon.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Luang Prabang – Luang Prabang Airport (4 km): 15 min

After breakfast, enjoy free leisure time until transferring to the airport for the onward flight.

Depending on the flight schedule, there may be a chance to visit the Heritage Information Center to learn more about the programs and projects underway to preserve the historic buildings in Luang Prabang.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast