Into The Wild

📍 Border – Viengxay: 2 hours / Viengxay – Sam Neua (32km) 1 hour

Upon arrival at the border and after completing customs formalities, your guide and driver will be waiting to provide transport for the 2-hour drive to Viengxay. 

Explore the town of Viengxay, which features hundreds of caves that acted as a "hidden city" and shelter for more than 20,000 people during the conflict between 1964 and 1973. 

Take an audio tour to learn about this period through interviews with locals who lived in these limestone caves. Afterward, transfer 1 hour (32km) to Sam Neua for the evening.

Overnight in Sam Neua

Inclusions:

📍 Sam Neua – Ban Son Koua (50km) 1h

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a short city tour of Sam Neua and stop at the local market to browse stunning Houaphanh textiles and other unique local creations. Following the visit, depart directly for Ban Son Khoua, the gateway to the Nam Nern Night Safari. 

Upon arrival, meet the village guides and National Park staff to receive an overview of the Nam Et–Phou Louey National Protected Area (NPA), the largest of Laos’ national parks at 4,229 Km. The area consists of primary forest and a high level of biodiversity, providing a sanctuary for endangered species including the gaur, Sambar deer, and white-cheeked gibbon. 

Continue with a 1.5-hour journey by longtail boat to the park substation, spotting wildlife and learning about the region’s rice cultivation along the way. After a briefing on the efforts to protect tigers and their prey, enjoy a picnic dinner by a campfire. One to two hours after dark, float silently downstream with engines off to spotlight nocturnal animals such as Sambar Deer, Otters, Civets, and Slow Loris.

Overnight in Nam Nern
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Nam Nern – Nong Khiaw (210 km): 4 hours

Before breakfast, join a local guide for a jungle walk to learn about medicinal plants and the history of the camp site, which was once a village. After breakfast, the boats float back to the village at a relaxing pace with engines off, pointing out birds along the way. 

Upon arrival in the village, sample some earthen jar rice wine (lao hai). Before departing, fill out a wildlife monitoring form which is used to calculate bonuses for the village development fund, incentivizing locals to preserve the habitat. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue driving approximately 4 hours to the sleepy town of Nong Khiaw. 

Arrive in the late afternoon with the remainder of the day at leisure.

Overnight in Nong Khiaw

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Nong Khiaw – Nam Ou dam by car (70 km): 2,5 hours / Nam Ou dam – Luang Prabang by boat (50 km): 2 hours

After breakfast, travel by car toward Luang Prabang. Upon reaching the dam, board a boat for a cruise down the spectacular Nam Ou River, enjoying a picnic lunch along the way.

 Stop for a visit to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves (Tam Ting), which are carved into towering limestone cliffs and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues. Continue downstream for another 2 hours to Luang Prabang. Just prior to dusk, climb the stairs of Mount Phousi to watch the sun set over the city and surrounding hills. 

Transfer to the hotel, stopping at the hill tribe evening market for some shopping.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

After breakfast, embark on a guided tour of Luang Prabang. Begin with a visit to Wat Visoun, the holiest temple of the city, followed by the 16th-century Wat Aham and Wat That. 

Continue with a visit to the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Center to learn about local hill tribes. Enjoy lunch at Tamarind Restaurant, one of the most celebrated eateries in the city. In the afternoon, tour the former Royal Palace (National Museum) and Wat Mai, renowned for its golden bas-relief. 

Finish the tour at Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang, built in 1560 and decorated with ornate carvings and mosaics.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Luang Prabang – Kuang Si Waterfalls (32 km): 45 min

For early risers, there is a special dawn visit to watch the orange-robed monks collect alms—a serene ceremony highlighting the spiritualism of the Lao people. 

After breakfast, transfer through the countryside to Kuang Si Waterfalls, passing rice fields and small villages. Relax in the natural surroundings, explore the jungle paths on foot, or swim in the turquoise pools. 

On the return journey, visit the "Free the Bears" Fund sanctuary and the unique Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm, a social enterprise that produces sustainable cheese. Enjoy a homemade ice cream at the cafe before returning to town.

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast

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

In the morning, enjoy free time to walk around town or do some last-minute shopping. Your guide and private car will be waiting at the hotel to provide transport back to the airport for your departing flight.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast