Sustainable Laos

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

Upon arrival in Vientiane, our guide and driver will be waiting to provide transport in a private car to the hotel for check-in. After resting at the hotel, enjoy a half-day guided tour of the capital.

Begin with a visit to the nearby Wat Phra Keo, which displays a collection of Lao and Khmer artworks. Another nearby visit is the Presidential Palace. Though it cannot be visited on the inside, the palace offers an excellent glimpse into the colonial past of the country.

Continue with a visit to COPE, an association working to help landmine victims. A visit to the center provides in-depth information about the history of the Vietnam War and the lasting impact of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in the area, as well as the efforts underway to clear them. 

Continue to the Patuxay monument, Laos’ version of the Arc de Triomphe, where it’s possible to climb to the roof of the monument for amazing views over the city. 

The final stop of the tour heads to That Luang, the holiest site in Laos. Constructed in the 16th Century, the temple is resplendent as the sun shines upon its golden spire.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional Lao dinner at Amphone restaurant. 

Overnight in Vientiane
 

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

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

On day two, enjoy an authentic ecotourism trek close to Vientiane. Led by locals from Ban Hatkhai village, the Orchid Trek provides a source of income for local villagers and a way of improving environmental and cultural awareness. Part of the money generated by each tour goes directly to the villagers and the village development fund. 
 
Depart from Vientiane early in the morning for a 1.5-hour drive to the starting point. Embark on a guided walk through Phou Khao Kway National Park, which is home to more than 50% of the wild orchid species of Laos.

Along the route through bamboo and evergreen forests, soak up beautiful views of waterfalls and enjoy the chance to spot numerous species of orchid and local wildlife. 

Stop for a picnic lunch alongside a river before continuing to Tad Xay waterfall, which cascades down seven levels. This provides the perfect place to stop for a refreshing swim before transferring back to Vientiane.

On the way back, stop at Dong Mak Kai, which sells a variety of local produce including ant eggs and insects!

Return to Vientiane around 17:30.

Overnight in Vientiane
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Vientiane – Vang Vieng (129 km): 2 hours Tham Xang - Tham Loup & Tham Hoy: Easy hike, mainly flat, and 30min

After breakfast, embark on the scenic drive north, taking the newly made highway. Arrive in Vang Vieng in time to enjoy a beautiful local lunch on the banks of the River.

Today, cross the Nam Ou River further north from town to Tham Xang and hike 30 min (easy and flat) to 2 other and lesser known caves of Tham Loup and Tham Hoy. You will come across a small village, rice fields, cows and many fruit gardens along the way. 

The journey then continues to Vang Vieng’s most recently discovered cave, Tham Nang Faa, or the Angel Cave. Filled with stunning caverns, stalactites, stalagmites and a surprising open-air hidden cavity. 
If you are up for the adventure, explore the nearby Tham None ( sleeping cave) , which is not for the faint of heart! This cave has water inside the cavern which means you need to get into a tube and crawl your way through holding a rope, before arriving in the main cavern area. Walk your way up and out the cave before finding your back along the river again. 

Return to the hotel in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset on the banks of the Nam Song River.

Overnight in Vang Vieng
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang 2 hours

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Vang Vieng before continuing the journey north to the spiritual capital of Laos, Luang Prabang. 
The train ride will take approximately one hour. 
Suggested train: C84 departing Vang Vieng @ 15.31 and arriving in Luang Prabang @ 17.00. 

Arrive in Luang Prabang and check in to the hotel.

At the end of the day, take  a stroll to the nearby night market, where local ethnic people gather to sell a large selection of handicrafts. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

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

Start the day with a hotel pick up after breakfast, departing for the Luang Prabang cycling tour around 08:30. 

After doing a fitting and adjusting the bikes, begin the city tour at the former Royal Palace. Now home to the National Museum, this site offers some excellent insight into the history of Laos. Afterwards, pay a visit to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief.

Next head to Wat Visoun, the holiest temple in the city, passing along the 16th century Wat Aham to reach Wat That, where the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are kept inside the large central stupa. End the temple explorations with a visit to Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. 

Lunch today will be at Tamarind (Note: closed on Sundays), offering some of the best Lao cuisine in Luang Prabang. 

After lunch, leave town and head for Phosy Market. The guide will help explain what’s being sold here and will encourage sampling some of the most delicious items. Anything purchased at the market directly benefits the vendors selling them.

Continue the ride to Ock Pop Tock, a non-profit organization seeking to preserve traditional 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. Dedicated to exploring the rich diversity of Laos’ ethnic minorities, this centre displays traditional costumes, tools, and artifacts, offering a great insight into the Lao people (Note: closed on Mondays).

Return to the hotel by bike. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

Begin the day after breakfast, meet the guide and tuk tuk driver at the hotel for a short transfer to the royal boat pier behind the National Museum.
 
After a 5-minute cruise to the other side of the Mekong, arrive at the quiet village of Ban Chan, famously known for the making of clay pottery. Back in the days, Ancient kings of Laos chose this village for their pottery making skills and it became the major way of life for the people. See that most of the houses were built with pottery in mind, some even have a kiln! Today, pottery making is a disappearing trade. 

Get to meet the Lamphet Family who has created a Pottery House in cooperation with the Luang Prabang Tourism Department from their genuine desire to preserve the history and tradition of this treasure. Through pottery, there is a chance to share the culture, history and food of Ban Chan Village while learning and helping to keep this unique craft alive and support the local community. 
First, go behind-the-scenes to have a look at these ancient techniques but will also provide a hands-on opportunity to work with clay. Be guided by the skilled pottery makers and get an up close and personal authentic Lao cultural activity. 

Once done, join in a traditional Lao lunch cooked by the Lamphet family! All the ingredients come from local sources and if the season is right might even come from the family’s very own organic garden. Get a sampling of all of Luang Prabang traditional foods like khaiphaen (fried river weed), grilled fish, eggplant dipping sauce, and spicy papaya salad.  

Say goodbye to the hosts and teachers and return to Luang Prabang by boat before being transferred back to the hotel by 13:30. 

Note: The Pottery House Lao Food only allows a maximum of 12 participants at a time. Please inquire if you wish to organize for more.

Afternoon at Leisure. 

Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch

📍 Luang Prabang

Start this full day elephant encounter with a pick up from the hotel in Luang Prabang. Transport will be provided to the nearby village of Xieng Lom. Upon arrival, enjoy a coffee/tea while the guide provides a breakdown of the day’s experiences and explains both elephant behavior and how to interact with them. 

After the brief introduction, take a short boat ride across the Nam Khan River where the elephants await. The guide and mahout will help to introduce the gentle giants, and there will be a chance to feed them some healthy treats shortly thereafter. 

Elephants and Mahouts will interact and continue their on-going bonding in the river,
while you watch them and enjoy the majestic elephants during bathtime.

Cross through a beautiful stretch of Lao gardens before arriving to the jungle-clad Huay Nok Stream. The trek is not only naturally stunning, but also helps to establish a profound sense of understanding, respect, and caring for these amazing animals. After the trek, indulge in a traditional Lao lunch in the jungle, followed by a walk to the beautiful Tad Kuang Song Waterfall. Take a dip in the waterfall’s pool, cool down under its spray or spend some time soaking in the private beauty of this natural treasure. 

Continue with an interactive mahout lesson, learning how to read and communicate with the elephants. The demonstration displays the special skills each elephant has and provides some deeper insight into their individual personalities. After sitting through the presentation, enjoy some uninterrupted private time with the elephants. Experience first-hand why humans and elephants have shared such an unwavering bond for thousands of years. 

Wrap up the experience alongside the mahouts, taking the elephants to their nighttime feeding grounds. After saying goodbye, reflect on the amazing experience and begin the trip back to Luang Prabang.

NOTE: MandaLao does not allow customers to bathe the Elephants directly.  This is to fall in line with WAP-World Animal Protection Guidelines whom we are working closely with.  The elephants are free to choose if they enter the river or not and the only people that will wash the elephants would be their mahout.

Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

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

Transfer by private car to the airport for the departure flight.

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast