Centre and South

On arrival in Vientiane, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Time permitting, your half-day city tour enables us to see the major temples of Vientiane including the oldest, Wat Sisaket, a temple of thousands of miniature Buddha statues, and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. We also visit Lao national icon, That Luang Stupa, and we stop to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Overnight in Vientiane

You will be picked up from your Vientiane Hotel this morning, and travel south along route 13.  En route, we stop at Prabaht Ponsan, an Ancientstupa dating back to the 15^th Century.  It is also home to the AncientBudhhas footprint, discovered in 1933, and now an important religious site in Laos. Following lunch, we continue onwards into Khammoune province and into the mountainous area, where a stop at a view point near Khoun Kham offers a breathtaking view over the surrounding area. We eventually reach Ban Naphouak and continue driving to Sala Hinoun by passing some stunning limestone karst scenery, as well as several villages with smiling waving children. We reach your accommodation for the night in Sala Hin Boun in, the late afternoon.  You have the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at Sala Hin Boun (B, L)

After breakfast at Sala Hin Boun we continue by boat upriver to Kong Lor village, where you have the chance to explore, before boarding a smaller boat into the famous Kong Lor Cave.  We navigate through the cave, which is over 7km long and includes a spectacular cavern over 100m high, following lunch in a remote village on the other side of the cave. We return to Sala Hin Boun before sunset. Overnight at Sala Hin Boun (B, L)

Following breakfast we set off by road to Naphouak, before heading south by boat through some of the most spectacular gorges found in Southeast Asia.  Along the way we make a stop for lunch and a picturesque Lao Loum village, and then we are picked up by car and transferred to Thakek by late afternoon. Overnight in Thakek (B, L)

We depart Thakhek by Tuk-tuk and follow the old French railway track that was destined for Vietnam but was never finished. Continuing through impressive scenery, you arrive in the village of Ban Nakhang Xang and meet the village guides who will escort you on your trek. Passing through secondary forests your guide will point out forest products that form an important part of local people’s food resources. Going through a cave, you enter a striking valley with towering cliffs and forest. The trail follows the shoreline of Nong Thao Lake where you can see local fishermen at work. On arrival at Tham Nong Paseum cave, more adventurous swimmers can explore the cave. The cave is 400 meters long and contains dramatic stalactites and stalagmites. Back in daylight, the trip continues onto Khammouane’s famous Buddha cave for a traditional Lao lunch of Mekong fish, sticky rice, and spicy papaya salad. After lunch, we visit Tham Pa Fa or Buddha cave, which was rediscovered in April 2004. The cave contains 229 bronze Buddhas that are said to be over 300 years old! Time permitting you will also be able to travel by local canoe into the water cave below. Your guide will now escort you back to the village following a different route through the forest, and you will return to Thakek in the late afternoon. Overnight in Thakek (B, L)

This morning we are back on the road heading south to Thakek.  En route, we stop to visit the town of Savannakhet, famous for its French Colonial buildings and also the sacred stupa of That Ing Hang.  We have ample time to explore the town before reaching Pakse in the early evening. Overnight in Pakse (B)

This morning you will be met and taken by road west into the Bolevean Plateau.  The Bolevean Plateau is known for its cooler temperature being located high above the Mekong Valley. The area is famous for its many waterfalls, and the most beautiful of these falls, Tad Fan, we visit.  Tad Fan waterfall is spectacular with twin waterfalls plummeting into a deep gorge surrounded by flourishing vegetation. A trip to the plateau provides a refreshing break from the heat and allows you to observe the cultivation of rich coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops that can be seen en route.  In the afternoon we arrive at Tad Lo, home to another scenic waterfall and numerous ethnic minority groups. We visit the villages of Alak, Nge, and Katu before overnighting in Tad Lo. Overnight in Tad Lo (B)

After an early breakfast, we head out towards Khong Island. On the way we make a short detour to visit Pha Suamwaterfall and to explore the ethnic minority villages of Lao Teung. We continue to travel by road via Pakse town crossing the Mekong by ferry to visit the fascinating pre-Angkorian ruins of Wat Phu, one of Southeast Asia’s most dramatically situated temples. Following lunch we continue our journey by car and ferry to Don Daeng Island. Overnight on Don Daeng (B)

Following breakfast, we enjoy a visit to the surrounding countryside, and embark on a long tail boat tour of the Don Khone area, which takes you to visit the remains of the French period and Liphi Waterfall or “the Corridor of the Devil”. We return to the mainland at the fishing village of Ban Nakasang and drive further south to visit Khone Phapheng. Khone Phapheng is considered the largest waterfall by volume in South East Asia; set within an area which is teeming with wildlife, making this area one of the most breathtaking destinations in Laos. Overnight on Don Daeng (B)

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your departing flight (B)