THE VALLEY ROAD

Day1. Arrival – Vientiane

On arrival in Vientiane, you will be met by our staff and transferred to your centrally located hotel. After a short rest, we see the major sights of the capital; including Wat Sisaket, which contains more than 8000 Buddha statues, Wat Ho Prakeo the former home of the Emerald Buddha statue and That Luang Stupa, the single most important monument in Laos. We also see the Patuxay (Lao Arc de Triomphe), which was built in commemoration of those who died during past wars and today it is the city’s main landmark. We will make sure to watch the sunset by the Mekong Riverside and spend the evening absorbing the city’s nightlife.  Overnight in Vientiane

Meal: Dinner

Accomodation: Lao Orchid hotel (Superior room) www.lao-orchid.com or similar

Day2. Vientiane – Vang Vieng

We leave this wonderful town after breakfast for a northbound journey towards Vang Vieng. We will see some breathtaking scenery en route as we head into the mountains. We make a stop along the way at Vang Xang, a famous archeological site dating back to the 11th century. We’ll reach the small and tranquil village of Vang Vieng in the afternoon. The surrounding mountains and rivers remain largely unspoiled, thus making Vang Vieng a perfect spot to stop and relax. When we arrive, we go visit the Tham Jang caves which was once used by the local people as a hideout from Chinese invaders. Today ends with a superb sunset panorama reflecting over the Nam Song River. Overnight in Vang Vieng

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accomodation: Vansana Vang Vieng (Standard room) www.vansanahotel-group.com or similar

Day3. Vang Vieng – Tham Phoutham

After breakfast, we drive through paddy fields to the Tham Phoukham caves, the country’s beautiful and famous limestone caverns surrounded by forest. Along the way, you will meet local villagers and learn about their daily lifestyle. There is a small natural pool in front of the caves where you can swim and refresh yourself from the heat. This is also where we have our picnic lunch. After spending the day at the caves and the surrounding area, we make our return to Vang Vieng. En route, we pass through many ethnic minority villages, including Hmong, Souay and Tai dam people.  Overnight in Vang Vieng

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accomodation: Vansana Vang Vieng (Standard room) www.vansanahotel-group.com or similar

Day4. Vang Vieng – Luang Prabang

After breakfast, we start for our trip north to Luang Prabang, perhaps the best-preserved traditional city in Southeast Asia. The roads are well paved along the way and make for a smooth journey; the scenery is a mixture of steep terraced fields and hill villages, allowing for plenty of photo ops. We spend a short amount of time observing the local lifestyle in the Muang Xieng Nguen village prior to reaching Luang Prabang.  Overnight in Luang Prabang .

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accomodation: Villa Chitdara (Standard room) www.villachitdara.com or similar

Note: as per local regulations, only vehicles of 16seaters are allowed in the city of Luang Prabang

Day5. Luang Prabang – Pakou – Luang Prabang

Today, we enjoy a short-guided tour of the city’s oldest temple, Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xieng Thong where you can see the impressive “tree of life” mosaic set in colored glass. We then board an upstream cruise on the Mekong River, which gives us a panoramic view of the tranquil countryside. We’ll make sure to stop at the Pak Ou Caves, sanctuaries consisting of two large caverns, both repositories for thousands of Buddha images. We will also stop at a few villages during the day, including Ban Muangkeo where the local rice wine is produced and Ban Xiengmene and Ban Chan. Once back in Luang Prabang city we take a short drive to Ban Xang Khong and Ban Xieng Lek – small villages well known for silk weavings and Saa (jute) Papermaking.  Overnight in Luang Prabang

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch

Accomodation: Villa Chitdara (Standard room) www.villachitdara.com or similar

Day6. Luang Prabang – Departure                      

An optional early start gives you the fantastic opportunity to participate in the daily morning alms giving ritual to saffron clad monks. This tradition is unique to Laos, being the only Buddhist nation still preserving this procession.

We start our last day with a visit to The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture throughout the ages. We also will see the Central Market.  We bid farewell to this remarkable city and the trip ends after your transfer to the airport for departure.

Meal: Breakfast,