-
Secret Treasure of Laos
Code: LOT03 - Duration: 8 DaysStart: Vientiane | Finish: Luang Prabang
Known as the ancient kingdom of the “Millions of Elephants”, Laos has awe-inspiring nature full of rugged mountains, impressive waterfalls and the mighty Mekong River winding its way through the slim country. Secret Treasure of Laos enables you to visit both main cities of Laos and unspoilt northern areas. Arrival in Vientiane, you will spend half a day to wander around the famous temples as Wat Sisakeo, Wat Prakeo, That Luang Stupa & Patuxay Monument. From here, we fly to Oudomxay located in the northwest of the country leading to Muang La – a very picturesque town on the banks of an idyllic river and hemmed by green mountains. You will be impressed by the hill tribe people in nice villages completely isolated. The trip is followed by Muang Khua with a boat trip cruise down the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiaw, a small rustic town. The trip is ended in Luang Prabang where you will be introduced to the spiritual center of the country by visiting temples dating back from the 16th century.
Highlights:
- Visit the temples in Luang Prabang & Vientiane
- Nice stay in Muang La resort, an oasis of peace and tranquility in North Laos
- Experience trip to the northern spots of Laos : Outdomxay, Muang La, Muag Khua, Nong Khiaw
- Adventure trip to visit the beautiful isolated villages in Muang La
- Downstream boat trip from Muang La to Nong Khiaw and to Luang Prabang with stunning scenery and remote villages
- Charming hotels in great locations
- Comfortable & spacious vehicle for transfers
Itinerary in brief:
Day 1: Vientiane arrival (-/-/-)
Day 2: Vientiane - Oudomxay - Muang La (B/-/D)
Day 3: Muang La - Local Lao Ethnic groups (B/L/D)
Day 4: Muang La - Muang Khua - Nong Khiaw (B/L/-)
Day 5: Nong Khiaw - Luang Prabang (B/L/-)
Day 6: Luang Prabang (B/-/-)
Day 7: Luang Prabang - Khuang Si Waterfall (B/-/-)
Day 8: Luang Prabang - Departure (B/-/-)- Ability to change the direction of the program
- Possibility of an extension in Vietnam & Cambodia
Notes:
- We specialize in “tailor-made” tours for groups of two or more. We carefully inspect each step of your journey from the accommodation to the perfect guide to suit your needs
- The itinerary is open to modification to fit your personal travel needs
- Modifications to the itinerary may increase the price of the package
- For the price of this trip, just ask for a quote by clicking on "TOUR PRICE"
- If you are looking for a trip modified to your requirements, please send us your needs by filling out the form in “Customize your trip”
- We will contact and send you a quote, excluding holiday period, within 48 hours of receiving your request.-
Day 1: Vientiane arrival (-/-/-)
Vientiane - Airport: 12km, ~30min drive
Upon arrival at Vientiane airport, you will be met and transferred to hotel by our guide and driver. After making sure of your successful hotel check-in, they will be pleased to leave you free time for your own lunch and leisure to recover after the long flight.This afternoon, we enjoy a half-day city tour beginning with the oldest Wat Sisaket with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo, which previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image. En route to Lao’s national precious heritage, the famous and sacred structure of That Luang Stupa, we will have the opportunity to take some pictures of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. The final visit of the day will be the excellent COPE exhibition centre, highlighting a much overlooked aspect of Laos and a major problem many of the local people face on a day to day basis in the form of unexploded ordnance as a result of heavy bombing campaigns during the Vietnam War era.
Meals Included: None
Accommodation: Hotel in VientianeDay 2: Vientiane - Flight to Oudomxay – Muang La (B/-/D)
Vientiane - Oudomxay: 536km, 1h9min flight
Following the morning at leisure after breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight up to Oudomxay. Here we have the chance to visit the intriguing Pra Xack Kham Temple with its sacred Buddha image. The 400 years old legendary statue is said to have many supernatural powers, and is widely worshipped among the faithful local Buddhists. We stop in Muang La, famous for its natural hot springs for the night. No activities are planned for the rest of the day so you can stroll around the village or just relax at the riverside retreat enjoying a massage or sometimes in the hot springs.Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Resort in Muang LaDay 3: Muang La - 4WD Adventure to meet Lao Ethnic groups (B/L/D)
After breakfast, we drive 4WD to the villages of Ikhor and Hmong, two typical hill tribe communities of Laos. The track you will use is superb and offers an incredible climb up 1000m where you will have a memorable and unique point of view. You will visit first a beautiful village Ikhor totally isolated. This community from Yunnan and Tibet has remained extremely traditional. Lunch will be taken on a magnificent view. We join in after the Hmong village of Ban Tauser (45mn walking). These ethnic group, originally high steppes of Tibet, you will discover their habits, the important place that keeps the animals (pigs, buffaloes…) in their lifestyle and care they provide. The path leading to the village completely isolated offers many viewpoints impressive. A few minutes from the villages is a viewpoint with 360 degree panorama on the region… unique. Back to the resort at the end of the day.Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Resort in Muang LaDay 4: Muang La - Muang Khua – Nong Khiaw (B/L/-)
Muang La - Nong Khiaw: 136km, ~2h10min drive
This morning after breakfast, we drive to the riverside town of Muang Khua and board our local private boat for an unforgettable cruise down the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiaw. This particular stretch offers stunning limestone karst scenery and remote villages, including Ban Sob Jaem a Khmu and Hmong village that can only be accessed by boat. We stop to explore a few of these sights before reaching our accommodation in Nong Khiaw by mid-afternoon. Upon checking into your hotel, you have the option of taking a short bicycle ride to the picturesque local limestone caves nearby.Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Nong KhiawDay 5: Nong Khiaw - Luang Prabang (B/L/-)
This morning, we continue our leisurely trip downstream boat cruise on the Nam Ou River, enjoying the lush green forests and landscape. Along the way we stop to visit the mysterious caves of Pak Ou, two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. We continue our trip down the river to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang. This former royal capital with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture and stunning mountain backdrop retains a unique charm rarely found in modern Asia. You transferred to your hotel by private vehicle by early evening.Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang PrabangDay 6: Luang Prabang (B/-/-)
After breakfast, we visit the Royal Palace Museum which hosts a range of interesting artifacts and a guided audio tour. We then begin our city tour taking in the most beautiful temples, including the magnificent Wat Xiengthong, with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, representing the classical Luang Prabang style, as well as Wat Mai and Wat Visoun, known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa’ due to its shape. In the afternoon we visit the excellent Arts and Ethnology Centre which gives us a further insight into the ethnic mix and culture of Laos. We then visit the weaving and textile villages of Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek. Our final stop of the day is a climb Mt Phousi, which offers a spectacular sunset and a panoramic view over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River.Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang PrabangDay 7: Luang Prabang - Khuang Si Waterfall (B/-/-)
After breakfast, we visit the local Phosi Market, this is the place where all the locals shop and your guide will show you the diverse offerings on display. We also stop at Ock Pop Tock, a silk weaving center. Here you will be given a guided tour and the silk weaving process will be explained. Next we drive to Ban Thinkeo, a Hmong village and start trekking with the villagers. Your guide will explain to you the common use of the plants for the Hmong people. You will go to the garden and cut some vegetables and herbs with the local people. We then continue to Kuang Si Waterfall, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the beautiful multi-tiered falls. You also have the opportunity to cool off in the turquoise blue pools. Afterwards you return to Luang Prabang in time to catch the sun setting over the Mekong.Meals Included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel in Luang PrabangDay 8: Luang Prabang - Departure (B/-/-)
Luang Prabang - Airport: 5km, 11min drive
Breakfast is served at hotel. Depending on your departing flight you may have time at leisure before your transfer to the airport for departure. End of our services.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Prices
This trip is private and therefore can be altered to suit your needs, date of commencement and budget requirements.
Prices vary due to a number of specifics:
- Seasonal: during high season (October-April), the prices of services are generally higher when compared to the low season (May-September).
- The number of participants: the more of you that travel together the less you will pay!
- The choice of hotels: Fairly obvious one here; a 5-star hotel can cost ten times as much as a 2 star hotel.
- The activities during the trip: Two trips on the same itinerary and of the same length can have two different prices depending on the number and nature of activities included.
- The booking date: In some cases, booking your trip late can drastically affect prices due to their low availability.
Inclusion:
- Accommodation as recommended or similar category according to availability.
- Transfers according to program by private air-conditioned vehicle with driver except free day
- English-speaking guide’s assistance at every stage
- Meals as indicated in program (B: Breakfast /L: Lunch / D: Dinner)
- Entrance fees for attractions included in the program
- All activities and cruises clearly mentioned in the program
- Boat cruise Muang Khua – Nong Khiaw – Luang Prabang
- Domestic air-ticket: Vientiane – Oudomxay
- Water and cool tissues
- Government taxes & service charge
Exclusion:
- Other drinks and meals not clearly mentioned
- Early check-in, late check-out
- Personal expenditures, tips
- Personal insurance (compulsory)
- Any service not clearly mentioned in the program
- International air transfers associated with airport taxes
- Visa and visa arrangement (available upon request)
Booking
Here are 2 steps to book your trip with Tonkin-Travel:
Step 1. Focus on your travel program:
You can choose this trip as is or customize it to your specific desires. Just click on the “Customize this trip” tab and fill in the form. One of our travel consultants will contact you within 48 hours to develop the travel program based on your specifications.
Step 2. Booking:
- Following the first step, tour program is selected and we access the rates.
- Upon confirmation of the trip, the registration must be accompanied by a deposit up to 25% of the total estimate.
- For programs with private junk (cruise) and/or 5 star hotels, the deposit is represented by 30% of the total estimate.
- Tonkin-Travel carries out the booking process upon receipt of the deposit. Confirmation of these reservations is sent to customer within 10 days via email
Nature of travel
This trip is private. That implies:
- You will be escorted by a private guide and driver. This approach guarantees a smooth trip with fewer organizational constraints.
- You will be the master of your trip. We guarantee flexibility in organizing visits at your request.
- Our services will be personalized according to your desires. Thus the proposals in this package are not fixed and you can bring suggest all the desired changes.
- You receive individualized care: ample food, organizing small events (anniversary, honeymoon, etc.), targeted information, followed necessary modifications, etc.
Accommodation
- Accommodation is an important expenditure of your trip. When you choose a luxury trip for example, the accommodation can represent three quarters of the price. Thus, your choice of hotels is closely related to your budget.
- Tonkin-Travel has negotiated rates with a wide range of hotels from 2 to 5 stars.
- In some places you will have the option to choose ‘home-stay’. Although this provides less comfort that a hotel it is a truly authentic experience and highly recommended for at least one night of your journey.
Transport
All transfers during your trip are covered by private vehicle with driver, unless otherwise indicated in our offer. We ensure that our vehicles are new and comfortable. Fuel, tolls, accommodation, compensation and the driver are included in our offer. Only gratuities are not included and are at your discretion.
The size of the selected vehicle is based on the number of tour participants according to the following quality standards:
No. of participants
2 pax
3 pax
From 4 to 7 pax
From 8 to 14 pax
From 15 to 20 pax
Vehicle size
Car 4-7 seats
Car 7 or minivan
16 seatsMinivan 16 seats
Bus 24 seats
Bus 35 or 45 seats
Domestic flights
If your trip includes domestic flights if any, they will be operated by Vietnam Airlines, the largest airline in Vietnam. The fleet consists mainly of Airbus and Boeing. On some short trips, the company operates 72 ATR and some Fokker.
Rail transport
Train travel can be offered (particularly between Hanoi-Lao Cai and Hanoi-Hue). Travelling at a speed of 60km/h on average it is not necessarily the fastest but an interesting experience nonetheless.
This form allows us to establish a tour proposal suitable for your needs. It is free and without obligation-
This form allows us to establish a tour proposal suitable for your needs. It is free and without obligation
