First Steps in Laos with Family in 8 Days

Arrival at Luang Prabang International Airport. Your guide will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel and assist with check-in.

Luang Prabang, a former royal capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. Enjoy free time to stroll and soak in the unique atmosphere of the peninsula.

At dusk, embark on a private Mekong River cruise with aperitifs as you watch the sunset.

Overnight at Villa Chitdara in Superior Room.

Before dawn, the old town awakens to the sound of monks’ footsteps. Come observe this morning procession as the monks receive alms from local villagers. A timeless sight. Afterwards, don’t miss the morning market, vibrant and full of unfamiliar flavors.

A day of discovering the city’s architectural treasures:

Luang Prabang is a place to be experienced, not just visited. Thirty temples, a thousand monks, and an ever-present tranquility. The city’s pulse follows the rhythm of its monasteries.

In the afternoon, cruise to the Pak Ou Caves. Set into the cliffside, Tham Ting and Tham Phoum shelter thousands of Buddha statues left by pilgrims over generations.

End the day at the summit of Mount Phousi. After 300 steps, your reward: a 360° panorama of the city and the Mekong, set ablaze by the sunset.

Overnight at Villa Chitdara in Superior Room.

After breakfast, you’ll head to a rice field in the heart of the Laotian countryside, where your hands-on introduction to rice farming begins.

You’ll learn how to select seeds, plant them, transplant seedlings… all the way to the crucial harvest stage. After this fun, interactive experience, it’s time to relax and enjoy a tasting of purely Laotian dishes made from rice and sugarcane!

Next, unwind at Kuang Si Falls, about 30 kilometers from town. These waterfalls are the perfect spot for a swim in the turquoise pools at their base. Don’t forget your swimsuit and towel!

While you’re there, be sure to visit the permanent exhibition explaining the different initiatives in place to protect Asia’s last remaining Asiatic Black Bears.

Return to town in the late afternoon with a stop at Ock Pop Tok, a social enterprise dedicated to preserving traditional Lao craftsmanship.

Overnight at Villa Chitdara in Superior Room.

This morning, depart from Luang Prabang for the village of Xieng Lom.

Upon arrival, an introductory talk will teach you about elephant behavior and gentle training methods. After crossing the Nam Khan River, you’ll have your first encounter with the elephants. You’ll be able to approach them, feed them, and form a unique bond.

The adventure continues through landscapes typical of Laos, all the way to the jungle lining the Huay Nok River.

Return to camp by walking through rice fields and teak plantations. A Lao lunch, prepared with organic ingredients from the garden, awaits you.

Transfer to Luang Prabang train station for your train to Vang Vieng.

As you approach Vang Vieng, the scenery changes: jungle-covered karst peaks rise up, heralding your arrival.

Overnight at Riverside Boutique Resort in Classic Room.

After breakfast, we head north to visit the first cave, Tham Xang (Elephant Cave). This cave owes its name to a striking limestone formation and sits on the banks of the Nam Song River.

Continue with a short 15-minute walk to the nearby Tham Hoi (Snail Cave), which winds deep into the mountain. Then, float through the cave on inflatable tubes, exploring its long passages and stunning limestone formations.

After a picnic lunch, we’ll hike about 1 hour to the Hmong village of Pha Thao, passing through rice fields and vegetable gardens.

Return to Vang Vieng by kayak on the Nam Song, gliding through idyllic scenes of rural life with limestone mountains as a backdrop.

Overnight at Riverside Boutique Resort in Classic Room.

Free day in Vang Vieng to enjoy family activities:

Take a hot air balloon or paramotor ride to soar above Vang Vieng’s karst landscape.

Add some excitement with a buggy or ATV adventure.

Set out by bicycle or scooter to explore the bucolic charm of the Vang Vieng countryside at your own pace.

In the late afternoon, depart for Vientiane via the new expressway (approx. 2-hour drive).

Here, forget the hustle and bustle of Southeast Asia’s megacities. Vientiane feels more like a provincial capital a "big village" of 700,000 people on the banks of the Mekong, where evenings invite you to wander. Discover the city in all its diversity: colonial mansions with old-world charm, Chinese-style buildings woven in between, golden Buddhist temples, and markets buzzing from dawn to dusk.

Around 6:00 PM, a local friend will pick you up for a 100% Lao dinner experience. Head to a lively night market, where locals gather to buy their evening meal. Stroll between the stalls and let yourself be tempted by the flavors of traditional Lao cuisine.

Overnight at Mintra Hotel in Deluxe Balcony Room.

You’ll start with Wat Sisaket, the oldest monastery in the city, then Ho Phra Keo, a former royal temple turned museum that once housed the Emerald Buddha (now in Bangkok). Continue to That Luang, the most impressive reliquary in Laos with its 45-meter-high stupa. Finally, a stop will be made at Patuxay, our own Arc de Triomphe.

In the afternoon, head out of the city via Tha Deua Road to Wat Xieng Khuan Park, also known as Buddha Park. Located 25 km from the capital, this site is actually dedicated to the city’s guardian spirit.

At the end of the day, enjoy a stroll through Chao Anouvong Park, where a new riverside promenade has recently been developed for the delight of locals and visitors alike. If you feel like it, join one of the open-air aerobics classes held here and there for a small contribution. Near Wat Chan, you’ll also find Vientiane’s night market—a great place to mingle with locals doing their shopping and pick up your first souvenirs!

Overnight at Mintra Hotel in Deluxe Balcony Room.

After breakfast, transfer to Wattay International Airport in Vientiane for your departure flight.

*** End of our services ***

Price base 4 people

Start from 1,100 USD per person