Routing : Around World Heritage Luang Prabang 5 Days/ 4 Nights
Activities include : cycling, cooking, massage, elephant riding, sightseeing and more!

Full Itinerary

Day 1 :  Cycle Around World Heritage Site Temples & The Town of Luang Prabang ( L, D ) 

Surrounded by thickly forested mountains and situated at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong Rivers, Luang Prabang has a tranquil, old world charm rarely found in Asia today. This fascinating town was the capital of the Lane Xang (million elephants) kingdom until the mid-sixteenth century. In colonial times it served as a provincial headquarters of the north. The legacy of the European presence here - well preserved French architecture and careful street planning – has blended delightfully with more than 30 gilded Buddhist temples to create a town rich in atmosphere and history.

Welcome to Luang Prabang! Your guide will meet you upon arrival at the airport and bring you to your hotel. Grab your bike, enjoy a half-day spin around Luang Prabang and you will understand why it deserves the World Heritage title! Visit Wat Visoun, the site of impressive Thad Makmo stupa. The rounded dome is stylistically more Sinhalese than Lao. Phou Sii hill stands right in the center of this small city. Climb its 350 steps to enjoy commanding views for many miles in each direction. Wat Phou Si sits atop the mountain, along side the skeletons of Indochina war anti-aircraft guns! Then continue on to visit Wat Mai. Built in 1796, the five-tiered roof of the wooden Sim (chapel) epitomizes the graceful Luang Prabang architectural style. Wat Xieng Thong further emphasizes & characterizes the uniqueness of Luang Prabang, its several roofs sweeping low to the ground. See also the impressive "tree of life" mosaic here. The gilt panel on the exterior of the royal funerary carriage house depicts episodes from the Ramayana. Then visit the National Museum, once a king's palace, where displayed inside is a lovely collection of personal artifacts of the royal family, including photos, musical instruments, and many gifts received from the dignitaries of foreign countries. Also peruse the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center, a private museum recently opened to explain about the livelihoods of Laos’ ethnic minorities. You’ll learn many interesting facts about the tribal peoples of Northern Laos. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, after which you can return to the hotel. This town is wonderful for walking, and today’s excursion will help to give you your bearings! Spend the rest of the day exploring or relaxing on your own until dinner. Tonight enjoy a dinner of traditional Luang Prabang food.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accom: see below

Activities everyone can enjoy together during the day – while a magic light falls across Luang Prabang in the evening

Day 2: Luang Prabang – Lao Royal Cooking Course – Kuang Si Waterfall ( B, L )

After breakfast, meet the chef at the cooking school. Travel together to visit the colorful and vibrant Phosy Market, where you will make your guided food selections. At the restaurant prepare the ingredients for cooking and then fix the dishes under a sun roof in our airy garden. The chef will explain to you the differences of South East Asian cuisines and distribute printed recipes providing you with the possibility to cook Lao food for your friends at home! Enjoy the lunch that you prepared!

After lunch, drive with your guide by car to the Kuang Si waterfall. The falls cascade over many calcified tiers and down several hundred feet into a series of cool, turquoise pools. The water here has a clear blue-green tint due to the high mineral content. You can climb the stairs and look down from various high viewpoints on the way to the top! Later in the afternoon return to the hotel to relax or explore on your own. You can find dinner at any number of clean & delicious international restaurants. Lao beer is an excellent pilsner, and many types of French wine are also available at reasonable prices.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accom: see below

Day 3:  Pak Ou Buddha Caves – Ban Xang Khong Handicrafts – Traditional Lao Massage ( B, L )

After breakfast, begin a Mekong Riverboat trip with your guide on the mighty Mekong River to visit the famous & sacred Pak Ou Buddha Caves. These caves, overlooking the confluence of the Mekong & Ou Rivers from on high, have been home to many thousands of Buddha images that were placed here by local people since 16th century, when King Setthathirat found the caves and declared them a holy spot. Today many still pay respect with this old tradition. Walk through the caves before returning to your boat and to Luang Prabang town. Enjoy lunch en route. On the way back, stop in Ban Xang Khong. See their amazing locally-made silk weavings as well as mulberry paper items. This is a great stop for souvenirs! Return to Luang Prabang for dinner and overnight.

This afternoon, enjoy a traditional Lao oil massage for an hour. What a relaxing way to sample local culture! Afterwards, return to your hotel for your evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accom: see below

Views of the Mekong River boat ride and a journey through the forest with Jumbo!

Day 4: Luang Prabang – Elephant Ride  ( B, L )

Today after breakfast, travel outside of town to an Elephant Camp. Learn about these magnificent creatures as you take one for a ride! If you always wanted to ride an Elephant in its natural biosphere and not in a circus or city, then this is for you. Elephant rides are scenic, tranquil, relaxing and require no specific fitness. In the wet season (July – January) ride your elephant to the stunning Tad Sae waterfall. In the dry season (February – June) your elephant will take you through rice paddies along the riverbank and to a nearby village. Enjoy lunch and then return to Luang Prabang.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accom: see below

Day 5: Luang Prabang – Onward ( B )

Today after breakfast, relax on your own until time to check out and transfer to the airport for your flight onward.

Class	Number of Person in Group/Pax Tour cost per Person (in $US) from 1 Aug 2009 to 31 Aug 2009
	2	4 - 6	7 - 9	10 - 12
Superior 3*	560	500	470	450
Fist Class 4*	680	620	600	580
Deluxe 5*	790	690	660	630

Trip Included:

• All domestic land and water transportation as listed in the itinerary
• All meals as listed in the itinerary ( B = Breakfast, L = Lunch )
• All accommodation as listed in the itinerary
• All entrance fees
• Government Taxes and VAT

Trip Excluded :

• International or domestic air tickets
• Visa Fee (30-42$) depending on nationality + 1 passport size picture
• Meals not listed in the itinerary
• Tips and gratuities
• Items not listed in the itinerary
• Insurance