Sayaboury Elephant Trail

Sabaidee! Upon arrival at the Vientiane Wattay International Airport, you will be welcomed by our tour guide and transferred to your hotel for check in. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

In the evening, you could walk through the wats to hear chanting from evening prayers on the bank of Mekong River. Tasting the best of Laos cuisine in restaurants on Mekong river bank. Or get some great glass (or two) of wine or a well-made cocktail. Overnight in Vientiane hotel.

After breakfast, we will take a visit to Wat Sisaket which is the oldest surviving temple with thousands of Buddhist images. These images mainly date from the 16th and 19th centuries and come in all sizes and are made from wood, stone and bronze – more than 6,800 Buddhas in total. After that, you will visit Wat Si Muang and Wat Prakeo which housing the famous Emerald Buddha image really amazed the Indochina tour makers.

Then we proceed with a visit the symbolic site Pha That Luang Stupa - the most important national monument in Laos. It is a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Then, take a visit to Patuxay Monument (Victory Monument) which is located in the center of Vientiane prefecture. You could climb up to the top of this monument and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

In the afternoon, we will take a visit to National Museum the best place to learn about the history, cultural and people of Laos. After that, we will visit the Buddha Park where hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures brought from India are displayed. Overnight at hotel in Vientiane.

This morning, we will take a three-hour drive along picturesque winding roads to Vang Vieng. On the way we will stop to visit Ban Bor Village which is located near Nam Ngum Lake - a hydroelectric dam on the Nam Ngum river, a major tributary of the Mekong in Laos. You will have a leisure boat trip on the Nam Ngum Lake visit fishing villages in the islands (about 1.5 hrs). Enjoy beautiful sceneries of hundreds of small islands on Nam Ngum Dam. Our lunch will be served at the boat restaurant where you can overlook the Nam Ngum Lake.

After a short break, we driving to Vang Vieng - a dreamlike landscape of bizarre limestone mountain peaks and scenic cliffs with the Nam Song (Song River) bisecting the town. Upon arrival Vang Vieng, check in hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. You could rent bicycle and ride around the town. Overnight in Vang Vieng hotel.

Start our sightsseeing day with a visit to Vang Vieng morning market to catch a glimpse of everyday life in a typical Lao rural area. After that, we will explore the network of caves surrounding Vang Vieng. Visit Tham Chang, with its vast panoramic views, and Tam Xang, or the Elephant cave, where the limestone formations create an image of an elephant.

Then we will drive to Luang Prabang. It takes about four and half hours to transfer from Vang Vieng. Have lunch at local restaurant on the way. On arrival Luang Prabang, we will take a soft trek, climb up 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi, for panoramic views of the city, Mekong River, surrounding countryside and witness the memorable sunset, one of the most unforgettable sights on this tour. Then you will be transferred to your hotel for check in.

In the evening, you could walk around the Phousi Night Market which is open daily from dusk until about 10pm. Tasting local street food, drinking the famous Laos Beer and buying souvenirs for your family and friends. Overnight in Luang Prabang hotel.

*** Luang Prabang is located in the northern of Laos and is around 360 km north from Vientiane. Since 1995, UNESCO has declared Luang Prabang a World Heritage site for it’s preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including the French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries.

After breakfast, we will take a visit to Wat Xieng Thong Temple - one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. After that, we move to Wat Sene Souk Haram or literally "Temple of a 100,000 treasures" is one of the most beautiful temples in Luang Prabang, singular by its restored painting of a deep ochre colour, flamboyant and glittering with gold. Then continue tour to visit the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun (oldest temple in Luang Prabang) and the shrine of Wat Aham. Tasting the best of Laos in restaurants which are suggested by our your guide.

In the afternoon, we will visit the National Royal Museum. It is the former Royal Palace which was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. The Museum hosts a range of interesting artifacts from the Royal period in Luang Prabang

After that, we continue tour to visit Wat Mai - one of Luang Prabang’s largest and most richly decorated temples. Both its interior and exterior are extensively adorned with black and red lacquer decoration and gold leaf. At the late afternoon, we will start climbing up 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi, for panoramic views of the city, surrounding countryside and witness the memorable sunset, one of the most unforgettable sights on this tour. Overnight at hotel in Luang Prabang.

In the early morning, wake up early to the sound of the temple gong and observe the Morning Alms-giving Ritual procession. You would get a better understanding of local people's piety towards their religion.

After breakfast, our driver will transfer us to a pier on Mekong River. Start a Mekong River Cruise trip 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. On the way back, make a short stop along the way to visit a local village where they make a living from weaving on ancient wooden looms. After that, broad back Luang Prabang for lunch.

In afternoon, we continue to visit Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you will enjoy beautiful natural scenery, have fun in waterfalls and relax. Drive back to the town for dinner. On the way back, we will stop to visit Black Hmong Village. You will see and chat with villagers who make handicraft as souvenirs and sell them for visitors. Overnight in Luang Prabang hotel.

Our guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel then transfer directly to the ECC in Sayabouly where our boat takes you to the Center. This transfer takes approximately 3 hours. Enjoy scenic view, lush forest, peaceful countryside.

Sayabouly province is located Southwest of Luang Prabang, and is a mountainous area with peaks of more than 1,000 meters. With the travel to this remote province, you will be revealed with many beautiful mountains and flower gardens. Upon your arrival at the Nam Tien Lake pier, embark on a short boat trip to the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC). The ECC focuses on providing Lao Elephant cows with a safe environment to give birth and raise their calves. At the same time the Elephant Center is supplying an income for their owners through soft responsible tourism with the protected Elephants. Have lunch at the ECC.

After lunch, take a guided tour of the Center and chat with the resident veterinarian, mahouts who are working at ECC. Observe the elephants who are living at ECC. Observe elephant in their natural habitat, learn about their facts at the museum and mahout training school. You also spend some time getting to learn three different ways to get up and down from an elephant in the traditional way (bareback) from the mahouts.

Afterwards, join the mahouts for a walk in the forest to take the elephants back to their nightly resting place. Feeding, and watching the elephants having their daily bath. The rest of your time is free to relax at your bungalow, visit the elephant museum, swim or simply enjoy a fresh drink.

This morning, join the elephants for their daily exercise, an hour walk in the surrounding tropical forest. Stay close to the elephant as they lead the way. After the walk, spend some time at the yard elephants. There is no better chance to learn about the elephants’ delicate diet and get a chance to feed them, under professional supervision.

Enjoy lunch with the best of Lao foods which are served at restaurant in the center. After lunch, enjoy a visit to the elephant nursery set deep inside the forest. You can see the baby elephants learning how to sustain themselves, closely watched by their mother. Learn about the reproduction program set up by the NGO, ElefantAsia, while watching them play.

See the elephant bath again. Afterwards, join the mahouts for a walk in the forest to take the elephants back to their nightly resting place. In the afternoon, embark on a relaxing boat trip on the lake to watch the dusk over the islands while enjoying a fresh drink and snacks.

After breakfast, we take a half-day trek through the forest to discover a hidden, sacred Buddha footprint. On the way, our guide will deliver you some information about the wild animals, birds, plants and medicinal herbs which you could see in the forest. Enjoy the magnificent beauty of the forest and landscapes. After lunch, bid farewell and depart the Elephant Conservation Center back to Luang Prabang.

Free at leisure until our guide and driver come to pick up then transfer you to Luang Prabang airport for departure. End of our services.