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With our Sayabouly Elephant Trail Tour, you will have a memorial experience with the Asian Elephant - Laos’ national animals. Connect with the Asian Elephant at ECC. Spend two days immersed in the rugged wilds of Laos living alongside the elephants. Trek alongside as they go into the forest to forage for food and join them in mountain streams for their daily bath. You are to explore the cities - modern and ancient - of Vientiane and Luang Prabang as well as to uncover a land steeped in history and brimming with tradition.
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DAY 01: VIENTIANE ARRIVAL
Sabaidee! Welcome to VIENTIANE. Upon arrival at the Vientiane Wattay International Airport, you will be welcomed by our local tour guide and transferred to the 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 the Mekong River. Sample Laotian cuisines in some of restaurants on Mekong river bank, or you could also get some renown Lao beer at your own pace.
After breakfast, pay a visit to Wat Sisaket which is the oldest surviving temple with thousands of Buddhist images. These images mainly date back to 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, stop at the Wat Si Muang and Wat Prakeo which house the famous Emerald Buddha image.
Then proceed with a visit to the symbolic Pha That Luang Stupa - the most important national monument in Laos. It is also a symbol of Buddhist religion and Lao sovereignty. Following is a visit to Patuxai Monument (Victory Monument) located in the center of Vientiane prefecture. It is possible to climb up to the top of the monument and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.
In the afternoon, soak up about the history, cultures and people of Laos by paying a visit to National Museum. After that, stop at the Buddha Park where hundreds of Buddhist and Hindu sculptures brought from India are displayed.
This morning, enjoy a scenic three-hour drive along picturesque winding roads to Vang Vieng. On the way, stop to visit Ban Bor Village which is located near Ngum Lake - a hydroelectric dam on the Ngum river, a major tributary of the Mekong in Laos. Embark on a leisurely boat trip on the Ngum Lake, visiting fishing villages in the islands (about 1.5 hrs). Discover hundreds of small islands on the lake and enjoy beautiful scenery. Your lunch will be served at the restaurant overlooking the lake.
After a short break, we continue driving to VANG VIENG - a dreamlike landscape of bizarre limestone mountain peaks and scenic cliffs with the Song River, bisecting the town. Upon arrival in Vang Vieng, check in hotel then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Start our sightseeing today with a visit to Vang Vieng Morning Market to catch a glimpse of everyday life in a typical Lao rural area. After that, explore the network of caves surrounding Vang Vieng. Visit Tham Chang, with its vast panoramic views, and Tham Xang - the Elephant Cave, where the limestone formations create an image of an elephant.
Then, drive to Luang Prabang. It takes about four and a half hours to transfer from Vang Vieng. Have lunch at local restaurant on the way.
On arrival in LUANG PRABANG, climb up 328 steps to the top of Mount Phousi, for panoramic views of the city, Mekong River, surrounding countryside. Enjoy the gorgeous 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 night market which is open daily from dusk until about 10:00 PM. Sample local street food, drink the famous Laos Beer and buy souvenirs for your family and friends.
After breakfast, visit Wat Xieng Thong - one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. Then 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.
In the afternoon, visit the National 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.
NOTE: National Museum closed on Mondays.
After that, 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 leaves.
Wake up early in the early, listen 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. Return to hotel for breakfast.
After breakfast, our driver will transfer you 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.
Afterwards, make a short stop along the way to visit a local weaving village where they make a living from weaving on ancient wooden looms. Have your lunch at a local restaurant in Luang Prabang.
In afternoon, continue to visit Kuang Si Waterfalls, where you will enjoy beautiful natural scenery, have fun in waterfalls and relax. On the way back to your hotel, stop to visit a Black Hmong village. You can see and chat with local villagers who make handicrafts as souvenirs and sell them for visitors.
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 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.
Overnight at the Elephant Conservation Center.
MEALS
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
ACCOMMODATIONS
Elephant Conservation Center
DAY 08: ELEPHANT CONSERVATION CENTER
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.
Overnight at the Elephant Conservation Center.
MEALS
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
ACCOMMODATIONS
Elephant Conservation Center
DAY 09: SAYABOURY – LUANG PRABANG
Following breakfast, 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.
