Stop: Vientiane
Meet & greet at the airport by your French-speaking guide.
Transfer and check-in at your hotel, just steps from the Mekong. Free time in the heart of Vientiane. Unlike the major Southeast Asian capitals, Vientiane feels like a provincial town: old colonial houses with old-world charm, a tangle of Chinese buildings, gilded Buddhist temples, lively markets… Our recommendation: stroll along the Mekong riverbanks facing Thailand, or sip a drink in one of the many small eateries while watching the sunset. Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.

Stops: Vientiane, Muang La
Breakfast, Dinner
Getting lost in a local market (Vientiane has many) is an intoxicating delight of colors and scents… Then, surrender to quiet contemplation at Wat Si Muang temple to try, like other visitors, to attract good luck. A temple not to be missed! Lunch at leisure.
Flight to Oudomxay, then drive to Muang La Lodge, which you will reach in the late afternoon. Between river and mountains, this haven of peace built on the edge of the village of the same name is considered the “Pearl of Northern Laos”.
Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Stage: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Walking discovery of the village of Muang La, where the Lodge grew up. An authentic, friendly village, set on both sides of the river. Chickens, dogs, and goats roam between the stilt houses. You will have lunch in a traditional sala in front of a farm, enjoying a 360° view over this splendid valley. You will have plenty of time to observe and share a toast of friendship: a jar of local cider, Lao Hay.
Cross the river on a bamboo raft to the Khamu village of Vieng Kham, known for its master weavers of silk sarongs. Return to the Lodge via the primary school and the temple of Chiao Pha Kham Sing with its sacred Buddha. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Stage: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Muang La Lodge has designed days of exploration and encounters with communities typical of the region. Originally from Yunnan and Tibet, these hunter-gatherer communities, called by lowland Lao the “people of the sky”, withdrew to villages built on mountainsides at 1,000 m altitude. In this way, they have preserved intact their animist beliefs and traditional way of life. They are called Ikhos, Akhas, Hmongs. Access to their villages is by 4×4 on winding laterite tracks. The views over the valley are superb! Some options include walking times ranging from 30 minutes to more than 1 hour… the price to pay to reach these hamlets of small teak houses that almost never see tourists! Return to the Lodge late morning for a late lunch, then a free afternoon to rest. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.

Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast, Lunch
Muang Khua: board your private boat. This river journey down the Nam Ou is the most beautiful in the region! A route along the water with views of many villages and magnificent landscapes, including surprising karst formations that seem to rise out of the water. Picnic lunch prepared by Muang La Lodge, on a river beach. Late afternoon, disembark in Nong Khiaw, then drive to Luang Prabang to check in at your hotel. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.

Stopovers: Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls
Breakfast
This beautiful day begins at first light: the monks leave their temple and walk through the city to collect offerings from villagers. A colorful, silent spectacle not to be missed! The city has such remarkable natural, cultural, and architectural heritage that it is listed by UNESCO. With a private guide, enjoy an à la carte visit of the main religious buildings: Wat Aham and Wat Visoun, the oldest in the city; the Tat Mak Mo shaped like a watermelon; the charismatic Wat Xieng Thong; Wat Phraphoutthabat, the monastery of the Buddha’s Footprint, and many more—there are more than thirty in the city!
Lunch at leisure, then depart for the Kuang Si waterfalls, refreshing and especially appreciated during the hottest hours.
Return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.

Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden is reached via a comfortable 15-minute boat ride on the Mekong. This 10-hectare green space on a hillside is a beautiful thematic showcase of local flora. A short nature interlude for the traveler, it is also, above all, a real nature-awareness project for young Laotians. Return to town and lunch at leisure.
This afternoon, meet Thiao Nith, a descendant of the former royal family, at his family home. Prince Nith works to preserve artisanal traditions in collaboration with universities in Laos. He is keen to share his story and his vision of the country, and opens the doors of his workshop for some hands-on activities around metal-thread embroidery, floral arrangement…
Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.

Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast, Lunch
15 km from Luang Prabang, in a village along the Nam Ou River, Mandalao Elephant Camp is an innovative, eco-responsible project dedicated to preserving Laos’ elephants and their well-being. The treks are never done on the elephant’s back, but alongside it, and the number of visitors remains limited. Introduction to the project, the animals, and a family with whom you hike in the forest along a watering point favored by young pachyderms. You will say goodbye to your new friends late morning for a lunch served at the camp.
Return to Luang Prabang early afternoon; the rest of the day is free to enjoy the city on foot or by bicycle. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.