Package overview
Laos remains one of the least-explored destinations for Indian travellers, even though it packs UNESCO-listed heritage, cool highland scenery and a slower pace than neighbouring Vietnam or Thailand. This 13-day itinerary is built for agents who want to offer clients the whole country rather than a single city: Luang Prabang's temples, the Plain of Jars at Xieng Khuang, Vientiane's monuments, the limestone caves around Ban Na Hin, and the little-visited Si Phan Don (4000 Islands) near the Cambodian border.
The pace is deliberately unhurried, with two or more nights at most major stops and only a handful of long transfer days. It suits clients who have already done Vietnam or Thailand and want a genuinely different Mekong experience — river cruising, cave exploration by canoe, coffee country on the Bolaven Plateau — rather than a beach- or shopping-led trip. November to February gives the coolest, driest conditions for the caves and waterfalls on this route.
Trip highlights
- Three nights in Luang Prabang for temples, Kuang Si Falls and the Pak Ou Caves
- The Plain of Jars archaeological site at Xieng Khuang
- Half-day Vientiane city tour covering Wat Sisaket, Haw Phra Kaew and That Luang
- Boat trip through Khong Lor Cave's 7.5km limestone tunnel
- Wat Phu, a UNESCO World Heritage pre-Angkorian temple near Champasak
- Si Phan Don (4000 Islands), Khone Phapheng Falls and a chance to spot Irrawaddy dolphins
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang sits at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers and is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage town for its mix of traditional Lao wooden houses and French colonial-era buildings. Saffron-robed monks, gilded temples and a laid-back riverside atmosphere set the tone for the rest of the trip. Guests settle into their hotel and can explore the town at their own pace on arrival.
Day 2: Luang Prabang city tour and Kuang Si Falls
Luang Prabang's old quarter is compact enough to explore on foot, taking in gilded temples such as Wat Xieng Thong, the former Royal Palace and the daily morning market. Kuang Si Falls, a short drive from town, is known for its multi-tiered turquoise pools set in forest, popular for swimming and short walks along marked trails.
Day 3: Pak Ou Caves
The Pak Ou Caves sit in a limestone cliff at the point where the Nam Ou River meets the Mekong, holding thousands of Buddha statues left by pilgrims over generations. The caves are usually reached by boat, with the river journey itself — passing riverside villages and forested banks — as much a part of the experience as the caves.
Day 4: Luang Prabang to Xieng Khuang
Travel continues from Luang Prabang to Xieng Khuang province, home to the Plain of Jars — one of Southeast Asia's more intriguing archaeological sites, where thousands of large stone jars are scattered across grassy plains. The province sits on a cooler highland plateau and carries a difficult history from conflict-era bombing, which is documented locally.
Day 5: Xieng Khuang to Vang Vieng, city tour
Vang Vieng sits on the Nam Song River, ringed by dramatic limestone karst mountains, and has developed into Laos's main base for outdoor activities such as caving, kayaking and cycling through the surrounding countryside. Its town centre is small and easy to explore, with river-view restaurants and a noticeably slower pace than Vientiane or Luang Prabang.
Day 6: Vang Vieng to Vientiane, half-day city tour
After arriving in Vientiane, the half-day tour covers the capital's key religious and historic sites: Wat Sisaket, the city's oldest temple, known for cloister walls lined with thousands of Buddha images; Haw Phra Kaew, the former royal temple that once housed the Emerald Buddha; the Patuxay Monument, Vientiane's answer to the Arc de Triomphe; and the gilded That Luang stupa, the country's most important national symbol.
Day 7: Vientiane to Ban Na Hin via Tha Khaek
The drive south from Vientiane passes through Tha Khaek, a former French administrative town on the Mekong, before continuing to Ban Na Hin, gateway to the Khong Lor Cave system. This central Laos region is limestone karst country, with far fewer visitors than the north and a noticeably rural, unhurried character.
Day 8: Khong Lor Cave
A short drive brings the group to Khong Lor Cave, formed where the Hinboun River cuts a 7.5km passage through a mountain. The cave is explored by motorised canoe, passing beneath ceilings up to 100 metres high and past dramatic limestone formations. On the return drive, stops are made at two nearby waterfalls.
Day 9: Ban Na Hin to Pakse via Savannakhet
The journey continues south through Savannakhet province to Pakse, southern Laos's main town and a long-standing trade link between Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. It is a full driving day, with a lunch stop (own account) en route before checking in to the hotel in Pakse for the night.
Day 10: Pakse to Don Khong via Wat Phu (Champasak)
From Pakse, the road continues to Champasak to visit Wat Phu, a pre-Angkorian Khmer temple complex at the foot of Phu Kao mountain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dating back to the tenth century, it predates Angkor in Cambodia and is one of the best-preserved Khmer religious sites in Laos. The drive continues on to Don Khong island for the night.
Day 11: Don Khong and the 4000 Islands
A full day exploring Si Phan Don, the '4000 Islands' region where the Mekong widens near the Cambodian border. Highlights include the colonial-era buildings and remains of Laos's only railway locomotive at Ban Khone, a tuk-tuk visit to Liphi (Somphamit) waterfall, a chance — weather and season permitting — to spot rare Irrawaddy dolphins, and Khone Phapheng Falls, the largest waterfall by volume in Southeast Asia.
Day 12: Don Khong to Pakse via Tadlo and the Bolaven Plateau
The return drive to Pakse crosses the Bolaven Plateau, noticeably cooler than the Mekong valley below and known for its coffee, tea and cardamom plantations. En route to Tadlo, the road passes several waterfalls fed by the plateau's higher rainfall, giving a last look at rural southern Laos before the overnight in Pakse.
Day 13: Departure
Transfer to Pakse International Airport for the onward or homeward flight, closing out an itinerary that spans the length of Laos, from Luang Prabang in the north to the 4000 Islands in the deep south.
What's included
- English-speaking tour guides
- Land transportation by air-con vehicles
- Accommodation based on Twin-shared room with breakfast
- Meals as mentioned in the program (no drinks)
- Boat trips and admissions as mentioned in the program
- Drinking water during the touring day (2 bottles/person/day)
Not included
- Airfare (international and domestic) and airport tax ( on request )
- Visa services (Visa approval letter/Visa stamp fee/ Visa fast track on request)
- Early check-in/late check-out/ room upgrade surcharge
- Other meals, Drinks, and personal expenses (phone call, laundry, tipping etc.)
- Any services not mentioned in the program
- Optional Tours
- HOME
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- Hue
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- Phnom Penh
- Siem Reap
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Visa requirements, payment terms and cancellation rules for this destination are set out on our [Laos travel information page](laos/travel-information).
Rates are quoted on request for your dates, party size and hotel category. Send us the itinerary reference and we will come back with a net B2B quotation.