Luang Prabang Family Retreat Tour

DAY 01: LUANG PRABANG ARRIVAL (-)

We will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, we will go for lunch and/or take a short city tour, visiting Wat Mai, Mount Phousi, and the Night Market.

DAY 02: LUANG PRABANG BY BIKE (L)

Begin exploring this wonderful town with your guide on a morning bike ride, starting at the local morning market, where you can see locals buying their daily supplies. The tour will continue with visits to the National Museum (closed on Tuesday and Sunday afternoons), Wat Mai, and Wat Xieng Thong.

Here, you will learn about Lao history and the kingdoms that ruled this region in earlier times. For lunch, your guide will recommend a few great restaurants where you can sample Lao cuisine.

In the afternoon, visit Wat Visoun, which dates back to the 16th century, before heading to the Traditional Arts and Ethnology Center, where you will gain a deeper understanding of Laos’ ethnic diversity. After returning the bikes, we will ascend Mount Phousi to enjoy a sunset view over the town before descending into the colorful Night Market to shop for handmade crafts.

DAY 03: SHANGRI LAO – CLASSIC EXPLORER CAMP & EXPEDITION (B/L/D)

In the morning, your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel in Luang Prabang and transfer you by VIP van to the Shangri-Lao Explorer Camp, located 15 km outside the city.

Upon arrival, you will store your luggage at reception and take an introductory tour of the elephant camp. You may interact with the veterinarian, feed the elephants, or relax by the riverside before enjoying a 5 km elephant ride through forests and hills to the hidden Huay Sae Valley.

There, you will leave the elephants and enjoy a sumptuous lunch of traditional Lao cuisine with wine beside a secluded waterfall. Depending on the water level, you may swim in the natural pools before continuing on a 5 km trek through bamboo bridges, waterfalls, and dense jungle.

Upon reaching the Nam Khan River, a luxury bamboo raft will take you back to the elephant camp. Relax with a coffee while observing traditional village life along the river, or opt for a 30-minute visit to Tad Sae Waterfall.

In the late afternoon, return to the camp and check into your luxury tent. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the jacuzzi swimming pool, or take a guided walk to a nearby village. In the evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner under the night sky.

DAY 04: SHANGRI LAO – CLASSIC EXPLORER CAMP & SOFT EXPEDITION (B/L)

Start your day with breakfast by the riverside as the sun rises over the mountains. Watch nearby villages come to life as locals begin their daily routines.

After breakfast, your guide will introduce you to your elephant, and you will begin hands-on mahout training. Then, ride your elephant bareback to the river, where you will bathe it and guide it back to camp.

After checking out, enjoy lunch by the riverside or on the pool deck. In the afternoon, take a walk through a nearby village and visit a small temple with your guide. Experience local village life and learn about Laos’ ethnic groups before returning to Luang Prabang, where you will be dropped off at your hotel.

DAY 05: RICE IS LIFE EXPERIENCE AND KUANG SI WATERFALLS (B/L)

Rice Is Life: The Seed-to-Harvest Experience – A Living Lands Organic Farm Program

Hosted by the Living Lands Community Farm, this unique half-day, hands-on activity provides insight into the 14 steps of the rice production cycle, from selecting seeds to plowing (with water buffalo) to cooking and eating.

After lunch, we will head to Kuang Si Waterfall, passing beautiful landscapes of rice fields, hills, and small villages during the 35-minute drive.

Along the way, we will visit a local village to learn more about the ethnic diversity of Lao PDR. The Hmong people live in this region and maintain a culture distinct from that of their Lao neighbors.

At Kuang Si Waterfall, relax and enjoy the natural surroundings, take a walk through the protected area, or swim in the clear pools. We will also visit the Bear Rescue Center to learn about efforts to protect native bears.

In the afternoon, we will explore local villages known for handicrafts. The handmade Saa paper, produced from mulberry tree bark, is particularly interesting.

Overnight stay at Hillside Lifestyle Resort.

DAY 06: OCK POP TOK – LOCAL HANDICRAFTS (B/L)

Visit Ock Pop Tok’s Living Crafts Centre and discover centuries-old weaving and handicraft traditions passed down through generations. These skills are preserved by social enterprises like Ock Pop Tok.

Learn about Laos’ 47 ethnic groups by participating in activities such as silk weaving, traditional fabric dyeing, and bamboo weaving. Enjoy lunch by the Mekong River at the award-winning Silk Road Café.

DAY 07: SOK DI! (B)

“Sok Di,” meaning “good luck,” is a traditional Lao farewell greeting.

PRICE INCLUDES:

Accommodation as mentioned in the program

Private transport with air conditioning

English-speaking guide

All entrance fees

All boat trips/boat tickets

Tuk-tuk/songthaew as mentioned in the program

Domestic flight from Luang Prabang to Pakse

Drinking water

Government taxes

PRICE EXCLUDES:

Drinks

Alcohol

Visa/border fees

International flights

Personal expenses

Travel insurance

Lunch and dinner