Depart your hotel (8:30am) by private vehicle for a 50 minute drive in a westerly direction to the village of Long Lao, the starting point for today’s trek. This rustic village is little-visited by tourists, is nestled inside a picturesque valley and consists of ethnic Hmong and Kamu enclaves. The Hmong people are known as ‘Lao Seung’ highlanders, who traditionally inhabit the higher peaks of the mountainous Lao countryside – however the village in the Long Lao valley has re-settled to this lower altitude. A Hmong trekking guide will join you and your Lao guide, to lead your trek of three hours of walking time. Begin first with an ascent to a skyline ridge, offering views over Long Lao village and its enclosing valley. On the way, you might see crops of rice, coriander, chilli, and local herbs planted by local villagers who live in the valley. Follow a marked trail, which will be steep in parts, and slippery in the wet season (from April to September) – make sure you wear sturdy boots or shoes. Arrive at Kuang Si Falls, Swim in the turquoise waters, or simply explore the beautiful surrounds. Enjoy free time before visiting a nearby sanctuary which cares for and rehabilitates bears rescued from animal traders, or from deforested habitat. Return to Luang Prabang, stopping as you like at Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm or local village for photos of countryside and villages. Lunch included.

Rise early this morning to see robed Buddhist monks collecting morning alms, following a centuries-old ritual, visit Mount Phousi for sunrise and enjoy the panoramic view of Luang Prabang, Stroll down the local morning Market a vibrant place for an introduction to the colourful fruits and vegetables which make up the tasty regional diet. After breakfast, begin your visit to the National Museum, the former royal palace filled with fine examples of Lao art and furniture. Afterwards, visit serene Wat Mai temple, which was spared sacking by the Chinese Black Haws in the late 19^th century. Continue to Xieng Thong temple, regarded as the most beautiful temple in Laos. In the afternoon continue your journey about 2.5 hours to Nong Khiaw a beautiful rustic little town on the bank of Ou River. En route stop at Ban Pak Ou and take a ferry across the Mekong to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. Locally referred to as Tam Ting, these two caves are carved out of towering limestone cliffs and contain thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues On arrival in Nong khiaw check in to your hotel, enjoy the sunset over the river.

Optional: Short trek to Phou Pha Daeng, a mountain top for Sunrise and panoramic view of Nong Khiaw town and its surroundings.

This morning you will board a slow boat for a trip up the Nam Ou River. Travel up the tranquil river, flanked by mountains and small villages, until you reach Muang Ngoi, a quaint village nestled in the foothills of giant limestone karsts. The town is only accessible by boat and has only one main street that remains unpaved. Visit the village and walk to nearby caves, Tham Kang before enjoying your own budget lunch in the nearby village Ban Na. After lunch, head back to Muang Ngoi and cruise upstream to Ban Sop Cham before cruise back to Nong Khiaw in the afternoon and enjoy free time to enjoy the idyllic river scenery as the Nam Ou flows idly past this stunning riverside town.

This morning you will visit the historical cave of Phathok. The Nong Khiaw villagers used this cave as a war shelter during the "Secret War" to shelter people from bombs dropped in the region. It is about 30 minutes' walk from Nong Khiaw town and follows beautiful scenery and great vistas in the surrounding tropical mountains. You will learn more about a secret part of the Lao history and explore the historical caves with your guide. From the cave you will have a beautiful view of rice paddies and the surrounding valley. Continue your road trip towards Muang Hiem on the east side of Nong Khiaw, the drive takes about 6 hours passing the local villages and beautiful scenery along the road that remains unpaved. You will have a chance to stop for a short walk at the view point and local hill tribe village, visit Hot water spring before you arrive in Muang Hiem. Arrive in late afternoon at Muang Hiem and transfer to your accommodation.

Today you will be transferred along the curvy road through gorgeous mountainous landscapes, after approximately 1.5 hour drive you will arrive at Ban Son Koua a Khmu village and Night Safari tour start. Your guide will take you for a short walk around the village to introduce their way of life. Start the long tail boat ride on Nam Nern River to the National Park’s total protection zone where you will stay overnight in a Bungalows style. After Lunch, relax in the Bungalow or go for jungle walk with your guide to learn about the medicinal plants. In the late afternoon board on a long tail boat again for Bird watching, your dinner tonight will be prepared at the sandy flat bank. There you can swim and enjoy relaxing around the campfire. During dinner your guide will introduce the species of animals that might be seen during the spotlighting such as Sambar deer, barking deer, various of species Civets, Spotted Linsang, Otters, Slow Loris, Porcupines, Owls. If you are lucky enough you might also see wild cats and beers, very rare but not impossible! Lunch and dinner included

Early wake up, if lucky, you will spot the Sambar Deer opposite the river from your camp.

Enjoy breakfast and morning tea / coffee before the boat trip down the River to Ban Son Koua. First your Boatmen will drift the boat down the river silently with the engine switched off.  Possibility to spot Animals as Otters, Sambar deer and Bird… Arrive at the village and meet by your guide and driver for the road trip to Phonsavanh, Visit en route at the caves Tham Piu that villagers used this cave as a war shelter during the "Secret War" to shelter people from bombs dropped in the region. Arrive in Phonesavanh late afternoon and check in at your hotel. After check in, free time and soak the town ambience and see the sun fade behind the surrounding hills. Breakfast included

Begin with a visit to the main Plain of Jars sites. Begin with a trip to site 2, one of the smaller sites, but with excellent surrounding views of the countryside. Site 3 is possibly the most beautiful jars site and is set atop a small rise, surrounded by scenic yet bomb-scarred rice paddies. After site 3, return in the direction of town to site 1, the most famous of all the jars sites. Here, the jars are largest and most numerous. You will leave this site wondering about the true purpose of these amazing stone urns. After lunch, drive to Muang Khoun town. In colonial days this hamlet was the capital of Xieng Khouang Province and was the site of a unique style of Buddhist temples (low-lying, to withstand strong winds), French administrative buildings, and a bustling market. It was also a centre of opium trading … During the secret war, the town was unfortunately the site of much conflict and was almost razed to the ground. Today, little remains of the old town, however the journey from Phonsavan (30 kilometers) passes through pretty countryside and adds depth to your stay in the area. You will see the standing ruinous remains of a sitting Buddha statue (at Wat Phia Wat), and the ravaged That Chomsi (famous for a hole through its base made by treasure-hunting thieves). Return to Phonsavan town, by the end of the day.

Begin with a visit to the morning market, to see unusual wares and foodstuffs for sale. Then, explore the Mine Action Group (MAG) visitor centre, which gives you an excellent introduction into the war-torn history of this region and showcases the unprecedented volume of munitions left in this area. End your morning visit to Lone Buffalo project. Transfer to the airport for your flight to Vientiane by QV402/15:05

Upon arrive at Vientiane airport, you will be met by your guide and driver for the road trip to Vang Vieng through stunning mountain landscapes as you venture north. On the approach to Vang Vieng, the road begins to pass through stunning limestone karst scenery before descending into the lush and leafy surrounds of Vang Vieng town. Despite its growing popularity with backpackers, Vang Vieng still holds a scenic charm that appeals to travelers of all types. Check into your accommodation upon arrival and enjoy your free time or explore on the Nam Song River.

This morning is at your leisure. You may wish to rent a bicycle and ride around the outskirts of town to experience some more of the beautiful scenery and local life Vang Vieng has on offer. Visit Tham Chang one of the most beautiful caves in Vang Vieng, return for Lunch at your hotel. In the afternoon you will be transferred 10 kilometres upstream for some light kayaking on the majestic Nam Song River. After a brief introduction to the basics of kayaking, you will work your way downstream towards town, taking in the towering karst formations around you from the unique perspective of a kayak. Arrive back in town in time to catch one of Vang Vieng's colourful sunsets while you unwind from the day. After your river activity, you will be transferred to Vientiane and check in to your hotel.

Starting at 8:30am, your touring will take in the city's intriguing main sights. First visit 'Talat Sao', the capital's main market. Here, see silk and cotton textiles, gold and silver jewellery, and wooden carvings. This is a good place for souvenir shopping, or just browsing. Next, visit exquisite Wat Sisaket, Vientiane's oldest original temple, built in 1818 (all other temples in Vientiane were re-built after the Siamese invasion of 1828). Across the street, Haw Pha Kaew, the former royal temple of the Lao Monarchy, has now been converted into a museum. After a break for lunch (to allow for choice, lunch is on your own), continue to the COPE Visitor's Centre, an inspiring organisation which provides prosthetic limbs to victims of exploded ordinance and vehicle accidents. This centre gives you both an informative and interactive experience into some of the issues still plaguing Laos from the Indochina war era. Travel towards the Thai/ Lao Friendship Bridge to ‘Buddha Park.’ Located on the banks of the Mekong, this eclectic venue is full of larger-than-life concrete statues lifted from Buddhist and Hindu epics. The creator of these statues was rumoured to have been eccentric, so a visit here is interesting and makes for great photos. Finally, finish your day with stops at Phra That Luang (the most important national monument in Laos and symbolic of both the monarchy and the Buddhist religion) and the Patuxai Monument, reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. At the end of the day, be dropped-off at your hotel.

Today free at leisure until your transfer to Pakse airport for your ongoing flight…