Taste of Laos

You will start your day by meeting at a restaurant before transferring to the local market. Learn more about the market while taking in the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy place. You will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and purchase some of the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson. You will be transferred to a picturesque lakeside pavilion where you will be introduced to the Laos kitchen.

The chef will give you an introduction to all the fresh ingredients you have just bought from the market.

Learn how to make Jeow, this is a spicy Laotian dipping sauce and Mok Pa, a popular fish dish steamed with herbs in banana leaves….

Enjoy the tastes of your newly discovered recipes for lunch.

The rest of the day is free at your own pace. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Depart your hotel for a tour of the Elephant Village. The camp manager will greet you and conduct a short briefing before our elephant ride.  Enjoy a one and a half hour walk through a unique natural jungle valley and limestone cascades to the Elephant Jungle where a picnic lunch will be served. Visit Tad Sae Waterfall and relax on a boat trip on the Khan River back to the Elephant Village. You will arrive back in Luang Prabang by 4:00pm. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

The National Museum at the former Royal Palace, which displays a lovely collection of the artifacts reflecting the richness of Lao culture, dates back from the days of the early king through the last sovereign. The National Museum and Central Market are not to be missed! Today, you will visit these sights before catching a flight to Vientiane. After settling down at the hotel, continue exploring the capital city and famous sacred structure of That Luang Stupa. Stop for a photo opportunty of the imposing Patuxay Monument, which is well known as Vientiane’s own Arc de Triumph. Overnight in Vientiane.

Begin your day by visiting the major sights of the capital including the oldest Wat Sisaket, with thousands of miniature Buddha statues and the former royal temple of Wat Prakeo previously housed the famous Emerald Buddha Image.

Meet at Full Moon Cafe at 10:00am to start your epicurean experience. Travel to a garden on the Mekong River and begin preparations for a wonderful lunch.

Traditional Lao cooking utensils will be used to create a variety of dishes and learn the secrets of making perfect sticky rice. Lao cooking is light and fragrant and you’ll be able to customize your dishes to your own palate. While dining you’ll also learn about Lao culture and etiquette. A Lao Recipe Booklet will be provided so you can take your experience home. Overnight in Vientiane.

After breakfast, you will fly to Pakse. Upon arrival, take an excursion by car to visit the highlights of the fascinating Bolaven Plateau. The Bolaven Plateau, was formed by an ancient volcano and is famous for its agricultural products including many coffee and tea plantations. The plateau has a number of tribal villages; some of them still practicing Stone Age culture. They use extremely primitive agriculture tools and conduct frequent spiritual ceremonies.

The first stop is the Phaseum Resort. Here you will visit the Tribal Villages Museum to learn about the tribal architecture and life of the southern Laotian tribes. Continue to Tadlo on the northern edge of the Bolaven Plateau. Tadlo is touted as an eco-friendly resort near the Xeset Waterfall. After lunch at Tadlo, continue on visiting Alack and Nge Tribal Villages. Drive back to Pakse, via Paksong with stops to visit the impressive Tad Fane Waterfalls and a tea & coffee plantation. The rest of the day is free on your own. Overnight in Pakse.

After breakfast, depart for Kohong Island to visit Wat Phou, the most important Hindu sanctuary of the Khmer Empire. Then continue on to Nagasang, and then cruise by boat to the beautiful Island of Ban Khone, where you can sometime see Irrawadee dolphins. Overnight in Ban Khone.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before cruising by boat and to Khone Phapeng Waterfall, which spans 14km across the width of the mighty Mekong River. This waterfall is listed as the world's widest waterfall and it is quite impressive especially during the rainy season when the water in running fast and furious. Overnight in Khong Island.

Enjoy breakfast then transfer by car and boat to Don Daeng. Overnight at La Folie Lodge on Don Daeng. Rest of the day is free at your own pace. Overnight at La Folie Lodge.

After breakfast, you will get transferred by boat to Pakse. If time permits, visit Pakse before transferring to the airport for your onward flight. End of services.