13 DAYS: EXPLORING SECRET WAR TRAIL IN NORTHEAST OF LAOS DURING 1968-1973. AND VISITING BOTH UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, (PLAIN OF JARS IN 2019), (WAT PHOU CHAMPASAK IN 2001). AND EXPLORE (DONDET 4000 ISLANDS), SOUTH OF LAOS.

After breakfast, our experience local guide will meet you at your accommodation for check-out, pick up is approx. 8.00am. From there you will travel approx. 4 hours to the spectacular natural wonder of Muanghiem hot springs. Although far too hot for swimming, your guide will demonstrate the fantastic power of the springs, hot enough to cook an egg in seconds. There you will break for lunch before continuing approx. 4 hours onto Sam Neua. On the way we will stop to see Tad sluey waterfall before arriving to Sam Neua. Upon arrival in Samneua you will check-in to your new accommodation before going to dinner.

After breakfast, we will check-out of our accommodation, and board our private minibus to the Phou Pha Thi Mountain. The journey will take approx. 2 hours and will depart at 7:30am. Once there we will continue our tour on foot, hiking to the summit of Phou Pha Thi. The peak is roughly 1770 meters above sealevel, but the trek is relatively easy and should only take around an hour each way.

Phou Pha Thi was a site of significant strategic importance to the US Air Force during the Indochina war, and the mountain was home to US military base, designation LIMA SITE – 85). After reaching the top of the mountain, you can experience the incredible views and enjoy the beautiful scenery surrounding the mountain whilst your guide prepares you a jungle picnic lunch.

After lunch, our tour continues back down the mountain and back aboard the minibus for approx. 2.30 hours via Huae Phan Province, from Samneu city to Vieng xay town just 23km northeast of Samneua, The magnificent hidden paradise of Vieng xay town is surrounded by formidable limestone mountains, making it the perfect strattegic stronghold for the Laos leaders during Vietnam war.

During your visit you will explore the four separate caves, Souphanouvong, Kaisone Phomvihan, Nouhuk Phoumsavanh, Khamtay Siphandone, each used to house the four Laos leaders during the conflict. This unique landscape helped to ensure the safety of governance over Laos during this period, so all the leaders could not be incapacitated at the same time.

After visiting the caves, you will continuing our tour to climb Pha Nangmom mountain. The climb will take approx. 25 minutes to the summit upon which you will experience unrivlled views overlooking Viengxay town and the surrounding by limestone mountain paradise. This is also the best view of the sunset and sunrise, after descending the mountain you will check-in to your new accommodation before going for dinner.

After breakfast, our experienced local guide will meet you at your accommodation for check-out, pick up is approx. 8.00am. From there you will take the minibus along the road C1 to Phonesavanh of Xiengkuang province. Xiengkhuang holds the unfortunate record of being heavily bombed place on earth, withh more than 2 million tons of bombs dropped during the Vietnam war.

The jurney to Phonesavanh is approx. 8 hours, and our tour will break for lunch along the way. We will stop at various viewpoints and rest stops on route,allowing the opportunity to stretch your legs and take photos of the stunning Laos countryside. We will visit famous  sites including that of Thampiu the tragic site where 374 people lost their lives to a US missile strike whist seeking refuge in a cave. A day of remembrance is held in Laos each year  on the 24 November to mark this tragic event.

Upon arriving at Phonesavanh, in the Xiengkhuang plateau, northeast of Laos, you will check-in to your new accommodation before going to dinner.

After breakfast, your experienced local guide will meet you at your accommodation, pick up is approx. 8:00AM.

We will travel to ‘Plain of Jars’ a colossal megalithic landscape consisting of thousands of stone jars scattered across the upland valleys and lower foothills of central Xiengkhuang. The jars ranging in clusters numbering from one to several hundred were designated collectively as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, and we will be visiting 3 of the most important sites.

From here we will travel to Napia village to visit the local people and see how they recycle the scrap metal leftover from the many USA bombs which remain littering the Laos landscape. The skilled local craftspeople make everything from souvenirs for tourist, to useful household items such as pots pans and cutlery, breathing new life into the materials making use of the discarded weapons of war.

Our tour will continue onto Muangkhoun, the original capital of the {Province, stopping for lunch. The town was heavily bombarded during the war where much of it was destroyed, resulting in the move of the capital to phonsavan. Although much of the town was reduced to rubble, we are still able to visit the remains of Wat Pia temple with its only remaining Buddha statue. After this we will go to visit local people how to make the rice noodle, it’s famous rice noodle from here, you could try some everywhere in Laos. After this we will go back to Phonsavan for dinner and to return to our accommodation.

After breakfast, our experience local guide will meet you at your accommodation for check-out, pick up is approx. 7:30AM.From there you will take the minibus from Phonsavan to kong lor village cave, the jurney time is approx. 8 hours, and we will stop various viewpoints and rest stop on route enjoying the marvellous scenery,as well as breaking for lunch at thatom small town and Half way to Kong lor cave, after lunch keep traveling upon arrival at Kong lor village cave. You will check-in the Thong dam bungalows to your new accommodation, before going to dinner with your guide.

After breakfast, your experienced guide will meet you at your accommodation, pick up is at approx. 9am. From here, we will take the sort walk together to the nearby pier, where we will board a motorized longboat to explore the Tham Konglor cave. With a name meaning “Beauty in the darkness” Tham Konglor is the biggest cave in Laos and forms part of the Hinboun Limestone Mountain region,which is a nationally protected forest area. Here we will cruise along Nam Hinboun River, through the natural limestone tunnels spanning around 7.5Km through the mountain. The powerful river, stretching around 30 meters wide, has carved a path through the rock and boasts incredible sights with the ceiling reaching up to 100 meters high in places. The river flows by unexpected sandy beaches, and along the way your tour guide will point out the various rock formations, all named for their familiar shapes, and steeped in local lore.

After exploring the caves, you will have time for swimming in the beautiful natural pools, or if you prefer just sunbathing on the beach. Before returning to the bungalow accommodation for lunch. After lunch you are free to explore the village, or you can just relax in your bungalow, taking in the view from your hammock, before meeting for dinner.

After breakfast, our experienceed tour guide will meet you at your accommodation to check out at 7:30AM. From here we will drive approx. 2 hours than off-road to the village of Nakatueb. Here we will board a long tailboat and cross the Nam Hinboun River where we begin our exciting trekking adventure.

Our tour takes us through mountainous jungle terrain, and through water caves before reaching the sanctity of the hidden ancient town of Lublea. This hisstorical town is over 500 years old and is nestled deep within the formidable limestone mountains, making it practically inaccessible by any other means. Legend tells how this secluded paradise was the final retreat of King Chao Anouvong, after the destruction of the capital in Viengchan the King sought refuge here to reunitehis kingdom before it ultimately fell to the Siam Kingdom. Today people still live in this isolateed area, and we will visit the residents of Ban Nakatueb village with many families making this their home.

After we’ve finished exploring the hidden town we will trek back through to the pier and reboard the boat back to our vehicle. From here we will head to Thakek city, stopping along the way to see the Great wall of Laos. After Great wall we will head to our new accommodation in thakek city check-in before going for dinner.

After breakfast, your tour guide will meet you at your hotel to check out, pick up is 8:00AM. Our tour departs Thakek drive to Tham Nang Aen cave 18Km out side of Thakek city. Upon arrival, there are two options for exploring the colorful cave, and we can doing both of these. Heading up the stairs at the entranceway next to a small waterfall, you can explore the cave on foot with a path leading up towards the higher reaches of the first couple of chambers.

The view from there is great, and you can see the small river below that runs through the cave. The other option we can take a boat trip through the network of caves, we will take an hour, a local guide will gently paddle you through the waters, opening up access to several additional chambers. There are few other boats on the water at the same time, and the quietness is very calming. Towards the far end of the boat trip, you can get out and take a short 10-minute walk to explore a more distant chamber. All is well-lit, and the pathways relatively safe and easy to traverse.

After finished explore Tham Nang Aen colorful cave, we will get back to Thakhek city for have lunch. After lunch we will journey to visit the Phathad Inghung stupa is one of the most famous sights and a holy place in the Savannakhet Province, then we will continue to the Tadlo waterfall, for check in at the Tadlo Loge. Once you've sethled in you will have the chance to explore the area, you may have the opportunity to bathe with the elephants and walking spectacular near by waterfall.
There is so much to see and do here, or if you'd prefer you can just relax and watch the world go by from you bungalow.

After breakfast, our experienced guide will meet you at your bungalow for check out, pick up is approx. 8:00am. From here we will drive approx. 2 hours to the Tad Yeung and Tad Fane waterfalls. This gorgeous waterfall is situated in picturesque surrounding and cascades idyllically through the jungle. After lunch and relaxing here, we will then move onto the mighty Tad Fane twin waterfalls, for a once in a lifetime ziplining experience. This thrilling ziplining adventure is not for the faint hearted! Being both the highest and longest zipline in the whole of Laos, you will have the opportunity to experience souring across the 470 meters zipline, 300 maters off the ground, all above the two 120 maters twin Tad Fane waterfalls below. This is truly an experience like no other if you’re brave enough to attempt it.

After the ziplining adventure we will travel approx. 45 minutes, to Pakse city, then go to check in to your new accommodation. Our tour then continues to the top of Phousalao in time to see the sunset and enjoy unparalleled views of the amazing Pakse landscape, before descending again for dinner.

After breakfast, our experienced tour guide will meet you at your hotel for check out, pick up is approx. 8:00am. From here we will drive approx. 45 minutes to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wat Phou in Champasack, sitting at the base of the Phou Kao Mountain overlooking the mighty Mekong River, the ancient Khmer Temple complex has intricate structures dating between the 5^th and 15^th centuries. After learning the history of the site with your guide our tour continues to Champasack pier to boat the ferry across the Mekong River. From here we will travel approx. 2:30 hours to visit the largest waterfall in southeast Asia, Khonphapeng. After seeing waterfall, we head to Nakasang village, where we will board a motorized longboat across the Mekong River to the island of Dondet, colloquially know as 4000 islands for the multitude of sand islands lining this section of the Mekong River. After checking in new your accommodation, we go out for lunch. After finished lunch, we will go to swim at the swimming pools and relax until to dinner times.

After breakfast, our experienced tour guide will meet you at your hotel and pick up is approx. 8:00am. From here we will begin the tour from Dondet pier by kayaking down Mekong River to visit Liphee waterfall. If we do a cycling tour, we will start from Dondet cycling on offroad to Liphee waterfall, then take a walk surrounding to take a pictures and swimming on the Mekong River. After Liphee waterfall, then cycling to visit Hangkhon village. It was old pier during Laos was colonized of France. And we will see both countries between Laos and Cambodia border. After we will Cycling back to our hotel, then shower and relax. Dondet is perfect location for dinner and drinking and this evening makes the end of the tour. You will have a final farewell party and have opportunity to say goodbye to your fellow travellers and tour guide.

After breakfast, your guide will pick up at 8:30am. you have the optional to travel with your tour guide to finish at Laos border if you plan travel to Cambodia, if your plan to finish at Pakse City then travel with tour guide to dropped at number of locations.
If you require additional accommodation or onward travel, please contact us prior to booking and a member of the team will be happy to assist you.