6 days 5 nights
Specific Tour
14 people
English
Quick answer
A 6-day private tour of Luang Prabang and Vientiane, linked by the express train, with the Pak Ou Caves, Kuang Si Falls, Buddha Park and Don Xing Xu island. There are no domestic flights, and it fits easily into a longer Southeast Asia trip.
From US$730 per person for the whole tour, based on 4 travellers sharing double rooms in 4★ hotels as listed (couples travelling alone pay a little more). It changes with hotel level, season and group size, and is confirmed in your tailor-made quote.
| Day | Route and highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Luang Prabang | Luang Prabang |
| 2 | Royal Palace, Mekong cruise and Pak Ou Caves | Luang Prabang |
| 3 | Morning alms, Kuang Si Falls, train to Vientiane | Vientiane |
| 4 | Vientiane: Buddha Park, COPE and That Luang | Vientiane |
| 5 | Island day on Don Xing Xu | Vientiane |
| 6 | Free morning, departure from Vientiane | — |
Private tour with your own English-speaking guide · 6 days / 5 nights · Luang Prabang – Pak Ou Caves – Kuang Si – Vientiane – Buddha Park – Don Xing Xu
This Luang Prabang and Vientiane tour is a compact, private introduction to Laos, built around its two historic capitals and the fast railway that now links them. In Luang Prabang you visit the Royal Palace Museum and Wat Xieng Thong, cruise the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves and watch the dawn alms round before a swim at Kuang Si Falls.
The express train then takes you south to Vientiane in about two hours. Here the pace is easy: the golden stupa of That Luang, the sculptures of Buddha Park, the COPE center and a sunset walk by the Mekong. On the last full day you cross to Don Xing Xu, a small farming island just outside the city, for village life and a local lunch.
With short transfers and no flights inside the country, it is an easy fit for couples, families and older travelers, and a natural add-on to a longer Indochina journey.
Easy. Walking is light, usually one to three hours a day, with 329 steps up Phousi Hill. The only longer transfer is the two-hour train ride. Suitable for most travelers, including older guests and families with children over 10.
4-star hotels: Le Bel Air Resort in Luang Prabang and Eastin Hotel Vientiane, or similar, both with twin or double rooms and daily breakfast.
November to February is the most comfortable time, dry and sunny with cool mornings. March to May is hot and can be hazy in the north. June to October is the green season, with afternoon showers and fewer visitors; Kuang Si can turn milky after heavy rain, but the countryside is at its most lush.
Your guide and driver are yours alone for the whole trip, so the pace, the stops and the start time each morning follow you. The standard version has an English-speaking guide; guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese can be arranged on request.
More ideas: All private tours in Laos · Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw and Muang Ngoi: Nam Ou Valley in 7 Days · Luang Prabang Beauties: Old Town, Mekong Villages and Kuang Si in 5 Days · Northern Laos by Train: Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Luang Namtha in 7 Days
Photos: Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Benh LIEU SONG, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; taylorandayumi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Your guide meets you at Luang Prabang airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to settle in and explore. The old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits on a peninsula between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, and it is easy to wander on foot: monasteries with gilded doors, teak houses on stilts, French-era shophouses and riverside cafés perfect for sunset.
Overnight: Luang Prabang
Start at the Royal Palace Museum, built in 1904 for King Sisavang Vong. Then cruise up the Mekong past quiet riverside villages to the Pak Ou Caves, two caves in a limestone cliff filled with thousands of Buddha images left by pilgrims, stopping on the way at Ban Xang Hai, known for its rice wine. Back in town, visit Wat Sene and Wat Xieng Thong, then the Heuan Chan heritage house for Lao coffee or tea. See sunset at Wat Phabath and finish at the night market.
Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B
Rise early to watch monks walk the streets collecting alms, then see the morning market. After breakfast, climb Phousi Hill for the view, and drive into the hills to Kuang Si Falls, where you can swim in the blue pools or walk to the quieter falls near Ban Thapene. On the way back, stop at Ock Pop Tock, a weaving center by the Mekong. In the late afternoon, board the express train to Vientiane, a ride of about two hours, and transfer to your hotel.
Overnight: Vientiane · Meals: B
Visit Wat Si Muang, where locals come for blessings, then drive about 45 minutes to Buddha Park, a riverside garden of more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu sculptures. Back in town, stop at COPE to learn about the legacy of unexploded ordnance in Laos and the people working to overcome it. In the afternoon, see That Luang, the golden national stupa, climb Patuxai for a view down Lane Xang Avenue, and visit Wat Sisaket and Haw Phra Kaew. End with a sunset stroll along the Mekong.
Overnight: Vientiane · Meals: B
Drive to Ban Kaolieu and cross by local boat to Don Xing Xu, a quiet island in the Mekong. Walk to a temple where locals pray for lucky numbers, then explore the village, home to around 200 people who keep goats and pigs and farm the riverbanks. Tour the island by tuk tuk or farm tractor, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After time to relax, take the boat back to the mainland and return to your hotel.
Overnight: Vientiane · Meals: B, L
Enjoy a free morning for last-minute shopping, a coffee in one of Vientiane's French-style cafés or a walk through the morning market. At the right time, your driver takes you to Wattay International Airport for your onward flight. If you have a late departure, your guide can suggest a final visit, such as the Talat Sao market or a riverside café, so the day does not feel wasted.
Meals: B
Yes, that is what it is designed for. Luang Prabang has direct flights from Hanoi, Bangkok and Siem Reap, and Vientiane has good links to Hanoi and Bangkok, so it slots easily before or after a longer journey.
The trains are modern, air-conditioned and punctual. The ride from Luang Prabang to Vientiane takes about two hours. Tickets are issued in your name, so we need passport details when you book.
Yes. Days are gentle, with plenty of time to rest, and your guide can skip the Phousi Hill climb or shorten walks if you prefer.
Yes. This is a private tour with your own English-speaking guide. We also arrange private guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese: tell us when you enquire and we confirm your guide in the quote. Book early for the December to April high season.
Nothing is payable until you approve your written quote. We then ask for a 30% deposit to confirm, and the balance 45 days before arrival, by bank transfer or card. Bank details come with your booking confirmation; always confirm them with us by phone or WhatsApp (+84 812 247 572) before any transfer.
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