Day 1: Pakse – Vat Phou – Don Khong 4000 Islands
After breakfast, you will be picked and board a traditional riverboat for a 2-hour cruise down the Mekong River to the former Royal capital of Champasak. As we arrive, we continue by road to Vat Phou (8 km from the city), a pre-Angkorian temple built in the 11th century and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. We have time to explore these fascinating Khmer ruins, predating the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia. They are perched at the base of Mount Phou Kao. Here, locals still come to pray every day.
After that we will visit Champasak ancient town driving through streets lined with French colonial buildings. Champasak was once a great and prosperous land, founded in 1713 by the Lao King Nokasad, one of three Kingdoms of Laos. We will stay for lunch in a local restaurant.
Day 2: Don Khong – Don Det – Don Khone – Liphi fall – Dolphin
During the rainy season, the Mekong River reaches an incredible width of 14 km and when the water recedes it leaves behind a myriad of islands and islets. We will boat cruise down steam the Mekong River, visit the Islands and the traditional life of the local fishermen. Later, we will stop on Don Khone for lunch in a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, discover the island’s colonial heritage including an old railway built by the French in 1897. Continue to the spectacular Liphi Waterfalls. It is one of the most beautiful waterfalls making the border between Laos and Cambodia, also known as Tat Somphamit.
Day 3: Don Khone- Khon Phapheng Fall – Pakse
After spending a night to the peaceful Don Khone Island, we’ll continue exploring the beautiful 4000 islands. We will drive about 15min from Nakasang road to Khon Phapheng waterfall. It is the biggest waterfall in Southeast Asia and has been named the Pearl of Mekong River. It’s a flow section of the Mekong River which has length of 4000 kilometres from Tibet. The waterfall has height of 21 meters, consists many small waterfalls stretching over 12 kilometres the length of river. It has been dubbed the “Niagara of Asia”.
Day 4: Pakse- Bolaven Plateau- Tad Fan Fall- Coffee Plantation- Tad Yeuang Fall- Minority group Tad Lor Fall
Pick up you from your hotel in Pakse and drive to Tad Fan waterfall in Paksong. We make a stop en route observing the traditional local making tea and coffee. Along the way to Bolaven Plateau area, the cultivation of coffee, tea, cardamom, bananas, and other crops are being seen along both side of our way.
Upon arrival at Tad Lo waterfall and lodge, you can ride the elephant for 2hours, then stopover at the villages of Alak, Nge, Katu, the minority ethnic group. Here people have preserved most of their traditional animist beliefs and customs.
Day 5: Tad Lo- Tad Phasuam- Pakse/Thai Border
The next day, after breakfast we will head to Pakse. We’ll stopover at the last waterfall of the tour, Tad Phasaum. Tad Phasaum is a wide 6m high waterfall that stretches around a U shaped cliff. The falls flow year round and descend across the Bolaven Plateau from North in Salavane province. You can enjoy the view of the waterfall from a nice suspension bridge, and then continue to Pakse. Once in Pakse we will pass by Phou Salao by car or by climbing the stairs to the big golden Buddha and enjoy panoramic views of Pakse over the Mekong. Then we continue the road to the Thai border or Pakse airport for departure.
Costs
Price on request
