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Journey Info

Highlights

• 2 nights village home stay + trek

  
  

• Mountain bike rural countryside

• Kayak the Nam Khan River

• Ride an elephant into the jungle

• Flexible - You choose your travel dates

 

Overview

Here is a fantastic ecotourism combination of mountain biking, an elephant ride, kayaking, trekking and village home stays. Close to Luang Prabang, is a world of adventure in a conservation area offering natural environment, outdoor activities and traditional culture. Learn about life of the Asian Elephants at the Elephant Village and village life of the Khamu, Lao and Hmong ethnic minorities. Over three days embark on an action packed trip designed for people looking for some fun and an adventure!

Itinerary at a glance

Day 1	Luang Prabang to Khamu village Pick up from your hotel in Luang Prabang at 08:30am and mountain bike to Wat Pa Phon Phau, a tranquil monastery with a wonderful golden stupa. Next stop is Ban Phanom, a cotton and silk hand weaving village, then cycle to the grave of enri Mauhot, the French Explorer who discovered Angkor Wat. Lunch is at the Elephant Village followed by a walking trip through rural countryside to a small village inhabited by the Khamu people. Overnight in a village home stay. Activity: Mountain bike + trek Meals: Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Village home stay
Day 2	Khamu village After breakfast, don your hiking boats and trek through remote villages where foreigners are still a novelty! Observe daily life of Khamu, Lao and Hmong hill tribe people where some of their cultivation methods are centuries old. Explore jungles and bamboo landscapes until we reach our campsite where we overnight. There is an opportunity to stay in a Khamu village, but this is dependent upon frequency of visits to the village. Activity: Trek about 5 - 6 hours Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Campsite / Village home stay
Day 3	Elephant Village to Luang Prabang This morning we meet the Elephants and learn about these protected Asian animals. Experience a one hour elephant ride to Tad Sae Waterfalls where we take time out to relax and cool off over lunch. In the afternoon, jumb aboard a kayak or raft for an easy 3 - 4 hour paddle back to Luang Prabang on the Nam Khan River. The countryside along the river presents banana and teak trees, rice paddies and pineapple plantations. Arrive at Luang Prabang late afternoon where your trip ends. Activity: Elephant ride, kayak about 3 - 4 hours on grade 1-2 rapids Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Includes:

• Home stay permission
• Kayak, dry bags, helmet, life jackets
• Mountain bike rental
• Elephant ride
• Village trekking
• English speaking guide for walking activities
  
• Support crew
• All activities + sightseeing as per itinerary
• Entrance fees + village permissions
• Drinking water for activities
• Elephant Park Project contribution fee
  
• All meals as per itinerary
• Car transfer back to Luang Prabang

Excludes:

• Airfares and departure taxes
• Travel insurance
• Visa, passport and vaccination costs
• Other meals not specified in itinerary
• Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, bar charges, tips, optional activities

Prices

Private tour	$AUD price per person
3 to 5 people	265
2 people	310
1 person	450
Validity	31 December 2012

Prices are in Australian dollars based upon the number of people travelling together. Price reduces as your travel group size increases. Price is land content only + subject to currency fluctuations. Credit card payment incur an additional fee. Prices beyond validity available on request. See Booking Conditions for more details.

Trip grade

MODERATE: If you are seeking fun and adventure and you like active travel, this is for you. A mixture of long and shorter activity days of four to seven hours duration. A good level of fitness is required.

 

Elephant Adventure Combo trip notes

A little bit about the Elephant Village

The Elephant Village was established in 2003 and aims to protect the Asian Elephant. As the forest disappears the elephants, that were used to log the trees, can become neglected. This private initiative gives logging elephants a new future and a meaningful retirement. Experienced mahouts (elephant caretakers) and vets help the elephants to adapt to their new environment. As part of the Elephant Village initiative, tourism income is invested in community-based eco-programs in villages around the park providing; jobs, training, construction of local water supply and funding for the nearby school. 

Home stays
Remember that Laos is an underdeveloped country. Home stays in villages are very very rustic and are simple in terms of bedding and amenities. You sleep in a dormitory style room and are provided with a mattress, clean sheet and pillow. Amenities are shared with the village. There are no toilets! You go out door and in nature, ask your guide what are the protocols. There are no showers, you can use the village well or freshen up in nearby river. But always keep yourself covered – they are very shy people. Always check with your guide if you are unsure of what to do.

TIP:  Take moistened towelettes to clean your face and hand sanitizer to wash your hands. Remember what you bring in, you must carry out!

Food
All meals, indicated in the detailed itinerary, are included in the price. Expect local style cuisine prepared by villagers using fresh produce and lots of sticky rice! Please advise us if you have any special dietary requirements.

Local guides

An English speaking guide supports your sightseeing and activities. Your guide has been fully trained in guiding outdoor tours around Luang Prabang and in the Elephant Park. Guides in Laos are proud of their job and consider it an honour to show you their country. If you feel your guide provided you with great service, a tip at the end of the tour would be greatly appreciated… a little bit goes a long way in Laos!

What to bring

Your luggage should include: comfortable walking shoes, sandals or thongs, light weight long sleeve shirt, long pants, skirt & shorts, warm clothes for at night, bathers, hat, sunglasses, sun block, raincoat, strong insect repellent (Deet medicated preferred), small medical kit, flashlight, toiletries, water bottle, camera, spare batteries, pen & paper, original passport, personal medication and small backpack for day trips.

If you have room in your backpack, bring some books to give away as gifts. You can help local children improve their reading skills by buying picture books printed in their own language. For more information on this worthwhile project, visit Big Brother Mouse Project.

Note on client safety

We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reason, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village, or for any other factor that may impact client safety. The Tad Sae Waterfall is dry during the period of February to August and trails may alternate.

 

Tipping guidelines
It is customary to express a personal thank you to your guide and driver at the end of your trip, especially if he or she has provided you with excellent service. As a guideline only, we suggest tipping around AUD$4-$5 per day for the guide and AUD$2-$3 per day for the driver. You can pay this in local currency or US dollars. Of course whether you tip and how much is always at your discretion.

Laos visa

Most visitors can receive a 30 day single entry Tourist Visa on arrival at Luang Prabang or Vientiane airports or at the Friendship Bridge at the Thai Border Crossing and other border crossings (please check with your Lao Embassy). You need a valid passport for no less than six months, 2 x passport size current photographs & USD$30pp cash.

Laos Climate Laos has three distinct seasons. The cool dry season between November and February with temperatures dropping below 10 degrees Celsius in mountain regions. During this season, the rivers are navigable and the roads are passable. This gives way to the hot dry season from March to June where temperatures can soar over 35 degrees Celsius. Some rivers are harder to navigate, and boat journeys in remote places may not be possible. In the north, the months from March through to the first rains in May or June can be very hazy as smoke from the burning of secondary forest hangs in the air. June to October is the wet season where temperatures are in the 30s. The country is at its most beautiful and lush and rivers are accessible, however it can be difficult to get around in remote places by road. Health issues Good medical advice usually recommends vaccinations in advance of travel to Laos. We suggest you consult with your doctor to discuss health care needs specific to your holiday. Insurance You must have comprehensive travel insurance to travel with us. Insurance should include cover for personal accident and medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation, baggage loss and cancellation or curtailment of your holiday. Your final trip dossier vouchers will not be confirmed until you confirm possession of appropriate insurance. Better be safe than sorry! Pre and post tour arrangements We can arrange additional hotel nights at the beginning or the end of your tour or if you are interested in doing additional touring we can organise a private tour to cater to your interests and time frame. Handy travel tips For assistance in planning your trip go to Laos Practical Info >

What next
To reserve a place on this trip, contact us now and we will send you a booking form. To guarantee your booking you must email the first section of the booking form to us and pay your non-refundable deposit of 30% of total tour cost. The balance of payment is due 50 days prior to departure. Once your booking is confirmed and you have paid in full, you will receive your tour voucher and detailed itinerary for this tour.