Land of Million Elephants
$0
per person
9 Days
This 9-day journey takes you deep into the heart of Laos, from the UNESCO charms of Luang Prabang to the remote elephant-rich valleys of Hongsa and Sayaboury, then south to the wild beauty of Champasak. Experience up-close encounters with Asia’s gentle giants at the Elephant Conservation Centre, explore authentic villages and ethnic minority cultures, and enjoy the serenity of Laos’ rural landscapes. With options to combine with Muang La, Nong Khiaw, Pakbeng, Hongsa, or Luang Namtha, this adventure blends cultural immersion, wildlife conservation, and natural beauty into one unforgettable journey.
Highlights:
- Luang Prabang – Orientation walks and welcome dinner in Laos’ cultural capital.
- Scenic Journey to Hongsa – Choose a mountain-and-river route or a rugged off-road adventure through ethnic minority villages and the White Elephant Valley.
- Elephant Encounters in Hongsa – Ride, walk, and interact with working elephants, and visit Lao Lu stilt houses.
- Elephant Conservation Centre – Guided tours with veterinarians, mahout training, elephant bathing, nursery visits, and sunset lake cruises.
- Cultural Vientiane – Explore ancient temples, golden stupas, and the iconic Patuxay Monument.
- Kingfisher Ecolodge in Champasak – Stay in a tranquil rural retreat surrounded by wetlands and forest.
- Full-Day Elephant Jungle Safari – Ride through paddies, wetlands, and Xe Pian’s dry forest for a true explorer’s experience.
- Flexible Ending Options – Continue overland into Cambodia or fly from Pakse.
Excerpt:
Discover Laos in 9 days: Luang Prabang, Hongsa, White Elephant Valley, Sayaboury, Elephant Conservation Centre, Vientiane, Pakse, Champasak, Kingfisher Ecolodge, and an unforgettable full-day elephant safari — a perfect blend of wildlife, culture, and nature.
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Reviews
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Departure/Return Location
Luang Prabang (start) - Champasak (finish) -
Departure Time
Flexible, depending on your flight schedule -
Return Time
Flexible, depending on your flight schedule
Tour Plan
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Day 1: Arrival in Luang Prabang (D)
Upon arrival we will be met and transferred to the hotel for check-in and tour briefing. If time permits, we’ll take an orientation walk. Tonight, a welcome dinner awaits us.
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Day 2: Luang Prabang-Hong Sa (B, L, D)
Option 1: Take a boat to Ban Thaxouang and continue roads through the scenic mountain landscape to Hong Sa.
Option 2: Drive 150 km including 120 km off road and some river crossings. En route, visit some ethnic minority villages. Reaching the altitude of 1800 meters ASL, we go down and through
the White Elephant Valley of Laos, where 50 elephants are still working in the forest.
Arriving in Hongsa, check in to the hotel then take a walk around the town.
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Day 3: Hongsa (B, L, D)
After breakfast we begin our excursion by elephant and visit local people in Hongsa to see traditional houses on stilts of Lao Lu style. Following lunch, we continue visiting local people by car.
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Day 4: Hongsa-Sayaboury-Elephant Conservation Centre (B, L, D)
After breakfast we set off on the 4-hour drive to Sayaboury. We stop off in the town for lunch then continue by road and boat across the Nam Tien Lake to the Elephant Conservation Centre. An English speaking guide will welcome us to the center and settle us into our basic, but comfortable, bungalow. We then have a guided tour of the center accompanied by one of the veterinarians who works here, taking in the elephant hospital, the pachyderm museum and the mahout school. The mahouts will show us the three different ways to mount and dismount an elephant bareback, and the basic commands used to control an elephant. We will then try out our newly acquired knowledge by taking a ride around the yard. We will then move on to the elephant bath. Elephants are surprisingly good swimmers and love water. Afterwards we follow the elephants to their night resting place. Before dinner, we will have time to relax on the lake shores, visit the elephant museum, swim or simply enjoy a fresh drink.
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Day 5: Sayaboury (B, L, D)
The tour today kicks off with a safety briefing. We then join the elephants for their daily exercise – a one-hour walk in the surrounding tropical forest. En route, our guide will teach us how Lao people use plants and trees collected in the jungle. Later we will spend some with Mae Khamon, Mae Bounnam, Mae Dok and Phu Thongkhoon, the four resident elephants. Under professional guidance, we will feed them and ride them bareback. After lunch we will visit the elephant nursery where the baby elephants learn how to sustain themselves, closely watched by mum! We will receive information about the reproduction program set up by the NGO Elephant Asia while watching them play. Late afternoon we will join in the daily ritual of the elephants' bath and then as last night we will join the mahouts for a walk in the forest to take the elephants back to their nightly resting place. As dusk falls, we take a boat trip on the lake to watch the sunset over the islands while enjoying a fresh drink and snacks.
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Day 6: Sayaboury-Vientiane (B)
Take a flight to Vientiane and explore the capital city of Laos on a half-day tour. Visit the enchanting Haw Phra Kaew, built in the 16th century by the royal family to hold the emerald Buddha and with an exquisite collection of religious art. Continue to the Siam style Wat Si Saket and the That Luang Stupa, the bright golden monument which represents a lotus bud and is used as a symbol of Laos. End the tour at the imposing Patuxay Monument, Vientiane's very own Arc de Triumph.
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Day 7: Vientiane – Pakse – Kingfisher Ecolodge in Champasak (B)
We take a flight to Pakse, the capital of Southern Laos. Meet up with our new guide upon arrival and continue southwards along the Mekong River to the Kingfisher Ecolodge. This road journey will take around 2 hours, the last 40 minutes of which will be along a bumpy dirt road. After checking in the remainder of the day will be at leisure to relax and enjoy the sumptuous rural surroundings.
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Day 8: Elephant Safari in Khiat Ngong, Champasak (B)
Today we experience a full day safari in the jungle by elephant, travelling as the first foreign explorers did during their voyages. Starting from the village of Khiat Ngong early in the morning, the trail leads through paddy fields and wetlands before entering the jungle that surrounds the area. From the top of an elephant there are commanding views of the dry dipterocarp forest of the Xe Pian protected area. After two to three hours of riding (depending on trails and weather conditions), we as ourselves and our giant friends will stop for lunch. After resting and watching the elephants roaming around in search of food, continue the jungle safari way back to the village, arriving back at around 4pm.
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Day 9: Departure from Champasak (B)
(1) Proceed to the Veukham/ Tropeang Kreal (formerly Dong Kalor) border gate and enter Cambodia (2) Return to Pakse to take a flight.
Tour Location
Luang Prabang – Hongsa – White Elephant Valley – Sayaboury – Elephant Conservation Centre – Vientiane – Pakse – Champasak – Khiat Ngong – Xe Pian
The Land of Million Elephants – 9 Days is a deep wildlife and cultural immersion through northern and southern Laos — from elephant-rich valleys to conservation centres, spiritual cities, and pristine jungle wetlands.
- Luang Prabang – UNESCO old town, orientation walk, temples, riverside charm, and welcome dinner in Laos’ cultural capital.
- Hongsa – Scenic arrival via mountain route or rugged off-road track; ethnic villages; traditional Lao Lu stilt houses; local life and untouched countryside.
- White Elephant Valley – Historic working-elephant landscape where over 50 elephants still roam and labour in forest environments.
- Sayaboury & Elephant Conservation Centre
– Expert-led tours with veterinarians
– Elephant hospital, nursery, reproduction program
– Mahout school & bareback riding techniques
– Elephant bathing & sunset cruise on Nam Tien Lake
– Close interaction with resident elephants including Mae Khamon, Mae Bounnam, Mae Dok, and Phu Thongkhoon - Vientiane – Haw Phra Kaew, Wat Sisaket, That Luang Stupa, Patuxay Monument, and Buddhist art history.
- Pakse & Champasak – Mekong riverside journey; remote wetlands; forest-lined roads to Kingfisher Ecolodge, a tranquil retreat among water meadows and wildlife.
- Khiat Ngong & Xe Pian National Protected Area – Full-day elephant jungle safari through paddies, wetlands, and dry dipterocarp forest; elevated views from elephant back; forest lunch and traditional mahout lifestyle insight.
A meaningful journey blending elephants, conservation, spirituality, remote landscapes, and authentic Laotian culture — ideal for wildlife lovers and responsible travelers.