Brief Itinerary

Day 1 – Sunday 29th September – Arrive Luang Prabang

Today is arrival day in Luang Prabang. Arriving in LPB (as it’s known to locals) is an amazing experience  – flying over lush jungle, magnificent mountains and the mighty Mekong River before landing at the small airport. On arrival we transfer to our small guesthouse and meet Mrs Noy our host.  The guesthouse is conveniently situated in the Old Town on the banks of the Nam Khan  – perfect for our orientation walk of the Old Town before dinner.

Day 2 – Monday 30th September – Luang Prabang

Wake up early to catch the morning alms ceremony before breakfast. From there it’s a busy day exploring LPB and surrounds.  We’ll chat to a monk to learn about Buddhism (and take part in a spot of meditation as well), wander through the most magnificent temple in town – Wat Xieng Thong as well as visiting the sobering UXO Museum. In the afternoon we’ll catch a local tuk tuk to the stunningly beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls where we can swim in the turquoise pools and relax a little.  Also situated on the Kuang Si site is the Laos sanctuary of Free the Bears. We’ll learn about this amazing organisation and see their good work in practice.  Sunset dinner on the banks of the Mekong is always a highlight in this gorgeous town so enjoy the experience before hitting the LPB handicraft markets  – some of the most vibrant and colourful markets in SE Asia! (B)

Day 3 – Tuesday 1st October – Travel to Sop Chem village by bus and boat

And here we go…!  Today we head off on our very much ‘off the beaten track’ adventure..!  After a few hours in a mini bus we board long tail boats to head up the Nam Ou (River Ou) towards our project village Sop Chem.  Sop Chem is home to around 60 families from the Khmu ethnic minority.  For the next 4 days we will be part of the village   – working alongside the locals, learning their customs, traditions and way of life.  Importantly, while we are here we will be assisting with a construction project, as well as supporting English language classes.  Today we walk around the village, meeting the village chiefs and teachers and visiting our project site.  Tonight we will enjoy our feast of local food and rest up in our riverside bungalows before a big day of work ahead tomorrow.  (B,L,D)

Day 4  – Wednesday 2nd October – Library & education projects

It’s up early with the roosters this morning to make the most of our time in the village..! For the next 2 days we will take it in turns to work in teams on our two projects. Our first project is to build a library for the village school.  The school offers primary school education for 37 students from 6  – 10 years old.  At the moment they have no space to set up a library, or to store their learning materials or books.  So this is our job!  Over the next 2 days we will work hard alongside the locals to build a library out of wood, brick and tiles for the roof. While one group is working on the construction the other group will be planning or delivering English conversation sessions for the older children.  There’s lots of fun to be had as we use interactive and games based learning to build on the students’ existing English skills! This evening we have our first immersion activity. Sop Chem is renown as a weaving village and some of the local women will guide us through a weaving lesson. You will walk away with a newly found appreciation of the level of skill needed for this task..! (B,L,D)

Day 5 – Thursday 3rd October – Library & education projects

Today is the second day of our volunteer projects!    The key is not to work fast but steadily, especially in the heat.  Towards the end of the day we will really start to see the library taking shape.  Many locals will drop by for a look and some offer good natured banter about our building skills.  The English conversation classes will also  continue today.  Perhaps we will work on a particular theme or idea which will offer the students plenty of scope for learning.  This evening we will experience a different type of activity as we head out onto the Nam Ou for a local fishing experience.  Learn some techniques from the locals and see if you can catch our dinner..! (B,L,D)

Day 6 – Friday 4th October – Adventure Day

Take a break from our volunteer projects today as we hit the trails and tracks around Sop Chem. First it’s back on board the longboats and then a short trek as we head to a jungle cave that was used by locals to shelter from bombing during the Vietnam War. Back on the boats we continue upstream where we disembark and walk to the beautiful Tad Mok waterfall.  Here we’ll have plenty of time to chill and relax, enjoying a refreshing swim and picnic lunch.  Heading back to Sop Chem we will be welcomed back by the villagers who will invite us to join them in a Baci or Lao thanksgiving ceremony. It is a rare treat to take part in this ceremony and your participation will be a highlight of the trip.  Tonight is soccer night  – project team vs locals.  The local kids are lightening fast and are used to the heat so they will be tough to beat!  For the adults this evening there will be the opportunity to top off the night with a local nightcap as we learn about the process of making rice-wine.  Of course, a ‘guided tasting’ will be part of the experience!  (B,L,D)

Day 7 – Saturday 5th October – Travel to Nong Khiaw

Today we farewell Sop Chem village.  It will be an emotional farewell to the villagers, particularly the children, this morning as we head off on our boats. We will travel for a couple of hours by boat down to the town of Nong Khiaw, famous for its laid back vibe .  After lunch we will take a hike to Pha Daeng Peak, the local viewpoint, to admire the stunning view of the mountains of northern Laos. This afternoon there’s time to chill and relax in the town. Enjoy a massage or herbal bath, wander the town or relax at our riverside guesthouse – the choice is yours! (B,L,D)

Day 8 – Sunday 6th October – Return to Luang Prabang

After a slow start this morning we make our way back to Luang Prabang.  Arriving around lunch time we check back in to our guesthouse and the afternoon is yours to enjoy.  Explore more of the old town – it is very safe to walk around so perfect for some independent exploration.  Check out some of the French bakeries, local cafes or restaurants or wander the main street admiring the textiles and handicrafts. The choice is yours! (B)

Day 9 – Monday 7th October – Sayaboury (Elephant Conservation Centre)

Now to spend some time with the magnificent giants of the jungle – the Asian elephants!  Travel to Sayaboury province today (around 3 hours) to the home of the Elephant Conservation Centre.  This Centre works hard to learn more about this endangered species with programs based on increasing herd numbers, decreasing human-elephant conflict and elephant psychology.  We will spend 2 days at the camp  – learning and helping with daily chores and activities. (Please note  – elephants at the ECC are not ridden). There is also opportunity to enjoy swimming or kayaking on the lake while at the Centre. (B,L,D)

Day  10 – Tuesday 8th October – Sayaboury (Elephant Conservation Centre)

Today we are fortunate to wake up at this amazing place!  Regarded as one of the best places in the world to see elephants in the wild, the ECC is a standout in the field of elephant conservation. Watch the elephants bathe, set up an enrichment activity and harvest banana leaf  – there is always much to see and do.  This afternoon it’s back on the boat and then the bus for the return journey back to Luang Prabang. (B,L)

Day 11 – Wednesday 9th October – Free day in LPB

You can never have too much time in this rich and diverse cultural hub. Enjoy shopping, cafe visits,cooking schools, handicraft workshops, treks to ethnic minority villages or waterfalls, Mekong river cruises, motorbike or bicycle rides out of town.  Relax at La Pistoche – the LPB equivalent of a public pool.  Visit the National Museum or perhaps the Museum of Traditional Arts and Ethnology to learn more about the history and culture of this beautiful desination. Or perhaps you would like to spend time volunteering at the Luang Prabang library or with the Big Brother Mouse reading program.  The choice is yours as you are free to create your own adventure! (B)

Day 12 – Thursday 10th October – Book Bag delivery with Luang Prabang Library team

It’s another amazing day today as we work with the wonderful Chantha from the Luang Prabang library.  Loading up a couple of tuk tuks with books and educational/health supplies we will visit a rural school.  Here we assist with health education, story telling and games. It is a fantastic opportunity to see the real Laos! Tonight we will enjoy our final group dinner as we visit Khaiphaen – a restaurant which offers disadvantaged youth the opportunity to learn hospitality skills which will lead to future employment. It also has some of the best food in Luang Prabang!  (B)

Day 13 – Friday 11th October – Depart Laos

Today is departure day from Luang Prabang. Transfer to the airport for your return journey or onward connection. (B)

Your Volunteer Projects

Without doubt your volunteer experience will be the highlight of your journey with us.  As one of our traveller’s recently commented “it gave me the chance to re-calibrate my moral compass….to understand what is really important in my life …. and what isn’t”.  The volunteer work you will undertake will impact on lives  – there is no doubt about that. You will help to build a library for a village school,  to improve the education (and life opportunities) of children and you will also use your experiences to keep changing the world for good as you become an advocate for the projects you have connected with, upon your return. As a ‘family friendly’ adventure (ages 12 years +) these experiences will offer our younger participants the opportunity to understand concepts around poverty and global inequity but will also provide the chance to take positive action for good, empowering them to understand their ability to change their world.

Library Building Project – Sop Chem

Oh what a feeling!  You will spend 3 days in a remote village working alongside the locals to help build a library for their small school.  The picture postcard scenery will provide a stunning backdrop to the project as we work to construct a solid brick structure. The project has been chosen by the local community as one they value and see as important. Indeed, the library will support the ongoing education of children in the village.  Your tasks will be helping to build the wooden frame, moving and laying bricks, mixing mortar and whatever else it takes to build the house!  No previous experience is required and there are no expectations about your work aside from your willingness to help. All the while we will work alongside local tradespeople and labourers – even though we don’t share a common language it is amazing what can be achieved when people work together towards a shared goal.  A unique and humbling experience….

 Luang Prabang Library – establishing libraries in remote village schools

A ‘book bag’ delivery is always good fun!  Jump into tuk tuks and spend an hour or two driving out of Luang Prabang into the verdant jungle clad countryside to a remote school, far in the hills.  The children here often speak Hmong only so to participate in regular school they need to learn lowland Lao plus English if they really want to get ahead. Talk about a tough start to education!  Once at the school we will help to deliver some health education (think hygiene – washing hands and cleaning teeth) before taking part in some health based activities. We distribute a whole library of books – not just any books but illustrated story books – the first many of these children have ever seen.  It’s an amazing sight watching young children ‘devouring’ the stories on the pages with their eyes.  We leave the books with the children and then, in a few months time, the team from the Luang Prabang Library will return to exchange the books for new titles.

Elephant Conservation Centre – Sayaboury

The future of the endangered Asian elephant is dependent on conservation centre’s such as this. The Elephant Conservation Centre focuses on research into the Asian elephant – its social behaviour, breeding challenges, habitat and also its interaction with human settlements. This will be your opportunity to see these majestic creatures up close and to learn, really learn, about them and the challenges they face now and into the future.  Over the course of 3 days you will visit the elephant nursery and hospital hearing from the resident biologist and veterinary assistant about their breeding and health maintenance programs.  You will venture into the jungle and walk alongside the elephants with their mahouts and learning about the background and history of each individual. The Socialisation Area will give you the opportunity to observe herd behaviour and soon you will begin to identify the individual characteristics of each herd member, their role in the herd and where they sit in the ‘pecking order’.  Part of your role during your visit will be to assist with tasks such as habitat management or perhaps helping to make the ‘toys’ used for the enrichment activities which are used to provide cognitive stimulation to the elephants. In short, this unique experience will allow you to connect with these amazing animals, knowing that your support will help to ensure their existence into the future.

 Accommodation & Meals

Unique experiences happen when you have the chance to really connect with the local people in the communities you visit.  That’s why, wherever we can, we choose guesthouses, home stays or small hotels for our accommodation.

Luang Prabang is a gourmands paradise! With its French influence the baguettes are plentiful and classy restaurants abound. If eating local is your thing there are plenty of small cafes around and the nightly street food market is the place to head if enjoying a plate of food and a beer for around $5 sounds good to you! At our guesthouse in Luang Prabang you will meet the lovely owner, Noy, and her family and enjoy breakfast each morning on the banks of the Nam Khan river.  In Sop Chem we will stay in small, clean but rustic bungalows with private facilities  – basic but the location more than makes up for any shortfall in amenities.  In Nong Khiaw we stay in one of the newer riverside guesthouses in town.  Heading out to the Elephant Conservation Centre and things go a little rustic once again, as accommodation is in traditional bamboo huts with comfortable beds and mosquito nets. Facilities are shared but very clean. All food at the ECC is included and is traditional Lao style  – perfect to enjoy with a Lao cocktail overlooking the beautiful Nam Tien lake where you can also enjoy a cooling swim or a relaxing paddle in the canoes.

Your Fellow Travellers

There is no such thing as a ‘typical’ e3 Global Adventures traveller!  Our groups are capped at 16 and our travellers cover a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and skills but usually have one feature in common  – they wish to spend some time supporting – and really making a difference to – the communities they visit during their travels.  As a result our groups tend to be cohesive, accepting and….importantly….adventurous!  For this trip we invite families to take part, with minimum age of 12 years at the time of travel.

Please note that this is an active adventure requiring walking for distances of 5+ km’s at Sop Chem, a hill walk in Nong Khiaw and plenty of tracks and trails to traverse at the Elephant Conservation Centre. In addition, the library building project does require participants to be capable of walking on uneven surfaces along with some lifting and carrying.  If you are unsure about your fitness and ability to participate please just get in touch.

Cost

Trip cost is $2 440 AUD per person with a single supplement of $330 AUD. If you are travelling alone but are happy to share with a person of the same gender please let us know.  Please refer to the detailed trip notes for inclusions and exclusions.

A project payment of $400 ($200 per person under 18 years) is also payable prior to departure with 100% of this payment used to buy materials and resources or hire local labour for the projects we will be supporting.

Need more information?  Download the detailed trip notes to learn more or contact us with your specific questions.

Ready to book? Simply contact us and begin the countdown to September!