Pagan Nomads Tour Management & Travel Consultancy




	Southern Adventure Pakse -Bolaven Plateau-Vat Phou- Si Pan Don-Xe Pien 7 days / 6 nights The Four Thousand Islands area of the Mekong River is on the verge of being accepted as a World Heritage site by UNESCO due to its rich natural and cultural wealth. The area is home to Vat Phou, the most impressive ancient temple site in Laos, one of the rarest large mammal species in the world, the Irrawaddy Dolphin, and unique river wetland habitats. The Mekong rapids on the border with Cambodia, where astounding force of the water has cut dramatic gorges through the brittle bedrock, are the biggest and widest in South East Asia. Pagan Nomads and its Laos partner paddle adventure trip through the Four Thousand Islands offers an experience of a lifetime. Day 1: Arrival to Southern Laos Transfer from border or Pakse airport to Tad Fane Eco-lodge. Situated in the Dong Hua Sao National Biodiversity and Conservation Area (NBCA) overlooking the 200-meter Tad Fane waterfalls, this is one of the most scenic areas in the region, and offers a variety of outdoor activities. The afternoon is free for exploring the local nature trails and waterfalls. Meals: None Accommodation: Tad Fane Eco-lodge Transport: Private / Air-conditioned vehicle Day 2: Tad Fane Eco Lodge The day is spent either trekking or white water rafting. You can explore the Bolaven Plateau and naturally beautiful surrounding areas with a one-day nature trek through coffee plantations to the open pine forests at the top of the plateau, returning past the amazing Tad Fane waterfall. A second option is to spend the day white water rafting along the Champii River, enjoying its beautiful scenery and Grade 3 rapids. On both outings, a barbeque lunch is enjoyed in the forest. Meals: B, L Accommodation: Tad Fane Eco-lodge Transport: Foot / boat / local transport Day 3: Tad Fane / Vat Phou / Four Thousand Islands With an early morning departure, we drive south towards the mighty Mekong river, stopping en-route to explore the sixth century Pre-Angkorian ruins of Vat Phou. The UNESCO World Heritage listed site is an outstanding example of Khmer architecture. We spend the remainder of the morning exploring the magnificent temple grounds, then lunch in traditional Lao style at a small restaurant nestled on the banks of the Mekong. We continue south to our put in point on the Mekong River in the fabulous Four Thousand Islands area. This unique seasonal wetland is home to thousands of tropical islands and a wide range of birdlife such as Blyths Kingfishers, Crested Warblers and the Mekong Wagtail. We cruise downstream past countless islands as the sun begins to set in a way that can only be experienced on the Mekong. Don Khong Island on the banks of the Mekong, where we sample local food and fresh fish caught by the island’s fishermen. Meals: B, L Accommodation: Local Guesthouse Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle, longtail boat Day 4: Four Thousand Islands / Liphii /Irrawaddy Dolphins In the morning we head downstream by longtail boat towards the famous Liphii Falls. Along the way we stop at a local village called Ban Geng Goum to visit their very own Buddha Park which houses a diverse range of images, ranging from the traditional sleeping Buddha to a ten-foot high statue of Shiva. This apparent blend of Buddhism and Hinduism highlights the diverse cultural history of Laos. The ‘floating’ Vat on a pond of water lilies adds a further unusual touch. After lunch at a floating restaurant we paddle downstream to the spectacular waterfalls of Liphii. This massive cascade is believed to be the home of powerful spirits, an understandable belief when one experiences the powerful roar of the water. We paddle to the southern tip of Don Khon Island before heading downstream to see one of the world’s rarest large mammal species, the Irrawaddy Dolphins. The extremely rare and shy dolphins live here, hundreds of kilometers from the ocean. They congregate at the base of the rapids in the dry season to hunt the many species of fish that survive in the deep pools. After spending a relaxing hour or two watching and photographing the dolphins we return by long tail boat into the sunset to our guesthouse, for a relaxing evening sharing our experiences from the comfort of our bungalow hammocks. Meals: B, L Accommodation: Riverside Bungalows Transport: Long tail boat, Raft / Kayak Day 5: Four Thousand Islands/ Khong Prapheng The Mekong cascades are the biggest and widest in South East Asia. The force of the water is astounding and has cut dramatic gorges through the brittle bedrock. Waterfalls plunge violently from the sides of the gorges, giving the area a surreal feeling, almost a moonscape with water. We stop midway through the gorges and climb to the top to view the Mekong fault line that caused the cascades. The cascades are 6 kilometers wide at this point and the spray rising from the fault line, with Cambodia in the distance, is a sight to behold. We enjoy lunch on the fault line in the shade provided by hardy trees that manage to survive the onslaught of the wet season floods. A relaxing paddle back to our bungalows gives us time to spend the late afternoon relaxing in our hammocks overlooking the Mekong. Meals: B, L Accommodation: Riverside Bungalows Transport: Raft / Kayak, Long tail boat Day 6: Four Thousand Islands/ Elephant trekking / Ban Khiet Ngong Leaving our freshwater island paradise behind, we make our way to Ban Khiet Ngong. This village has a community project offering comfortable, basic accommodation in an area of amazing bio-diversity. The villagers have built hides and viewing shelters in strategic locations with stunning vistas of the wetlands, and this habitat offers a great opportunity for birders and wildlife enthusiasts. In the afternoon we take to the backs of elephants and head for the hills. We trek up to the highland areas of Xe Pien National Biodiversity Conservation Area and to a ruined fort/temple. You will be amazed by the history of this forgotten place, and tales of the army once raised to conquer Pakse. The evening is spent in our rustic bungalows for real peace, quiet and sunsets. Meals: B, L Accommodation: Basic Bungalows Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle / Elephant Day 7: Ban Khiet Ngong/ Pakse / Chong Mek After breakfast we trek back up towards the fort and embark on a 3 hour nature trek through the heart of the jungle. Along with the chance of seeing a varied selection of wildlife we also pass ‘Buddha’s Footprint’, an offering point for local people who believed that an old temple was based on this hill. Afterwards, guests are escorted to the Lao/Thai border crossing point for onward destinations. Meals: B Accommodation: None Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle Click here to go back to Exotic Adventures Other Destination Available Upon Request Rates Available Upon Request

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