DAY 1 : LUANG PRABANG / SHANGRI LAO CAMP (-/L/D)
8:00 – 8:30 am Your English speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel in Luang Prabang. Transfer by VIP minibus to the “Shangri-Lao Explorer Camp” 15 km outside Luang Prabang (around 45mn through dirt tracks). After arrival, you leave your luggage at the reception and get an introductory tour of the camp. Your guide will teach you about elephants, you can talk with our veterinarian, feed the elephants and relax by the riverside.
The expedition begins with an approximately 1.5 hour elephant ride through forests and over hills to a hidden valley. After reaching the protected Huay Sae Valley you leave the elephant and enjoy a luxury lunch with traditional Lao food and wine by a secluded waterfall. Depending on the water level you can swim in the natural pools.
Continue with an approximately 1.5 hours trekking on foot. The adventurous trail crosses bamboo bridges and passes waterfalls with blue pools in dense jungle. Where the trail leaves the valley, traditional horses from the hill tribes are waiting for you to carry your bags. They will accompany you for another approximately 30 minutes trekking along fields and forest.
Down at the Nam Khan River, a luxury bamboo raft is waiting for you. Slowly floating downstream, a relaxing approximately 1.5 hour journey plus an optional approximately 30 min stop at the Tad Sae Waterfall will bring you back to the camp. NOTE : the best time to visit Tad Sae is between June to January since you are in rainy season and the fall is not empty. In dry season, because of low water level, the boat rise is not possible. Have a coffee break, relax and watch the traditional village life of farmers and fishermen along the river.
In the late afternoon you will arrive at the camp where your room is ready for Check In. Spend the rest of the day at the Jacuzzi swimming pool or go for a walk with your guide to visit the local village nearby.
In the evening a delicious barbeque dinner will be served under the starry sky.
Retiring for the night in a luxury style tent which will touch all of your senses with its unique surrounding
DAY 2 : SHANGRI LAO CAMP / LUANG PRABANG (B/-/-)
Get up early and meet the elephants down at the river to join their daily bath. After a short Mahout instruction you ride bareback on the elephant’s neck, wash it, scrub it and guide it through the river to the camp.
NOTE : In order to avoid any disappointment, please take into account the following facts:
- We recommend you to bring your own bathing suit, towel and a change of clothes because you’ll get wet when you walk in streams and mud at time.
- When bathing the elephant, wear long pants because the elephant has spiky hairs that chafe your thighs.
- In peak months, there are a lot of travellers staying at the camp and as a result, we can’t provide individual elephant bathing for everybody, considering the limited number of them (only 9 elephants, updated in 2013). We apologize for this unconvenience in such a case.
- You may need extra money for tipping your Mahout, your guide and buying bananas to feed elephants, etc. So we recommend you to bring money but keep it in your pocket in a waterproof bag.
Following breakfast you check out from your room. 10:00 am leave the camp and return by VIP minibus to Luang Prabang where your guide will drop you off at your hotel