Mekong Cruise Upstream from Luang Prabang to the Golden Triangle – 6 Days

Mekong Cruise Upstream from Luang Prabang to the Golden Triangle 6-Day | Itinerary:

Day 1. Luang Prabang – Boarding

Before lunch, from 11 am, you will embark on your comfortable Laotian cruise ship. These unique vessels are the first German-Laotian owned river ships with cabins on the upper Mekong. Settle into your accommodating cabin and unpack for a six-day cruise. After having lunch onboard, you explore the charming town of Luang Prabang. Back on board you are celebrating this evening with a local dancing performance and a traditional Lao Baci-friendship ceremony.

Overnight on board. Meals included: lunch and dinner (LD).

Day 2. Mekong Cruise Upstream from Luang Prabang to the Golden Triangle: Pak Ou Caves

During breakfast, your cruise takes you upstream until your boutique ship stops at the famous Pak Ou Caves, within which thousands of small Buddha statues dwell. From there, you can go on a short jungle trek through the forest to a small riverside village and visit their distillery. Alternatively, you can reach the village comfortably by boat. Nearby, you can see work elephants in action, unless they are employed elsewhere at the time of your visit. In the afternoon, your ship continues cruising upstream towards Oudomxay Province. Overnight on board.

Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).

Day 3. The Mighty Mekong

The river traffic thins out as you proceed upstream, and you can enjoy the fantastic landscapes surrounding you. You can relax on deck, in your comfortable cabin or in the lounge and soak up the sun as the gorgeous landscape becomes more and more spectacular: hills covered with tropical vegetation, awe-inspiring rock formations along the riverbanks, and a diverse array of rapid currents and slow rivulets. The power of the mighty Mekong gives your cruise the feeling of a real expedition. Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).

Day 4. Mekong Cruise Upstream from Luang Prabang to the Golden Triangle: Relaxing and Village Life

Today you relax on deck, enjoying astonishingly diverse landscapes and the tranquility of northern Laos—a real retreat from the hustle and bustle of daily life back home. As you cruise along the green hills, you start heading toward the small village of Pak Tha. You can join a long-tail boat excursion on the Namtha River, which takes you to a nearby Khmu village, whose school has been supported by donations from Mekong River Cruises guests for many years. In the evening, you can enjoy our famous Mekong River Cruises barbecue dinner in a beautiful riverside location.

Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).

Day 5. Pak Tha and Huay Xay

Soak in the scenery and the purely natural landscape, which is only broken by the seldom sights of small villages and local herds of cattle. In the afternoon, you proceed to the Thailand–Laos border at Chiang Khong, Thailand, and Ban Huay Xay, Laos. In the evening, you enjoy your last dinner on the Mekong.

Overnight on board. Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (BLD).

Day 6. Mekong Cruise Upstream from Luang Prabang to the Golden Triangle: Farewell, Mekong.

After breakfast, you say goodbye to your Laotian crew. You check out and disembark your boutique ship before transferring to the airport or your local hotel. Depending on season and water level, the check-out will either be at Chiang Saen or Chiang Khong.

Meals included: breakfast (B)

End of the trip!

PLEASE NOTE: Every river cruise on the upper Mekong is a pioneering experience and is subject to constantly changing river conditions, including floodwaters, low water levels, and morning fog. Therefore, please understand that we must reserve the right to alter the itinerary of this tour be- cause of the logistical complexities involved. Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather and river conditions. For safety reasons arising from the existing navigating conditions, these programs may be amended without previous notice.

This journey is generally not for guests with limited mobility or who depend on CPAP machines. Please contact us for more information about your specific requirements before booking.

Journey Highlights

• The wild upper Mekong aboard a boutique river vessel – one of the most spectacular river cruises in the world.

• The Golden Triangle region, with its infamous past, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet

• The Pak Ou Caves on the Mekong – containing thousands of Buddha statues

• The UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, one of Asia’s most beautiful historical towns

• First-hand experience of the Thai and Lao peoples’ traditional lifestyles

• Small groups limited to 29 fellow passengers

• Sunset over Luang Prabang

• Unforgettable impressions of the mighty Mekong River, the “mother of waters”

• Professional onboard infotainment, including lectures and documentaries on the region

Tour price includes

• 5 overnights in selected cabin type aboard your boutique river cruise vessel

• Local English-speaking guides

• Entrance fees for sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary

• Excursions as mentioned in the itinerary

• Tours and transfers as mentioned

• Water in the vehicles and on the ship

• Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, =Lunch, and D=Dinner)

• Coffee, tea, and table water is complementary onboard your boutique river cruise vessel

• Presentations and lectures onboard by the cruise director

• Transfers from/to Vientiane and Luang Prabang airports or hotels within city limits (only guaranteed if information was correctly provided 4 weeks prior to embarkation, at the latest)

Not included

• Flights

• Meals and services other than those noted in the itinerary

• Visas for Laos

• Laundry, telephone calls, and personal expenditures

• Gratuities for guides, drivers, porters, boat crew, and personal, non-itinerary services

• Alcoholic and soft drinks other than mentioned

• Personal Insurance