Laos for Families: Elephants, Caves and Waterfalls

Welcome to Luang Prabang, the spiritual capital of Laos. Your guide and driver will be waiting to transfer the family to your hotel. After settling in, head out for an afternoon orientation tour of this UNESCO-celebrated town, taking in French colonial buildings and traditional architecture on the way to a game of petanque, a relaxed, sociable way to meet the locals over snacks and a Beerlao for the adults. Dinner this evening is at Coconut Garden, a great introduction to Lao cuisine that caters just as well to children and Western tastes. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Enjoy a half-day guided tour of UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang, starting at the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum, before continuing on foot to Wat Mai, known for its golden bas-relief, and Wat Sensoukharam, with its dazzling golden facade, finishing at Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. Lunch is at Tamarind Restaurant, a family-run spot dedicated to Lao cuisine, where the staff are happy to explain the ingredients and customs behind each dish. The afternoon is free at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Spend a full day at an elephant sanctuary working closely with World Animal Protection guidelines, beginning with an introduction to elephant behaviour and communication. Get hands-on preparing special treats to help the elephants' digestion, then head to the banks of the Nam Khan River to feed them and watch them bathe. Guests do not enter the water with the elephants directly; each is free to choose whether to bathe, and only their mahouts wash them. Later, take a gentle, flat one-kilometre trek alongside the elephants along the Hoy Kang stream, a chance to appreciate these gentle giants up close, before saying your goodbyes and relaxing with snacks on the deck. Return to Luang Prabang in the afternoon. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Depart after breakfast for Kuang Si Waterfalls, stopping en route at a small ethnic village to learn about traditions that have remained largely unchanged for centuries. At the falls, swim in turquoise pools at the base or, for the more adventurous, follow a steep track to the top for sweeping views, before a picnic lunch beside the falls. In the afternoon, make an optional stop at a sanctuary caring for Asiatic black bears rescued from poaching, and visit the Lao Buffalo Dairy Farm, a social enterprise producing sustainable cheese that also keeps playful pigs, chickens and rabbits, finishing with a homemade ice cream at the farm cafe. Then transfer to Luang Prabang's train station for one of Southeast Asia's most scenic rail journeys south to Vang Vieng, arriving as evening sets in over the limestone karsts along the Nam Song River. Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Cross the Nam Song River this morning to Tham Pou Kham, known as the Golden Crab Cave, and the Blue Lagoon, where a refreshingly cool dip awaits, with a slide and life jackets for the kids. With an optional stop at a village where women still weave on traditional looms, transfer back toward the centre of Vang Vieng, then board a local longtail boat for an hour-long cruise upstream along the Nam Song River, taking in the scenery. Arrive at an organic farm known for its refreshing mulberry tea, along with a range of livestock and organic crops, for a short tour and lunch. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Vang Vieng.

Enjoy a leisurely morning before the drive to Vientiane, stopping at Nam Ngum, the largest lake in Laos and the source of the country's first hydroelectric dam. Continue on to the capital, with the rest of the day free at leisure and dinner at a local restaurant this evening. Overnight in Vientiane.

Drive out to Buddha Park, also known as Xieng Khuang, an unusual park along the Mekong filled with more than 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues built in 1958 by a Lao shaman. Return to the city to visit the serene Wat Sisaket, one of Vientiane's most beautiful temples, and nearby Wat Phra Keo, now a religious museum housing a collection of Lao and Khmer art, along with the Presidential Palace, offering a glimpse into the country's colonial history. Enjoy a Lao-style lunch at Lao Kitchen, then spend the evening strolling the Mekong's riverside promenade at sunset, with cold drinks, local snacks and souvenir stalls along the way. Overnight in Vientiane.

Drive south from Vientiane toward Ban Kong Lor, stopping en route at Wat Prabath Phansane, the Temple of the Footprint of Buddha, with lunch at a local restaurant along the way. Leaving the main road, the drive enters the Phou Hin Poun National Protected Area, where the scenery turns to dramatic limestone karsts, forests and rice paddies. Arrive in the small town of Ban Kong Lor with the rest of the day free to admire the views. For dinner, a simple local restaurant called Kounmee is a short walk away and well worth the visit. Overnight in Ban Kong Lor.

After breakfast, meet your guide for the short drive to Kong Lor Caves. With life jackets and head torches provided, walk to the cave entrance and board a longtail boat for a journey along an underground stretch of the Hin Boun River, more than seven kilometres through the mountain before daylight reappears. The river runs year-round, revealing vast stalactite and stalagmite formations, some of which can be explored on foot inside the cave. On the far side, stop for refreshments and a walk through local villages, a glimpse into a simpler way of life, before returning by boat downstream to Ban Kong Lor for lunch and some downtime. Later, an optional guided walk through the surrounding villages catches the soft, photogenic light of late afternoon as locals return home from the fields, school and the markets. Overnight in Ban Kong Lor.

Begin the drive back to Vientiane, around five hours, arriving with the afternoon free at leisure, a welcome chance to enjoy the capital's cafes and restaurants after a few days off the beaten track. This evening, take part in a traditional Baci ceremony, performed in Laos to mark important occasions such as weddings, births or welcoming guests. Lao belief holds that each person carries 32 spirits that make up their spiritual essence, and the Baci is a ritual for calling any wandering spirits back into the body. Special flower trays and food offerings are prepared and touched by participants as a Buddhist mantra is chanted, before cotton threads are tied around each person's wrist along with an individual blessing, a meaningful way to close the family's time in Laos together. Overnight in Vientiane.

Enjoy a final morning free at leisure before transferring to the airport for your onward flight, bringing your family journey through Laos to a close.