Laos - Festival Photo Tour.

The Tour.

Join Nathan on a photographic adventure through the magical country of Laos. Nestled between Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, the Kingdom of a Million Elephants (as it was christened in the fourteenth century), Laos offers a wonderfully diverse range of photographic opportunities. The French used to quip of Indochine, 'The Vietnamese grow the rice, Cambodians watch it grow, the Laotians listen to it grow,' which still indicates the laid-back charms of modern-day Laos.

Our tour starts in the charming capital city of Vientiane where we immerse ourselves in the colourful That Luang festival. The following morning, we embark on a city tour which includes visits to several wats and the magnificent Presidential Palace. In the afternoon, we take a detour to the riverside town of Vang Vieng where we explore the local karst scenery. From there we visit a local tribal (Khmu) village where we learn about their customs and traditions. including animism. We are of course welcome to take photos of the families and the village itself, after which we trek through the picturesque rice paddies to a cave on the other side of the Nam Song River, passing by farmers working in the fields.

We continue our journey by train to train to Oudomxay in the north of the country, taking in the village life and mountain views as the train cuts through the spectacular mountain scenery, crossing numerous bridges and tunnels along the way. The next day, we set off in 4WD vehicles to visit the villages of the Ikho, Hmong and Khamu people, three of the many ethnic groups in Laos. From Oudomxay, we take another train, this time for the hour-long journey to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Luang Prabang, from where we take a private cruise on the Mekong river to the mysterious Pak Ou caves, as well as an enchanting temple located on an island in the river. We spend the following two days in and around Luang Prabang, with an extensive city tour including the famous night market, and a visit to the stunning Kuang Si waterfall.

Our next stop is the provincial capital city of Pakse, from where we visit Don Kho, a rarely-visited island that includes some traditional houses and an ornate temple, and continue to Champasak where we will enjoy the town’s fading colonial architecture. Our photographic adventure includes the fifth-century temple complex at Wat Phou, as well as Khone Island with its magnificent waterfalls. Finally, we head back to Vientiane for a farewell dinner with the group. The tour suits photographers of all abilities and includes beautiful boutique hotels and all transport including two internal flights.