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All Tours
Sorted by time frame (how much time do you have?) or by activity (what are you in the mood for?) — choose your view below.
Half-Day Experiences
Soft Adventures
Gentle introductions to the landscape, the river, and the elephants — ideal for families or anyone easing into the programme without committing to a full day.
#E-01
Elephant
Hug the Giant
The shortest and most intimate elephant experience in the programme: you meet a rescued elephant at the Elephant Shelter, feed her by hand, and spend an unhurried hour in her company — her Mahout shares her name and her story.
Included: Transfer, approx. 1h elephant feeding, coffee/tea/water
What's Included
- Transfer by air-conditioned minibus
- Approx. 1 hour elephant encounter & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water at the Elephant Shelter
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter by minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour & conservation
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Elephant feeding session
- Transfer back to town
#HD-01
★
Elephant
Trunk Lessons
A personal introduction to your elephant companion at the Elephant Shelter — her name, her history, the scars that tell her story. Then a 30–45 minute walk with her along the Nam Khan to her river spa: bathing, brushing, splashing in the shade of the jungle.
Included: Transfer, approx. 2.5h elephant experience incl. bathing, lunch at Château Orientale
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Bathe, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-02
Kayak
Riverbank Explorer
Pick-up upstream at Tad Sae Waterfall, a brief paddling introduction, then a refreshing swim in the turquoise pool. After that, 45–60 minutes of relaxed paddling down the Nam Khan — past rice farmers, fishermen, and the village of Ban Xieng Lom — to Château Orientale.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jacket
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim & relax in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety & paddling introduction
- Paddle down the most beautiful stretch of the Nam Khan, with splendid views of the limestone mountain chain, all the way to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-03
E-Bike · Beginner
Hill-Tribe Village Encounter
30 minutes of beginner e-biking from Château Orientale through the Lao Lum village of Ban Xieng Lom, then a longtail boat crossing of the Nam Khan. On the other side, the landscape shifts to Khmu villages (houses on stilts, animist shrines) and finally to Hmong settlements at higher elevation — three of Laos' main ethnic groups in a single morning.
Included: Transfer, boat transfer, half-day e-mountain biking incl. helmet, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Motorboat transfer
- Half-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose and be briefed on your e-bike
- Off-road loop: river crossings, Khmu & Hmong village
- Scenic distant views of the limestone mountain chain along the ride
- Explore jungle and local villages off the beaten track
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#HD-04
E-Bike · MediumSacred Valley →
The Mystical Sacred Valley
After the boat crossing, the e-bike route leads through a Khmu village and limestone country to the entrance of the Sacred Valley, where you take in the scenery (no cave visit on this half-day version). From there it's on to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, before the longtail boat brings you back.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, half-day e-biking, brief Sacred Valley stop, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Half-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the ride
- An off-road track winds up and down through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride closer and closer to the mountain chain, through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Tackle the foothills of the range and reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — tempting to peek in, but a half-day ride rarely allows the time. There's always next time
- Continue on with towering limestone cliffs overhead toward a second Khmu village — visited if time (and your pace) allows
- The final stretch runs downhill all the way to Tad Sae Waterfall — you'll hear it before you see it
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#HD-05
ElephantKayak
Giants in the River
A kayak journey from Tad Sae Waterfall down the Nam Khan, passing Lao Lum farmers and fishermen — with luck, you'll spot a Mahout bathing his elephant on the riverbank. Arriving right at Château Orientale, it flows seamlessly into a personal elephant encounter.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, elephant encounter, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 45–60 min kayaking along the Nam Khan, with life jacket and dry bag
- Elephant encounter & feeding at the Elephant Shelter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim stop in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety briefing — life jacket & dry bag provided
- Gentle 45–60 minute paddle down the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain
- Elephant encounter at the Elephant Shelter — feeding and caring, at a relaxed, unhurried pace
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-06
ElephantE-Bike · Beginner
Dive in Nature
The day begins face to face with an elephant — feeding her, embracing her, hearing her story from the Mahout. Then by longtail boat across the Nam Khan and onward by e-bike through a Lao Lum village, a Hmong settlement, and a Khmu village with waving schoolchildren.
Included: Transfer, approx. 1h elephant, half-day e-biking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 1.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Approx. 1.5h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephants — play, splash & take photos
- Choose your e-bike
- Off-road loop: river crossings, Khmu & Hmong village
- Scenic distant views of the limestone mountain chain along the ride
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#HD-07
★
Explore All Around
E-bike through rice paddies and a Khmu village to the entrance of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), continuing 8 km to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim. There, the bike is swapped for a kayak for a relaxed ride back down the Nam Khan.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, e-biking + kayaking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 2h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the ride
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain, through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Tackle the foothills of the range and pass the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — tempting to peek in, but there's rarely time on this ride
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#HD-08
Trekking
Hike the Falls
A jungle walk that appears on no map: through a Khmu village with barefoot children, then into dense forest to the multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swimming possible. The return follows a different trail.
Included: Transfer, guide, waterfall visit, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Visit to the hidden Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale by minibus
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek
- Trek through gently hilly scenery
- Visit and guided tour through a Khmu hill-tribe village
- Continue through dense forest to the hidden, multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swim
- Return trek to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
Full-Day Explorations
Explorer Journeys
A full day that goes deeper — into the Sacred Valley, along the Opium Trail, through Khmu and Hmong villages.
#ES-02
★
Elephant
Elephant Shelter Experience — Full Day
A personal introduction to your elephant at the Elephant Shelter, a morning spa on the Nam Khan (bathing, brushing, splashing), lunch at Château Orientale. In the afternoon, a village walk through the Lao Lum settlement, before you accompany the elephant back into the forest in the evening.
Included: Full-day elephant companionship, lunch, village walk
What's Included
- Personal introduction at the Elephant Shelter · Château Orientale Resort
- Morning river spa at the Nam Khan: bathing, brushing & splashing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Afternoon: village stroll through nearby Lao Lum village · coffee at the resort
- Evening: guests accompany the elephant, guided by the Mahout, back through the forest to her natural nighttime grazing ground
Tour Programme
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Wash, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
- Village stroll
- Trekking with your Elephant & the Mahout to send your Elephant back to the feeding ground
#FD-01
★
E-Bike · MediumSacred Valley →
The Secret Ghost Cave
30 minutes of beginner e-biking, a boat crossing, then a ride through rice paddies and Khmu and Hmong villages into the Sacred Valley. The Heritage Circuit (approx. 1.5h on foot) passes sections of the historic Opium Trail to the Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong), with inscriptions dating between 1933 and 1978. Picnic on the cave terrace, then 8 km by e-bike to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, longtail boat back.
Included: Full-day e-biking, Tad Sae entrance fee, full Sacred Valley/Ghost Cave visit, picnic in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Full-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong)
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Hmong & Khmu village encounters
- Approx. 20-min motorboat ride
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through Khmu and Hmong villages — waving children, a village school
- Reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — and this time, there's time to go in
- Explore the Sacred Valley Heritage Circuit through limestone cliffs
- Walk sections of the historic Opium Trail
- Visit Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore inscriptions & geological formations
- Picnic lunch in or atop the Ghost Cave
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale
- Transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#FD-06
TrekkingSacred Valley →
Trek the Sacred Valley
Crossing the Nam Khan by boat, then following The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley — a forgotten opium-smuggling path from generations past, winding through mountain streambeds and valleys — straight into the Sacred Valley. A full visit to the Ghost Cave with picnic, geological trail, and sections of the Opium Trail. The return passes through a Khmu village on the way down to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, then back by boat.
Included: Full-day trekking, full Sacred Valley visit, geological trail, picnic in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong)
- Geological interpretive trail with information panels
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale over coffee or tea
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek (approx. 6 hours of trekking in total)
- Continue through massive limestone cliffs toward the Sacred Valley
- Walk sections of the historic Opium Trail along limestone ridges
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore inscriptions & geological trail
- Picnic lunch in the cave or on the hilltop
- Visit and guided tour through a Khmu hill-tribe village on the way back
- Hike to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#FD-02
Monkey Catcher
The most remote villages in the programme: e-bike through Lao Lum, Khmu, and Hmong settlements, then into the Sacred Valley for the full Heritage Circuit incl. Ghost Cave and Opium Trail history. Picnic on the cave terrace, then a kayak return via Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Full-day e-biking, Tad Sae entrance fee, full Sacred Valley visit, kayak return
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Full-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Hmong & Khmu village encounters
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through Khmu and Hmong villages — waving children, a village school
- Reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — and this time, there's time to go in
- Sacred Valley Heritage Circuit — Opium Trail sections
- Visit Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong) — picnic lunch
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Transfer back to town
#FD-03
The Buffalo Hunter
The morning belongs to the elephants — a personal introduction, river spa. In the afternoon, by e-bike through a Khmu village and buffalo pastures to the edge of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), then a swim at Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Elephant morning, e-biking afternoon, Sacred Valley viewpoints
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Bathe, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Choose your e-bike — cross the Nam Khan by boat
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school — with the turn-off into the Sacred Valley just visible along the way
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return
- Transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#FD-04
ElephantKayak
The Hidden Elephant Mts.
An elephant morning at the Shelter, followed by a kayak journey through remote mountain scenery on the Nam Khan — with views of the limestone mountains where the Sacred Valley lies somewhere within.
Included: Elephant encounter, Tad Sae entrance fee, kayaking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Ban En — motorboat to Tad Sae Waterfall
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak safety briefing
- Paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Meet, brush & enjoy time with the elephants
- Transfer back to town
#FD-05
★
The Thumb Rock Excursion
An elephant morning, then e-biking through a Khmu village and limestone cliffs to the entrance of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), swimming at Tad Sae, kayak return. Three worlds in one day.
Included: Elephant, e-biking, Sacred Valley viewpoints, Tad Sae, kayaking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Choose your e-bike — cross the Nam Khan by boat
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride through Khmu village, with the turn-off into the Sacred Valley just visible along the way
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#FD-07
ElephantTrekking
Calm Down
The most relaxed full day in the programme — a calm elephant morning, followed by a gentle afternoon trek through a Khmu village to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall.
Included: Elephant, waterfall visit, trekking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Visit to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — coffee or tea welcome
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the afternoon trek
- Trek through gentle hills — Khmu village
- Return trek to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
Multi-Day Immersions
Signature Expeditions
Two days or more. The journeys that stay with you — an overnight in the Ghost Cave, walking beside elephants, living as a Mahout for a morning.
#TD-01
★
Trekking · Overnight Ghost CaveSacred Valley →
The Caveman Experience on Foot
Day 1 leads through Lao Lum rice paddies, a Khmu village, and a traditional Hmong village, before the trail descends over boulder fields and a jungle pass into the Sacred Valley from behind — the hidden approach that day visitors never take. Overnight right inside the Ghost Cave with a campfire. Day 2: Heritage Circuit, Opium Trail history, inscriptions from 1933–1978, return to Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Picnic, village encounters, full Sacred Valley visit, campfire dinner, overnight in tent, breakfast in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Picnic lunch (Day 1)
- Khmu & Hmong hill-tribe village encounters
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Geological interpretive trail & information panels
- Campfire dinner
- Overnight in tent (cave hilltop or inside cave — weather dependent)
- Breakfast in the Ghost Cave
- Lunch in a Khmu village (Day 2)
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- 20-minute motorboat return
Tour Programme
Day 1 — The Back Way In
- Arrive at Château Orientale over coffee or tea
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek
- Trek through hilly scenery and into the mountains — visiting an authentic Khmu village
- Continue deeper into the highlands to a traditional Hmong village — guide introduces daily mountain life
- Follow the old Opium Trail along limestone ridges — carved stone steps, ancient alignments through dense jungle
- Approach the Sacred Valley from the rear — crossing over limestone boulders from behind the cliffs
- Drop into the Sacred Valley through a hidden entrance rarely used by day visitors
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore the geological trail, historic inscriptions & opium history
- Afternoon coffee as the jungle orchestra and wild monkeys fill the valley
- Campfire dinner — overnight in expedition tent on the cave hilltop or inside the cave
Day 2 — Down to the River
- Breakfast at the Ghost Cave
- Descend through the Sacred Valley toward a second Khmu village — guide introduces village life over lunch
- Hike down to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim in beautiful surroundings
- 20-minute motorboat return downstream to Château Orientale (optional: by kayak)
- Transfer back to town — Optional: village homestay at same price
#TD-02
★
E-Bike · Overnight Ghost CaveSacred Valley →
The Caveman Experience on E-Bike
The same route as on foot, only by e-bike: Khmu and Hmong villages, then into the Sacred Valley to the Ghost Cave for an overnight stay. Inscriptions from 1933–1978 in the cool evening cave, campfire, starry skies. Day 2: Heritage Circuit on foot, then e-bike back to Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: E-biking both days, full Sacred Valley visit, campfire dinner, overnight in tent
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Day 1: approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Campfire dinner
- Overnight in tent (cave hilltop or inside cave — weather dependent)
- Breakfast in the Ghost Cave
- Day 2: approx. 1.5h e-mountain biking
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- 20-minute motorboat return
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Ride Into the Unknown
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Reach the spectacular turn-off into the Sacred Valley — with an overnight stay ahead, there's all the time you need to go in
- Follow the Opium Trail approach toward the Ghost Cave
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore & interpret the site
- Afternoon coffee listening to the jungle orchestra and wild monkeys
- Campfire dinner — overnight in tent on hilltop or inside the cave
Day 2 — Villages & River
- Breakfast at the Ghost Cave
- Walk the Heritage Circuit and sections of the Opium Trail
- Ride toward a Khmu village — guide introduces daily life
- Continue to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim & relax; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return (optional: by kayak)
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#TD-03
The Elephant Whisperer
Day 1: e-bike through Khmu and Hmong villages into the Sacred Valley, full Heritage Circuit with Ghost Cave and Opium Trail, picnic on the cave terrace, kayak return. Dinner and overnight stay at Château Orientale. Day 2 belongs entirely to the elephants.
Included: E-biking, Sacred Valley visit, kayaking, dinner & overnight at Château Orientale, elephant morning
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Visit to Sacred Valley, Ghost Cave & Heritage Circuit
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Dinner (set menu, beverages extra) at Château Orientale
- Overnight in a deluxe room at Château Orientale Resort
- Breakfast
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Adventure & Discovery
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Reach the spectacular turn-off into the Sacred Valley — this time, there's time to go in
- Explore Heritage Circuit through limestone cliffs — Opium Trail sections
- Visit Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong) — picnic lunch on site
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Rest & relax at the resort
- Set-menu dinner — overnight at Château Orientale Resort
Day 2 — The Elephants Await
- Breakfast at the resort
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Wash, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#TD-04
★
Elephant Immersion
Daily Life of a Mahout
Two days at your elephant's side: getting acquainted, river spa, a village walk, settling her in for the night together. On the second morning, you and the Mahout collect her from her overnight feeding ground.
Included: 2× elephant experience, village walk, dinner, overnight stay (deluxe room or hut)
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- 2 × lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Day 1: approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Approx. 30-min trek with an elephant
- Dinner (set menu, beverages extra) at Château Orientale
- Overnight in deluxe room (or optional tent / bamboo hut)
- Breakfast
- Day 2: approx. 30-min trek with & without elephant
- Coffee, tea, or water at the Elephant Shelter
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Become a Mahout
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Walk into the nearby village — introduction to local village life
- Relaxation at the resort swimming pool
- Set-menu dinner at Château Orientale
Day 2 — Morning in the Jungle
- Wake to birdsong — breakfast
- Join the Mahout to collect the elephant from the jungle
- Final feeding, hugging & farewell with your grey giant
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
Ab Februar 2027
Sacred Valley Elephant Habitat
Our deepest category: elephant experiences right within the privately protected Sacred Valley.
These tours are expected to be bookable only from February 2027. Please inquire!
#SV-01
Sacred Valley Exp. — Half Day
The most intimate elephant experience right in the Sacred Valley: a 45-minute forest walk at your elephant's pace through jungle paths and ancient streambeds, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace overlooking the limestone basin.
Included: 45-min elephant trek, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 45-min elephant trek through the private Sacred Valley Nature Park
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Introduction to elephant facts & behaviour
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter in the private Sacred Valley Elephant & Nature Park
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- 45-minute peaceful walk alongside your elephant through the Sacred Valley — jungle paths, ancient streambeds and towering limestone cliffs
- Create special 'jungle candies' as a sweet farewell gift for the elephants
- Relaxed lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace, overlooking the valley and elephant camp below
- Transfer back to town
#SV-02
Sacred Valley Exp. — Full Day
A full day alongside rescued elephants in the privately protected Sacred Valley — the most comprehensive single-day elephant experience in the programme. Morning: forest walk with your elephant through the valley floor, then the geological trail past Ghost Cave inscriptions and the historic Opium Trail. Lunch at the Ghost Cave Terrace. Afternoon: elephant evening care, closing with the ritual of accompanying her back to her natural nighttime feeding ground as the valley light softens. Sacred Spring visit available seasonally (June–December).
Included: Return transfer, morning elephant forest walk, Ghost Cave and Opium Trail circuit, lunch, afternoon elephant care
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant trek (approx. 5 km) into the Sacred Valley Nature Park
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Study & interpretation of historic French explorer inscriptions
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — conservation story from our live-in ranger
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter or Sacred Valley Nature Park via air-conditioned minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour, and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- Begin trekking with the elephants into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Wander through dense, primeval forest — follow ancient creek beds, pass towering limestone formations from a forgotten era
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace overlooking the valley and elephants below
- Study and interpretation of historic inscriptions left by early 20th-century French explorers on the limestone cave walls
- Sacred Spring Silence (seasonal) — a visit to the revered spring where whispers of old spirits remain
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — hear from our live-in ranger about the battle to protect this land
- Transfer back to town
#TD-SV
★
Mahout — Sacred Valley
Two or three days in the heart of the Sacred Valley alongside rescued elephants — arrival at the Elephant Habitat, a forest loop or collection from the overnight feeding ground, campfire dinner with "The Forest Keeper's Tale." Day 2: elephant care, Heritage Circuit on the Opium Trail, cave camp, seasonal Sacred Spring visit.
Included: 2-3 days of elephant companionship in the habitat, campfire, Heritage Circuit
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- 2 x Lunch, 1 x dinner, 1 x breakfast on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Introduction to elephant facts & behaviour
- Full trek into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Campfire dinner & overnight in tent inside the Ghost Cave
- Optional 3rd day available
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Into the Sacred Valley
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter or Sacred Valley Nature Park via air-conditioned minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour, and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- Begin trekking with the elephants into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Wander through dense, primeval forest — follow ancient creek beds, pass towering limestone formations from a forgotten era
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace overlooking the valley and elephants below
- Study and interpretation of historic inscriptions left by early 20th-century French explorers on the limestone cave walls
- Sacred Spring Silence (seasonal) — a visit to the revered spring where whispers of old spirits remain
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — hear from our live-in ranger about the battle to protect this land
- Campfire dinner — overnight in tent inside the Ghost Cave
Day 2 — Morning with the Elephants
- Breakfast on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Join the Mahout to collect the elephant from her overnight feeding ground
- Morning elephant care
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Return by minibus — transfer back to town
- Optional 3rd day available
#TD-Sig
★
Shambala — The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley
A private two-day tribute: two full days including overnight with your own elephant. A welcome ceremony and personal introduction to your elephant companion, then together you follow The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley — an old opium-smuggling route unused for generations — before setting camp inside Tham Pha Bong, the Ghost Cave, for a candlelit dinner and overnight. Day 2: morning elephant care and river bathing, the cave’s opium history and century-old French inscriptions, and the Forest Keeper’s Tale from the valley’s ranger, before the return trek to Château Orientale. An optional third day extends the stay.
Included: Private welcome ceremony, 2 days of personal elephant companionship, cave camp, all meals
What's Included
- Welcome ceremony at the elephant sanctuary
- 2 full days & 1 night of elephant accompaniment
- Elephant introduction: biography, behaviour, diet, physiology
- Insight into Laos' logging history — traditional gear demonstration
- Jungle trekking approx. 4 km/day (easy–moderate)
- Wild herb & forest life identification en route
- Opium Trail walk — stone steps, carved ridges, Heritage Circuit
- Full visit to Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — inscriptions 1933–1978
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
- Cave camp setup — expedition-style tents
- Campfire dinner with panoramic jungle views
- Breakfast on cave terrace overlooking the valley
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — ranger conservation session
- All equipment: tents, sleeping mats, fire-cooking setup
- Transfers to / from Château Orientale Resort
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Arrival & Ascent
- Welcome ceremony at the elephant sanctuary near Château Orientale
- Personal introduction to your elephant companion
- Insight into Laos' logging history — traditional gear demonstration
- Introduction to the Sacred Valley's conservation story
- Lunch on the riverside terrace
- Jungle trek (approx. 5 km) through protected forest — herb identification
- Arrive at the Sacred Valley — elephant feeding & care
- Walk the Opium Trail: stone steps, carved terraces, limestone ridges
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
- Camp setup inside Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave)
- Campfire dinner with panoramic jungle views
- Overnight in expedition-style tents within the cave
Day 2 — Through Time & Trees
- Breakfast on the panoramic cave terrace
- Morning elephant care and river bathing
- Study & interpretation of French explorer inscriptions (early 20th century)
- Opium history at Tham Pha Bong — guide interpretation
- Lunch on the cave terrace
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — ranger session on land protection
- Return trek (5 km) to the elephant feeding ground
- Return to Château Orientale — pool & final reflection
- Transfer back to town
- Optional: additional night in the cave or by a remote jungle streambed
By Activity
Elephant Tours
Ethical encounters with our rescued elephants — from a one-hour visit to a multi-day Mahout immersion.
More details on our website →
#E-01
Elephant
Hug the Giant
The shortest and most intimate elephant experience in the programme: you meet a rescued elephant at the Elephant Shelter, feed her by hand, and spend an unhurried hour in her company — her Mahout shares her name and her story.
Included: Transfer, approx. 1h elephant feeding, coffee/tea/water
What's Included
- Transfer by air-conditioned minibus
- Approx. 1 hour elephant encounter & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water at the Elephant Shelter
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter by minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour & conservation
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Elephant feeding session
- Transfer back to town
#HD-01
★
Elephant
Trunk Lessons
A personal introduction to your elephant companion at the Elephant Shelter — her name, her history, the scars that tell her story. Then a 30–45 minute walk with her along the Nam Khan to her river spa: bathing, brushing, splashing in the shade of the jungle.
Included: Transfer, approx. 2.5h elephant experience incl. bathing, lunch at Château Orientale
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Bathe, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#ES-02
★
Elephant
Elephant Shelter Experience — Full Day
A personal introduction to your elephant at the Elephant Shelter, a morning spa on the Nam Khan (bathing, brushing, splashing), lunch at Château Orientale. In the afternoon, a village walk through the Lao Lum settlement, before you accompany the elephant back into the forest in the evening.
Included: Full-day elephant companionship, lunch, village walk
What's Included
- Personal introduction at the Elephant Shelter · Château Orientale Resort
- Morning river spa at the Nam Khan: bathing, brushing & splashing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Afternoon: village stroll through nearby Lao Lum village · coffee at the resort
- Evening: guests accompany the elephant, guided by the Mahout, back through the forest to her natural nighttime grazing ground
Tour Programme
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Wash, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
- Village stroll
- Trekking with your Elephant & the Mahout to send your Elephant back to the feeding ground
#TD-04
★
Elephant Immersion
Daily Life of a Mahout
Two days at your elephant's side: getting acquainted, river spa, a village walk, settling her in for the night together. On the second morning, you and the Mahout collect her from her overnight feeding ground.
Included: 2× elephant experience, village walk, dinner, overnight stay (deluxe room or hut)
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- 2 × lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Day 1: approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Approx. 30-min trek with an elephant
- Dinner (set menu, beverages extra) at Château Orientale
- Overnight in deluxe room (or optional tent / bamboo hut)
- Breakfast
- Day 2: approx. 30-min trek with & without elephant
- Coffee, tea, or water at the Elephant Shelter
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Become a Mahout
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Walk into the nearby village — introduction to local village life
- Relaxation at the resort swimming pool
- Set-menu dinner at Château Orientale
Day 2 — Morning in the Jungle
- Wake to birdsong — breakfast
- Join the Mahout to collect the elephant from the jungle
- Final feeding, hugging & farewell with your grey giant
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#SV-01
Sacred Valley Exp. — Half Day
The most intimate elephant experience right in the Sacred Valley: a 45-minute forest walk at your elephant's pace through jungle paths and ancient streambeds, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace overlooking the limestone basin.
Included: 45-min elephant trek, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 45-min elephant trek through the private Sacred Valley Nature Park
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Introduction to elephant facts & behaviour
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter in the private Sacred Valley Elephant & Nature Park
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- 45-minute peaceful walk alongside your elephant through the Sacred Valley — jungle paths, ancient streambeds and towering limestone cliffs
- Create special 'jungle candies' as a sweet farewell gift for the elephants
- Relaxed lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace, overlooking the valley and elephant camp below
- Transfer back to town
#SV-02
Sacred Valley Exp. — Full Day
A full day alongside rescued elephants in the privately protected Sacred Valley — the most comprehensive single-day elephant experience in the programme. Morning: forest walk with your elephant through the valley floor, then the geological trail past Ghost Cave inscriptions and the historic Opium Trail. Lunch at the Ghost Cave Terrace. Afternoon: elephant evening care, closing with the ritual of accompanying her back to her natural nighttime feeding ground as the valley light softens. Sacred Spring visit available seasonally (June–December).
Included: Return transfer, morning elephant forest walk, Ghost Cave and Opium Trail circuit, lunch, afternoon elephant care
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant trek (approx. 5 km) into the Sacred Valley Nature Park
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Study & interpretation of historic French explorer inscriptions
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — conservation story from our live-in ranger
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter or Sacred Valley Nature Park via air-conditioned minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour, and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- Begin trekking with the elephants into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Wander through dense, primeval forest — follow ancient creek beds, pass towering limestone formations from a forgotten era
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace overlooking the valley and elephants below
- Study and interpretation of historic inscriptions left by early 20th-century French explorers on the limestone cave walls
- Sacred Spring Silence (seasonal) — a visit to the revered spring where whispers of old spirits remain
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — hear from our live-in ranger about the battle to protect this land
- Transfer back to town
#TD-SV
★
Mahout — Sacred Valley
Two or three days in the heart of the Sacred Valley alongside rescued elephants — arrival at the Elephant Habitat, a forest loop or collection from the overnight feeding ground, campfire dinner with "The Forest Keeper's Tale." Day 2: elephant care, Heritage Circuit on the Opium Trail, cave camp, seasonal Sacred Spring visit.
Included: 2-3 days of elephant companionship in the habitat, campfire, Heritage Circuit
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- 2 x Lunch, 1 x dinner, 1 x breakfast on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Introduction to elephant facts & behaviour
- Full trek into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Campfire dinner & overnight in tent inside the Ghost Cave
- Optional 3rd day available
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Into the Sacred Valley
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter or Sacred Valley Nature Park via air-conditioned minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour, and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- Begin trekking with the elephants into the privately protected Sacred Valley
- Wander through dense, primeval forest — follow ancient creek beds, pass towering limestone formations from a forgotten era
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace overlooking the valley and elephants below
- Study and interpretation of historic inscriptions left by early 20th-century French explorers on the limestone cave walls
- Sacred Spring Silence (seasonal) — a visit to the revered spring where whispers of old spirits remain
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — hear from our live-in ranger about the battle to protect this land
- Campfire dinner — overnight in tent inside the Ghost Cave
Day 2 — Morning with the Elephants
- Breakfast on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Join the Mahout to collect the elephant from her overnight feeding ground
- Morning elephant care
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Return by minibus — transfer back to town
- Optional 3rd day available
#TD-Sig
★
Shambala — The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley
A private two-day tribute: two full days including overnight with your own elephant. A welcome ceremony and personal introduction to your elephant companion, then together you follow The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley — an old opium-smuggling route unused for generations — before setting camp inside Tham Pha Bong, the Ghost Cave, for a candlelit dinner and overnight. Day 2: morning elephant care and river bathing, the cave’s opium history and century-old French inscriptions, and the Forest Keeper’s Tale from the valley’s ranger, before the return trek to Château Orientale. An optional third day extends the stay.
Included: Private welcome ceremony, 2 days of personal elephant companionship, cave camp, all meals
What's Included
- Welcome ceremony at the elephant sanctuary
- 2 full days & 1 night of elephant accompaniment
- Elephant introduction: biography, behaviour, diet, physiology
- Insight into Laos' logging history — traditional gear demonstration
- Jungle trekking approx. 4 km/day (easy–moderate)
- Wild herb & forest life identification en route
- Opium Trail walk — stone steps, carved ridges, Heritage Circuit
- Full visit to Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — inscriptions 1933–1978
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
- Cave camp setup — expedition-style tents
- Campfire dinner with panoramic jungle views
- Breakfast on cave terrace overlooking the valley
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — ranger conservation session
- All equipment: tents, sleeping mats, fire-cooking setup
- Transfers to / from Château Orientale Resort
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Arrival & Ascent
- Welcome ceremony at the elephant sanctuary near Château Orientale
- Personal introduction to your elephant companion
- Insight into Laos' logging history — traditional gear demonstration
- Introduction to the Sacred Valley's conservation story
- Lunch on the riverside terrace
- Jungle trek (approx. 5 km) through protected forest — herb identification
- Arrive at the Sacred Valley — elephant feeding & care
- Walk the Opium Trail: stone steps, carved terraces, limestone ridges
- Sacred Spring visit (seasonal)
- Camp setup inside Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave)
- Campfire dinner with panoramic jungle views
- Overnight in expedition-style tents within the cave
Day 2 — Through Time & Trees
- Breakfast on the panoramic cave terrace
- Morning elephant care and river bathing
- Study & interpretation of French explorer inscriptions (early 20th century)
- Opium history at Tham Pha Bong — guide interpretation
- Lunch on the cave terrace
- The Forest Keeper's Tale — ranger session on land protection
- Return trek (5 km) to the elephant feeding ground
- Return to Château Orientale — pool & final reflection
- Transfer back to town
- Optional: additional night in the cave or by a remote jungle streambed
By Activity
E-Bike Tours
Silent through rice paddies, villages, and karst landscape — the first e-bike operator in Laos.
More details on our website →
Beginner and medium routes at a glance
Full-day route (e.g. The Secret Ghost Cave)
#HD-03
E-Bike · Beginner
Hill-Tribe Village Encounter
30 minutes of beginner e-biking from Château Orientale through the Lao Lum village of Ban Xieng Lom, then a longtail boat crossing of the Nam Khan. On the other side, the landscape shifts to Khmu villages (houses on stilts, animist shrines) and finally to Hmong settlements at higher elevation — three of Laos' main ethnic groups in a single morning.
Included: Transfer, boat transfer, half-day e-mountain biking incl. helmet, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Motorboat transfer
- Half-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose and be briefed on your e-bike
- Off-road loop: river crossings, Khmu & Hmong village
- Scenic distant views of the limestone mountain chain along the ride
- Explore jungle and local villages off the beaten track
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#HD-04
E-Bike · MediumSacred Valley →
The Mystical Sacred Valley
After the boat crossing, the e-bike route leads through a Khmu village and limestone country to the entrance of the Sacred Valley, where you take in the scenery (no cave visit on this half-day version). From there it's on to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, before the longtail boat brings you back.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, half-day e-biking, brief Sacred Valley stop, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Half-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the ride
- An off-road track winds up and down through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride closer and closer to the mountain chain, through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Tackle the foothills of the range and reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — tempting to peek in, but a half-day ride rarely allows the time. There's always next time
- Continue on with towering limestone cliffs overhead toward a second Khmu village — visited if time (and your pace) allows
- The final stretch runs downhill all the way to Tad Sae Waterfall — you'll hear it before you see it
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#FD-01
★
E-Bike · MediumSacred Valley →
The Secret Ghost Cave
30 minutes of beginner e-biking, a boat crossing, then a ride through rice paddies and Khmu and Hmong villages into the Sacred Valley. The Heritage Circuit (approx. 1.5h on foot) passes sections of the historic Opium Trail to the Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong), with inscriptions dating between 1933 and 1978. Picnic on the cave terrace, then 8 km by e-bike to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, longtail boat back.
Included: Full-day e-biking, Tad Sae entrance fee, full Sacred Valley/Ghost Cave visit, picnic in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Full-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong)
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Hmong & Khmu village encounters
- Approx. 20-min motorboat ride
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through Khmu and Hmong villages — waving children, a village school
- Reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — and this time, there's time to go in
- Explore the Sacred Valley Heritage Circuit through limestone cliffs
- Walk sections of the historic Opium Trail
- Visit Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore inscriptions & geological formations
- Picnic lunch in or atop the Ghost Cave
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale
- Transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#TD-02
★
E-Bike · Overnight Ghost CaveSacred Valley →
The Caveman Experience on E-Bike
The same route as on foot, only by e-bike: Khmu and Hmong villages, then into the Sacred Valley to the Ghost Cave for an overnight stay. Inscriptions from 1933–1978 in the cool evening cave, campfire, starry skies. Day 2: Heritage Circuit on foot, then e-bike back to Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: E-biking both days, full Sacred Valley visit, campfire dinner, overnight in tent
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Day 1: approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Campfire dinner
- Overnight in tent (cave hilltop or inside cave — weather dependent)
- Breakfast in the Ghost Cave
- Day 2: approx. 1.5h e-mountain biking
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- 20-minute motorboat return
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Ride Into the Unknown
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Reach the spectacular turn-off into the Sacred Valley — with an overnight stay ahead, there's all the time you need to go in
- Follow the Opium Trail approach toward the Ghost Cave
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore & interpret the site
- Afternoon coffee listening to the jungle orchestra and wild monkeys
- Campfire dinner — overnight in tent on hilltop or inside the cave
Day 2 — Villages & River
- Breakfast at the Ghost Cave
- Walk the Heritage Circuit and sections of the Opium Trail
- Ride toward a Khmu village — guide introduces daily life
- Continue to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim & relax; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return (optional: by kayak)
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
By Activity
Kayak Tours
Relaxed paddling on the Nam Khan, passing villages, fishermen, and waterfalls.
#HD-02
Kayak
Riverbank Explorer
Pick-up upstream at Tad Sae Waterfall, a brief paddling introduction, then a refreshing swim in the turquoise pool. After that, 45–60 minutes of relaxed paddling down the Nam Khan — past rice farmers, fishermen, and the village of Ban Xieng Lom — to Château Orientale.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jacket
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim & relax in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety & paddling introduction
- Paddle down the most beautiful stretch of the Nam Khan, with splendid views of the limestone mountain chain, all the way to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
By Activity
Trekking Tours
On foot, deepest into the valley — caves, the Opium Trail, and Khmu villages.
Half-day, one-day, and two-to-three-day trekking routes at a glance
#HD-08
Trekking
Hike the Falls
A jungle walk that appears on no map: through a Khmu village with barefoot children, then into dense forest to the multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swimming possible. The return follows a different trail.
Included: Transfer, guide, waterfall visit, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Visit to the hidden Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale by minibus
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek
- Trek through gently hilly scenery
- Visit and guided tour through a Khmu hill-tribe village
- Continue through dense forest to the hidden, multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swim
- Return trek to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#FD-06
TrekkingSacred Valley →
Trek the Sacred Valley
Crossing the Nam Khan by boat, then following The Lost Trail to the Sacred Valley — a forgotten opium-smuggling path from generations past, winding through mountain streambeds and valleys — straight into the Sacred Valley. A full visit to the Ghost Cave with picnic, geological trail, and sections of the Opium Trail. The return passes through a Khmu village on the way down to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim, then back by boat.
Included: Full-day trekking, full Sacred Valley visit, geological trail, picnic in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong)
- Geological interpretive trail with information panels
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale over coffee or tea
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek (approx. 6 hours of trekking in total)
- Continue through massive limestone cliffs toward the Sacred Valley
- Walk sections of the historic Opium Trail along limestone ridges
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore inscriptions & geological trail
- Picnic lunch in the cave or on the hilltop
- Visit and guided tour through a Khmu hill-tribe village on the way back
- Hike to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim
- 20-minute motorboat return to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#TD-01
★
Trekking · Overnight Ghost CaveSacred Valley →
The Caveman Experience on Foot
Day 1 leads through Lao Lum rice paddies, a Khmu village, and a traditional Hmong village, before the trail descends over boulder fields and a jungle pass into the Sacred Valley from behind — the hidden approach that day visitors never take. Overnight right inside the Ghost Cave with a campfire. Day 2: Heritage Circuit, Opium Trail history, inscriptions from 1933–1978, return to Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Picnic, village encounters, full Sacred Valley visit, campfire dinner, overnight in tent, breakfast in the cave
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Picnic lunch (Day 1)
- Khmu & Hmong hill-tribe village encounters
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Geological interpretive trail & information panels
- Campfire dinner
- Overnight in tent (cave hilltop or inside cave — weather dependent)
- Breakfast in the Ghost Cave
- Lunch in a Khmu village (Day 2)
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- 20-minute motorboat return
Tour Programme
Day 1 — The Back Way In
- Arrive at Château Orientale over coffee or tea
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek
- Trek through hilly scenery and into the mountains — visiting an authentic Khmu village
- Continue deeper into the highlands to a traditional Hmong village — guide introduces daily mountain life
- Follow the old Opium Trail along limestone ridges — carved stone steps, ancient alignments through dense jungle
- Approach the Sacred Valley from the rear — crossing over limestone boulders from behind the cliffs
- Drop into the Sacred Valley through a hidden entrance rarely used by day visitors
- Arrive at Tham Pha Bong (Ghost Cave) — explore the geological trail, historic inscriptions & opium history
- Afternoon coffee as the jungle orchestra and wild monkeys fill the valley
- Campfire dinner — overnight in expedition tent on the cave hilltop or inside the cave
Day 2 — Down to the River
- Breakfast at the Ghost Cave
- Descend through the Sacred Valley toward a second Khmu village — guide introduces village life over lunch
- Hike down to Tad Sae Waterfall — swim in beautiful surroundings
- 20-minute motorboat return downstream to Château Orientale (optional: by kayak)
- Transfer back to town — Optional: village homestay at same price
By Activity
Combo Tours
Two or three activities in one day — for anyone who wants to experience as much of the valley as possible.
Beginner and medium E-bike routes
Full-day E-bike route
Trekking routes
#HD-05
ElephantKayak
Giants in the River
A kayak journey from Tad Sae Waterfall down the Nam Khan, passing Lao Lum farmers and fishermen — with luck, you'll spot a Mahout bathing his elephant on the riverbank. Arriving right at Château Orientale, it flows seamlessly into a personal elephant encounter.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, elephant encounter, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 45–60 min kayaking along the Nam Khan, with life jacket and dry bag
- Elephant encounter & feeding at the Elephant Shelter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim stop in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety briefing — life jacket & dry bag provided
- Gentle 45–60 minute paddle down the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain
- Elephant encounter at the Elephant Shelter — feeding and caring, at a relaxed, unhurried pace
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-06
ElephantE-Bike · Beginner
Dive in Nature
The day begins face to face with an elephant — feeding her, embracing her, hearing her story from the Mahout. Then by longtail boat across the Nam Khan and onward by e-bike through a Lao Lum village, a Hmong settlement, and a Khmu village with waving schoolchildren.
Included: Transfer, approx. 1h elephant, half-day e-biking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 1.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Approx. 1.5h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephants — play, splash & take photos
- Choose your e-bike
- Off-road loop: river crossings, Khmu & Hmong village
- Scenic distant views of the limestone mountain chain along the ride
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#HD-07
★
Explore All Around
E-bike through rice paddies and a Khmu village to the entrance of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), continuing 8 km to Tad Sae Waterfall for a swim. There, the bike is swapped for a kayak for a relaxed ride back down the Nam Khan.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, e-biking + kayaking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 2h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the ride
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain, through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Tackle the foothills of the range and pass the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — tempting to peek in, but there's rarely time on this ride
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#FD-02
Monkey Catcher
The most remote villages in the programme: e-bike through Lao Lum, Khmu, and Hmong settlements, then into the Sacred Valley for the full Heritage Circuit incl. Ghost Cave and Opium Trail history. Picnic on the cave terrace, then a kayak return via Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Full-day e-biking, Tad Sae entrance fee, full Sacred Valley visit, kayak return
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Full-day e-mountain biking including helmet
- Full visit to Sacred Valley, Opium Trail & Ghost Cave
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Hmong & Khmu village encounters
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through Khmu and Hmong villages — waving children, a village school
- Reach the most spectacular point of the ride: the turn-off into the Sacred Valley — and this time, there's time to go in
- Sacred Valley Heritage Circuit — Opium Trail sections
- Visit Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong) — picnic lunch
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Transfer back to town
#FD-03
The Buffalo Hunter
The morning belongs to the elephants — a personal introduction, river spa. In the afternoon, by e-bike through a Khmu village and buffalo pastures to the edge of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), then a swim at Tad Sae Waterfall.
Included: Elephant morning, e-biking afternoon, Sacred Valley viewpoints
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Bathe, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Choose your e-bike — cross the Nam Khan by boat
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school — with the turn-off into the Sacred Valley just visible along the way
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- 20-minute motorboat return
- Transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#FD-04
ElephantKayak
The Hidden Elephant Mts.
An elephant morning at the Shelter, followed by a kayak journey through remote mountain scenery on the Nam Khan — with views of the limestone mountains where the Sacred Valley lies somewhere within.
Included: Elephant encounter, Tad Sae entrance fee, kayaking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Ban En — motorboat to Tad Sae Waterfall
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak safety briefing
- Paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Meet, brush & enjoy time with the elephants
- Transfer back to town
#FD-05
★
The Thumb Rock Excursion
An elephant morning, then e-biking through a Khmu village and limestone cliffs to the entrance of the Sacred Valley (brief stop, no cave visit), swimming at Tad Sae, kayak return. Three worlds in one day.
Included: Elephant, e-biking, Sacred Valley viewpoints, Tad Sae, kayaking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Choose your e-bike — cross the Nam Khan by boat
- An off-road track winds through plantations and rice paddies, with a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain — exactly the Laos of your imagination — rising in the background the whole way
- Ride through Khmu village, with the turn-off into the Sacred Valley just visible along the way
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
For guests who'd like more time riding, stops such as village visits or the Heritage Circuit walk can be skipped.
#FD-07
ElephantTrekking
Calm Down
The most relaxed full day in the programme — a calm elephant morning, followed by a gentle afternoon trek through a Khmu village to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall.
Included: Elephant, waterfall visit, trekking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Visit to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — coffee or tea welcome
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the afternoon trek
- Trek through gentle hills — Khmu village
- Return trek to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#TD-03
The Elephant Whisperer
Day 1: e-bike through Khmu and Hmong villages into the Sacred Valley, full Heritage Circuit with Ghost Cave and Opium Trail, picnic on the cave terrace, kayak return. Dinner and overnight stay at Château Orientale. Day 2 belongs entirely to the elephants.
Included: E-biking, Sacred Valley visit, kayaking, dinner & overnight at Château Orientale, elephant morning
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h e-mountain biking including helmet
- Visit to Sacred Valley, Ghost Cave & Heritage Circuit
- Picnic lunch in the Ghost Cave
- Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Dinner (set menu, beverages extra) at Château Orientale
- Overnight in a deluxe room at Château Orientale Resort
- Breakfast
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Lunch at Château Orientale
Tour Programme
Day 1 — Adventure & Discovery
- Arrive at Château Orientale — choose your e-bike
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat, then follow a dirt road through plantations and rice paddies — a jungle-clad limestone mountain chain, exactly the Laos of your imagination, rising ahead the whole way
- Ride closer to the mountain chain through a Khmu village — waving children, a village school
- Reach the spectacular turn-off into the Sacred Valley — this time, there's time to go in
- Explore Heritage Circuit through limestone cliffs — Opium Trail sections
- Visit Ghost Cave (Tham Pha Bong) — picnic lunch on site
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak briefing — paddle along the Nam Khan, with fine views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Rest & relax at the resort
- Set-menu dinner — overnight at Château Orientale Resort
Day 2 — The Elephants Await
- Breakfast at the resort
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Wash, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
For Families
Great for Kids Aged 5–12
Hand-picked by us: no e-biking (our e-bikes require a minimum rider height of 150cm), no strenuous multi-day trekking or overnight camping — just gentle pace, elephants, water and jungle, suitable for younger children.
#E-01
Elephant
Hug the Giant
The shortest and most intimate elephant experience in the programme: you meet a rescued elephant at the Elephant Shelter, feed her by hand, and spend an unhurried hour in her company — her Mahout shares her name and her story.
Included: Transfer, approx. 1h elephant feeding, coffee/tea/water
What's Included
- Transfer by air-conditioned minibus
- Approx. 1 hour elephant encounter & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water at the Elephant Shelter
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter by minibus
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour & conservation
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Elephant feeding session
- Transfer back to town
#HD-01
★
Elephant
Trunk Lessons
A personal introduction to your elephant companion at the Elephant Shelter — her name, her history, the scars that tell her story. Then a 30–45 minute walk with her along the Nam Khan to her river spa: bathing, brushing, splashing in the shade of the jungle.
Included: Transfer, approx. 2.5h elephant experience incl. bathing, lunch at Château Orientale
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — elephant briefing over coffee or tea
- Personal introduction to the elephant team
- Bathe, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-02
Kayak
Riverbank Explorer
Pick-up upstream at Tad Sae Waterfall, a brief paddling introduction, then a refreshing swim in the turquoise pool. After that, 45–60 minutes of relaxed paddling down the Nam Khan — past rice farmers, fishermen, and the village of Ban Xieng Lom — to Château Orientale.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jacket
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim & relax in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety & paddling introduction
- Paddle down the most beautiful stretch of the Nam Khan, with splendid views of the limestone mountain chain, all the way to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-05
ElephantKayak
Giants in the River
A kayak journey from Tad Sae Waterfall down the Nam Khan, passing Lao Lum farmers and fishermen — with luck, you'll spot a Mahout bathing his elephant on the riverbank. Arriving right at Château Orientale, it flows seamlessly into a personal elephant encounter.
Included: Transfer, Tad Sae entrance fee, approx. 1.5h kayaking, elephant encounter, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 45–60 min kayaking along the Nam Khan, with life jacket and dry bag
- Elephant encounter & feeding at the Elephant Shelter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Tad Sae Waterfall — swim stop in the turquoise pool (water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round)
- Kayak safety briefing — life jacket & dry bag provided
- Gentle 45–60 minute paddle down the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain
- Elephant encounter at the Elephant Shelter — feeding and caring, at a relaxed, unhurried pace
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Transfer back to town
#HD-08
Trekking
Hike the Falls
A jungle walk that appears on no map: through a Khmu village with barefoot children, then into dense forest to the multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swimming possible. The return follows a different trail.
Included: Transfer, guide, waterfall visit, lunch
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Visit to the hidden Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale by minibus
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the trek
- Trek through gently hilly scenery
- Visit and guided tour through a Khmu hill-tribe village
- Continue through dense forest to the hidden, multi-tiered Tad Kuang Song Waterfall — swim
- Return trek to Château Orientale
- Lunch — transfer back to town
#ES-02
★
Elephant
Elephant Shelter Experience — Full Day
A personal introduction to your elephant at the Elephant Shelter, a morning spa on the Nam Khan (bathing, brushing, splashing), lunch at Château Orientale. In the afternoon, a village walk through the Lao Lum settlement, before you accompany the elephant back into the forest in the evening.
Included: Full-day elephant companionship, lunch, village walk
What's Included
- Personal introduction at the Elephant Shelter · Château Orientale Resort
- Morning river spa at the Nam Khan: bathing, brushing & splashing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Afternoon: village stroll through nearby Lao Lum village · coffee at the resort
- Evening: guests accompany the elephant, guided by the Mahout, back through the forest to her natural nighttime grazing ground
Tour Programme
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Wash, brush & splash — act like a real Mahout!
- Lunch at Château Orientale — transfer back to town
- Village stroll
- Trekking with your Elephant & the Mahout to send your Elephant back to the feeding ground
#FD-04
ElephantKayak
The Hidden Elephant Mts.
An elephant morning at the Shelter, followed by a kayak journey through remote mountain scenery on the Nam Khan — with views of the limestone mountains where the Sacred Valley lies somewhere within.
Included: Elephant encounter, Tad Sae entrance fee, kayaking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Tad Sae Waterfall entrance fee
- Approx. 1.5h kayaking with life jackets
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Approx. 2h elephant encounter including bathing & feeding
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Ban En — motorboat to Tad Sae Waterfall
- Swim at Tad Sae Waterfall — turquoise pool; water level varies with season, but the setting is beautiful year-round
- Kayak safety briefing
- Paddle downstream along the Nam Khan, with views of the limestone mountain chain, to Château Orientale
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Elephant briefing on behaviour & conservation
- Meet, brush & enjoy time with the elephants
- Transfer back to town
#FD-07
ElephantTrekking
Calm Down
The most relaxed full day in the programme — a calm elephant morning, followed by a gentle afternoon trek through a Khmu village to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall.
Included: Elephant, waterfall visit, trekking
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 2.5h elephant encounter including feeding & bathing
- Lunch at Château Orientale Restaurant
- Visit to Tad Kuang Song Waterfall
- Approx. 2.5h trek & Khmu hill-tribe village encounter
- Coffee, tea, or water
Tour Programme
- Arrive at Château Orientale — coffee or tea welcome
- Meet the elephant team — bathe, brush & splash
- Lunch at Château Orientale
- Cross the Nam Khan by boat to begin the afternoon trek
- Trek through gentle hills — Khmu village
- Return trek to Château Orientale — transfer back to town
#SV-01
Sacred Valley Exp. — Half Day
The most intimate elephant experience right in the Sacred Valley: a 45-minute forest walk at your elephant's pace through jungle paths and ancient streambeds, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace overlooking the limestone basin.
Included: 45-min elephant trek, lunch on the Ghost Cave terrace
What's Included
- All transfers by air-conditioned minibus
- English-speaking guide
- Approx. 45-min elephant trek through the private Sacred Valley Nature Park
- Lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace
- Introduction to elephant facts & behaviour
Tour Programme
- Arrive at the Elephant Shelter in the private Sacred Valley Elephant & Nature Park
- Briefing on elephant facts, behaviour and conservation
- Meet the elephant team — personal introduction to our grey giants
- 45-minute peaceful walk alongside your elephant through the Sacred Valley — jungle paths, ancient streambeds and towering limestone cliffs
- Create special 'jungle candies' as a sweet farewell gift for the elephants
- Relaxed lunch on the Ghost Cave Terrace, overlooking the valley and elephant camp below
- Transfer back to town
