Waterfalls, Caves and Shamans

Itinerary

Waterfalls, Caves and Shamans Service Itinerary

Day 1, Tuesday
Relax and prepare yourself for your adventure on world-class Singapore Airlines. Meet other students, watch on-demand movies and unwind. A Rustic Pathways Flight Leader will accompany each of our escorted group flights from Los Angeles, making sure that your journey is easy and enjoyable.

Day 2, Wednesday
Ghost Day - After flowing through different time zones and passing the International Date Line today is ‘lost’ in the ambiguity of international travel. Don’t worry - you’ll be able to pick up a free day on your flight home.

Day 3, Thursday
The morning begins as you arrive into Singapore after midnight. You’ll be greeted in Singapore by Rustic staff who will show you the way to our coach bus which will take us to Hotel 81 not far from the airport. We’ll get you checked in and you’ll be able to get some well-deserved rest until morning. You’ll get a wake-up call to come down and enjoy a nice buffet breakfast outside at the pool. Go for an early morning swim if you’d like before packing up your things and heading back to the airport for the connection to Bangkok. Arriving in Bangkok early afternoon, you’ll be greeted by many staff and program leaders who have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. From Bangkok you will fly to Udon Thani on the border of Thailand and Laos and hop into Rustic Pathways vans for the trip across the “Friendship Bridge” to Vientiane, the capital of Laos. After getting checked into our guesthouse we will head to the banks of the Mekong for a delicious meal as we watch the sunset over the giant river. It is then time for a well-earned rest.

Day 4, Friday
The morning will be spent checking out Vientiane’s must see sites including the National Museum, Temples and a Laotian replica of the Arc d’ Triumph. You will also be able to check out the bustling Talaat Sao or morning market where everything from vegetables to antiques are sold. In the early afternoon we will head north stopping at Ngam Ngum reservoir for a quick boat ride and some picture snapping of the beautiful landscape. We will then continue up the road into the mountains of Vang Vieng, which will become your home for the following days. We will settle into our accommodations and get prepared for the big day ahead.

Day 5, Saturday
This morning we will head through the rice fields and between the limestone mountains into the village of Na Som to meet the community that you will be helping. They will be excited to meet us as we roll into town on small tractor wagons. After meeting the people of the village and having a look around it is time to get our hands dirty working on our service projects. We will spend all of the daytime working in the village today and you will be ready for a big meal at the end of it as the sun sinks over the mountains.

Day 6, Sunday
Today will begin with more hard work on our service project, working side by side with your new friends. As a reward for your hard work, in the late afternoon we will head into town to load onto tuk tuks armed with big inner tubes for a ride farther up the river. Once we get to the tubing put in point we will drift lazily down river watching the stunning scenery and waving children pass by. As we near town we will paddle to the shore, pull our tubes out of the water and head into town for dinner.

Day 7, Monday
This is our third day of working on our service project and we will really begin to see all the hard work pay off. The faces we see will have become faces of friends and we will feel quite at home in the little village of Na Som. We may take a break from the work site to head out into the fields to learn how to plant rice and till the land with water buffalos. Or, you may want to lend a hand with the women weaving traditional textiles. The villagers are also excited to be able to practice English with you so we will have a lesson in the late afternoon.

Day 8, Tuesday
In the morning we will head out for a walk through the luscious landscape and eventually make our way to some local caves that our friends in the village know well. They will lead us through beautiful caverns of limestone. We will probably be pretty muddy by the end of this excursion and a dip in a local spring will feel really good! After a fun swim we will head back into Na Som for some more rewarding work on our project. As the evening approaches we will have another chance to sit down with the villagers to learn more about their culture which we have slowly been immersing ourselves in for the past days.

Day 9, Wednesday
Today we will spend our final hours in Na Som finishing up work on our project and saying our goodbyes to our new friends and the beautiful place that has been home for the past week. In the late afternoon we will head out of Vang Vieng and back to Vientiane for one more dinner on the Mekong and a last chance to do some shopping for souvenirs and gifts.

Day 10, Thursday
Those who are staying in Laos to link with another program will have a day to explore more sights in the country’s capital while the rest of the group heads back across the border to Udon Thani to link up with other Rustic Pathways trips or else to Bangkok to begin the journey home. You will have had many fascinating and exciting experiences as well as helped a community that truly appreciates it. You will surely have a lot to reflect upon as you travel onward.

• Passport
• 2 copies of passport face page
• 4 passport photos for visa
• Camera with extra memory cards, charger and batteries
• Day pack
• Wallet with about $100 for airport layover and pocket money
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Journal
• Shorts (not too short as they can be culturally insensitive)
• T-shirts or button up shirts (females should have shirts that cover their shoulders)
• Rain jacket (lightweight)
• Pants or skirt that cover the knees for going to temples. Lightweight is best.
• Footwear: a good pair of sandals (Chacos/Tevas) and flip-flops should be enough. For those people that like to go jogging or are more comfortable in sneakers those are fine as well. Make sure that they are lightweight, breathable and that they dry easily. We will be doing a lot of walking so make sure that you have tried out your footwear before you travel.
• Swimsuit
• Sunglasses and hat
• Laundry bag
• Sleeping sack
• Bug spray
• Toiletries
• Sunscreen
• Prescription medicines
• Hand Sanitizer
• Photos of family and friends to show friends and locals
• Small gifts for villagers: Pens, notebooks, crayons, toothbrushes etc.
• Suggested Reading: “Shooting at the Moon” by Roger Arnold, “The Mekong” by Milton Osborne, “A Short History of Laos: The Land In Between” by Grant Evans and Milton Osborne

*We will be moving over a lot of land and packing as light as possible will make your trip much more enjoyable. Check in luggage should not be over 15kg or 30 pounds, overweight luggage will be assessed a fee by the airline.

• Will the students be drinking bottled water?
Almost all water served in Laos is from a bottle. Students will always be supplied with safe drinking water.

• Do we need to get visas for this program?
Visas are available on arrival at the airport and border crossings for $35. This amount will be added to your trip invoice prior to travel. Students should bring at least 4 passport sized photos with them.

• What will the accommodations be like on this trip?
We will predominantly be staying in guesthouses that have hot water showers and clean beds. But, always be prepared to spend a night in a bamboo hut and take shower by pouring a cold bucket of water over your head along the way!

• What kind of food will we be eating?
One word… delicious! We will be sampling both the local fare of noodle soups, spicy papaya salad , pork laap, stir fried vegetables, various fish dishes, tons of fresh fruit as well as some great French colonial influenced western dishes.

• Where will we be eating most of our meals?
Almost all of our meals will be eaten at noodle shops and restaurants with some meals at friends of Rustic Pathways homes and in small villages along the way.

• What costs are not included on this trip?
This trip includes all of the student’s accommodations, in addition to three meals a day, drinking water, transportation, entrance fees and other related group entertainment costs. Optional activities, such as massages, internet use, phone calls home, snacks, souvenirs, etc… are extra costs. For this program, we typically recommend between US$100-200 per week for allowance depending on the student’s spending habits, and basic souvenirs. This can vary greatly, however, as some students may spend very little and others may spend much more if they plan on making a big purchase.

• Will there be a flight leader to this country?
All flights departing from and returning to the United States will have flight leaders. In the event a student is connecting from another country, they may or may not have a flight leader. In such instances, we generally have coordinated with the airlines to escort the students from check-in through customs, and delivered to a verified Rustic Pathways staff member in Laos.

• How often will we be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
Cleanliness is a big part of Laotian culture so we keep as clean as our traveling allows us. We will have access to laundry facilities at least once a week if not more often. The cost is usually $3-5.

• Can Rustic Pathways cater to specific diets on this program?
To a certain extent, yes. If you have any serious dietary issues please contact our USA office prior to booking your trip to make sure that we can accommodate you. Vegetarians are easily accommodated.

• Will mosquitoes be a problem on this trip?
While there are mosquitoes present in certain areas, it is more of a dormant season for them. It is a good idea to bring along some bug spray that contains DEET. All accommodation in mosquito-impacted areas will have screened windows or bug nets over the beds.

• What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
Rustic Pathways only requires an up-to-date Tetanus shot, however the Center for Disease Control often has recommendations that are kept updated regarding India. Since we do not know your child’s medical history, we recommend you reference the CDC website at: www.cdc.gov or the World Health Organization website at: www.who.org for more information. We also suggest consulting with your local travel doctor prior to your travels for further information.

• Are there any extremely physical or strenuous activities on this trip?
No. But be prepared to do quite a bit of walking while exploring the country. We will also be doing some swimming in rivers and under waterfalls.

• How often will I have access to email and phones?
Phones will be accessible almost every day, while email will be accessible at least every 3 or 4 days. Email is usually about $1 per hour. While these facilities are available we encourage students to use them as little as possible to really allow for the immersion in this wonderful culture all the more rich.

• What sort of electrical voltage adapters do I need to bring?
If you are just bringing chargers for cameras and mp3 players you will not need any adapters. If you need an adapter, look for a universal adapter that will accept almost any plug and plug into almost any style of outlet. They cost around twenty dollars and are available at office and travel supply stores.

• Is there a language barrier, and will this be a problem for me?
A lot of people in the larger towns speak English to a certain degree and your local guides can help you translate. It can be a lot of fun trying to use your own made up sign language as well! People will be as interested in hearing about your culture as you are in theirs. In addition, our talented local staff can speak excellent English and will serve as your gateway to Lao culture, translating and explaining what people are saying.

• How does this program connect to other programs?

All Laos programs connect seamlessly with other programs within the country as well as those in other Asian countries. Arrangements can be made to connect to almost every program that Rustic Pathways offers as long as the dates coincide with each other.