THIS JUST IN:
The founders of Sobek Expedition, Richard Bangs, George Wendt and John Yost, will be joining the August 30 departure of this trip, a very special opportunity to travel with the legends.
The latest addition to the exciting World Rivers series explores the millennial archeology, vibrant rainforests, fascinating culture, and cool mountains of Laos and Thailand. Our adventure includes Buddhist temples and royal palaces, rural villages, three exciting rivers, and the fascinating old and new of the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang.
In just 12 adventurous days, we’ll enjoy six days on the waters of three different rivers in Laos and Thailand, explore all three of the great cities mentioned, visit spectacular waterfalls, immerse ourselves in Buddhist temples and ceremonies, explore the Four Thousand Island area of the Mekong and search by boat for its elusive river dolphins, visit country villages and French colonial remains, experience the cool coffee-growing highlands of the Bolaven Plateau, and much more.
The rivers are small and highly dependent on rainfall, so it is unpredictable as to when we will be able to paddle rafts and when we’ll navigate the small and rocky flows in inflatable or sit-on-top kayaks. What is predictable is days of truly beautiful river-running in rocky, forested gorges, stopping in riverside hamlets to stretch our legs and enjoy the cultural interactions.
We highly recommend a 2-day extension of your trip to see Angkor Wat, the City of Temples in Cambodia. It is the largest Hindu temple complex in the world, the finest example of Khmer monumental architecture, and is a must-see in the lifetime of every international traveler. With its statues, frescoes, and towering structures it’s truly a wonder of the world.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Bangkok
Arrive in Bangkok and transfer to our hotel. Check into your room, then meet in the lobby of the hotel at 11:30 AM for a tour of Bangkok beginning with a welcome lunch at the Maharat Pier. If your flight gets in too late in the morning for this, you can start out by joining the group at our orientation meeting in the lobby of the hotel at 6 pm. Or considering coming in a day early and resting up from jet lag so you get the most out of your trip.
Our motorized boat tour through the famous canals takes us by Buddhist monasteries, modern buildings and traditional homes. We stop for a visit to the Royal Barge Museum. Here you can discover eight of the country’s most unique and stunning sights, the Royal Barges reserved for auspicious ceremonies and state occasions like the very rare Royal Barge Procession. Each is carved from huge pieces of teak with prows carved into mythical creatures, gilded, and intricately decorated with tiny shimmering pieces of glass.
Our boat drops us near Wat Po, a lovely temple. It’s the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measuring 46 meters (152 ft) long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha’s feet are 3 meters (10ft) long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious laksanas (characteristics) of the Buddha. After our touring, it’s time for a relaxing massage at the Wat Po Massage School, a great introduction to Thailand. Our afternoon of activities concludes with a pre-trip meeting at 6 pm in the hotel. Dinner is on your own.
Amari Airport Hotel, L only
Day 2: Nam Wa Rafting
After breakfast at the hotel we drive to the local airport for the flight to Nan. The original Wa people settled Nan over 700 years ago and are descendants of Laotions. Nowadays Nan is still quiet and rural with few foreign tourists. The Nam Wa River was first run only about 5 years ago and has become one of the main attractions in Nan.
We travel to our put in point in the village of Ban Sop Mang, a 2 hour drive. There, we pack up our dry bags, load the rafts and set off around noon. We paddle through the swiftly moving river and encounter an exciting mix of over 15 grade 2 & 3 rapids. After an enjoyable 1/2 day of paddling through beautiful jungle gorges, playing in waterfalls and checking out local wildlife that inhabits this area, we arrive at our riverside camp just before sunset to relax and enjoy the untouched surroundings of the tropical forest. We feast on a delicious Thai dinner prepared by our river staff, unwind by a campfire and fall happily asleep in our riverside tents.
Camping, all meals
Day 3: Nam Wa Rafting
We paddle 45-50 kilometers (about 30 miles) of Nam Wa whitewater after an early morning wake up, coffee or tea and a Thai/Western breakfast. Today we conquer over 90 rapids, from grade 2-4+. It’s our longest day. We pass many riverside waterfalls and amazing jungle scenery. Around 1pm we will pull over next to a beautiful stream and our river guides prepare our Thai style lunch. We set off for what seems like more endless grade 3 & 4 rapids. This challenging day ends just before sunset as we arrive at Nam Wa Camp #2, and enjoy another night of riverside camping. After another delicious Thai dinner, we can sit around the fire and share our most memorable moments from the day. Camping, all meals
Day 4: Nan
We enjoy another half-day of rafting on the Nam Wa, including about twenty more Class II-IV rapids. We meet our van for the ride back to Nan, stopping for lunch en route. Check in at the hotel with some time to relax. Our short city tour of Nan includes visits to its famed temples, including Wat Phumin, built as if on the back of two giant snakes, with a magnificent interior. Dinner on your own in one of Nan’s many fine restaurants.
Dhevaraj Hotel, B & L
Day 5: Nan-Chiang Mai-Luang Prabang
After breakfast, we drive from Nan to Chiang Mai. En route we visit the wondrous Theraveda Buddhist temple of Wat Phrathat on top of Doi Suthep mountain. Lunch is served in a local restaurant in Chiang Mai, then we head to the airport for the flight to Luang Prabang in Laos. After passing through the immigration, we transfer to the hotel in Luang Prabang. Relax in the Pumalin’s spacious rooms mixing traditional style with contemporary convenience and luxury. It’s located right along the Mekong river offer with easy access to the shopping and restaurant district, and within walking of the night market.
Luang Prabang has some great places to eat. Dinner is on your own, so pick the one that suits your fancy.
Villa Pumalin, B & L
Day 6: Luang Prabang
Early risers have the chance to join the locals giving alms to the monks before our breakfast is served. Later we take a tour through the special atmosphere of this lovely town. Luang Prabang was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. Today it is still the spiritual capital of Laos. After pick up at your hotel we will first visit the Museum in the former Royal Palace. Here you get a sense of local history. We continue to the monastery Vat Xieng Thong, built in 1560. The tour then takes us to Wat Visoun the oldest operating temple in Luang Prabang. The next stop is at Wat Saen.
After lunch, transport is provided to the nearby traditional Tai Lue weaving village Ban Phanom. This village is famous for its intricately woven textiles and special weaving techniques. In former times it was the weaver colony for the Luang Prabang Royalty. The very scenic Tad Sae Waterfall can be reached on the Nam Khan from Ban Phanom by long-tail boat. Its numerous cascades and pools are an ideal place for bathing. On the way to the Tad Sae Waterfall lies the tomb of the 19th century French explorer Henri Mouhot, the first European to rediscover Angkor Wat and to visit the Royal Kingdom of Luang Prabang.
Back in Luang Prabang, we still have time to climb up Mount Phousi for an unforgettable
sunset. Dinner on your own.
Villa Pumalin, B & L
Day 7: Rafting/Kayaking on the Nam Xeuang
The day starts with a 2 hour road trip, ending along a dirt road into a spectacular limestone landscape. After reaching the village of Pak Xeng on the Nam Xeuang, the starting point of our kayaking or paddle rafting tour (depending on water levels), we receive some basic paddle instructions and practice. The first river stretch takes us through rapids of grade 1-3 depending on river level.
A Lao style picnic lunch is prepared at a scenic spot on the riverside. There is time for swimming and relaxing, and the more adventurous can jump off cliffs into the deep and cool Nam Xeuang!
The night is spent at the village of Ban Houa Sking of the Khmu hill tribe, where the locals have to tell some fascinating stories of how they lived through the Second Indochina War.
Home stay, all meals
Day 8: Nam Xeuang
In the morning, we visit the village again before paddling further down the Nam Xeuang. After lunch, the rapids reach strengths of grade 2-4, a thrilling experience for all paddlers. The trip ends at Ban Hat Khang, where a pick-up awaits the group for transfer back to Luang Prabang. Dinner on your own.
Villa Pulamin, B & L
Day 9: Bolaven Plateau & Pakse
After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight to Pakse. Arrival in Pakse around lunch time. Board our van for the drive to the Bolaven Plateau, located in an ancient volcano that erupted millions of years ago. The area spans 50 km (31 miles) of southern Laos’ most vegetated area. With altitudes from 800 to 1350 meters (2700-4500 ft), it is green all year round and cooler than the rest of Laos and Thailand. Surrounding the plateau there are a number of protected national parks, dramatic waterfalls, remote hill tribes, dense jungle and a taste of some of the world’s best coffee beans.
Lunch is served in a local restaurant.
About 12 km (7 miles) out of town we’ll visit the Lao coffee company Dao Huang before driving for about 40 minutes to see a local tea and coffee plantation. Here we see how they make green tea and roast coffee. Taste the finished product. After that we drive to the 120-meter-high (400 ft) Tad Fan waterfall and the majestic Tad Yuang, where a view point at the top reveals a great panorama of the whole waterfall.
Dinner on your own back in Pakse.
Champassak Grand Hotel, B & L
Day 10: Ban Hatxaykhoun-Don Khone
We depart from Pakse toward the Four Thousand Islands or Si Pan Done, as they are called in Lao. We start kayaking or rafting (depending on river levels) at Hat Saykhoon village and paddle with the flowing waters of the Mekong. We pass peaceful island villages with coconut trees and stop on an island shore for a picnic lunch. We then continue to Don Khone (khone means island), paddling for a total this day of about 4 ½ hours. The island has extensive rural walking options, and hosts quite a few reminders left behind by the French — several old colonial buildings, including the school, the French port and the hospital (now part of a resort) and the French embankment — a series of concrete barriers built on the eastern side of the island.
We spend the night in a guesthouse from where we can watch the marvelous sunset.
Local Guesthouse, all meals
Day 11: Liphi Waterfall & the dolphins
After breakfast, we take a short morning walk to see colonial buildings on the island andcontinue to the Liphi Waterfall to view this gorgeous natural phenomenon. We can hear the spine chilling thunder from a fall that vexed the early French explorers.
We enjoy lunch at Liphi Waterfall before paddling downstream to Ban Hang Khone through more tranquil waters and through some of the many channels of the Mekong. Once we get to Ban Hang Khone, we take a boat for a ride to a special area in order to spot the rare Irrawaddy dolphins, the only site left in Laos for this highly endangered species. Our outfitter is working with local authorities to contribute to a dolphin conservation fund – to which a fixed percentage of all paddle tours in the area are being dedicated.
We get back in our vehicle and drive to the majestic Khone Phapheng waterfall on the Mekong before returning to Pakse. Dinner is on your own.
Champassak Grand Hotel, B & L
Day 12: Departure or on to Angkor Wat
Transfer to the airport for your flight out. If you’d like to join our extension to magnificent Angkor Wat in Cambodia, there are direct flights there (extension info below). There are nonstop flights to Bangkok as well for those headed straight home.
B only
SCHEDULE & COSTS
August 16-27, 2014 (Angkor Wat extension August 27-29)
August 30 to September 10, 2014 (Angkor Wat extension September 10-12)
COSTS
FIRST TRIP: August 16-27, 2014
8-16 participants $3300 per person
6-7 $3650 pp
4-5 $4250 pp
SPECIAL DEPARTURE: August 30-Sept 9 with Sobek Expedition Founders:
$4450 per person based on double occupancy. Trip costs are based on double occupancy. Should you prefer single rooms and tent, the single supplement cost is $375. Should you be traveling alone but willing to share rooms and tent, we will try to match you up with a roommate. If we can’t, the surcharge for involuntary singles is $250.
You will be billed at the tier cost for the number of participants at the time we receive your deposit. Should the group size reach the next lowest cost tier, you will be credited with the difference. Airfare Bangkok/Nan, Chiang Mai/Luang Prabang/Pakse/Bangkok is not included in the trip costs. The current cost for these tickets is about $500. We will issue tickets about 120 days before the trip for anyone who has signed up at that time, and add the ticket amount to the final invoices. Late bookings may pay higher airfares.
Angkor Wat Extension
It’s a short flight from Pakse to Siem Reap, the airport for Angkor Wat, and there are plenty of flights from there to Bangkok. Why not add one of the world’s great travel destinations onto your itinerary as long as you are in the neighborhood? Wantok will try to gather a group interested in this after each departure of the Rivers of Southeast Asia to reduce costs for each participant.
Day 1: Angkor Wat
Fly in the morning to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Clear Immigration and Customs, then proceed to the arrival area to meet your guide and your private driver for the visit to Angkor Wat.
After we check in at our hotel, the whole afternoon is set aside for a visit to the main temple, Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is one of mankind’s greatest achievements, and the intricate carvings at the temple of Angkor Wat demonstrate the skill of the Khmer builders. It was built in the jungle in the early 12th century, then – two centuries later – was mysteriously abandoned by the Khmer civilization. The jungle soon overwhelmed Angkor Wat, hiding it for several centuries with thick tropical foliage. There was nothing left to see except an occasional protruding building stone. In 1861, a French naturalist accidentally came across the jungle-veiled ruins. Now Angkor Wat is the main reason tourists come to visit Cambodia.
Angkor is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia if not the world. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its famous faces and countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging program to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.
We start our visit at the South Gate of Angkor Thom and the temples of Bayon, Baphoun, Phimean Akas, The Royal Enclosure, Terrace of Elephants and Leper King.
Finish your day with the sunset on the top of Bakheng Hill, where you can see the view of the temple of Angkor Wat and whole site of Angkor Heritage
Frangipani Villa (Superior room), no meals
Day 2: Banteay Srei – Landmine Museum & Ta Phrom
Early morning visit Banteay Srei, which for many years was off limits due to its remote location and Khmer Rouge activity. Built in the late 10th century and dedicated to Shiva, Banteay Srei’s pink limestone walls contain the best bas-reliefs of any temple at Angkor.
If you are interested, you may choose instead to visit the Cambodian Landmine Museum, Prevention and Rehabilitation Center. It has estimated that there are more than 110 million land mines buried throughout the world, with the largest concentrations in Afghanistan, Angola, Iraq, Kuwait and Cambodia. In Cambodia, efforts at clearing mines around Angkor Wat and the major tourist sites have been successful. However, millions of mines remain buried and significantly affect the lives of the Cambodian people. Learn about the center’s efforts and work on this visit.
We visit Ta Phrom in the soft afternoon light when there are not too many visitors around. Built in 1186, Ta Phrom was dedicated to the mother of Jayavarman VII. Its atmospheric dark gray sandstone towers and courtyards exude an aura of reverence and mystery. Unlike the other temples of Angkor, Ta Phrom has been left to the elements and looks very much like the other temples must have looked when rediscovered by Henri Mouhot in the 1860s. Navigating through its narrow passages, immense kapok trees and its jungle-covered ruins is an unparalleled experience, one of the highlights of Angkor.
Frangipani Villa, BF only
Day 3: Poi Pet and departure
This morning, enjoy an excursion to Mechrey Village on Tonle Sap Lake, with a drive time of approximately an hour. En route stop at Ampil Peam stroll through this traditional village where locals live much as they have for centuries. Continue to Mechrey, a small community on Tonle Sap Lake. Board a local-style boat and explore the area. This interesting excursion includes a foray into the nearby-flooded forest. Your guide will explain the biodiversity in this area, and discuss the importance of the lake for the livelihood of thousands of locals. Tonle Sap, meaning “Great Lake” is in fact a combined lake and river system. Learn about how its flow changes direction twice a year, depending on
the season. It has been declared a UNESCO biosphere, recognizing its great importance to the surrounding eco-system.
Return to back to hotel, take shower and check out at 12:00 noon. Your private guide will transfer to airport for your flight to Bangkok. BF only
SCHEDULE
FIRST TRIP: August 26-28, 2014
COST: $300 per person for each of 7-12 participants, double occupancy
$350 for each of 3-6 participants
$450 for each of 2 participants
SPECIAL TRIP WITH FOUNDERS Sept 9-11
$450 per person double occupancy
Single supplement: $95 per person if requested; $60 pp if involuntary.
Airfare Pakse-Siem Reap-Bangkok not included.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
• Wantok leadership on the trip and planning assistance before it
• accommodations in hotels or inns in cities and villages
• all arrangements in the field, including camp meals, cook staffs, group gear and rafting equipment
• meals as noted (7 dinners are on your own)
• airport transfers on group arrival and departure days
• sightseeing and activities as noted in the itinerary
• ground transportation
• monastery and monument entrance fees
WHAT’S NOT
• international airfare
• domestic flights within Asia as listed above
• insurance (see Insurance section below)
• optional tipping off-river and to leader, guides and river staff
• airport transfers if arriving earlier or later than trip dates
• excess baggage charges
• airport taxes
• any meals noted as “on your own” (seven dinners)
• personal items like drinks, laundry, souvenirs, etc.
WORLD RIVERS PROGRAM
For years travelers have been visiting the great ruins, monuments and cultural attractions of the world. Their more adventurous cousins have been going to the same countries to challenge the rapids of whitewater rivers. Why not combine the two, we thought? So now we have. In 2014 we are offering five trips that combine the tourist highlights of a country with rafting on its best rivers, spending most nights in hotels along the way: Peru, South Africa, Guatemala, Laos & Thailand, and Bosnia-Croatia-Montenegro.
This enticing collection of journeys will offer something for everyone who loves the thrills and beauty of a great river. Wantok’s encyclopedic knowledge of rivers and river outfitters in a hundred countries, compiled during a lifetime of travel and river exploration, has been applied to devise the very best itineraries with the top operators in these five areas. The trips vary from a gentle scenic immersion in the desert and mountain wildernesses of South Africa s to rollicking whitewater adventures on the Class IV waters of Peru, and offer choices of oar and paddle boats as well as inflatable kayaks.
Perhaps you’ll be lured by the caves (including some underground rafting) and Mayan temples of Guatemala. The waterfalls, royal palaces, millennial archaeology and backwater villages of Laos might catch your fancy, or the prospect of visits to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca and a chance to watch the colorful Incan Festival of the Sun may prove irresistible. Maybe South Africa’s beautiful Cape area, the Drakensberg Mountains, the canyons of the Kalahari desert, or the famous wildlife will spark your imagination. The shocking blue of the limestone-laden waters of the Balkans are tempting too. We’re sure that one of these tempting treats will compel you to be among the first to experience this new way of seeing the rivers of the world.
We’ve chosen rivers that span the seasons as well as the world. You can spend the winter holidays in the southern warmth of South Africa, the summer solstice at an Incan sun temple or at the top of a rimstone pool waterfall in Croatia, the fall on the pristine waters of the Guatemalan mountains, or late summer in the rainforest and Buddhist monasteries of Southeast Asia. As the World Rivers program grows, we expect to offer at least one destination every month of the year, taking advantage of the seasons around the world. All of the trips take you out of the US for less than two weeks, and most nights are spent in picturesque hotels and inns as we seek to avoid the blandness of the international hotel chains in favor of small, family-run properties with local flavor and a personal feel.
ABOUT US
Wantok, a word from the Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea, literally means “someone who speaks my language”, which by implication means someone from the same village or nearby, and by extension a friend or a mate. We, a group of veteran international river runners, chose the name to celebrate the spirit of camaraderie that brought us together.
We are not a business in the traditional sense. We cooperate to create and market exciting river trips.
Our goal is to bring you great whitewater at great values, maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and safety on the water while minimizing the tendency towards luxury of the large adventure companies. We think trip participants are fully capable of being a bit more self-reliant, that 3-4 star hotels with lots of local flavor are preferable to the big chains, that a great meal in a lively local restaurant is more enjoyable than the same meal in a fancy tourist place, and that a sense of adventure should be part of every trip.
Our price structure is simple, omitting the many hundreds of dollars others add on to every booking to pay for their printing, their mailings, their offices, and their staff. We devise the best and most cost-effective itineraries and negotiate the lowest fair price with the best local operators to offer you a terrific trip at a good price. A local outfitter, our guides, and you—that’s all we need!
INSURANCE
Neither the guides who are part of Wantok nor the entity itself, which is a loose association and not a formally structured business, carries liability, evacuation or other insurance for the participants.
We VERY STRONGLY recommend that you check what your current insurance will cover on a trip, and then purchase additional insurance for anything else you feel you need. We particularly advise buying trip cancellation, medical and evacuation insurance in case of last minute changes in plans or a need for emergency medical treatment or evacuation while on the trip. An excellent option is MedJet. At a modest cost they will supply evacuation insurance from anywhere in the world to any hospital, promptly and without questions.
Two sources for trip insurance that we recommend are Travel Guard International at www.travelguard.com and Travelex Insurance at http://www.travelexinsurance.com/ .
You will be required to sign a liability waiver acknowledging the insurance situation to participate in the trip.
HOW TO SIGN UP
A deposit of $800 per person will hold your seat on this trip.
If you’re ready to join the trip, please mail your check for $500 per person to Wantok at PO Box 1952, Murphys CA 95247. If you prefer to pay by credit card, you can do so via Paypal, www.paypal.com, using our email address wantokadventures@gmail.com to identify us.
You will receive an email on receipt of your deposit with the detailed information on the trip, including a registration form, liability waiver, packing list, and travel details.
PAYMENT, CANCELLATION & REFUNDS
Final payment is due 90 days before trip departure. Final payments using Paypal will be charged an additional 3% of the amount being paid to cover Paypal fees. Checks should be mailed to Wantok, PO Box 1952, Murphys CA 95247.
If you cancel your trip up to 90 days before departure, your deposit minus $250 penalty will be refunded. The penalty rises to $500 for cancellations received 89-60 days before trip departure.
Cancellations between 59 and 30 days before trip departure incur a fee of 50% of trip land cost.
No refund will be made for cancellations within 29 days of departure date. We strongly recommend purchase of trip cancellation insurance (see above).
JOIN US!
To join the trip, contact: Carrie Aronson: carriea@oars.com
Sales, and Private/Charter Trips Manager
The O.A.R.S. Family of Companies | PO Box 67, Angels Camp, CA 95222
Phone: 1.800.346.6277 | Phone: 1.209.736.4677
Direct Line: 1.209.753.4786 | Direct Fax: 1.209.753.4723 | Skype: carriea_oars
Web: www.oars.com | Find us on Facebook! |
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