We joined the F03 trip on 13 Jan. 2026. The trip wad great and interesting. Manifa's guide was very kind and careful for us. Especially elephant walk was incredible. Three elephants walked with us in jungle. We can not only walk but touch them. This is the best memory of travel in Luang Prabang. At first, we intended to join H03 tour, and changed our mind. But we can not find the simple method to change or cancel reservation in Manifa's web-site. We had to visit Manifa's office to confirm our reservation. At the office, Manifa's staff did good job kindly, and we got the refund the next day. English and Japanese version of Manifa's web-site are not exactly same. Be careful.

The trip was very bad-organized. There is no information that the trip is confirmed, even when we called the office and paid already. When we arrived the camp, nobody knows what to do with us, nobody spoke English to answer our questions. When we asked for the program in the next 3 days, they don't know. So we had to show them the program in the website. It's quite a big suprise, but we don't want to destroy our vacation. The program with elephant was terrible, we expected to have interaction with elephants in the camp, but nothing happened. There is no health check, no instruction how to interact with elephant, no intruction elephant habits and language, no elephant riding through the jungle, etc. After changing clothes, we are asked sit on the back of the elephants and ride a short distance (appr. 100m) to the river bank, soak few seconds in water to take pictures. That is all things we did for 3 days in the camp with the elephant: no explanation, no program, worst than in a zoo. It's such a waste of time and money.

Nice trip, all punctual. Good explanations on all the sites we visited by our guide Mr Thin, he was very careful to keep all on track and to keep everybody happy. The boat in the morning towards the caves with Whiskey village visit had enough space for all, (instant) coffee, tea and water was provided, Nice buffet lunch with a chance to feed an elephant. Then to the waterfall by car. It gets a bit cool at the end of the day in January but still nice to have a swim, the waterfall with 3 pools is very scenic, and it is even possible to go to the top (500 steps). No time for the zipline and is also not included. As promised by 18.30 we were back at the hotel. A good way to see many sites in one day.

Om de vreselijke weg te vermijden, leek dit ons een aardige manier om naar Luang Prabang te reizen. Een paar dingen stonden ons tegen: - Het autoritje van de Dam naar het kamp duurde 2 uur. Das best lang. Dan zit je al op de helft van de Nong Khiaw - LP reistijd. - het olifantenkamp is onethisch! Hoezo wordt er anno 2026 nog steeds op olifanten gereden en gewassen? De dieren krijgen snoepjes gevoerd, staan in een onnatuurlijke omgeving. Dit is echt dierenmishandeling. - de wiskey proeverij is een typische toeristtrap. - de aankomst in Luang Prabang was chaotisch en slecht georganiseerd. Bagage was ongelabeld, het was onduidelijk wie in welk busje moest terwijl je bij het boeken je hotelnaam invult. Label tassen met naam en hotel bij vertrek. Zorg dat je een systeem hebt bij aankomst. Nu kon elke straatjongen met de tassen weglopen. De gidsen waren wel aardig en het eten was ok. Daarom twee sterren.

Overall it was fine and yet by 5.30pm, everybody in the group was too tired to visit the Hmong village and we certainly missed out on the sunset cruise. Expectations of what we should have expected should have been made clear at the beginning and perhaps the group could have voted on what the majority wanted to experience.