Laos Tours 12 days: Remote Exploration

On arrival at the Luang Prabang airport, you will be warmly welcome and  transferred to hotel by private car.
Check in the hotel and have a rest.


We start the half day trip with first stop at Luang Prabang’s famous Vat Xieng Thong which is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and reserves a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art where you’ll be suprised by the temple complex’s struture and gold decoration.
 
Then we make our stop at Vat Mai which brings us a chance to enjoy the impressive architecture of this Laotian city’s unique architecture. After experiencing the Luang Prabang’s rich religious heritage, continue your trip to climb to the top of Mount Phousi which is considered the city’s geographical center and a great lookout place. Have a closer look at  the golden stupa sitting at the peak as you soak up the sweeping views of the surrounding countryside.
 
The last destination of our tour today would be Luang Prabang’s National Museum, once the country’s royal palace and home to King Sisavangvong in the early 20th century. Explore the museum’s a range of personal artifacts from the Lao royal family as well as the Phra Bang Buddha image and throne from the country’s Lan Xang Kingdom.


In the late afternoon, we will get an oppotunity to join a private Baci ceremony at a local family. The Baci ceremony is a traditional ritual of the Lao people expresses the spirituality of the country and is a highly unforgettable experience and a deep insight into Lao culture for the participants.
 
You will be served dinner and share with family members which helps us have first-hand experience of local life and culture.
Overnight at the hotel in Luang Prabang. 
 

After breakfast, we start cycling out of Luang Prabang  at 8:30 am  to the river bank and hop on a ferry to cross the mighty Mekong River to Ban Xeng Mene. We cycle off-road, discovering the area with several stops to take pictures before arrival at the village of Ban Nakham. The village is famous for sugar cane and Kaolam (sticky rice and beans in bamboo), which are tasty local treats. We keep riding along green rice fields stopping in different villages and tribes to find out how the locals make their living. Then we still cycle to pass the villages of Khmu and Lao Loum until we reach the amazing waterfall, Tad Hoi Khua (Hundred families waterfall). A picnic lunch  will be served by the falls while listening to the sound of the nature.

After lunch, we begin ascend to the top of the waterfall supported by a local guide for a hiking loop of around 2h30.
Reaching the top, we enjoy a wonderful mountain view and explore the natural pool from the waterfall water spring and also some centenaries trees. Learn about the jungle vegetation, the tales of Hoi Khua waterfall and the local life style. Continue by the governor’s trees plantations project with some wild field, admire the natural taste of some veggies found on the way and then walk back down to the coffee shop, take a short rest before back to Luang Prabang and cycle back to your hotel. Overnight in Luang Prabang
 

After breakfast, we start to transfer to the Kamu Lodge pier in Luang Prabang then embark a local boat on Mekong river in 2 hours to reach the best famous and spiritual Pak Ou Buddha Caves, where we could have a look at confluence of the Mekong & Ou Rivers. Since the 16 century, the villagers built many thousands of Buddha images here.
 
Continue cruising upstream and you would reach Kamu Lodge Experience near 12.00 noon. You can look into your super size tents with attached modern bathroom amenities and facilities. Lunch is served at the restaurant (Lao set Menu).
 
After lunch you ảre free to make a choice of either relaxing or to enjoying the traditional Kamu lifestyles and activities such as rice planting and harvesting in nearby rice fields, gold panning in the Mekong , traditional fishing techniques , visit of the kamu village, archery contest. Dinner (Lao set menu) is a feast by Kamu tribe standards. You will see the real world from the Kamu’s eyes.
 
After dinner, free time at your tent.
Overnight at Kamu Lodge.
 

Free time at your leisure in the morning to relax at Kamu Lodge or make a stroll around the lodge and the surrounding village. We will embark at around 9:30Am by the boat Shompoo Cruise with upstream to Pakbeng, a small village situated on the Mekong River.
On the way, we will have a short tour at Ban Baw, which is well-known for its traditional hand weaving. Reaching Pakbeng at around mid-afternoon, you will check in your hotel before take an orientation walk around the town.
Overnight in Pakbeng.
 

Wake up early, we will visit the morning market where inhabitants of the nearby villages and hill tribes regroup to buy and exchange their merchandise.
Lunch will be served at the lodge, we will depart for Luang Nam Tha. Along the way, we can experience the local rural life, local markets on the side of the road, closer views on corn and banana plantations and stunning views over the mountains. You will go through the provincial capital, Oudomxay. Once a very sleepy town, this has become an important trading hub and indicates the changes which are happening quickly in the region.  Our final leg of the journey will be more interesting away from the busy town and in to unspoiled nature. The contrast also highlights just how special the experiences are in the remaining wilderness. Luang Nam Tha, which is situated on the banks of the Namtha River, is a land of rugged mountains and beautiful tropical forests and shares its border with China and Myanmar. We arrive in Luang Nam Tha in the afternoon. Overnight in Luang Nam Tha
 

After leisurely breakfast, our guide will meet and pick you up at your hotel. Today, we will have  a short visit to the Luang Namtha museum. Then visiting Luang Namtha Stupa that help you experience stunning view of Luang Namtha city. Followed by the old Phou Pouk Stupa, visit Ban Nam Ngean “Tai Dam” and Ban Pieng Ngam “Tai Deang” both of them are well-known for their many different handicrafts, make a stroll around the villages to see & learning how to process Lao Whisky making, traditional weaving, black smith, bamboo basket making.

From there, we will transfer approximately 6 km to reach the village of Ban Nam Dee “Lanten” along a dirt road . Today you will learn &  have chance to practice how to make paper from young bamboo, natural dyeing & the traditional weaving, join in the traditional Baci-ceremony & local music, taste local meals, talk about village history with owner homestay & go to bed.
 
Overnight at a basic homestay.
 

We get up early  in the morning and drive to head to east and pass through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery you will see in South East Asia, with plenty of opportunities to stop off at the different Khmu and H’mong villages along the way.  Then we will visit the amazing Pra Xack Kham Temple with its sacred Buddha image. It is said that this 400 years old legendary statue  have many supernatural powers, and is widely worshipped among the faithful local Buddhists.
 
After that, we will drive  on a flat road and at mountains’ slope to reach Phongsaly. You will get opportunities to enjoy beautiful landscapes, banana plantations, local rural life in the villages that bordes the road and panoramic views over the surrounding mountains. Your guide will be pleased and ready to stop whenever you may wish to take pictures along the way.
 
We reach the town of Phongsaly late afternoon. The attraction of the town is made by the narrow paved streets borded by traditional Chinese houses in wood. Your guide will give you more knowledge about the history and culture of this multicultural city and the harmony that reigns between Lao people and Chinese immigrants.
Overnight in Phongsaly

We have full day to experience Phongsaly’s evergreen forest, green tea and green Lao whiskey.
 
After leisurely breakfast, you will walk from Phongsaly on a track with breathtaking views over endless mountains.
After 3-4 hours , lunch will be served in a whiskey-producing Phunoy village and enjoy your first green!
 
Then come into the jungle forest on an adventurous trail climbing up into the mountains. After passing through tea plantations reach the mountain ridge giving you a spectacular  360-degree view (as far as China to the west and Vietnam to the east!). Keep walking on a small jungle path and ascend to the top of the Phu Fa Mountain (1625m – 400 steps) overlooking stunning Phongsaly Town.
Admire the relaxed descent to the town through the forest.
The rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight in Phongsaly
 

Today you will have chance to explore the well-known 400-year-old tea plantation, situated in the village of Ban Komaen, about 30 minutes south from Phongsaly.
Regarding to some famous tea experts, this village possesses some of the oldest tea trees in the world. The large root system of the old trees extends deep into the mineral-rich soil and offers ‘Phongsaly Tea’ its outstanding smell and taste. The oldest trees stand 6 m high with a stem up to 30 cm in diameter. There are regularly cut and kept to a standard size by Phunoy people, climbing to collect the precious leaves. Then they will sell this valuable tea in cigar-shaped tubes after processed.
 
We go through more recent tea plantations and gives a stunning view on Phongsaly and surrounding mountains to reach Ban Komae. In the village a newly built tea-tasting shop serves some food and sells the 400-year-old tea. You can also find out the temple and its characteristic Buddha statue with big ears.
After the visit, you will drive to Muang Khua for about 4 hours.
Overnight in Muang Khua
 

In the morning, we will hop on a long-tail boat downstream the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiaw, the charming boutique town along the gentle Nam Ou River. The scenery along the way is said to be the most spectacular part of the gently Nam Ou River. On the way, we may make a short stop to have the drink at one of the bars in Muang Ngoi overlooking the Nam Ou River. We reach Nong Khiaw just in time to admire the sunset before checking in your standard guesthouse. Overnight in Nong Khiaw
 

Begin this day of adventure with a tranquil local boat ride on the peaceful Nam Ou river where you will be able to experience a small Lao village along the riverside.  We have chance to study the local people and their way of life along this Northern Laos river before starting the ‘100 Waterfalls Adventure Trail’!

Passing through small streams and rice paddies, you will reach the bottom of the 100 Waterfalls which were only first discovered in October 2008. In the next few hours you will find out only water and jungle and hear the constant sound of clear waterfall cascades. The pools around you are very attractive for a refreshing splash.
Your guide will take you through the cascades and a local style lunch will be provided  that you can enjoy on the falls surrounded by beautifully green nature.

A small village path on the top of the ‘100 Waterfalls’ will take us on our hike back down into the valley, offering wide views over the expansive Nam Ou valley.
Once back in the village we will have some more time to experience the daily life of the Nam Ou riverside village before heading back to Nong Khiaw (Nong Khiau) by boat. Overnight in Nong Khiaw
 

After breakfast, we transfer directly back to Luang Prabang.
If we have enough time, we may visit  Ban Na Yang (12km from the main road) where the Thai Lue minority village live together. This is the very unique village with the traditional house and hand-weaving technique.
Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel to take the departure flight
 
Note: 03-hour transfer from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang >> the departure flight should in in the afternoon after 02:00PM