Remote Laos

On arrival at the airport, you will be met and transferred to check in the hotel.

After a soft rest, your city tour begins with a visit to the Traditional Art and Ethnology Center to learn about Laos’ many ethnic cultures. We then head to the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, which represents classical Laotian architecture.  We still have time to visit the Royal Palace Museum, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts.  If time permits, we will take a stroll around the city to visit Big Brother Mouse, which is the most famous bookshop in Laos. The next stop is Ock Pop Tock, meaning East Meets West, where you can learn about the traditional weaving in Laos.  A visit to Luang Prabang would be incomplete without ascending the 329 steps to the top of Phousi Hill for a beautiful sunset view of the city and its glowing reflection on the Mekong River. The tour ends after a visit to the famous Night Market, where you can find a lovely collection of handmade textiles made by local and hill tribe people surrounding Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang 

After departing at 8:30 am from your hotel, we cycle to the river bank and take a ferry to cross the mighty Mekong River to Ban Xeng Mene. We cycle off-road, exploring the area with several stops to take pictures before reaching the village of Ban Nakham. The village is popular for sugar cane and Kaolam (sticky rice and beans in bamboo), which are tasty local treats. We continue to cycle along green rice fields stopping in different villages and tribes to see to see how the locals live their daily lives. A local style lunch will be served in Ban Som. After lunch we continue cycling and pass the villages of Khmu and Lao Loum until we get to the beautiful waterfall, Tad Hoykoua (Hundred families waterfall). After enjoying a refreshing swim we will take the boat upstream back to the city center. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Approx. 5-6 hours cycling

Transport(s): Bicycle

Board on a traditional Long River boat at Kamu Lodge pier at 08:30am and take a leisurely cruise upstream while enjoying the refreshments served on the boat.

Marvel at the thousands of gold Buddha statues placed in sacred Pak Ou caves by devotees. Most people failed to marvel at Pak Ou towering limestone cliff.

Continue upriver and you would reach Kamu Lodge around noon. A Refreshing welcome drink is served. You can check into your super-size tents with attached modern bathroom amenities and facilities. You will enjoy lunch in an airy SALA settled in the middle of ice paddy fields.

After lunch, you can choose to either relax or to enjoy the traditional Kamu lifestyles and activities such as rice planting and harvesting in surrounding rice fields, gold panning in the Mekong (anything you find is Yours!), traditional fishing techniques (you can sample your catch for dinner!), visit of the Kamu village, archery contest.

Dinner is a feast by Kamu tribe standards. We want you to see the world from the Kamu's eyes.

After dinner, retire to your tent.

You are free in the morning to stroll around the lodge and the surrounding village. The boat Shompoo Cruise will arrive at around 9:30Am to pick you up for the cruise upstream to Pakbeng, a small village located on the Mekong River. Along the way, we will stop at Ban Baw, which is famous for its traditional hand weaving. Arriving in Pakbeng at around mid-afternoon, you will check in your hotel before take an orientation walk around the town. Overnight in Pakbeng

Note: departure schedule of Shompoo Cruise: Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday

The local market also attracts numerous ethnic minorities who converge from the surrounding mountainsides or valley to barter and trade their goods. We visit this congregation before setting off on our journey north to Luang Nam Tha via Oudomxay. Along the way; we visit some more Khmu, Tai Dam (Black Thai), and Hmong villages.

Oudomxay province is residence to a mixture of 23 ethnic minority groups. We make a few rest stops along the way, which gives you the opportunity to see the ethnic minority groups of Hmong, Khmu, Black Thai and Lu; Hmong hill tribe people.

We arrive in Luang Nam Tha late afternoon, transfer to your hotel. Free for the rest of the day to explore the town on your own way. Overnight in Luang Nam Tha

Departing Luang Namtha by songthaew, we drive north into the Nam Ha Protected Area. We meet our local village guide at Sin Oudom village after crossing the Nam Tha River by boat. A hike on sometimes steep slopes leads us high into the mountains, while taking time to learn about plants and animals of the area.

The local guides will show you how to collect wild herbs and vegetables for our dinner which will later be prepared by all of us over an open fire. You may want to learn how to traditionally cook with bamboo tubes, which is a special experience.

Fall asleep in the darkness and to the sounds of the forest and the giggling stream nearby. If you like to go for wildlife spotting at night, this is the right place to do it. Our local guide will accompany you. Make sure to bring along a strong flashlight or head lamp.

Approximately: 60 minutes transfer/ 6 hours trekking

We wake up early today to see the many jungle birds around us. We re-ignite the camp fire to prepare a traditional breakfast, taking energy for the following trek over steep paths further up into the Nam Ha forest.

Deep in the woods we'll have a break for lunch. Here we wish farewell to our local guide who returns to his village. Close to the river, this place boosts a wide variety of tree species in contrast to the more uniform bamboo groves, giving us a chance to hear or even see monkeys. If not, the guide will point out signs of wildlife including bears, civets and wild boars which are present in the area, though highly elusive.

Following a steep descent, we arrive either at Ban Namkoy of the Lanten tribe or Ban Nalantai, a Khmu village. The visits to these villages are alternating in order to spread income evenly to both. Once in the village, our hosts are ready to prepare a dinner in "local style" whilst you take time to swim and bathe in the river. After dinner we have time to explore the village and meet some of the locals. We may have some interaction with them in the evening or relax in the comfort of the wooden hut.

Approximately: 6-7 hours trekking

Again we get up early and have breakfast in the village before enjoying a relatively gentle walk along the river and through rice paddies before, once more, getting into the forest.

We have a break for lunch, provided for us by Khmu villagers at a fantastic viewpoint with incredible vistas across the valley. Our guide will point out how far we have walked!

After lunch, we make our last descent down from the mountains and up to Ban Chaluensouk, where the songthaew is waiting to take you back to Luang Namtha.

The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Luang Nam Tha

Approximately: 6 hours trekking/ 25 minutes transfer

We wake up early today and to drive east and take through some of the most stunning mountain scenery you will find in South East Asia, with plenty of opportunities to stop off at the various Khmu and H’mong villages along the way.  We may also visit the intriguing Pra Xack Kham Temple with its sacred Buddha image. The 400 years old legendary statue is said to have many supernatural powers, and is widely worshipped among the faithful local Buddhists.

From there, we continue our drive to Phongsaly. The road is in good condition and at mountains’ slope. You will see beautiful landscapes, banana plantations, and local rural life in the villages that borders the road and panoramic views over the surrounding mountains. You can ask your guide to stop whenever you want to take pictures on the way.

We will arrive in the town of Phongsaly late afternoon. The charm of the town is made by the narrow paved streets bordered by traditional Chinese houses in wood. Your guide will explain you more about the history and culture of this multicultural city and the harmony that reigns between Lao people and Chinese immigrants. Overnight in Phongsaly

Today, you will discover Phongsaly’s evergreen forest, green tea and green Lao whiskey.

After breakfast, you will leave walking from Phongsaly on a track with stunning views over endless mountains.

After 3-4 hours, you will have lunch in a whiskey-producing Phunoy village and enjoy your first green!

Then enter the jungle forest on an adventurous path climbing up into the mountains. After walking through tea plantations reach the mountain ridge offering you a stunning 360-degree view (as far as China to the west and Vietnam to the east!). Continue on a small jungle path and reach the top of the Phu Fa Mountain (1625m – 400 steps) overlooking Phongsaly Town. Enjoy the relaxed descent to the town through the forest. The rest of the day is free at leisure. Overnight in Phongsaly

After breakfast in town, you will to the famous 400-year-old tea plantation, located in the village of Ban Komaen, about 30 minutes south from Phongsaly.

According to some tea experts, this village has 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 gives ‘Phongsaly Tea’ its specific aroma 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 reasonable size by Phunoy people, climbing to pick the precious leaves. They then process and sell this rare tea in cigar-shaped tubes.

The road to Ban Komaen is passing through more recent tea plantations and offers a stunning view on Phongsaly and surrounding mountains. In the village a newly built tea-tasting shop serves some food and sells the 400-year-old tea. You can also have a look to the temple and its characteristic Buddha statue with big ears.

After the visit, you will drive to Muang Khua for about 4 hours.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer to the border at Tay Trang. Say goodbye to Lao guide after you finish the border formality to check out of Laos