Ethnic Tribes of the North

Meet your guide at the Houay Xay border post (opposite Chiang Khong in Thailand), then transfer to Luang Namtha by private minibus.

Arrival in Luang Namtha, free time to rest.

Like most towns and villages in Laos, Louang Namtha or Luang Namtha is only really of interest for its surroundings. It is often seen as just a stopover for excursions outside its town center. At least, that’s what the rumors suggest. Admittedly, a large part of its urban landscape is in ruins: remnants of the bombings during the Vietnam War. Yet, it wins people over with the beauty of its surrounding sites, the hospitality of the local residents, and its simple way of life.

Meals at your leisure and overnight at Pou Villa in a Deluxe room.

After breakfast, departure by local transport to the starting point of our trek. On the way, we stop at the local market to buy some food supplies. The hike begins at Nam Ha village. Here, you will be with your local guide who knows the trails, herbs, plants, and wildlife of this region well.

Picnic in the forest.

Our guides will share their ancestral knowledge of the traditional use of medicinal plants and edible leaves. We will learn how to set up a traditional hunters’ camp and prepare delicious “Khmu” jungle food, using supplies and resources from the jungle for a truly unique experience.

Overnight camping in the forest.

In the morning, we can get up early to admire many species of animals singing to each other from the highest peaks of the mountains around the campsite.

Then, pack your belongings — we will cross the Nam Ha River and walk to the other side. A traditional lunch will be taken in Nalan village (recipient of the 2018 ASEAN Standard of Community Based Tourism Award) where we will discover the Khmu way of life, culture, and traditions.

After dinner consisting of local dishes, you will enjoy activities offered by the community.

Overnight with a local family in the village.

In the morning, we still have time to visit the village, try Lao coffee or local tea in a bamboo cup, and practice crossbow shooting and hand-threshing rice.

After breakfast, we continue our hike uphill through the forest. A traditional lunch will be prepared at the end of the trail managed by Nalan village along the forest path. Then we will take an easy two-hour hike on the mountainside until we arrive at Chalernsouk village, where our driver will be waiting to bring us back to Luang Namtha.

Overnight at Pou Villa Hotel in a Deluxe room.

After breakfast, departure toward Oudomxay through magnificent mountain landscapes. Along the way, you won’t miss stopping at one of the many ethnic minority villages built on the mountainside.

Lunch at your leisure at a local cuisine restaurant in Oudomxay.

Upon arrival in Oudomxay, you will then climb to the summit of Mount Phou That to enjoy the unique view of the surrounding area.

Continue your journey to reach a resort in the heart of nature where you will spend the nights.

Dinner at your leisure and overnight at Namkat Yorla Pa Resort in a Deluxe River Cottage.

This morning, head toward Muang La. From the village, a 15-minute easy walk takes you to Pak Khai. The path already offers superb panoramas of the Nam Pak River, sculpted rice fields, and rural life.

The trek then starts on narrow, green trails that wind between streams. Authentic encounters with rice farmers: you observe their way of working the land, setting fish traps, or snaring small game. Gradually, the tropical forest envelops you.

After 1h30 of effort, you emerge at Ban Phavie, a Khamu village that overlooks the valley from its hilltop.

After lunch, head to wild waterfalls. Well-deserved swimming break in cool, crystal-clear water, far from everything.

Return to the resort at the end of the day.

Dinner at your leisure and overnight at Namkat Yorla Pa Resort in a Deluxe River Cottage.

Free day to enjoy the activities offered by the resort: short jungle trek, ATV excursion, biking, treetop adventure course, etc.

Meals at your leisure and overnight at Namkat Yorla Pa Resort.

Departure by private minibus toward the village of Muang Khua. You take the road leading to the Dien Bien Phu basin in Vietnam.

On the way, visit a Khamu village and — depending on the day of the week — a local market where locals sell their products from the forest (handicrafts made from bamboo work, weavings, etc.).

Arrival in Muang Khua where a private boat awaits you for a pleasant cruise on the Nam Ou River toward Nong Khiaw.

Arrival in Nong Khiaw late afternoon. You are here in a region with some of the most exceptional karst formations in Southeast Asia.

Overnight at Nong Khiaw Riverside Hotel in a Standard room.

After breakfast, this adventure day begins with a short boat cruise on the Nam Ou River. First stop in a small Lao village located on the riverbank. Then, you will head on foot toward waterfalls only recently discovered.

You will cross small streams and rice fields to reach the base of the site called the 100 Waterfalls – a place only first explored in October 2008 !

At the top of the waterfalls, a small path used by villagers will lead you into the valley offering very pleasant views of the Nam Ou Valley... Back at the village, you will have more time to observe the daily life of the locals before heading back by traditional pirogue to Nong Khiaw.

Overnight at Nong Khiaw Riverside Hotel in a Standard room.

After breakfast, departure by car to the mouth of the Nam Ou River where it meets the Mekong. This region hides a sacred site, the famous Pak Ou Caves. Revered throughout the country, they serve as a shrine for the hundreds of Buddha statuettes offered by Lao people over generations. A pilgrimage site of sorts…

Then, you will board a traditional boat and sail downstream along the Mekong, this mythical river that has inspired many legends.

Arrival in Luang Prabang. Transfer to your hotel, then it will be time to say goodbye to your guide and driver.

Luang Prabang is the former royal capital, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. This city leaves no one indifferent. In this melting pot of peoples and cultures, surprise awaits at every street corner: pastel houses, pagodas, and sumptuous palaces.