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Tour Code: LAO-NA-005
An 8-day adventure through Northern Laos, exploring its cultural and natural treasures. This private tour offers a rich blend of historical sites, ethnic villages, and stunning landscapes, from the serene city of Luang Prabang to the rugged beauty of Oudomxay and Nong Khiaw. Experience the vibrant traditions, ancient temples, and breathtaking scenery that make Northern Laos a unique and unforgettable destination.
Private tour with departure every day upon request
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by your guide and driver for a short transfer to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight Luang Prabang
Meals: N/A
After breakfast, we visit the quaint Royal Palace Museum that provides a fine overview of the culture and history of this ancient city. We follow the quiet back lanes to the beautiful Heuan Chan Heritage House. Explore the house and its historical items and architectural charms while learning about the connection it has with the Royal Palace. After a refreshing Iced Tea in the gardens, we continue our walk up the peninsula to the country’s most historic and enchanting temple, Wat Xiengthong. With its roof that sweeps low towards the ground, this temple’s architecture best represents the classical Luang Prabang style. We wander the temple grounds before crossing the road to Wat Khili where this temple’s charming traditional library building houses an historic photo exhibition of Buddhist heritage.
In the early afternoon, we first visit the excellent ‘Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre’, which gives a great insight into the rich and diverse ethnic and cultural blend of Laos. We then transfer out of town and visit the weaving and textile villages of Ban Xangkhong and Ban Xienglek. Back in town, we continue to Wat Visoun, known as ‘The Water Melon Stupa’ due to its shape.
There are 3 options for the final stop of the day:
Overnight Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast
You can discuss with your guide for an early morning start (5.30am) to witness and partake in the daily morning ritual of ‘Tak Bat’ or giving alms to the monks. This is a unique ritual still followed by the locals in Luang Prabang. We can also visit the local fresh market to see how the locals shop, before returning to your hotel for breakfast.
After an early breakfast, we leave Luang Prabang at 8AM and passing through beautiful scenery and rural landscapes, transfer in 1 ½ hour to the Village of Ban Longlao. Ban Longlao is a H’mong village where the culture, customs and language are all different to mainstream Laos. From here, we start our 3-hour trek through primary forest and jungle before reaching the spectacular Kuang Si Waterfall. Lunch (not included) can be taken at the falls with time for relaxation, swimming and the possibility to climb to the top of the waterfall. Next to the falls is a Bear Rescue Centre, which does a great job in protecting and rehabilitating the rare Asiatic Black Bear. We transfer back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon.
Note: moderate trekking; wear suitable footwear, especially important if traveling between June and October when it can be very muddy.
Overnight Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast
This morning your will be transferred to Luang Prabang train station for you’re a scenic 1-hour train journey to the Oudomxay in Northern Laos.
Train ride D88 – LPQ 0953 AM – ODY 1041 AM.
Upon arrival at Oudomxay train station, we transfer to Chom Ong Cave, located 45 KM west of Oudomxay Town. This Cave system has a total length of 18 KM cave includes a overlaying passages, an active river, and its rare diversity makes it an outstanding cave. Explore the cave and its impressive stalagmite and stalactite formations and learn from your guide about the interesting but young history of the cave. We continue our way, taking a scenic route back towards Oudomxay. After about 20 minutes, we stop at the village Ban Nam Plaa, where the villagers are of Khmu ethnicity and some of the elders still wear their traditional costumes. Take a walk through the village and up the slope to be rewarded with stunning views. We then continue on the road for approximately 1½ hours back to our hotel, with you can relax and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight Nam Kat Yorla Pa
Meals: Breakfast
We set off by 4WD to visit villages of the Ikho, Hmong and Khamu People; three of the many ethnic groups in Laos. The route we take climbs to 1.300 m above sea level and offers some magnificent views of the stunning mountain scenery. The first visit is at a Khamu village. After meeting the Kamu people we continue further into the mountains to an isolated Hmong village. This ethnic group originates from the high steppes of Tiber and you can learn about the way of life and the importance of their livestock. From the Hmong village, we continue by car to the Ikho Village. This ethnic group originates from Tibet and Yunnan Province in China. Walk around and learn how the villagers still follow customs passed down through centuries. We then take a picnic lunch, enjoying the amazing surroundings before we continue to visit the next Ikho Villaghe along the way. We head back donw to the lodge, arriving their by late afternoon.
Overnight Nam Kat Yorla Pa
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch Picnic
This morning we drive in 2 hours north to the riverside town of Muang Khua where we board our local private boat for an unforgettable cruise down the Nam Ou River to Nong Khiaw. After around 2 1/2 hours we disembark and board a minivan for a short trip to pass the new Nam Ou Hydropower Dam, before boarding a second boat for the downstream part of the boat journey. This stretch offers stunning scenery and remote villages, including Ban Sob Jaem a Khmu and Tai minority village that can only be accessed by boat. We reach Nong Khiaw by late afternoon. Upon checking into your hotel, you have the option of taking a short bicycle ride to the picturesque local limestone caves nearby (bicycles available at the resort, and your guide will be happy to assist).
Overnight Nong Khiaw
Meals: Breakfast
This morning we head south by road to Luang Prabang. The morning drive brings us out into rolling countryside where you can admire the beauty of the Nam Ou River and the surrounding rice paddy fields. Where the Nam Ou meets the Mekong River, we stop to board our private boat and cross the Mekong to visit the mysterious caves of Pak Ou, two caves set in a limestone cliff facing the Mekong River crammed with thousands Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes. Afterwards, we cruise down the Mekong to Luang Prabang, where our minivan awaits us for a short transfer to your hotel. We will arrive in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Luang Prabang
Meals: Breakfast
Depending on your departure flight, you may have free time at leisure, before being met by your guide for a short transfer to the airport for your flight onward.
Meals: Breakfast
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The program may also be subject to changes based on traffic, weather or other events beyond our control. In this case we will take care of evaluating the necessary changes together with the travelers.
OPZIONAL: Baci Ceremony in Luang Prabang
Your guide will meet you in the early evening, for a short transfer to a nearby village where you have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Baci Ceremony. A Baci is performed in celebration of an important event such as weddings, births, or for welcoming guests and is a means of expressing good will and good luck to others. The ceremony is leaded by one of the village highly respected elderly and involves offerings to spirits and tying of strings to each other’s wrists to lock in the good spirits.
OPZIONAL Evening Petanque game and dinner in Luang Prabang
A unique activity and opportunity to get to know the locals, experience some Luang Prabang night life and to challenge your guide to a game of ‘Petanque’ or boules, a very popular sport in Laos. Afterwards go for a local ‘SinDat’ or Lao BBQ restaurant where you will see few tourists and is very popular with locals. Delicious food and local beer is included!
Please note:
If the above-mentioned accommodations are not available at the time of booking, Fantasia Asia will propose other hotels of the same category, and the type of treatment will always be as specified in the program. Due to possible unforeseen circumstances, changes in the technical or practical order of the program are sometimes necessary without altering its content. In destinations where pristine nature prevails, it is not excluded that you may encounter insects and small animals, as they are part of the natural habitat where hotels and bungalows are located. Such occurrences are not at all attributable to hygiene negligence in the premises, regardless of the category of the structures.