Northern Laos - Mountains, Hill Tribes and Jungles Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

Info
ItineraryDays
Hotels
ExperiencesTo-Do
Price
Map

Exploring the dramatic mountains and dense jungles of Northern Laos, this holiday takes you from the Golden Triangle at the Thai/Laos/Myanmar border down to the sleepy, romantic UNESCO town of Luang Prabang.

Travel along river and road, passing through majestic scenery, staying at a range of accommodation including eco-lodges in the mountains. Northern Laos is known for some excellent “eco trekking” and in this itinerary there is an opportunity to trek to remote hill-tribe villages and learn about the local customs and traditions. The journey will bring you to Luang Prabang by boat where there is time to take in the sights and absorb the magical atmosphere from a lovely boutique hotel base.

Highlights include:

Chance encounters with local villagers whilst trekking in the mountains
Taking in the remarkable scenery as you journey down the Nam Ou River aboard your own private boat
Exploring the romantic, beautifully preserved town of Luang Prabang with your expert local guide

As with all of our suggested itineraries, we can tailor-make your holiday to suit your budget, style and expectations. Find out about our exclusive ‘Journey Planner’ here.

Day 1 Depart the UK

Depart the UK on your overnight flight to Chiang Rai*

*You could add a stop in Bangkok or Chiang Mai if preferred.

Day 2 - 3 Lanjia Lodge The Golden Triangle

Your guide will meet you at Chiang Rai airport for the transfer to Lanjia Lodge where you’ll spend 2 days. This is a responsibly run lodge surrounded by beautiful scenery in the hills where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. Here you can enjoy a comfortable base that gives you opportunities to experience the lifestyle of the local community .

Day 4 Luang Namtha into laos

Today you’ll be transferred to the Thai/Laos border, just a few miles down the road at Chiang Saen/Huay Say. Cross the river to Laos where your guide and driver will be waiting for you and begin the journey north towards the village of Luang Namtha. This area is one of the best places in Southeast Asia for hill-tribe trekking.

The route to Luang Namtha takes you through mountains and river valleys and you’ll have a chance to stop on the way to visit hill tribe villages. Visit Kao Rao Cave with its impressive limestone formations before arriving in LuangNamtha mid-afternoon.

Day 5 Luang Namtha Trekking & Hill Tribes

Spend today doing some fairly easy trekking in the jungle-clad hills (more adventurous treks can be arranged if you prefer). The walk will take you past viewpoints offering panoramic views of Luang Namtha town to fascinating ethnic minority hill-tribe villages where your guide will translate old folklore stories from the locals. Enjoy a specially prepared traditional picnic lunch in the heart of the jungle and late afternoon you’ll head back to town to explore the Luang Namtha market.

Day 6 & 7 Nam Kat/MuangLa Nature all around

Today you’ll begin the guided journey south. Just outside of Luang Namtha, stop at the Lantern village of Namdeng Nua before heading south past rivers and jungle towards the small city of Oudomxay. You’ll arrive at your resort on the banks of the Nam Kat River early afternoon and the rest of the day is free to soak up the spectacular scenery and abundant nature all around you or to get stuck straight in to some of the outdoor activities available.

Despite the decent accommodation available, this area sees few visitors which makes for a very serene environment and the opportunity to experience day-to-day village life without feeling that you are just one of many tourists passing through. There is some great trekking in the jungle-clad hills or if you prefer to take it a bit easier there are some nice easy walks that could wind up with a picnic at a waterfall or a trip to the local hot springs.

Day 8 Nong Khiaw Journey down the Nam Ou River

Today your guide and driver will take you to Muang Khoua on the banks of the Nam Ou River. Here you’ll board a private boat for the first day of the river journey downstream to Luang Prabang. The initial part of the journey takes around 2.5 hours towards the Nam Ou Dam where you cross to another private boat for the second part of the journey towards Nong Khiaw. The scenery en route is remarkable so enjoy sitting back and just taking it all in. The boat also stops along the way for swimming and to visit riverside villages. On arrival in Nong Khiaw, transfer to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 9 Nong Khiaw Limestone & Jungle

The beautiful area around Nong Khiaw is great to explore by bike or kayak. The hotel has bicycles available for hire so you could choose to head out with your guide to the picturesque local limestone caves. Don't feel pressure to to do anything much however; this is a lovely spot just to sit back with a book and make the most of laidback Laos.

Day 10 Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang

Continue your journey downstream to Luang Prabang. After a morning cruising through more spectacular mountain scenery, the Nam Ou meets the Mekong River. The famous Pak Ou caves are situated near the confluence and you can visit them if you choose. Around one hour travelling on the Mekong and you’ll reach Luang Prabang - the river route is a lovely way to arrive into one of Asia's most romantic and beautifully preserved cities.

Day 11-13 Luang Prabang Beautiful Preserved City

Depending on the time you arrive you might like to enjoy lunch before transferring to your hotel.

During your stay in Luang Prabang, spend time with your guide getting a feel for the magical town itself; the effect of Luang Prabang's ornate Buddhist temples and Indochinese architecture set against a jungle backdrop is spellbinding. A highlight will no doubt be the early morning visit to Kuang Sii Waterfalls where a special permit allows you to enjoy a gourmet breakfast before the crowds arrive.

There will be free time too, to absorb the scenery, explore the sleepy backstreets of the UNESCO town, take in the picturesque night markets and perhaps join in with the popular local street sport petanque!

Day 14 Fly Home

Depart Luang Prabang for your flight back to the UK.

Alternatively, extend your trip to explore Laos or even Cambodia in more depth.

As every holiday is unique to you, prices vary. To give you an indication, two-week holidays range from roughly £2,500 to £8,000 per adult, with an average price of £3,300. We also offer substantial child and seasonal discounts.

Fill in our Quote Request form to get your quick, no-obligations proposal.

As every holiday is unique - Call our experts on 1-888-577-8452 for an inclusive, personalised quotation for your preferred dates or use the quote request form below...

Inclusions

Your personalised quotation with Experience Travel Group will include:

International Flights (which can be omitted from your quotation if you prefer)
Accommodation as described
Privately guided tours and transfers
Original Experience Travel Group "signature" experiences
Full financial protection (full ABTA and ATOL bonding.)
Meals as described
24 hour in-country backup whilst away
Your own dedicated travel expert in the UK

For more on our pricing policy read here.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the hotels and villas within this holiday as standard...

Boat Landing, Luang Namtha

Riverside eco lodge with sound principles in fascinating Luang Namtha Province, remote northern Laos the most ethnically diverse area of the country

Lanjia Lodge, Chiang Rai

Mountain lodge and community based tourism project in a minority Hmong village. Overlooks the Mekong River on the Thailand and Laos border

Le Sen, Luang Prabang

Stylish and well designed small hotel on the edge of Luang Prabang.

Muang La Resort, Muang La

Beautiful riverside lodge in northern Laos with great food, superb accommodation and fascinating excursions

Nong Khiaw Riverside, Nong Khiaw

Simple but quality lodge on the beautiful Nam Ou River.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the experiences & activities within this holiday as standard...

Breakfast at Kuang Sii Waterfalls, Luang Prabang

Beat the crowds with an early morning visit to the stunning Kuang Si Waterfalls.

Exploring Muang La's Countryside, Muang La

Experience real life and tradition as you explore the serene countryside of the region.

Kayaking in Luang Namtha, Luang Namtha

Kayak along the Nam Tha River through lush jungle, taking in riverside villages and rare wildlife.

Living Land Companys Rice Farm Experience, Luang Prabang

Organic community farm on the outskirts of Luang Prabang, offering hands on educational tours on rice farming

Luang Namtha Cycling Tour, Luang Namtha

Cycle through the picturesque region, stopping to explore villages, waterfalls and stupas.

Nam Ou Boat Charter, Nong Khiaw

Hire a private boat to cruise the stunning Nam Ou River in Northern Laos

Tak Bat (Alms Giving), Luang Prabang

Picturesque early morning procession of monks through Luang Prabang.

Trek & Cycle, Nong Khiaw

Travel by boat with your local guide to begin a scenic trek through the countryside, passing villages, caves & paddy fields.

Customer Feedback

Everything was fantastic. All the guides were really knowledgeable and helpful, passionate about their countries - they exceeded any expectations we had. We learnt loads about different cultures, religious beliefs and social constructions.

- Jane, March 2014

Customer Protection

The air holiday packages shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 9324. Please see our booking conditions for more information.