Northern Laos Trekking Tour

Huay Xai-Luang Namtha-Oudomxay-Muang Ngoi-Luang Prabang

Whether you are looking for an off the beaten path trekking experience or simply want to extend your trip from northern Thailand, the Northern Laos Trekking tour offers tranquil scenery, untouched forests, and remote hill tribe villages. This tour cuts across northern Laos taking in some challenging treks and beautiful boat rides along the way before finishing in the old royal capital of Luang Prabang.

• Itinerary
• Rates
• Hotels
• Book this Tour

Privately-Guided! Whether you are a single person, a couple, or a group, you'll have your own guide and driver for all airport pickups, drop-offs, and daily excursions.  
 
Choose Your Own Dates! This is not a fixed-departure-date tour. Just let us know the dates that work best for you and we will arrange everything.
 
Customizable! Need more time? Less time? Want to see or do something that isn't included? Just let us know, and we will arrange it for you and let you know the change in costs.
 
Click here to read what our clients have told us after they return.

Trip Highlights

• Visits with local hill tribe villagers
• Trekking through beautiful Lao landscapes
• Cooking class with local villagers in Luang Prabang
• Boat ride on the Nam Ou River
• UNESCO World Heritage City, Luang Prabang

Itinerary

Day 1:  Huay Xai to Luang Namtha
Upon arrival in Huay Xai, you will be welcomed by your guide and driven to Luang Namtha. This road has recently been improved and is now a very smooth and comfortable drive. Visit hill tribe villages along the road in Muang Phouka and other surrounding areas. Arrive in Luang Namtha in the afternoon where you will have the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Luang Namtha.

Day 2:  Luang Namtha-Trekking (Level: Easy)
After breakfast, start with a climb up to Phoumpok Stupa which offers a great panoramic view of Luang Namtha town. Then head into the jungle with your local guide, who will show you the different types of medicines and foods you can collect in the forest. For lunch you will have a wonderful picnic prepared by your guide and some local villagers. They willuse bamboo pipes to cook either Black Tai or Akha style food and you will dine in the heart of the jungle.
After lunch continue trekking for another 45 minutes to reach Ban Nammutmai, a picturesque Akha minority village built on the hillside. Here you will learn about the life of this small ethnic minority group. Your guide will translate and explain to you the old folklore stories from the locals. After this village visit, travel by pickup truck to the Lanten village of Ban Nam Jang, where they specialize in the making of Saa paper. End with a visit to the Luang Namtha market, where you can see many of the forest products you saw along the trail being sold. Overnight in Luang Namtha (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 3:  Luang Namtha to Oudomxay
Enjoy the morning at leisure to relax in the beautiful surroundings of northern Laos before heading south by vehicle to the town of Oudomxay, stopping along the way to admire the scenery. Arrive in Oudomxay by late afternoon and check into your hotel. Overnight in Oudomxay. (Breakfast)

Day 4:  Oudomxay to Muang Khua to Muang Ngoi
In the morning visit the local market in Oudomxay, where numerous ethnic minorities gather from the surrounding mountainsides and valleys to barter and trade their goods. Afterwards, set off for your journey east to the riverside town of Muang Khua. En route visit the intriguing Pra Xack Kham Temple with its sacred Buddha image. The 400 year old legendary statue is said to have many supernatural powers and is widely worshipped among the faithful local Buddhists. Stop along the way at the colorful market of Xin Sai.  Upon arrival in Muang Khua, board your private boat for a cruise down the Nam Ou River to Muang Ngoi, arriving there in the early evening. Overnight in Muang Ngoi. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 5:  Muang Ngoi-Trekking and Homestay
This morning begin trekking 2 hours to Ban Houay Boor (a Khmu and T’ai Deng ethnic village). After lunch in a villager’s home, continue trekking to Ban Na (a T’ai Deng village) and Ban Houaisene, where you will stay overnight at the community bamboo guesthouse. Before dinner, enjoy a special Baci ceremony and traditional music show with the villagers. Overnight in Ban Houaisene. (All meals)

Day 6:  Muang Ngoi to Luang Prabang
After breakfast, begin trekking through rice fields and beautiful landscape back to Muang Ngoi. Then embark on a traditional long tail boat for a leisurely trip downstream on the Nam Ou River, enjoying views of lush green forests. Along the way stop to visit the mysterious caves of Pak Ou—two linked caves crammed with thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues of various shapes and sizes left by devoted pilgrims. Continue your trip down the river to the UNESCO World Heritage City of Luang Prabang. This former royal capital with its gleaming temple roofs, fading colonial architecture, and stunning mountain backdrop retains a unique charm rarely found in all of Asia. Check into your hotel by early evening. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 7:  Luang Prabang
After breakfast visit the Royal Palace Musuem, which hosts a range of interesting artifacts. Begin your walking tour of Luang Prabang, taking in some of the city’s most beautiful temples. Depending on the rest of your program this may include the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground representing the classical Luang Prabang style, as well as Wat Mai and Wat Sene, the oldest temple in Luang Prabang. Also stop by Kinnaly Gallery, where your guide will teach you about the different ethnic minorities that live in Laos. End the tour with a climb up Mt. Phousi, which offers a spectacular view over Luang Prabang and the Mekong River. Overnight in Luang Prabang. (Breakfast)

Day 8:  Luang Prabang
After breakfast, take a walk through the local Phosi Market and continue on to  Ock Pop Tock, a silk weaving center for a guided tour of the traditional silk weaving process. Next drive to Ban Thinkeo, a Hmong village, and start trekking with the villagers. Tour a garden and learn how the Hmong people use their plants, then continue on to a village for a cooking class in a traditional Hmong home.  Enjoy the lunch you prepared while watching a demonstration of Hmong Khene and local games. In the afternoon, drive to Kuang Si and relax at this magnificent multi-tiered waterfall. You also have time to visit the local Bear Sanctuary that helps rescue and rehabilitate endangered bears before returning to Luang Prabang. Overnight in Luang Prabang (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 9:  Departure
Transfer to the airport for your departure flight home. (Breakfast)

Rates

Per Person Rates (based on double-occupancy) start from:

 
4-Star Hotels: $1,810
5-Star Hotels: $2,370
 
Single Traveler
4-Star Hotels: $3,425
5-Star Hotels: $4,545

Contact Us for advice on hotels and a quote based on your choice.

Please note that peak season supplements for stays over Christmas and New Years may apply.
 
 
Rates Include

• Greeting and assistance at the airport and private transfers to and from hotel to airport
• All private tours and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
• All surface transportation as per the itinerary by private, air-conditioned car
• Hotel accommodation on bed & breakfast basis inclusive of all taxes and service charges
• All entrance fees
• Services of a private, local English-speaking guide for all visits and excursions

 
Rates Do Not Include

• International airfare
• Visa fees
• Airport departure taxes
• Tips
• Expenses of a personal nature

Hotels

Hotels are subject to availability at the time of booking. If a hotel listed below is not available, an alternative hotel of similar quality will be substituted.

To Book This Tour

Please call us toll free at 1-877-362-2793 and let us know that you would like to book this tour. Then follow these instructions:

1. Download, print, and fill out the Reservation Form for each person.
2. Fax the form to us at 206-529-4803, or mail it to:
   
   Red Lantern Journeys
   1000 N. Northlake Way, Suite H
   Seattle, WA 98103

3. Pay a non-refundable $500 per person deposit and we will initiate your reservations.
4. Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure.

If your reservation is made less than 75 days prior to departure, the non-refundable deposit will allow us to initiate reservations. Full payment will be due immediately upon confirmation of all hotels and transportation services. If the services quoted cannot be confirmed, alternate accommodation or transportation will be arranged and the price will be adjusted accordingly.

Payments can be made by personal check, bank wire transfer, or credit card. Upon receipt of your deposit, we will initiate your reservations and send you a statement showing your payment. Approximately 4 weeks prior to your departure, we will send you a final confirmation package containing your itinerary and detailed information on the logistics of your trip.
 
Forms to Download (pdf file)
Reservation Form with Complete Terms and Conditions

Cancellation/Refund Policies

- Cancel more than 60 days prior to departure - forfeit your deposit.

- Cancel between 30 and 60 days prior to departure - forfeit 50% of the tour cost.

- Cancel less than 30 days prior to departure - NO REFUND of tour cost.

- Cancellations must be made in writing and sent via mail, fax, or email to Red Lantern Journeys.

- Refunds will be processed within 30 days of receipt of your written request.

- No refunds are available for unused services or tours during your trip.