Descent of the Mekong, Luang Prabang and the ethnic groups of the North
12-day tour of Laos from €1815 per person for a group of 4 people
Discover the program of your stay in Laos
Looking to discover the remote regions of northern Laos on a well-balanced and contrasting tour? Then this is the tour for you! You leave from the Thai border for a cruise on the Mekong to Luang Prabang.
You'll experience a real cultural immersion in Luang Prabang and meet several ethnic groups. This trip is designed for travellers looking for an authentic, human experience. Between sumptuous landscapes and unspoilt nature, you will walk through rice fields, taste Laotian cuisine, board a local wooden boat on the magnificent Nam Ou River and sleep in a village surrounded by rice fields.
day 01
Cruise on the Mekong in Laos
Meet your English-speaking Shampoo Cruise guide at 8am at the bridge on the Laotian side. Transfer to the slow boat pier. Sail down the Mekong in a traditional collective boat to Pakbeng with a stop in a Kamu village (Ban Houa Phalam), a peaceful little place with around 90 families. Lunch on board. The Mekong is the ideal means of transport for travelling through mountains covered in vast jungles, from the right bank to the left bank, exploring different villages and ways of life. You will arrive in Pakbeng at the end of the day. Settle into your guest house and enjoy the superb view over the Mekong. Dinner on your own.
Meals : Lunch
Night : Traditional Laotian Hotel (PhetSokxai - Standard Room)
Without guide
day 02 ...
Mekong cruise and PakOu caves
Breakfast before resuming your river adventure by traditional slow boat on the Mekong to Luang Prabang at 8am. In the morning, our guide and cook will give a short demonstration of how to prepare Lao desserts and local drinks, which travellers will eat later in the afternoon. The first stop will be the village of Ban Baw, a complex but harmonious blend of three ethnic groups: Lao Loun, Shan and Tai Lue. Today, the village is famous for its production of Lao whisky. Immediately after the visit, a traditional Lao lunch will be served on board. In the afternoon, visit the village of a fishing tribe and then the sanctuary caves of Pak Ou. Here, the river is bordered by towering cliffs. These are limestone rocks carved out by monsoon rains and river flooding. Huge caves have formed as a result. The Pak Ou caves, home to thousands of Buddha statues, are adorned in reds and golds, weathered by the elements. Lunch on board. Arrival in Luang Prabang (boat dock 7 km from town) in the afternoon. Transfer by minivan without guide to your hotel. Dinner at your leisure, according to your tastes.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight stay : Charming resort (My Dream resort // deluxe room)
... day 07
Cruise on a local boat on the NamOu River and meet the locals
After a local breakfast, you will visit the Tay Ead village at Ban HouayBô on a walk to discover the daily life of the local inhabitants. You will then return to the previous day's trail leading to Muang Ngoi Kao before boarding your boat.
Local lunch included at Ban Muang Ngoikao. From here, you will take the boat back down the Nam Ou and dock in the early afternoon in a small garden opposite Ban Sopkong (on the village side of Ban SopKhan). You will walk for 1? hours first along the riverbank, then into the hinterland along the cart track that leads to the Hmong village of PhaYong, next to the neighbouring Khamu village. Ban PhaYong is an astonishing village, with spaced houses surrounded by neat, tidy patches of greenery. The women wear pleated skirts or black trousers, while the men have abandoned their traditional clothes, no doubt under the influence of the Lao communities on the plains. Dinner and overnight stay with local people. Very local, basic shower.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight stay: Homestay in Ban Phayong, Hmong tribe (simple comfort)
day 08
Local market, Akha tribes and charming resort
After your local breakfast in the village early in the morning, you can take time to discover the tribe's early morning activities before they head off into the forest to hunt and gather. You will then return to your private minivan and head north. En route you will visit several villages belonging to the Khmou, Hmong and Lue tribes and the small local market by the roadside where the ethnic minorities come down from their mountain villages to sell the game they have caught in their traps, as well as their handicrafts. Free lunch en route, which is sure to be very typical. Continue on towards Oudomxay to reach the Namkat Yorklapa Resort. Arriving in Oudomxay, you will climb Mount Phouthat to admire the most beautiful view of the town of MuangXay before arriving at your resort. Settle into your room and enjoy some free time to relax or take advantage of the resort's swimming pool. Time to say goodbye to your driver. Dinner on your own.
Meals included: Breakfast
Overnight stay : Luxury resort (NamKat Yorlapa Resort - Superior River Cottage Room)
PRICE INCLUDES
The services of a French-speaking guide.
The services of a driver.
Internal transport. (minivan or boat).
Accommodation or similar as mentioned in the programme.
Meals mentioned in the programme.
Excursions included in the programme.
Entrance fees to sites.
Park entrance fees.
24-hour assistance from the agency.
Laos government taxes related to your trip.
PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
Your travel insurance.
International flights.
Meals as mentioned in the programme ( - = not included).
All types of drinks during your trip (water, spirits, beer, soft drinks, etc.).
Visa fees for Laos (40 to 45 dollars in cash at the border). You will need to provide 2 passport photos.
Options and extensions.
Tips to guides and drivers.
Porters during your trek (can be included on request).
Online payment fees.
For the full program of your trip to Laos, contact us!
