Laos from Every Angle

You set off to discover the Museum of Ethnology and Traditional Arts, which presents an exhibition of cultural objects and extensive information on the diversity and richness of the traditions of ethnic communities in Laos. The museum is closed every Monday. You continue with a visit to Ock Pop Tok, a centre dedicated to promoting products from traditional textile craftsmanship in Laos.

Lunch at Silk Road Café, in the company of the weavers from the centre.

In the afternoon, you take the ferry to the village of Ban Chan, known for the expertise of its potters.

You then set off for an hour's walk to Vat Chompet, located at the top of a hill. The discovery continues at Vat Longkun, a peaceful pilgrimage site, restored by France and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. You will be able to exchange with the resident monks and enjoy the atmosphere conducive to meditation in the shade of the trees.

You discover the Wat Xieng Thong, one of the emblematic temples of Luang Prabang.

To end this day, you head to the Mont Phousi, which offers a panorama over the city, particularly pleasant at dusk. On your way down, you take a detour through the night market, where you can discover various souvenirs representative of Laos.

Dinner at Luang Prabang Kitchen restaurant, then return to the hotel.

This morning, you head towards Oudomxay. Several stops punctuate the journey to discover villages of ethnic minorities, notably Khmu, Hmong and Lao Loum.

As you approach your destination, you make a stop at Phou That mountain to enjoy the panoramic views of the surroundings.

Upon your arrival in Oudomxay, you settle into your hotel. Your guide can then offer you a massage at the Red Cross center, which also has a traditional herbal sauna. Payment is to be arranged on site.

After breakfast, you set off in off-road vehicles through the countryside and mountains to reach several ethnic communities in the region. These encounters allow you to better understand their daily life and way of living.

Lunch in the form of a picnic along the way. You then continue your journey with a stop at an ethnic market set up by the roadside.

Your discovery begins at Ban Kor, a Khmu village. You then take a mountain road to reach the Akha village of Ban Ano, hoping to observe its sea of clouds and its old landing strip.

You then head to Ban Houay Sang, where a Khmu community practices basketry, then Ban Taong Seu, a Hmong village. At Ban Akhang, you discover an Akha village characterized by its colorful houses, before continuing to Ban Pakho to observe its tobacco drying sheds.

After these various encounters, you head towards Muang La.

Upon arrival, you enjoy a moment of relaxation at the hot springs, before discovering the salt mines.

Back in Oudomxay, free time to recover from this long getaway.

Breakfast at the hotel then departure for Muang Khua, starting point for our cruise on the Nam Ou River.

You embark on a river cruise on the Nam Ou River, following the landscapes that border the river. Along the way, you make a stop in a Tai Dam village, where residents produce Lao Lao, a fermented rice alcohol.

You then resume your journey in the direction of Nong Khiau. As you travel along the water, you observe the villages, karst formations and vegetation that make up the region's landscape.

Lunch in the form of a picnic on board the boat.

In late afternoon, you arrive at Nong Khiaw. In the village, you set out to meet the Hmong, Khmu and Thaï Leu communities.

You then head to your hotel by songthaew or tuk-tuk to spend the night there.

Note: upstream of the Nam Ou River dam, you leave your boat with your luggage and travel approximately 2 km by tuk-tuk to reach a new vessel and continue your itinerary. Your guide and the tuk-tuk driver will help you transport your luggage.

After an early breakfast, you head towards Viengthong, also called Meuang Hiem. You travel approximately 3 hours by mountain road, passing through several Hmong and Khmu villages.

Your route also passes through the Nam Et-Phou Louey park, where wild tigers live.

Upon arrival in Viengthong, you check into your guesthouse to settle in.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

In the evening, you dine at the Sabaidee Nam Khan restaurant, located on the banks of the Nam Khan river, in a young and friendly atmosphere.

After breakfast, you depart at 8:30 AM aboard local transport heading towards Ban Xeng Mouk, taking a bumpy road.

Upon arrival, you experience a stay with a local family in the heart of this village characterized by its vegetable and pineapple plantations.

The Hmong and Lao Loum communities welcome you and invite you to discover their daily life and local way of living.

You start your first 5 to 6 hour hike through plantations and jungle. At an intermediate level, the route alternates between climbs and descents for more than two hours before reaching a first viewpoint, where you take a break for lunch.

In the afternoon, you continue your walk through mountains, valleys, clearings and forests. You then reach the Hmong village of Ban Nong Touk, before continuing to Ban Long Lao.

You end this day with a night with a local family in Ban Long Lao, immersed in village life.

You resume your hike for approximately 4 hours of walking. More accessible than the previous day, the itinerary crosses the forest and less steep terrain until reaching a sacred cave, formerly a place of meditation and pilgrimage during the Second Indochina War.

After an additional hour of walking, you reach the top of Kuang Si Falls. You then descend to the foot of the cascades to enjoy your lunch, a moment of rest and a swim.

Later, you visit the Asian black bear preservation center.

If time permits, you can also discover the butterfly garden.

You resume your local transport to return to Luang Prabang.

In the evening, you dine at Tamarind, before heading to your hotel for the night.

You head towards Oudomxay. Several stops punctuate the journey to discover ethnic minority villages, notably Khmu, Hmong and Lao Loum. You also stop at Ban Yor, where you discover textiles and pottery from local craftsmanship.

Upon your arrival in Oudomxay, you have lunch at Kanya restaurant.

You continue your journey towards Luang Nam Tha. Along the way, you make a stop at the market of Ban Keuochep village, before resuming your trip to Luang Nam Tha.

After a quick breakfast, you meet your guides in front of your hotel in the morning. The circuit departure is scheduled for around 9am for a day of trekking lasting 5 to 6 hours in the region. You first head to the Khmu town of Ban Phrang, by tuk-tuk or songthaew. Upon arrival, you set off to explore the village with a local guide. This visit marks the beginning of your trek and allows you to familiarize yourself with the area before continuing your walk.

Ascent of valleys dotted with primary forests in the Nam Ha region, a trek enhanced by an introductory course on edible, toxic and healing plants. Picnic at the top of a hill, in the middle of the forest, visit to the village of Ban Nam Khouy where a Lahu people live

After a simple breakfast offered by your hosts, you resume your trek for a day devoted to crossing the jungle of the protected area of Nam Ha.

As you walk, you evolve in the heart of a natural environment composed of waterfalls, mountains, forests, plants and mushrooms. After 6 to 7 hours of walking, you reach in the late afternoon a campsite set up in the heart of the jungle, where you will spend the night. Once there, you participate in setting up the campsite, lighting the fire and preparing dinner. Your guide also takes this opportunity to teach you different methods for properly using bamboo in the jungle.

You wake up in the heart of nature and start the day with a short expedition around the camp. After breakfast, you resume your trek, guided attentively by your guide who leads the way through the vegetation. After a few hours of hiking, you stop to prepare a traditional lunch in the jungle.

In the afternoon, you continue your progress through dense vegetation. With a bit of luck, you may spot wild animals such as gibbons, muntjacs or wild boar.

Around 4 p.m., you reach Ban Nalan, a village inhabited by the Khmu ethnic group. You settle into an ecolodge before exploring the village and enjoying the nearby river and surrounding landscapes.

Dinner in the village and night at the ecolodge.

Early in the morning, you resume your walk through the surrounding forest. Your route takes you into the valley of the Nam Ha river, passing through Ban Nalan, then through Ban Nam Koy, a village populated by the Lanten. At lunchtime, you enjoy a picnic along the way. You then continue your trek to a viewpoint over the region, before reaching Ban Nam Lue, another Lanten village. After approximately 6 hours of walking, you return to Louang Namtha in late afternoon. This arrival marks the end of your trek.

Dinner at the restaurant of your choice and overnight at the hotel.

Today, you head towards Thailand, with a stop in Houay Xay, the last Laotian city on your itinerary. You take the old tea road to reach Houay Xay. During the 4-hour drive, several stops are planned to discover ethnic villages located along the route. You arrive in Houay Xay around noon, where you have lunch at a local restaurant.

You then head to the Laos-Thailand border checkpoint and cross the Mekong River via the Friendship Bridge to enter Thailand.

Once formalities are completed, your driver welcomes you and takes you to your lodge at Ban Kiu Karn, a village inhabited by Hmong and Lisu communities. You spend the rest of the day discovering the village and meeting the local shaman as well as the weaver women, who create indigo batik textiles.

For this final stage of your trip, you have breakfast at Kiu Karn before heading to Chiang Rai airport.

You then take your flight, marking the end of your circuit and the beginning of new horizons.