Laos Hill Tribe And Easy Trek

Free at your leisure for further exploration in Luang Prabang.

Morning departure from Luang Prabang, heading north to Muang La. Although the drive is long (5 hours approx), you will be treated to rolling countryside where you can admire the beauty of the Nam Ou River and the surrounding rice paddy fields. After a break for lunch at Pakmong, the road twists and the scenery becomes increasingly mountainous. This section of the journey is a good opportunity to stop and explore some Hmong villages including Ban Xong Ja.
Arrive at the delightful Muang La, famous for its natural hot springs, arriving by mid afternoon. The remainder of your day is at leisure to enjoy the serenity and its welcoming hot spring baths. Overnight in Muang La.

Following breakfast, take a full day trekking and exploring the local area where you will discover minority hill tribe people and their fascinating way of life. Today’s journey is truly off the beaten track and ensures some stunning mountain views along the way. Commence trekking over farmland and hills, with a picnic lunch trek for 45 minutes at the beautiful village of Ban Phavie, a Khamu village atop a hill, and with superb views over the surrounding area. After lunch continue trekking to reach a beautiful waterfall where you can relax and freshen up. Return to Muang La in the late afternoon where the remainder of your day is at leisure. Overnight in Muang La.

After breakfast make a visit the morning market, before driving 2 hours to the start point for your day’s trek. Arriving in the late morning, and having enjoyed a picnic lunch (Laos style!), trek for around three hours to a beautiful village of the Mouchi minority tribe, one of just six Mouchi villages in Phongsaly Province. The Mouchi people are extremely welcoming. In the evening dinner is cooked by the villagers, and you will spend the night as guests of one of the families. Overnight at homestay.

After breakfast at homestay, trek for a further three hours to an Akha Eupa minority tribe village, where you can stop and spend a few hours with the villagers, and enjoy a local lunch. You driver will meet you nearby to complete the journey to Phongsaly by car. Unquestionably one of Laos’ most interesting towns and certainly far less visited than most, Phongsaly is located close to the Chinese border, with a opulation unsurprisingly consisting predominantly of Chinese traders, as well as a large number of local ethnic groups such as the Phou Noy and Chinese Ho. In fact it is only due to quite recent French occupation that Phongsali is not part of China.
In the late afternoon enjoy the spectacular sunset view from Phou Fa, or Sky Mountain, looking out across the rice terraces and valleys as far as the eye can see. Overnight in Phongsaly.

After breakfast, transfer to the village of Hatsa, from where you will board a private boat for your five hour cruise down the Nam Ou River. It’s a particularly picturesque stretch of water, even by Lao standards, and throughout the day you will pass by a number of riverside settlements where you can stop to explore further if you wish.
Arrive in the afternoon in Muang Khua, located on the banks of the Nam Ou River and overlooking a floating bridge just 60km from the Vietnamese border.
The French had a presence here until 1954, when their forces were ousted from Vietnam in the aftermath of the infamous battle at Dien Bien Phu. It has a shanty-town look about it, with rickety, old wooden buildings and narrow winding streets. You will see many minority tribal folk from the surrounding countryside, as they come to buy or sell in the market, especially in the mornings. Overnight in Muang Khua.

Leaving Muang Khua you will take a slow boat down the Nam Ou river. En route, stop to visit Muang Ngoi. Only accessible by boat, it was once a quaint village, nestling at the foothill of a giant limestone outcrop. Now it’s an ideal place for travellers to take a break whilst coasting up and down the Nam Ou. There’s time to explore the nearby Tham Kang and Tham Pakeo caves. Continue by boat to Nong Khiaw, a friendly junction town, popular with travellers heading to the north and east.
We’ve left your evening free for you to do as you please.  Overnight in Nong Khiaw.

Departing early, enjoy a day cruise down the Nam Ou River towards Luang Prabang, passing under towering limestone karst and cliffs throughout much of the day. Stop en route to visit the Pak Ou caves, which house literally thousands of Buddha statues, hidden from the looting Chinese Haw in times gone by. The statues range from a few centimetres to the size of a human. Approaching Luang Prabang in the late afternoon, it’s a wonderful way to arrive at this engaging city. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Free at your leisure to explore Luang Prabang until your transfer to the airport for your onward flight.