Luang Prabang - HouaiXai Adventure

Time to spare and want a holiday of a lifetime? Then join us on an adventure in the north. Marvel at the wonders of the World Heritage City of Luang Prabang – once the capital of the ancient Lane Xang Kingdom. Learn about the lifestyles and culture of the rich variety of the many ethnic minority groups.

Experience the magnificent unspoilt scenery – waterfalls, rushing rivers, hot springs, soaring mountains and pristine forests.

Day 1 : Arrive in the World Heritage City of Luang Prabang

First enjoy a short-guide tour around the city which will include the impressive stupa of Wat Visoun, the oldest temple, and the shrine of Wat Mai, Wat Sene and the magnificent Wat Xiengthong with its roofs sweeping low to the ground, a good illustration of the architecture of a typical Luang Prabang temple.

Then climb up Mount Phousi to view the sacred stupa and enjoy the beautiful sunset view of the city and the river. From there, we will explore the Night Market, where you will be able to find lovely handicrafts made by our local people. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 2 : Visit the National Museum, Khuang Si Waterfall and the Footprints of the Buddha

After breakfast, we start with a visit to the National Museum – once the Royal Palace – but now giving a picture of the various leaders and fighters famous in Lao history, from long ago and up to the present new revolutionary period.

Then we head for Ban Xang Khong - a weaving village and the Morning Market, the best place to buy presents for your friends and relatives. After lunch in one of Luang Prabang’s favourite restaurants, we take a long drive to the Kuangsi Waterfall set in the lush green surroundings of one of the National Conservation Areas. En route, we visit two small villages - Ban Na Oune, a Hmong village and Ban Tha Pane, a Khmu minority village.

We return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon and stop at Ban Xangkhong - a weaving village. We will end our day with a visit to Wat Siphouthabath to see the footprints of the Buddha. Overnight in Luang Prabang.

Day 3 : By boat to NongKhiow

In the morning we take a slow boat along the River Ou to Nong Khiow District stopping on the way at Ban Xanghai, a village famous for the distillation of Lao traditional rice alcohol. Watch the process and sample the product.

We will continue up the river to the mysterious Pak Ou Cave and its thousand Buddha statues of all shapes and sizes before our final destination of Nong Khiow. Overnight in NongKhiow. (B, L)

Day 4 : Drive to Oudomxay

After breakfast, we will take a minibus from NongKhiow to drive first to Nam Bak District where we visit the Lue village of Ban Na Yang. Every family here lives in a Tai Lue style heritage house.

Then it’s on to Oudomxay stopping on the way to visit several hill tribe villages: Ban Kachet - a Khamu village, Ban MakPhouk and Ban SongJa - Hmong villages. We lunch in to Oudomxay, then after a short rest, we will visit Wat Phou That, with its beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and stroll around the city. Overnight in Oudomxay. (B, L, D)

Day 5 : Drive to BounTai District

After breakfast, our journey today will take us through wonderful natural scenery to Muong La. Here is a chance to visit the sacred Buddha image of Pra Xack Kham Temple This 400 year old statue is legendary and has a wide following among local people who worship it for its many supernatural powers.

We will then visit the hot springs of Muong La and watch the local people extracting salt. We continue to Ban SinSay (Pak NamNoi), to visit the local market where the hill tribe people gather to sell their vegetables and wild animals. Have a snack washed down with delicious Lao coffee. Then it’s on to Ban BounTai visiting the hill tribe village of Ikhopala on the way.

The rest of our drive is through even more ethnic minority villages including the Hmong/Ikho villages of Ban Pinicher Mai, and the new and old villages of Chulasene. Our overnight is at a local guesthouse in BounTai District. (B, D)

Day 6 : Trek to a hill tribe village and onto Ban Suppa for a homestay.

Breakfast over we drive about 13 km out of Moung BounTai to Ban Nambak where we start our trek to the Ikho village of Ban Chalonglee. This should take us approximately an hour and a half. Our trek takes us through some beautiful scenery with the chance of spotting some wild animals.

We will take about a two hour break in Ban NaDeng for lunch and a rest.Then we continue onto our Ikho homestay village of Ban Suppa where we can wander around their plantations of corn, bananas and sugar cane. As their guests we will also experience at first hand some of the traditional lifestyle and culture of this ethnic minority. (B, L, D)

Day 7 : Visit the Chinese border and drive to Phongsaly

After breakfast, we walk down the mountain, for about two and a half hours passing through the Ikho villages of Ban ChaKhamDeng, Ban Thaoduang and, Ban Sanonamlan, on our way to Ban PaKha Village on the Chinese border.

Our minivan will meet us here and drive us to visit yet another hill tribe village - LoKo Khang before going on to Phongsaly for our over night stay. (B, L)

Day 8 : Tour the town of Phongsaly

Enjoy just wandering around this small town which is very Chinese in nature. Climb up to Wat PhouFa where there is a beautiful panoramic view of the whole town.

Visit a mulberry plantation and try mulberry tea. Then shop in the central market. Overnight in Phongsaly. (B)

Day 9 : By slow boat to MoungKhua

Quite early in the morning we will walk to the morning market where the hill tribe people bring their produce and animals for sale.

Then after breakfast, we drive to HadSa from where we take a slow boat to MoungKhua.

Overnight in MoungKhua. (B, L)

Day 10 : By car to Luang NamTha

First breakfast, then we continue to Luang NamTha by car – a journey of about six hours – stopping on the way at a Lanetene village and other ethnic minority villages.

Overnight in Luang NamTha. (B, L)

Day 11 : Bicycling around LuangNamTha City

After breakfast, we will cycle around the town to see the morning market, the museum, which has a collection of handicrafts, the temples and a silkworm farm.

After this the day is free for you to do as you wish. Overnight in LuangNamTha. (B)

Day 12 : By car to Mouang Sing

On our morning drive to Mouang Sing in the morning we will stop at the Akha village of Ban LackKham and at Ban SopEat. Once in Mouang Sing we check in at the Guest House and then take a stroll around the town to visit a Tai Lue style temple.

The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy as you wish.

Overnight in Mouang Sing. (B)

Day 13 : Drive XiengKok and then on to Houaixai by speedboat

After seeing the morning market and having breakfast, we drive to XiengKok with visits to ethnic minority villages on the way.

From XiengKok we take a speed boat to Ban Houaixai. On the way we stop at the Golden Triangle to see the big Buddha and the market. From Ban Houai Xai you can cross the river to Xieng Khong in Thailand. (B, L)