Visitez Luang Prabang, et le reste du Laos

Buddhist Archives

Benolaos — 2026-03-20T06:52:23Z

The visit to the Buddhist Archive of Photography at Vat Souvannakhili opens a unique window on the essence of Luang Prabang's Buddhism, and into the history of Lao photography.

The unique collection of 35.000 photographs taken by the monks of Luang Prabang over more than 120 years survived miraculously over time, and has been digitized in a joint project with the British Library's Endangered Archives Programme since 2006. Its inscription on UNESCO's list Memory of the World is under way.

Organisation of a 1-hour private visit.

You will be welcomed either by artist Hans Georg Berger, the Archive's founder, or by Dr. Khamvone Boulyaphonh, the Director of the Buddhist Archives, a former monk at Vat Saen Sukharam. The visit lasts about one hour.

Mr Berger or Dr Khamvone will give you unique access to selected original photographs, and will personally guide you. This is a very special and meaningful way to learn about the Buddhist civilisation and heritage of Laos. Sala Thammavihan is a small architectural jewel of the town, a monastic building of the 1930s in a charming art déco style.

At its end, we will offer a cup of monastic tea at the verandah of historic Sala Thammavihan, at Vat Souvannakhili, where the Archives are housed.

Your donation helps the Buddhist Archives to continue its research.
Price for a group up to 6 persons: USD 200 (+30usd /pers. up to 20)
Appointing visits : 10:00 to 11.30, 14:00 to 15:30

The Buddhist Archives of Luang Prabang is a non-for-profit-organization of the Buddhist Sangha of Luang Prabang and does not have financial support from the government so far.

View online : Buddhist Archives of Luang Prabang

3-day trek around Luang Namtha

Benolaos — 2019-11-22T11:15:10Z

Day 1
After a 35 minutes drive you will reach the start of the trail at the edge of the Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA).

First, the ascend is quite steep up but soon the trail levels out and you will find yourself surrounded by beautiful nature. Most of the forest you will see today is secondary forest, meaning that the trees are less old but sure the forest very diverse and beautiful.

Your guide will explain all about nature there is to see and will be happy to answer your questions along the way.

Together with your guide you will forage food and herbs from nature and learn how to cook jungle style using bamboo and other material for cooking and eating.
In the afternoon we reach the Khmu minority village of Tasae where you will be hosted by a local family.

Day 2
This morning the trail leads us to a remote Khmu settlement inside the Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA). You will walk through a beautiful part of the NPA and you'll have lunch in the mountains along the trail.

After lunch you will descend to the village on the bank of the Nam Ha River. Your guide will explain all about the local tradition and customs of the Khmu tribe. After a walk through the village you can have a refreshing swim in the Nam Ha river. Later, you can sit around the campfire with the villagers or help them prepare dinner. You will spend the night in a villager's home.

Day 3
After breakfast, you will walk for two hours along a small dirt road tracking the Nam Ha River that connects the two villages. After ninety minutes you will reach the Khmu village Ban Nalan Tai. Along the way you may see people working in the rice fields or collecting food from the jungle. Walk a bit further on the road to arrive in the Lanten village of Ban Nam Koy for lunch.

After lunch, we will trek further through the jungle and after a few hours you will find yourself in the upland rice fields that provide the livelihood for the next village, Ban Nam Lue. After visiting the local people, a tuktuk will pick you up and drive you back to Luang Namtha.

3 days in Luang Prabang

Benolaos — 2018-12-01T07:10:13Z

3-day journey in the city classified by UNESCO, with the help of an experienced English speaking guide.

Day 1. City centre tour [../../ ..]

Your guide will meet you at your hotel at 8:30 am, with your driver if you have taken the local minivan or tuktuk option, and with your bikes if you choose this option.

You will start this day with the visit of the National Museum and former Royal Palace when it was time of the the Kingdom of Elephants and White Parasol. You will then move to the neighbouring temple, Vat Mai, one of the most important temples in town.

Then you will join the Centre for Traditional Arts and Ethnology (TAEC) with exceptional annual exhibitions.

If you are interested in secret warfare, we recommend that you visit the newly renovated UXO Centre which proposes to rediscover this period and its consequences.

You will also pass through the Vat Visoun Temple and Watermelon Stupa, before climbing Phousi Hill to admire the stunning views of the city, especially before sunset.

You will go down on the other side of the hill to the night market for a visit of the stands showing local handicraft.

Day 2. Morning Alms and day cruise on the Mekong [../L/ ..]

Before sunrise, your guide will meet you to make you live the morning offerings by participating in the traditional Laotian ritual, whose guide will teach you the principles, the importance of this daily act, and its singularity in the Buddhism world's practice.

Then you will head to the morning market, located in down-town, which centralizes the jungle products reported by the hunters of the region. There is a fate of exoticism, endemic species.

You will then return to your hotel for your breakfast; Then it will be time to leave for the day on the Mekong.

The boat will be charted at the foot of Vat Xieng Thong, the most emblematic Temple of the town, which you will visit before embarking on.

Then you will be enjoying 2 hours cruise on the Mekong with scenic view on the local life, crossing landscapes of primary forest, in more or less narrowed water corridor. You will arrive at the village of Pak Ou around noon, to visit the 2 caves hosting hundreds of representations of the Lord Buddha.

It will be time for lunch, that will be organized in a local gourmet restaurant on the bank of the Mekong, viewing the caves.

Then it will be time to go down to Luang Prabang. On the way, you will probably be interested in visiting craft villages, alcohol to Ban Xang Hai, silk and Saa paper at Ban Xang Khong.

Then we will stop at Ban Xieng Mene to discover this small village in front of Luang Prabang. You will visit a unique temple, enjoying a magnificent view from there of the city of Luang Prabang.

Optional fee: you can also visit the potter village downstream, and possibly try 1 hour to practice pottery with a local craftsman.

Return to Luang Prabang at the end of the afternoon.

Day 3. Ethnic Villages and Kuang Si Waterfalls Park [../../ ..]

After your breakfast, departure for the falls of Kuang Si. On the way, we can stop at Phosy Market, on the outskirts of the city. It is the largest local market.
Not far away, you can also be interested in visiting the Ock Pop Tock Tail Center, which offers a guided tour (and weaving and dyeing workshops).

We will then take the road to the Park (approximately 45 minutes drive). On the way, we can stop in some of the villages of ethnic minorities bordering the road.

We will arrive late around noon.
Option: book a table at the Carpe Diem Restaurant

You will visit the park of little black Bear saved by traffickers, then the waterfall, a particularly beautiful scenic place where pure mountain filtered water comes out with the turquoise colour in a karst environment. Some areas are allowed to swim, you might think about special dress.

Option: visit to the Butterfly Park

You will return to Luang Prabang late afternoon. Before we get back to your hotel, we will stop at Vat Phabatthai temple, on the bank of the Mekong, enjoying an exceptional view of the sunset.

End of program.

Indicative rate for 4 people:

Optional, with air conditioning minivan for 3 days: 648 USD (162 USD / person)

Included in the tariff:

* Minivan private, air conditioning with driver
* English speaking local guide
* Private boat for the day Muang Khua - Nong Khiaw
* Meals according to: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
* All paid entries
* The organization at sunrise of traditional offerings
* All government taxes and service charges
* Handling of luggage
* 2 bottles of drinking water per day
2 cold towels per day

Options available:

Available Options:

Lunch days 1 and 3
Bicycle Day 1
Tuktuk local days 1 to 3
1 hour of elephant backdrop on day 2
visit the potter village on day 2
visit the Butterfly Park on day 3
Guide in Italian, Chinese, Spanish, German, Japanese

Exhibition at TAEC

Benolaos — 2018-10-31T12:27:27Z

TAEC's newest special exhibition, “Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos” is now on display after more than two years of extensive research and documentation in remote regions of northern Laos led by Belgian ethnomusicologist and curator, Dr. Marie-Pierre Lissoir, and the TAEC research team.

A highly interactive and intimate exhibit, display spaces communicate three important contexts of instrumental practices: ritual, instrument-making, and courting. Through village scene re-creation, audio stations, and interactive video and photograph kiosks, visitors will enter a world rarely seen by the general public.

In Laos, music and musical instruments are a part of everyday life. For entertainment, courtship, or rituals, to banish loneliness, teach children, or communicate with the spirits, musical practices touch every member of a community during every part of the year. There is now a struggle and urgency to document these instruments from construction to playing as modernity takes over and replaces intimate settings and songs with amplifiers, microphones, and pre-recorded music. Music is the voice of a community, the voice of a country. A voice that is constantly evolving, like every human activity.

This exhibit also coincides with the recent UNESCO inscription of the music of the mouth organ or “khaen” on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is the very first inscription for the country on the ICH list and a positive step forward for safeguarding the transmission of knowledge, skills, and meaning of this emblematic instrument for future generations.

TAEC would like to acknowledge the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation for making this critical research possible, and William Klausner for supporting the creation of the exhibition.

“Voices of the Wind: Traditional Instruments in Laos” will be on display until the Fall 2020.

From the Curator: “Music can be explored in so many ways. There is the role of music in traditional ceremonies and celebrations, but also the crafting of instruments, playing techniques, and the decline of apprenticeship. Laos is particularly fascinating because many instruments are used to communicate, whether to pass a message through the mountains with the powerful sound of a leaf, or to express ones love with the discreet sound of the jaw harp. Speaking about music is speaking about life in Laos, its changes and challenges.”– Dr. Marie-Pierre Lissoir

Hmong instrument maker and musician: “There are so many people making qeej, but if I am the one who is able to help document the process of making it from the beginning to the end, then I hope my knowledge is able to inspire people not to let go of their culture and traditions, not to let go of your ancestors and family spirits. I want to leave this message behind for the future generation.”– Mr. Neng Chue Vang

TAEC's objectives of this exhibition:

Demonstrate the diversity and similarities in musical practices among minority groups in Laos.
Expose unexpected sounds and instruments to visitors in an innovative experiential space. The scenography of the exhibit and its use of different mediums will allow a deeper understanding of music and its techniques.
Stimulate local and foreign visitor interest in Laos' musical traditions and its importance to society through special events and outreach at the Centre.
Highlight, document and safeguard endangered practices and instruments.

Discover the people of Laos at the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre. TAEC is the only museum and learning centre in Laos dedicated to cultural diversity. The Centre is engaged in a broad range of museum and community engagement activities, reflecting its commitment to supporting living ethnic minority communities to preserve and promote their cultural heritage while looking towards the future.

Located in Ban Khamyong, Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, the museum and shop is open 9am until 6pm, closed Mondays. Admission is 25,000 Lao kip for adults, free for children under 12 and Lao citizens. The TAEC Boutique on the main road in Ban Vat Sene sells fair trade crafts made by ethnic groups. It is open from 9am – 9pm every day.

Contact:
Kristy Best, Director Sales & Marketing
kristy taeclaos.org
www.taeclaos.org
Mobile +856 20 5544 7895

View online : http://www.taeclaos.org

4-day trek & kayak around Luang Namtha

Benolaos — 2018-04-02T08:17:59Z

Day 1: On the first day we can trek to a small Khmu community inside the National Protected Area following a not too challenging but beautiful trail through lush mostly primary forest. Our English speaking guide will explain you all about the way the people live and show the guests around the village. You will experience rural life in this remote village where there is no electricity or roads connecting the village. The night will be spent with a Khmu family in a traditional Khmu house.

Day 2: The second day we can kayak all the way down the Nam Ha river to our fishermen camp in primary forest area. The river runs straight through the forest and at the camp it is really nice for swimming. We can forage jungle veggies and the guides will teach how to cook with bamboo. We will make a nice bonfire and listen to the jungle sounds when the sun goes down.

Day 3: The next day we will kayak a bit further down the Nam ha and Nam Tha river and get out the boats at a small Tai Lue community. We will have lunch in the village and the guide will show them around. Then we hit the jungle trail again. A 4 hour trail will take them high up the mountain where we have yet another camp. This camp has a beautiful view over the NPA and we will watch the sun go down over the forest.

Day 4: In the morning, if the weather conditions are good, we will find ourselves above the clouds and watch the sun color everything red. After breakfast we will descend the mountain following a 5 – 6 hour trail that leads to primary, secondary and bamboo forest. We will cross the Nam Tha river and get the guest back to Luang Namtha.

For info: a 3-day trek is also possible in the same area.

1-day Lao coffee tour

Benolaos — 2018-01-25T04:47:47Z

Laos and coffee have a 100 year history in common, starting during the French Protectorate period when French introduced high-quality washed arabica from Bourbon and Typica varieties. The difficult local conditions during the 50-70's pushed the producers to change to the Robusta variety for a time, but the last 20 years saw the come back of Arabica varieties, especially from Brazil. In 2014, Laos produced 5.000 tons of Arabica, and 15.000 tons of Robusta.

Following this movement, Saffron developed new plantations in Northern-Laos and a new way of doing based on a cooperation & social idea. Coffee is cultivated, planted, organically shade-grown, hand-picked, processed, hulled, graded, hand-sorted, and roasted close to Luang Prabang, directly traded and sustainably sourced from the micro coffee plots of Khmu, Hmong, Mien, and Gasak hill tribe families. On top of that, Saffron Coffee is a social business: profits are reinvested for the benefit of Lao people.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/76guq3zzl9w

The Journey of Saffron Coffee

From Mountain to Cup

We propose a Coffee & Gastronomy tour organized around the visit of the local Saffron factory to see coffee roasting and some specialty brewing options. You will learn about Saffron Coffee's sustainable coffee farming approach and results, before having a tasting of the best products of the house.

Our journey will start at 7am, when your guide will be meeting you at your hotel. We need to start early to arrive at the local morning market centralizing all the fresh products coming from the jungle around.

After this visit, we will enjoy the “Café Thong” (or coffee sock) in an emblematic café located on bank of the Mekong for its typical taste.

And then will drive to the Saffron factory for the 1 hour tour finishing with espresso served coffee with fresh baked goods.

We can continue this tour with the visit of the centre-town of Luang Prabang, or go for a drive to Kuang Si waterfall for lunch and swimming in turquoise pure water.

Monday to Friday

Included:

Minivan (a/c), privatized, with chauffeur
Local speaking guide (EN, FR, DE, IT, SP, etc.)
Coffee visit & tasting at Saffron factory with the manager
Tasting local coffee
2 refreshing towels & 2 mineral bottles / day / pers.

Options:

Continue the day tour with the centre-town visit of the emblematic highlights
Drive to Kuang Si and have an afternoon swimming in turquoise water
Begin your day with a cooking class, and afternoon coffee visit & tasting

A day on the Mekong River

Benolaos — 2017-11-02T16:41:00Z

We highly suggest this special journey that takes place around the Mekong, in the area of Luang Prabang. This river, called "the impetuous" by the Chinese, is called "the mother's rivers". Here, the Mekong River is quiet and calm, she is the source of life and prosperity. We will begin this journey with the visit of Pak Ou caves.

We embark at 8.30 for a 2 hours cruise. On the way, your guide would be pleased to answer all the questions you could have about the history and the legends, because there are plenty all around... including the spirit stories, who are considered as strong, fearless, and without any pity.

Pak Ou should be reached before 10h30, when the light on the faces of the cave is the most impressive. 2 caves inside the karstic mountain host thousands of statues of Buddha, sometimes covered by Burma gold leaves.

Lunch at a local restaurant, in Pak Ou village.

We then go back downstream. Possible stop in Ban Xiang Hai, well known for its local rice alcohol production. Some add the most venomous animals they can find, as medicine whisky... Also possible stop in Ban Xang Khong, specialized in silk products and confection of Saa paper (made with the bark of the Saa tree).

We then continue to the village of Ban Xieng Mene, with its former royal caves and its harmonious temple, mix of Lao and French colonial architectural influences. This village, just at the Mekong bank opposite of Luang Prabang.

Back to Luang Prabang.
(option: minivan with air-con or tuktuk can be organized from/to your hotel to/from the boat peer).

End of the journey.

Options:

Option: Visit the pottery village downstream

We can continue our exploration with the village of Ban Chan, the pottery village, where we can see the way the local people produce potteries, bricks, construction material, still in the traditional way. Here, the savoir faire is passed on from generation to generation.

Warning: during the "Van Sin days" (Full moon, New moon, and 1st and 3rd quarter), the workers have religiously day off and can't work.

Included:

English speaking guide
Private boat
Entrance fee for paying visits
2 small bottles of mineral water per day and per person
Government taxes

Can be chose as options:

Lunch in a local restaurant
Air conditioned minivan with driver for hotel / boat transfers
Visit of the village of potters
Visit the Botanic Park

5d / 4n: Handicraft in Luang Prabang

Benolaos — 2017-10-03T09:16:37Z

This five-day tour around Luang Prabang will bring you to ethnic villages specializing in the local traditional products hndicraft, especially weaving whose arts have always been very important in the former royal capital of Laos.

Itinerary

Day 1. Visit emblematic sites of the UNESCO-listed city
Day 2. Visit villages 1) Blacksmiths 2) Weavers 3) Saa paper producers
Day 3. 1 day of weaving at the Ock Pop Tok centre, lacquer and baker
Day 4. 1 day on the Mekong, Laolao producers, potters, and botanical garden
Day 5. 1/2 day at the organic farm in the paddy field, then visit the Kuang Si falls

The Tour in Detail

Day 1. Visit of the emblematic sites (../L/..)

Your guide will meet you at 8.30 am at your hotel for this first day in Luang Prabang, classified World Heritage of Humanity in 1995.

First, we will discover ithe pagoda of Wat Xieng Thong, with the architecture so singular with the roofs grazing the ground.

Then we will visit the National Museum, former Royal Palace of the Kingdom of the Million Elephants, where the royal family stayed until the 1975 events.

Then we will go for a little visit to UXO centre talking about the secret war which took place in Laos for more than 10 years and the different use of the shelter bombs by local people

Ethnic lunch at Café Vat Sene

In the afternoon, visit the temple Vat Visoun and its stupa That Mak Mo

Then climb Mount Phousy, which offers a magnificent panoramic view of the whole area under a particularly favourable light at the end of the day.

We will finish this day with a visit to the night market which centralizes products of the local crafts made by the villages of different ethnic groups living around Luang Prabang.

Day 2. Visit of the villages of blacksmiths, weavers and Saa paper (../L/..)

Your guide will arrive at your hotel at 8.30 am for a 2nd day oriented towards the craftsmen.

We will begin this day with the visit of TAEC (Traditional Art & Ethnology Center) and its heterogeneous collection of well-documented pieces. (Centre closed on Monday).

We will continue with a visit to the blacksmith village of Ban Hat Hien, historically specialized in the making of the local machete (Pha), indispensable tool for all Laotians. Today, there are only 3 families producing these items that are more and more "imported" from the northern regions of Laos.

Then visit the village of Ban Xang Khong, specializing in the production of Saa paper (obtained after crushing the bark of the Saa tree) and used in particular to produce the books used to collect the sacred Buddhist texts still written in Pali (the ancient Indian language). This village is also specialized in silk products, with both traditional motifs and new contemporary creations.

Lunch at a local restaurant on the banks of the Mekong River

After lunch, visit to the village of Ban Phanom, specializing in the manufacture of cotton-weaving and silk-weavings, used in the old days by the royal family.

On the way back, we will stop at Wat Phon Phao temple, unique in Laos by its architectural style with a 4 floors vihan, decorated by special paintings representing all the architectural styles of the Buddhist countries. This temple is also a singular one because it houses an important community of women. Notice also that this temple is also one of the Vipassana Meditation Centre.

Return to the center of Luang Prabang before sunset, and transfer to the hotel.

Day 3. Weaving experience at the Ock Pop Tok center (../L/..)

Your guide will come to your hotel at 8:15 to bring you to the Ock Pop Tok Weaving Center, for 1 of the 3 types of courses:

* Class of natural weaving and dyeing
* Class of batik of the ethnic Hmong
* Bamboo basketwork class

You will spend the day, lunch included, in the centre, in the company of weavers and local weavers and will be able to keep the fruit of your work.

In the late afternoon, we will go to the local bakery still fuelled with wood and coal. Besides the bakery, we can also go to one of the 2 lacquer shops of the city to admire the local productions mainly intended for the Buddhist rites.

Sunset at Vat Phabatthai.

Day 4. Morning offerings and day on the Mekong to meet LaoLao producers and pottery, and Botanical Garden (../L/..)

At sunrise, your guide will join you at your hotel to accompany you and to explain the daily singular ritual of the Offerings to the monks.

Then we will pace the morning market where all the ethnic groups around are gathering back the products of hunting, fishing and gathering. Notice that Laotians are very fond of these products, and ready to pay high prices.

Return to your hotel for breakfast.

We then go to the boat peer for a 1-day cruise the Mekong River with a traditional privatized long tail boat. First stop at the end of the morning, at the sacred caves of Pak Ou, located 2 hours of navigation upstream of Luang prabang.

Visit the 2 caves gathering hundreds of representations of Buddha in earth, in stone, in wood covered with gold leaf.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Pak Ou village, on the bank of the Mekong, overlooking the caves.

On the way back, we will stop for a tour of the village producing local rice alcohol, the Laolao, a kind of sake in which medicinal plants or animals considered potent and dangerous sometimes macerate.

Then we continue our cruise downstream after Luang Prabang, to the village of potters specializing in making bricks and local pots in Luang Prabang.

A little further downstream, we will end this day with a visit to the botanical garden and its extraordinary local collections of bamboo and orchids.

Day 5. Morning in the rice field, and afternoon at the falls (../L/..)

At 8:30, your guide will come to your hotel to start a day meeting the producers of rice and organic vegetables.

During 3 hours, you will follow an introduction to all the stages of growing and preparation of rice. You will enjoy experimenting yourself, including feet in the mud to dry the buffalo when plowing, planting and transplanting of shoots, turn the grain in flour. You will finish this morning by tasting some rice products whose variations are so numerous.

Then we will take the road for 1/2 hour, to join the falls of Kuang Si

Lunch in the Carpe Diem restaurant, surrounded by small waterfalls.

Afternoon relaxation at Kuang Si Falls. Visit the Park of rescue Bear, and get a swim in one of the many natural pools with fresh and turquoise water.

Return afterwards, before sunset, and transfer to the hotel.

End of the circuit.

Prices :

For 4 people: 1804 USD (451 USD / person)

Included services:

An English speaking guide
Air conditioned minivan with driver
Private boat for the day on the Mekong River
1 day of initiation to weaving at the Ock Pop Tock centre
1/2 day of rice cultivation in Living Land
Botanical Garden of Luang Prabang entrance fee
All admission fees at the indicated sites
Meals as mentioned: B = Breakfast // L = Lunch // D = Dinner
2 bottles of drinking water per day
2 refreshing towels per day
All government taxes and service charges

3-day Jungle trek close to Luang Prabang

Benolaos — 2017-06-21T05:33:10Z

Day1. Luang Prabang – Hill Tribe Khmu Villages [../L/D]

In the morning, around 8am, your guide will pick you up at your hotel.
The first part of this journey consists on a 4-5 hours trek to Khmu villages. This bring you completely out of town and comfort, in areas where no electricity.

You will see and experience the local rural way of life of the remote villages. Life here is punctuated by the sun cycle, fully connected to the nature and the elements, with traditions and culture from another time. Medicine is mostly found through plants, food is mostly made from picking and hunting, and you will be a part of the village, during this end of the day.

You will have a dinner with locals and overnight in one of the family of the Ban Long Louak village.

Day2. Hill Tribe Khmu Villages [B/L/D]

The 2nd day, early morning, you will wake with local people to observe the local life. After a local breakfast, it will be time for you to say goodbye, and to go further to the next village. You will go through the jungle and dense forests, before reaching Hmong and Kmou minorities, living in small and remote villages avec 5-6 hours of trek.

Same as for the first day, you will probably want to participate to the preparation of the dinner, learn about the people and the local way of life, eventually assist to a little music instrument show. Interacting with the inhabitants is one of the goal of the visit, and your experienced guide will be there to facilitate and translate...

Overnight at the Kalungkong village

Day3. Hill Tribe Trek – Hill Tribe Villages – Luang Prabang [B/L/..]

After your breakfast, you will continue your trek (on this day, about 5-6 hours of walk) through villages an jungle.

In the afternoon, you will reach the meeting point, where a vehicle is waiting for you. You will be driven back to Luang Prabang and transferred at your hotel.

End of service.

Included in this tour:

English speaking trekking guide
Local Lao guide (different in each area)
Meals as specified (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Accommodation in Homestay on day 1 and 2 in ethnic villages
Minivan for transfers from town / starting point / town
2 bottles of water per day
Taxes (local, provincial, and state)
Assistance 24/7

3-day trek meeting the ethnics

Benolaos — 2017-02-20T06:30:58Z

1st day trek, meeting the Hmong people (L, D)
Your guide will be meeting you at 8:30am at your hotel to drive first up north for about 1 hour before reaching a village where will start our journey. For our trip, a village-based guide will join our day journey, and will first assist the visit of this village, and help you buying the last thing you need for your journey. The trek can then start.

On the morning, we shall take around 4-5 hours through primary forests, beautiful upland rice paddies field, dense mixed jungle with a remarkable diversity of tree species, before having lunch.

We will choose the top of a mountain offering an exceptional panoramic viewpoint, where the guide will prepare the Lao lunch.

After lunch, we will also walk for another 4-5 hours surrounded by a nature that provides food, water, and medicine. End afternoon, we will reach the Hmong village of Ban Mock Choung. This ethnic is very special and knowledgeable for medicinal plants, and for the powerful shamans.

Local dinner
Homestay

2nd day of trek, meeting with Khmu (B,L,D)
The weak up will be probably very early, with the melody of the cocks, and the quick general activity to prepare the breakfast and go to work, mostly on fields around. Hmong people are considered as very hard workers.

We shall take a bit time to look around, and at 9am max should start our wild walk to reach our next "meeting point". This morning is a 3-4 hour trek. If we are not too noisy, we shall see a dear, a jungle fawn, a wild pig, a monkey, a civet cat or a saguaro, otherwise you might only see their tracks.

When hunger meets a beautiful point of view will sounds time for lunch. Your guide will prepare it when you can take time to relax, go around, and take pictures.

Depending on the time you did start, the second part of the day might be more easy, and you shall arrive to our next homestay mid-afternoon. You will discover there the Khmu way of life, largely considered here as the most Epicurean ethnic in Laos.

Local dinner
Homestay

3rd day of trek, back to Luang Prabang (B,L)
After breakfast, we shall start our last day journey with an old grown jungle park walk, crossing Hmong and Khmu villages where we always take time to visit, to have a fresh coconut, or simply a little pause.

Like every day, we will find the right place to have lunch in a nice area with a nice view and feeling.

The trek will finally ends with the arrival in Ban Luay Lueang (or Ban Lath Tha Hae, depending on the season) settled nearby the Nam Ou River's bank. There a transportation will bring us back to Luang Prabang.

End of the service.

Price for a group of 4 persons:
182 USD / person

Included:

Transportation
Local English speaking guide
Village-based guide fees
Trekking
Meals as specified (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Diner)
Drinking water (not unlimited)
Homestay
Taxes (trekking permits, local taxes, village fund fees)