Elephants and treks in Northern Laos Laos itinerary # 1

In the morning on this Laos itinerary, you'll be picked up at your hotel in Chiang Rai and transferred to the border with Laos where your driver will drop you off and you make your own way across the border into Laos. The Mekong river forms the border between Thailand and Laos here, so step onto the ferry and within a couple of minutes (and for less than a Pound) find yourself at the Laotian border post. This is where you can arrange your 30-day visa for Laos ($30 and don’t forget your two passport photos!) and with your freshly stamped passport simply walk into Laos where your new driver will be waiting for you.

Together with a couple of other adventure travellers you’ll board the minibus for the drive to Luang Namtha. The 5-hour trip will just fly by as you admire the breathtaking scenery; the lush green hilly countryside already giving you a taste of what’s in store in Laos. On arrival in Luang Namtha your guide will brief you on tomorrow’s trekking. You’ll be staying in basic, but charming accommodation in Luang Namtha.
 

After breakfast it’s time to get ready for the trekking through the Nam Ha PA (Protected Area), a nature reserve near Luang Namtha. UNESCO has been supporting the development of the Nam Ha Ecotourism Project for a number of years here. After a 30-minute transfer you’ll arrive at the nature reserve to begin your moderately easy 4-hour trekking through green rainforest and across wide open fields.

Halfway on the trek you’ll stop off at an Akha village, home to the like-named traditional hill tribe with its own characteristic culture and appearance. The Akha are known for their colourful dress and great hospitality. Just outside the village you’ll reach the highest point of the trek, where you can catch your breath gazing out across the beautiful green valley as your guide prepares lunch. After a satisfying meal and a few more photos the trek continues to the Black Tai village, a tribe known for their hand-woven silks and the real ‘Lao Whiskey’. Feel free to have a taste… Your day will end back in Luang Namtha.
 

Today on the Laos itinerary you can spend as you please. There are several ways in which to explore the surrounding area of Luang Namtha; go on another walk in the Nam Ha PA or rent a mountain bike to cycle through the rice paddies. If you prefer heading out onto the water you can go on a boat trip or if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, go kayaking.

Ask your guide or the staff at reception for some tips or interesting trails. The latter may require a bit of hand-and-footwork but that just adds to the charm of this relatively undiscovered country. Because they know the area so well they’ll be able to tell you all the best spots.

Today it’s an early start on your itinerary for your trip to Northern Laos. After breakfast you’ll be picked up for the transfer by minibus to the friendly town of Luang Prabang. The road is pretty bumpy but the beautiful scenery and views across the hilly countryside more than make up for it.

You'll arrive in Luang Prabang late afternoon, where you'll be spending a couple of days getting to know this friendly town with colourful temples, orange-robed monks and relaxed atmosphere.
 

After breakfast, you're free to explore the city independently, or maybe arrange a trip to the Kuang Si waterfalls for a refreshing swim. The waterfalls are a 1½ hour drive from Luang Prabang. If you have enough time, you could also visit the Pak Ou caves. The caves are filled with thousands of Buddha statues, large and small and in different styles. We didn't think the caves were that special, but the trip there, a boat ride across the Mekong River was all the more spectacular. 

The best place to buy your souvenirs on your Laos itinerary is at the evening market which takes place daily in the centre of Luang Prabang. Many different mountain tribes come here to sell their hand-made goods such as brightly coloured scarves, wood carvings, paintings and jewellery. Haggling is very commonplace in Laos; you'll see it gets easier the more you do it.
 

If you’re an early bird and don’t mind getting up at the crack of dawn you’ll be able to observe one of Laos’ beautiful daily rituals; the procession of the monks at dawn. Devout Laotians kneel with their heads bowed to offer rice and fruit to the passing monks. As the morning mist slowly rises, the trail of monks in their orange robes quietly passes by to collect their alms.

Once the procession has passed by, head back to your guesthouse for some breakfast and enjoy the rest of the day exploring the surrounding area of Luang Prabang. It's worth climbing the Phu Si hill, especially late afternoon when you can catch the sunset. At the top of the 329 steps you'll be rewarded with a wonderful view across the city. If you're interested in local culture and theatre then try to get tickets for a traditional masked dance performance, held at the Royal Palace several times a week.

After breakfast your driver will take you to the nearby Nam Khan river where you'll find a small boat waiting to take you to the the Elephant Lodge. This sanctuary for logging elephants is set on the banks of the river surrounded by wild jungle and mountains. The sanctuary provides a home for elephants that have endured a hard life working in the logging industry and allows them to enjoy a well-earned retirement.

After you’ve dropped your bags in your bungalow you’ll meet the ‘mahout’ (elephant carer) who will be helping you look after the elephants today. Climbing onto these huge animals takes a bit of practice, but you’ll soon get the hang of it. You’ll also learn some useful mahout lingo such as ‘hau’ (stop), ‘sai’ (left) and ‘kwa’ (right). Armed with buckets and huge brushes you’ll wade into the river to scrub the thick skins clean. Bath time is always a highly amusing spectacle so be prepared to get wet. On the way back to camp your new friend, feeling a little peckish after his bath will break off a few twigs or even make room for a big bunch of bananas. No doubt you’ll have built up an appetite by now too, so back at the lodge you’ll be pleased to find a wonderful Laotian dinner waiting for you.
 

Breakfast is served out on the terrace with views across the river with the mist slowly rising to reveal the lush green countryside. There’s a short trek planned for today so together with your guide you’ll head off into the jungle, passing locals on the way carrying rice or fresh vegetables from the local market. As you enter the Khmu village the local children run out to meet you. They don’t see many tourists in this area so the people may be a bit shy when you greet them. Luckily the guide can help out with the translations as very few people here speak English.

The trek continues on to a small Hmong village. This tribe is known for its brightly coloured clothes and unusual head dress and jewellery. The women of the village proudly show you their crafts, which you can buy for a small price. Meanwhile lunch is prepared for you, a traditional Laotian meal of rice or noodles with vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert. After lunch you will head on through the hilly countryside, the truck is waiting for you at the end and after saying goodbye to your guide the driver will take you back to your hotel in Luang Prabang. 

Start today on the Laos itinerary with a typical Laotian breakfast; French bread and café au lait. Vang Vieng, located on the banks of the Nam Song River and nestled between immense green hill tops, has the look and feel of an idyllic country town. We enjoyed the laid-back countryside atmosphere here as well as the impressive views of the surrounding limestone formations.

Vang Vieng offers plenty of exciting outdoor activities for the active traveller such as kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking, swimming in caves and hiking. However there's also plenty to do for those who just want to 'Bo Pein Nhang', or 'take it easy'. We went tubing down the river and stopped at quite a few outdoor cafes along the banks of the river along the way. In the evening you'll find friendly people and a cosy atmosphere in the many restaurants and bars in the main street. Have a seat, order a drink and chat with fellow travellers or watch a movie being projected on a screen. You'll feel as if you've just wandered into an open-air cinema.