Luang Prabang Hilltribe Explorer

Luang Prabang Arrival

Transfer from airport: 15 min

Meet the guide up on arrival in Luang Prabang International airport. Transfer to hotel for check-in (Check-in time is from 14:00. Early check-in is subject to availability and surcharges).

If time permits take a free and easy walk through the popular Night Market before heading back to the hotel restaurant for the welcome dinner.

Overnight at Maison Dalabua

Full Day Walking City Tour

Walking: 8kmDifficulty: Easy

Wake up early this morning in one of the gems of Southeast Asia.

First, walk up the 365 steps of the Phousi Mountain to enjoy a panoramic view of sunrise, a time when it is still calm and filled with the morning mist.

On this half-day guided tour on foot, discover the rich culture and historical heritage of this charming town with visits to French Indochinese buildings and ancient Buddhist temples. The first stop is the former Royal Palace (now the National Museum) to explore the history of Laos.

Continue to Wat Mai, a temple renowned for its golden bas-relief and Wat Sene with its golden stencil prints of mythological animals.

Next stop is the Wat Xieng Thong, the most revered temple in Luang Prabang. Located at the end of the peninsula, close to the Mekong, this temple was built in 1560 by King Setthathirat and is decorated with ornate carvings and mosaics.

Lunch at a noodle soup shop and try the local favourite, Khao Soi soup.

Visit Wat Visoun, the holiest temple in the city, which was entirely rebuilt in 1887 after being destroyed by the invading Black Flags from Southern China. In the courtyard of Wat Visoun stands the Watermelon Stupa shaped like the fruit from which it takes its name. Continue passed Wat Aham, which was first built in the 1500s, and on to Wat That where the ashes of King Sisavang Vong are kept inside the large central stupa.

Finish with the Traditional Arts & Ethnology Centre, a museum dedicated to exploring the rich diversity of Laos’ ethnic minorities.  Traditional costumes, tools, and artifacts are on display alongside in-depth descriptions and written histories. It is a great opportunity to gain insight into the Lao people (Note: closed on Monday).

Dinner tonight is at leisure.

Overnight at Maison Dalabua

Luang Prabang Hill tribe Explorer

Trekking: 6 hrsDifficulty: Medium

This morning, be picked up by the guide and driver and travel to a meeting point where a vehicle switch will take place. Leave the large luggage bags at the EXO Travel Office.

Begin this tour with a scenic two-hour drive through rugged countryside past numerous villages along the Nam Xuang River. Cross the Nam Xuang River by small boat and begin our trek from the river’s banks. The trekking is 4-5 hours through dense jungle and across numerous streams during the wet season. There are both Hmong and Khmu villages to visit and spend the night at. Be introduced to the villages by the guides, prepare dinner, and spend an unforgettable night with the host village. Unlike the Lao Loum people predominantly residing in the city who are Buddhist, the Hmong and Khmu ethnic groups are animist with widely differing beliefs that make Laos an ethnically rich country. Ask to join any local activities of interest and explore these remarkable people’s lives.

Overnight at a Khmu or Hmong village In order to make it fair between both neighbouring villages, and limit the growth of only one village, we alternate and regularly switch between the two.

Note:

- All tours provide delicious vegetarian or non-vegetarian cuisine, fresh local fruits, unlimited water, safety gear, basic first-aid, and conscientious and well-mannered English-speaking local Lao guides.

- Overnight tours includes breakfast in the morning of the tour. There is free luggage storage and a safe for your valuables, clean sleeping bags, and mosquito nets when necessary for home-stays.

- All times are approximate and tours may vary in specific details according to season, weather conditions, and/or for safety reasons as deemed necessary by our guides.

Luang Prabang Hill tribe Explorer - Departure

Trekking: 5 hoursDifficulty: Medium

Today, enjoy breakfast prepared by the guide, say farewell, and set off for a 5-hour trek through open terrain to the Nam Pa River. Feel free to jump in for a swim to cool off before departing by truck to conclude this incredible immersion tour.

Arrive back in Luang Prabang by about 16:30.