12 DAYS | 11 NIGHTS
This 12-day circuit is designed for travelers who want to get off the beaten track—literally. Northern Laos offers some of the most beautiful treks in Southeast Asia: untouched primary forests, karst ridges, Akha, Hmong, and Lahu villages accessible only on foot, and rivers crossed by wading. Asia Safari selects experienced local guides and designs trekking itineraries adapted to your physical level.
Highlights of the trekking circuit
Nam Ha — The benchmark nature reserve
The Nam Ha National Protected Area, around Luang Namtha, is one of the most renowned trekking areas in Laos. Dense forests, tropical birds, and isolated ethnic villages. Guides are certified by the Lao Ecotourism program.
Phongsali — High-altitude treks
Phongsali, near the Chinese border, is the territory of the Akha and Phu Noi ethnic groups. High-altitude treks offer exceptional panoramas of the Golden Triangle mountains. Overnights with locals in traditional wooden houses.
Muang Ngoi and the Nam Ou — The river trek
The Nong Khiaw-Muang Ngoi region combines trekking and navigation. Each morning, you set off on foot to explore the surrounding villages; each evening, you return to the river and the serenity of your accommodation.
Difficulty levels and safety
Asia Safari offers treks classified into three levels: discovery (3-4h/day, easy terrain), intermediate (5-6h, moderate elevation changes), and sport (7-8h, rugged terrain). All our trekking guides are trained in first aid.
Your questions about this trekking circuit
What physical level is required for this circuit?
This circuit is suitable for an intermediate level: good physical condition, accustomed to walking 4-6 hours per day. No climbing or special techniques required. Asia Safari can adapt the difficulty according to your profile.
Do I need to bring specific trekking equipment?
Waterproof walking shoes, light and breathable clothing, a raincoat, a water bottle, and sunscreen. Asia Safari provides sleeping bags for homestays if necessary.
Are there specific health risks for trekking in Northern Laos?
Malaria is possible in certain remote areas (preventive treatment recommended). Drinking water is provided by the guides. Asia Safari will provide you with a list of health precautions before departure.
Can this circuit be done solo?
Asia Safari organizes solo, duo, or small group circuits (max 8 people for treks). Individual treks are possible but slightly more expensive as guide fees are shared among fewer people.
HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR TRIP
Orchid trek in Phou Khao Khouay
Bathing in the Tad Say waterfall
The Luang Namtha region by tuk-tuk
A night with the Akha of Nam Ha
Hiking in Ikho territory
By dugout canoe on the Nam Ou River
Luang Prabang and the Pak Ou caves
The Kuang Si falls
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The adventure starts here!
Stop: Vientiane
Welcome at Vientiane airport and transfer to your hotel located a 5-minute walk from the Mekong and the lively center of the small capital. Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay at your hotel.
Stops: Vientiane, Phou Khao Khouay
Breakfast, Lunch
The Vientiane Phou Khao Khouay National Park is a protected area and a superb showcase of Laos’ biodiversity in fauna and flora. The orchid trek, accompanied by a French specialist, offers an impressive viewpoint over a gorge more than 40m high in a thick jungle.
Picnic in a dry riverbed, bathing in the Tad Say waterfall, observing birds and hundreds of multicolored butterflies…
Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay at your hotel in Vientiane.
Stop: Luang Namtha
Breakfast
Flight to Luang Namtha in the far north of Laos. This is the starting point for many treks through rice fields and mountains inhabited by the Lanten, Khamu, and Thai Leu ethnic groups. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel and lunch at your leisure.
Tuk-tuk ride on a dirt track. From village to village, the small wooden houses sometimes house small shops where fruit bats are sold. The region has many ancient temples heavily damaged during the war. On the way back, stop at the ruins of the That Phoum Pouk temple and the Luang Namtha museum, interesting for its collections of clothing, traditional utensils, and cult objects such as bronze drums.
Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay at your guesthouse of small traditional bungalows.
Stop: Nam Ha Protected Area
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Departure for the Akha village of Ban Nam Deat Mai where you will spend the night. The Nam Ha protected area is a true botanical showcase of forests with ancient trees, primary bamboo, and wild banana trees. Streams and waterfalls provide the ideal setting for a picnic lunch. In this sovereign nature, your hike is punctuated by the song of birds and that of your whistling guide.
At the village, welcome by the chief in person. After dinner, tradition dictates that a massage be granted to visiting guests.
Overnight stay in a homestay.
Stage: Nam Kat Yorla Pa
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The morning bustle (6:00 AM) takes care of your wake-up call: feeding the pigs, fetching water, cooking… After breakfast, the trek continues through nature toward other Akha and Tai Leu villages. Picnic lunch, then in the mid-afternoon, a vehicle will take over to drive you to Nam Kat Yorla Pa. This high-comfort eco-lodge is nestled in the Oudomxay forest on the banks of the Nam Kat River: riverside villas, a spa and a pool to recover from the trek. Dinner and overnight at the resort.
Stage: Nam Kat Yorla Pa
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning, hike through the protected forest of Phou Hipho to the Nam Kat waterfall: suspension bridges above the canopy and a possible swim at the foot of the falls. Along the way, discover the rural life of the neighbouring Khmu villages, between river, rice fields and forest. Lunch at the resort and free afternoon to enjoy the facilities (spa, pool, sauna). Dinner and overnight at the resort.
Stop: Akha Pala Village
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today you have an appointment for a two-day adventure in Ikho territory with porters (horses).
A first walk with a picnic leads to the Akha Pala village where you will be welcomed by women dressed in ancestral clothing. Traditional welcome massage followed by a walk in the sacred forest, accessed through the spirit gate. A quite improbable moment.
Dinner and overnight stay in the village chief’s house.
Stop: Akha Pala Village
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A somewhat sporty hike on beautiful mid-mountain trails. The jungle is thick, and it will take 2 hours of walking to reach the village of the Akha Phouly community. You will lunch on dishes accompanied by rice alcohol produced by the village before setting off with a lighter step toward other Khamu and Laobit villages, communities unaccustomed to receiving foreigners.
After a river bath, you will be invited to the traditional “baci” ceremony.
Dinner and overnight stay in the village chief’s house.
Stage: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Dinner
A 2-hour hike allows you to reach the road to Muang Khua, the embarkation point for the descent of the Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw. Aboard a private dugout canoe, you will glide down this tributary of the Mekong, whose banks are dotted with villages. Picnic lunch on a beach. The karst formations in sight signal the arrival at Nong Khiaw, the terminus.
Check-in at your hotel with a river view. Before dinner, a possible walk to the caves that served as a refuge for local populations during the Vietnam War. Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel.
Stops: Nong Khiaw, Pak Ou Caves, Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Departure by minibus to the meeting point of the Nam Ou and the Mekong where navigation resumes.
Stop at the renowned site of the Pak Ou caves, carved into the cliff overlooking the river. Located 30km upstream from Luang Prabang, these caves are revered by Laotians who have deposited hundreds of sculpted Buddhas over the centuries.
Free lunch break in one of the many restaurants with a view, before resuming the Mekong journey aboard a traditional boat to Luang Prabang. Arrival at sunset. Drop-off at your hotel in the heart of the historic center. Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay at your hotel.
Stops: Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls
Breakfast, Lunch
Visit the ethnology museum before crossing the Mekong to the village of Ban Xieng Maene and its two monasteries. Wat Long Khoun, the monastery of the blessed song, and Wat Chom Pet, the monastery of the diamond point, located on a hill overlooking the Mekong. You then leave the peninsula to go to the Kuang Si falls. For lunch, you will be invited to enjoy a picnic prepared by Soum Noum, one of the best restaurants in the city, served at the foot of the waterfalls.
A short digestive hike is possible to discover the terraced waterfalls. Return to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon. Dinner at your leisure and overnight stay at your hotel.
Stop: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Free time to enjoy the peninsula at your leisure before your transfer to the airport, located a 20-minute drive from the historic center of Luang Prabang.
Our selection of Hotels
Included
Included- Accommodation in a room for 2 people
- For each participant not sharing a room, add the individual supplement
- All meals mentioned (breakfast and/or lunch and/or dinner)
- All transfers mentioned, in private cars or air-conditioned minibuses
- All excursions mentioned in the program
- All entrance fees to sites
- The service of local guides for the different stages, English-speaking guides available on request
- The guide: our quotation includes the salaries and travel expenses of a guide residing in Luang Prabang. If Luang Prabang guides are not available, we bring guides from Vientiane. This incurs an additional cost which will be communicated to you if applicable.
Excluded
- Domestic and international flights
- Drinks during meals and personal expenses
- Services not mentioned above
- Meals not mentioned above
- Bank or exchange fees related to payment for the trip
- Laotian visa fees (30 to 50 USD/person plus one passport photo). As a precaution, plan for 50 USD/person plus two passport photos)
- Your passport must be valid for 6 months after the exit date from the country
- Cancellation / assistance / repatriation and luggage insurance
- Tips
Personalized follow-up
Each client receives personalized follow-up:
- Your dedicated Asia Safari advisor informs and assists you in your choices, targets your expectations before designing your trip
- From your arrival until your departure day, you benefit from Asia Safari assistance throughout the trip
- We are regularly in the field to ensure the reliability of our partners
- We invest in research and development to integrate novelty and originality into our offer
- We only employ experienced guides
Important
- The services, flights, and hotels offered are subject to availability at the time of booking
- Domestic or international flight schedules may be delayed or changed without prior notice
- Our prices are guaranteed by the payment of a 30% deposit of the total amount of your trip
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Why choose Asia Safari for your trip to Laos?
With Asia Safari, you plan your tailor-made trip directly with a local English-speaking team. Our agency has been based in Vientiane since 2002. Its founder, Jean-Paul Duvergé, has worked in Laos since 2000. Our guides are Lao, our accommodations are hand-picked, and each itinerary is tailor-made. The result: a vibrant, fair trip, without unnecessary frills.
- Local English-speaking agency: we speak your language and know the country from the inside
- Zero intermediaries: you deal directly with the local team
- Truly tailor-made: no fixed catalog — each trip is unique
- Since 2002, Asia Safari has been creating tailor-made journeys in Laos, drawing on the experience its founder has gained in the country since 2000.
How does our tailor-made service work?
1. You send us your request (dates, budget, desires, profile)
2. We send you an initial response within 24 working hours, followed by a detailed proposal within 48 working hours of receiving the necessary information: your itinerary, accommodation and a quote specifying the services included.
3. We refine the proposal together, adjusting the itinerary, accommodation and activities to suit your expectations and budget.
4. We coordinate the services included in your itinerary on the ground: guides, transport, accommodation and activities.
When to visit Laos?
From November to February, the weather is generally drier and temperatures are milder. March and April are often hotter. The rainy season, from May to October, brings lush green landscapes; we adapt the itinerary and transport to local conditions.
Laos, the heart of your Indochina tour
Laos is often the surprise of a trip: uncrowded, authentic, with a quiet beauty. Asia Safari makes Laos much more than a stopover — we make it the central experience of your stay, before or after Vietnam, Cambodia, or Thailand.
Our travel ideas for Laos and neighbouring countries
Laos + Cambodia: from the temples of Luang Prabang to Angkor, shape a journey combining cultural heritage and Mekong scenery. A visit to Tonlé Sap can complement the itinerary, depending on your interests and the time available.
Laos + Vietnam: Two contrasting countries — the calm of Laos and the energy of Vietnam. From Hanoi to Vientiane or vice versa.
Northern Laos + Yunnan: from the landscapes of Yunnan to the mountains of northern Laos, the Laos–China railway can connect some of the stops on your journey. We plan the route with you, in either direction.
Grand Indochina Tour (40 days): Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand — a memorable trip for life.
Tips for preparing your multi-country tour
Visas: each country has its own rules — Asia Safari guides you through all procedures.
Duration: we adapt the number of stops to the time you have available. For a trip combining two countries, we consider the regions you want to explore, travel between destinations and your preferred pace.
Seasons: seasons vary by country — we help you choose the best window.
Budget: the cost of a multi-country trip depends on its length, the season, the number of travellers, accommodation and transport between destinations. We prepare a personalised quote specifying the services included and any expenses to budget for separately.
Our Story
Jean-Paul Duvergé has worked in Laos since 2000. In 2002, he founded Asia Safari in Vientiane to design tailor-made trips in Laos and Indochina. Today, the agency’s French-Lao team plans each itinerary with its travellers and coordinates arrangements on the ground with its local guides and partners.
What sets us apart
A team on the ground: based in Vientiane, we plan your trip using our knowledge of Laos and information from our local partners. We take the seasons, travel conditions and accommodation into account when designing your itinerary.
We speak your language: our team supports you in English, from planning your trip to assistance during your stay. English-speaking guided visits are arranged according to your itinerary.
Direct contact with our team: you speak with the people who plan your trip and coordinate its organisation on the ground. Your quote specifies the price of your trip and the services included.
Tailor-made journeys: our suggested itineraries are starting points. We adapt the destinations, pace, accommodation and activities to your dates, wishes and budget.
Our commitment
We give preference to local accommodation providers and partners. When visiting villages, we take care to respect residents and their customs. Our approach also aims to help preserve the cultural and natural sites that make Laos special.
Laos in figures
Laos covers 236,800 km² and had a population of around 7.9 million in 2025. Its capital is Vientiane, its official language is Lao and its currency is the Lao kip (LAK). Theravada Buddhism is the main religion. The country is in the UTC+7 time zone.
Laos must-sees
Luang Prabang: Former royal capital, a UNESCO World Heritage site, its golden temples, French colonial houses, and gentle way of life make it an undeniable favorite.
Vientiane: The human-sized capital — That Luang, Patuxai, and the banks of the Mekong are worth a visit.
Vang Vieng: Surrounded by limestone karsts, ideal for kayaking, caving, and hiking.
Southern Laos and 4000 Islands: Champassak, the Vat Phou temples (UNESCO), the Bolaven Plateau, and the Mekong islands.
Lao culture
Theravada Buddhism has an important place in Laos, alongside a variety of cultural traditions. In Luang Prabang, the monks’ morning alms round is a religious ritual to observe with discretion and respect. Boun Pi Mai, Lao New Year in April, and Boun Ok Phansa, which marks the end of the Buddhist rains retreat, are among the events that shape the year.
Nature and biodiversity
The forests and protected areas of Laos are home to a variety of wildlife, including Asian elephants, gibbons and sun bears. Rivers, mountains and plateaus offer many opportunities to explore nature.
