12 DAYS | 11 NIGHTS
Northern Laos is an invitation to let go. Between the karst mountains, bamboo forests, crystal-clear rivers, and preserved ethnic minority villages, this region exudes a rare serenity. This 12-day tour takes travelers to the heart of authentic northern Laos: Luang Prabang as a cultural anchor, then heading up to Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi, Oudomxay, and Phonsali.
The Tour’s Guiding Thread
Luang Prabang — 3 days to grasp its soul
The historic capital of the Lane Xang kingdom, Luang Prabang blends Buddhism, French colonial architecture, and an incomparably gentle Lao daily life. Alms giving ceremony at dawn, visit to the Royal Palace, Mekong cruise at sunset.
Nong Khiaw and the Nam Ou Valley
Three hours from Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw is surrounded by spectacular limestone cliffs. It is one of the most photogenic landscapes in Laos. Asia Safari selects charming riverside accommodations here.
Muang Ngoi — the timeless village
Accessible only by boat (30 minutes from Nong Khiaw), Muang Ngoi is a village without cars or major roads, where time seems to stand still. Villagers live from agriculture, fishing, and discreet ecotourism.
Phonsali and the Ethnic Groups of the Far North
On the Chinese border, Phonsali is one of the most authentic destinations in Laos. The Akha, Lahu, and Phu Noi ethnic groups live here in villages perched on ridges. A traveler’s privilege.
Your questions about this tour
Is Phonsali difficult to access?
Phonsali is accessible by domestic flight or by road from Oudomxay (3-4 hours). The road is beautiful but sometimes winding. Asia Safari organizes the best mode of transport depending on the season.
Is this tour suitable for non-athletic travelers?
Yes. Travel is mainly by vehicle and boat. Some village visits involve 30 to 60 minutes of walking on slightly uneven terrain.
What is the best season for this tour?
November to February: mild temperatures, clear skies, passable roads. Avoid July-August (monsoon, difficult access in the Far North).
Is it possible to extend the trip to China?
Phonsali is on the Sino-Lao border. Asia Safari can arrange passage to Yunnan (China) for travelers with a Chinese visa.
HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR TRIP
Luang Prabang, its temples, markets, local crafts
Sunset on Mount Phousi
Themed day on rice production
The Pak Ou Caves
Mekong and Nam Ou River cruises
Treks and discovery of ethnic villages in Northern Laos
The adventure starts here!
Stopover: Luang Prabang
Welcome by your French-speaking guide.
Check-in at your hotel on the Luang Prabang peninsula, at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong rivers.
At the end of the day, a short orientation tour of this former royal capital of Laos aboard your “vintage” 4×4. Welcome surprise before leaving you to your free evening. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
This beautiful day begins at dawn: the monks leave their temple and walk through the city to collect offerings from villagers. A colorful and silent spectacle not to be missed!
With a private guide, a customizable visit to the main religious buildings: Wat Aham and Wat Visoun, the oldest in the city, the watermelon-shaped Tat Mak Mo, the charismatic Wat Xieng Thong, Wat Phraphoutthabat, the monastery of the Buddha’s Footprint, and many more – the city has over thirty! Lunch at leisure in a local restaurant.
Sunset from Mount Phousi. On your way down, stop at the night market located at the foot of the stairs, an opportunity to bring back artisan treasures. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Luang Prabang, Kuang Si Falls
Breakfast, Lunch
A day dedicated to rice, the staple food in Laos. Its production will hold no more secrets for you: grain selection, sowing, transplanting seedlings… right up to harvest. At each stage, you will learn to use the strength of a dear friend to every farmer: the water buffalo, an indispensable partner in the absence of modern tools.
After this fun moment, you will be invited to enjoy a picnic prepared by Soum Noum, one of the city’s best restaurants, served at the foot of the magnificent Kuang Si waterfalls. A short hike is possible to discover the terraced cascades.
Return in the late afternoon. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stopover: Pakbeng, Pak Ou Caves
Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, early morning transfer and embarkation to discover the Pak Ou caves carved into the cliff. A sacred site, for centuries Laotians have deposited thousands of Buddha relics there. Lunch served on the boat deck; you will be invited to discover a village whose specialty is the preparation of lao-lao, a rice alcohol prepared by an ethnic minority. Shortly before sunset, disembark in Pakbeng, a major trading hub where cargo boats to or from Vientiane, Thailand, Burma, or China cross paths. Check-in at your hotel on the Mekong riverbank with breathtaking views of the coming and going of boats and the elephants’ morning bath. Dinner at leisure and overnight at the hotel.
Stage: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From Pakbeng, you will reach Oudomxay province, making numerous stops along the way. This region, in the heart of northern Laos, is rich in mountain landscapes populated by many ethnic minorities.
In Oudomxay, Chinese and Vietnamese vendors mingle with numerous villagers who come to stock up. About thirty kilometers later, you will reach the Muang La Lodge, where you are expected for lunch. Settle into this place renowned as “the pearl of the North”!
A digestive walk in nature (2 to 3 hours of hiking) will allow you a first contact with this region of rice fields and forests. Dinner and overnight at Muang La Lodge.
Stage: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Drive to Pak Khai where your trek begins on small green paths, an opportunity to meet farmers working in the rice fields. This 1.5-hour hike through green forests leads to Ban Phavie, a Khamu minority village located on top of a hill.
Picnic, refreshing swim in the waterfalls, and rest before heading back to the Lodge, where you will arrive in the afternoon.
This evening, you will meet at the Lodge’s Sala on an island in the middle of the Nam Pak: champagne aperitif and foie gras before a candlelit dinner under the stars of a beautiful Asian sky. Overnight at the Lodge.
Stage: Muang La
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A long day dedicated to meeting minorities. From village to village, you will reach the entrance to Phouhipi National Park. Over 17km, Khamu and Hmong villages follow one another amidst the mountains with numerous panoramic viewpoints.
These isolated villages are worth the effort: in the last village of Ban Houa Nam Bak, the most valiant hikers will appreciate climbing to the Nam Pung waterfall.
A picnic lunch prepared by the Lodge will be served in a landscape of large rocks that emerge like fortresses in the middle of the forest. The effort is rewarded with a breathtaking view.
Return at the end of the day. Don’t miss relaxing in the Lodge’s hot baths. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge.
Stage: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Lunch
Muang Khua: embark on your private boat. This descent of the Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw is the most beautiful river descent in the region! Along your watery route, many villages and magnificent landscapes, including beautiful karst formations seemingly emerging from the water. Picnic lunch prepared by Muang La Lodge.
In the late afternoon, disembark in Nong Khiaw, renowned for its natural caves carved into the rock formations, a refuge for local populations during the bombings of the Vietnam War. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stage: Nong Khiaw
Breakfast, Lunch
Aboard your boat, you will resume the course of the Nam Ou before reaching, on foot, the Hundred Waterfalls, beautiful cascades discovered in 2008. During the next few hours, you will see only water and jungle and be lulled by the sound of clear waterfalls, invited to plunge into the natural pools. Your guide will tell you about the villagers’ lives and will be your host for a locally prepared lunch.
In a traditional dugout canoe, you will return to Nong Khiaw, observing the lives of the inhabitants unfolding before your eyes. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
After a 3-hour drive, you will reach Luang Prabang.
Check-in at your hotel and lunch at leisure.
An ancient capital, a UNESCO World Heritage site for 10 years, this city is a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. Surprise awaits at every street corner: pastel houses, sumptuous temples where many monks live, small shops on the banks of the two rivers that bathe the city. Dinner at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Free day in Luang Prabang. You will have time to stroll through the streets lined with beautifully restored colonial villas, ride a tuk-tuk or rent a bicycle, or enter the realm of zen: meditation, massage, monks’ prayers, and rest! Meals at leisure and overnight at your hotel.
Stage: Luang Prabang
Breakfast
Free day. Drop-off at Luang Prabang airport.
Our selection of Hotels
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 French-speaking guides for the different stages
- 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 USD/person plus one passport photo). As a precaution, plan for 35 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
- A French-speaking tour manager accompanies you throughout your trip. They are able to answer all your questions and meet your expectations.
- Each file is subject to personalized follow-up. We are in frequent contact with the client, from their arrival until their departure.
- We are constantly at their disposal. A detailed questionnaire is given to each participant.
- We carefully study this feedback.
- We are regularly in the field to check the reliability of our partners.
- We are constantly seeking new tourism-related developments.
- We only employ experienced guides.
Important
- The hotels, services, and flights offered are subject to availability at the time of booking.
- Domestic or international flight schedules may be delayed or changed without prior notice
- Prices guaranteed upon confirmation of the trip and payment of a 30% deposit.
Follow our adventures
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive all our travel news.
Why choose Asia Safari for your trip to Laos?
Asia Safari is not a generalist tour operator based in France. We have been on site, in Vientiane, for over 25 years. 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 French-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
- 25+ years of experience: founded in 2002, Asia Safari assists hundreds of French-speaking travelers every year
How does our tailor-made service work?
1. You send us your request (dates, budget, desires, profile)
2. We build a proposal within 48 hours — day-by-day itinerary, accommodations, all-inclusive price
3. You refine it with us until the trip is perfect
4. We manage everything on site: guides, transport, hotels, activities
When to visit Laos?
The best period is October to April — dry season, pleasant temperatures. The rainy season (May to September) is also possible: lush landscapes and fewer tourists, but some roads can be difficult. Asia Safari advises you according to the region and type of trip.
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 most requested Indochina combinations
Laos + Cambodia: A classic — temples of Luang Prabang and Angkor Wat, Mekong and Tonlé Sap. 15 days minimum recommended.
Laos + Vietnam: Two contrasting countries — the calm of Laos and the energy of Vietnam. From Hanoi to Vientiane or vice versa.
Northern Laos + Yunnan: For travelers seeking originality — travel from Yunnan to Laos via the Laos-China railway (inaugurated 2021).
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.
Ideal duration: allow a minimum of 12 to 15 days for a 2-country combination.
Seasons: seasons vary by country — we help you choose the best window.
Budget: prices vary greatly by country. Laos is cheaper than Vietnam or Thailand.
Our Story
Jean-Paul Duvergé arrived in Laos at the turn of the 2000s, fell in love with the country, and decided to stay. In 2002, he founded Asia Safari with a simple idea: to offer French-speaking travelers direct access to authentic Lao life, without the filter of large Parisian agencies. Since then, the agency has assisted thousands of travelers, built a network of trusted guides and partners, and refined its philosophy: rigorous tailor-made travel, serving authenticity.
What sets us apart
We are on site: Our team works from Vientiane. We know the roads, seasons, accommodations, guides — and what changed last week. No outdated brochures.
We speak your language: Asia Safari is a 100% French-speaking agency. All our communications, proposals, and guides speak French.
Zero intermediaries: You work directly with us. No central purchasing, no Parisian subcontractors. Fairer prices and higher service quality.
Tailor-made as our only model: We do not have standardized tours. Each trip is designed from scratch, according to your dates, budget, desires, and traveler profile.
Our commitment
Asia Safari actively supports responsible tourism in Laos: prioritizing local accommodations, tours that benefit village communities, respect for cultural and natural sites.
Laos in figures
Area: 236,800 km² | Population: approximately 7.5 million inhabitants | Capital: Vientiane | Official language: Lao | Religion: Theravada Buddhism (65% of the population) | Currency: Lao Kip (LAK) | Time zone: UTC+7
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 permeates all of Lao life. The alms giving (offerings to monks at dawn) in Luang Prabang is a daily ritual of great beauty. Lao festivals — Boun Pi Mai (Lao New Year in April), Boun Ok Phansa (Festival of Lights) — are exceptional times to travel.
Nature and biodiversity
Laos is 70% covered by forests. Its protected areas are home to rare species: Asian elephants, gibbons, sun bears. The rivers and plateaus offer natural settings of rare purity in Asia.
