Description
Jungle Trek & Kayak Discovery
2 DAYS OF TREKKING THROUGH REMOTE JUNGLE AND KAYAKING ON THE SCENIC NAM OU RIVER
Main info
Highlights
See the different faces of Laos as we trek past rice paddies and farms and immerse ourselves deep into the ancient jungle
Paddle on the magnificent Nam Ou River through a limestone valley, past remote villages with small farms and fishermen still living traditional lives.
Discover the rich cultural heritage of Lao’s ethnic minorities as we learn about the Hmong and Khmu people who have inhabited these mountains for generations
A great two day adventure that takes in the best of northern Laos. One day of trekking past small local farms and through dense jungle and remote villages to reach the heart of the jungle. Stay overnight in an authentic village on the banks of the Nam Ou River. The next day paddle through stunning scenery, past limestone mountains and rural villagers. Stop at the famous Buddha caves as well as a whiskey making village to discover the ancient art of producing rice whiskey before finally returning to Luang Prabang.
What Will You Do
Day 1: From Luang Prabang to the dense jungle
We depart Luang Prabang at 8:30AM before heading north for approximately 1.5 hours. Once we reach the village, we begin our trek through local farms before arriving at the edge of the dense jungle.
We will immerse ourselves in the beauty and diversity of the local flora and fauna. It is like venturing into another world under the canopy of huge trees where we will discover orchids, ferns, creepers and more. If we are quiet we might be able to hear the sounds of birdlife, adding to the unique atmosphere in this wonderful forest.
We will stop at a beautiful spot in the jungle for a Lao style picnic lunch. For the next one and a half hours we continue trekking through a bamboo forest before the trail starts making its way downhill to farming plots along the banks of the Nam Ou river. We cross the river on a longtail boat to reach a village on the other side where a local Tai Lue family will be our hosts for the night.
Approximately 1.5 hours driving and 4-5 hours trekking
Day 2: Paddle through Nam Ou’s life and culture
After breakfast, the guide will give you an introduction to the basics of kayaking and a safety briefing. We then head off downstream along the Nam Ou and will quickly encounter the first easy rapids!
Along the way we pass majestic cliffs and villages almost untouched by modern civilization. We paddle further downstream before pausing for a delicious picnic lunch at a beautiful white sandbank amidst really amazing surroundings!
After lunch we have some time to relax and swim in the cool waters of the river. The afternoon is spent paddling on a calmer section of the Nam Ou before the river joins the Mekong. Along the way you have the opportunity to watch villagers fishing and harvesting river weed which is then dried and fried to become one of Luang Prabang’s most famous, and delicious dishes. We have the option to stop at the famous Pak Ou (Buddha) Cave to see the hundreds of Buddha statues.
We continue paddling down the Mekong to visit a weaving and Lao whisky making village. After a short stop here we continue for another 30 minutes downstream to Pak Xeung where our transport is waiting to pick us up and drive us back to Luang Prabang.
Approximately: 1 hour transfer and 4-5 hours kayaking
What to expect:
The first day will feature some moderately strenuous hiking in the jungle, depending on your fitness level. You can expect to spend most of the first day hiking on uneven trails through the jungle. When we arrive in the village expect very rustic and basic accommodation. The washing facilities are equally limited in this extremely poor village.
On the second day we will have an easy kayak on a very gentle river. There are only some small rapids which are easily navigated by beginorthernnner kayakers.
Details
Departure | Roughly at 8:30 am from Green Discovery office/your hotel |
Return | Roughly at 5 pm to Green Discovery office/your hotel |
Locations | Luang Prabang Province |
What to bring | Comfortable clothes for trekking Clothes you can get wet for kayaking Comfortable trekking shoes Some warm clothes for night time in the village A rain jacket/coat Refillable water bottle Personal toiletries Insect repellent Swimming clothes (please note that rural villages are very conservative and women will need to swim and bathe in a sarong) Towel Sunscreen |
What is included | Water, Meals, English speaking guide, Local guide/s, Accommodation, Transport, Government taxes, All entrance fees, Travel permits |
Help us to become 100% single use plastic free company!
We try to avoid plastic as much as possible, that is why we encourage you to bring your own refillable bottle.
We have water refillable station at our office where you can fill up your bottle. If you don’t have one we sell the 0,75 L Green Discovery aluminium bottles at our sales office. At the moment we will still need to use plastic bottles in some of our tours but we hope to reduce it as much as possible. Together with The Green Discovery Sustainability Fund we are working on installing water filters in all the villages we are visiting and we hope in the future we will not need to use plastic bottles anymore.
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