Short description:
Day 1: We depart at 8:30 from the Eco-Guide Service office. Transfer by pick-up or tok-tok to Ban Nam O, a traditional village of the Khmu Kwaen ethnic groups. This is where our first village-based guide joins the group. The first half of the day follows the meandering Nam O River and its lush valley. A Lao-style picnic lunch is taken on the way when hiking across several ridges offering panoramic views onto the forests of the Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA). The well-worn Akha trail continues past a temporary settlement of the upland rice farmers of Ban Nam O.
The first lodge on the top of a mountain at the Akha Phouli village of Ban Nam Lo is reached by late afternoon. A traditional Akha dinner cooked by the villagers marks the end of an adventurous first day.
Day 2: Rising early, you may be able to hear the sounds of the Black-Cheeked Gibbons. Tour of the village before setting off to a second Akha village, Ban Phouyae. The Akha group of this village is called Akha Pii, the women wearing a distinct headdress. Hike a number of steep ascents and descents in between upland fields and old growth forests before arriving at an idyllic spot for bathing in the Nam Mai River . Both, the Nam Mai and a tributary are crossed on two impressive bamboo and wood bridges. You have a picnic lunch on the way before walking through the secondary forest. You will then discover “Pa Nakhorn”, a kind of bamboo forest. The lodge at Ban Thong Lat is reached by late afternoon, and you are offered a traditional Akha massage. A sociable evening with the villagers promises a special cultural experience.
Day 3: After breakfast you can have the opportunity to walk to the Phou Song Phan Waterfall, located in the Nam Ha National Protected Area. If you chose this option, you have lunch back in Thong Lat village. If you prefer to go back earlier, walk on the rough road following the Nam Mai winding its way down from Ban Thong Lat. A pleasant and easy walk passing through a scenery of limestone mountains, bamboo forests and upland rice fields. Upon reaching the Nam Mai River , a Lao-style picnic is served. The pick-up awaits the group on the other side of the river and takes you to the Prasat Cave . The limestone cave is the final stop on this tour before returning to Vieng Phoukha in the mid-afternoon.
What to bring:1 change of clothes, sandals for village, good shoes for hiking, sarong for bathing (required for women), mosquito repellent, flashlight, sunscreen/hat, optional (camera, cotton sleeping sheet).
How villages benefit: Local and village guide fees, food sales & preparation, accommodation fees.
Important do's & don'ts: Do not give individual gifts of sweets or money to children. Ask before taking photos of people or spiritual items. Ask your guide before entering a house or a room inside a house. Help keep the villages clean by not littering. Please purchase handicrafts but do not purchase antiques. Do not use drugs in villages.
About The Price: More people cheaper than a few people
