Laos - Overland and Trekking Expedition
Expedition Duration: 15 Days (includes ret transport to and from Vientiane)
Description: Guided, supported trekking accommodation in tented accommodation
Expedition Level: Easy/Intermediate
Vientiane
Having been met by your guide at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane and settling in to our Lao guest house; this small capital city, offers a wealth of fascinating places to visit, and activities to enjoy, at both the beginning, and end of our expedition.
You can view the influence of French colonial architecture, including Laos own ‘Champs Elyses’ and ‘Arc de Triomphe’ (the Avenue Lan Xang and Patuxai monument). Buddhist temples, museums, markets, bookshops, Lao massage, ‘western’ restaurants, and Lao restaurants - that include the sunset tradition of a drink alongside the Mekong river while taking in the view across the Mekong river to neighbouring Thailand - can all be enjoyed.
A Lao cookery course, or a visit to the exotic sculptures of the nearby ‘Buddha Park’, or a visit to the rehabilitation centre for those affected by the unexploded ordnance problem can also be added.
Phu Khao Khuay
79kms by road from Vientiane is the 2,000 square kms of Phu Khao Khuay (‘Buffalo Horn Mountain’) National Protected Area. Your western guide has been privileged to stay in this reserve several times with villagers at the elephant observation project at Ban Na village. This grass roots project has been assisted by several international agencies in supporting the villagers who are trying to protect the remaining small herds of wild elephants that still live in the area. By constructing a large observation tower that overlooks a stream and salt lake in the jungle enjoyed by the elephants, the villagers have tried to replace previous elephant / human conflicts. These conflicts arose from the loss of elephant’s habitat and the elephants eating villager’s crops, at great economic loss to the villagers. Thanks to small groups of ecologically minded visitors the wild elephants have now become a source of income to the villagers. Visitors need to be aware that due to the uncertain movements of the elephants there can be no guarantee of observing them (based upon your western guide’s experience there is an approximate 50 / 50 likelihood of seeing elephants, though we will see signs of their activity). Visitors also need to be mindful of the low, but real, risks involved in trekking in wild elephant inhabited jungle; we will be briefed on how to minimize the risks of an adverse elephant encounter.
Our three day trekking route is a loop through a variety of dense and open jungle terrain with a jungle camp using ‘Basha’ shelters and mosquito nets on the first night, with the second night being spent in the elephant tower, with our fingers crossed, hoping for an evening’s wild elephant watching.
Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang has UNESCO World Heritage status; a beautiful, memorable place to stay and explore. Situated by the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers its mix of Buddhist Wats (temples) and French colonial villas, riverside restaurants (with Lao, Thai and western food), palace and museum visits, souvenir shopping opportunities and relaxed atmosphere make it a rich, restful highlight of our expedition. Luang Prabang is one of Asia’s special places; a place to reflect upon your trekking achievements - and to treat yourself.
Muong Ngoi
Muong Ngoi is our second trekking area and a contrast to Phu Khao Khuay. Situated by the Nam Ou river along which we will travel by boat to access our trekking area is an area of soaring, forested limestone mountains - the views are beautiful.
Our three day trekking route is through a variety of farmed land and villages, camping at a beautiful riverside campsite, trekking through jungle to access the ridge line and a village home-stay before descending down to the Nam Ou river.
This area was heavily bombed during the Vietnam war (or what is also known as the ‘American war’) and we will see evidence of this in the form of cluster bomb casings and bomb craters. These are now used as building materials and for providing fish ponds. Our trekking route is, of course, cleared of unexploded bombs.
Prices: Venture Force ensures that each and every expedition, project or skills/training programme in our portfolio is designed for the needs of the client, or group. Prices are dependent on many variable circumstances and cannot therefore be quoted on our website. To obtain a price please either call or email us directly!
