Hmong Experience
(3 days / 2 nights)
Luang Prabang – Pak Ou District – Hmong Village Home stays
Highlights
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3 day trekking hills and jungles of Pak Ou District
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Home stay in Hmong villages
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Fair Trek Tour – helping local villages
Overview
The Hmong communities you visit in this trip are involved in the Fair Trek Project – where villagers directly benefit from your visit through job creation and local income generation. You trek high up in the rugged mountain regions that surround Luang Prabang. This area is home to the Hmong hill tribe people. Here, you stay overnight and have a unique opportunity to observe their way of life under such remote conditions. Hiking routes incorporate a mixture of hillside village tracks, jungle paths and bamboo forest walks. The trails are medium grade and can be quite challenging during the wet season (June - Sept). This trek requires a good sense of adventure and tolerance as you definitely get out of your comfort zone! Your trek starts and finishes in Luang Prabang.
Itinerary at a glance
Day 1 |
Luang Prabang to Houay Wai Village |
Day 2 |
Houay Wai Village to Hmong Village |
Day 3 |
Hmong Village to Luang Prabang |
Prices
Private tour |
$AUD price per person |
3 to 5 people
|
215 |
2 people |
275 |
| 1 person | 410 |
Validity |
31 December 2010 |
Includes:
Home stays permission - Return transfers for trek
- English speaking guide for trekking
- Local village guide
- Entrance fees + village permission
- Water for trekking
- Meals as per the itinerary
Excludes:
- Airfares and departure taxes
- Travel insurance
- Visa, passport or vaccination costs
- Other meals not specified in the itinerary
- Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, bar charges, tips, optional activities
Prices are in Australian dollars based upon the number of people travelling together. Price reduces as your travel group size increases. Price is land content only + subject to currency fluctuations. Credit Card payments incur an additional 3% charge. Prices beyond the validity are available on request. See Booking Conditions for more details. Email us or call 1300 43 10 69 for bookings and more information.
Trip notes
Home stays
There is no better way to immerse in local culture than experiencing a village home stay. Not only is this a wonderful cultural exchange, it offers the visitor great respect for how people live without all the comforts and appliances of the West. By staying with a family we ensure that the economic benefits of our travel filter down to the villages and families that most need it. The jungle lodge and home stays in villages are simple in terms of bedding and amenities. You sleep in a dormitory style room and are provided with a mosquito net, mattress, clean sheet and pillow. Amenities are shared with the host family. Toilets are squat, non-flushing as you will find in many parts of South East Asia. Showers are not provided, but hot water may be available on request.
Food
All meals, which are indicated in the detailed itinerary, are included in the price. When you are trekking, you eat what produce is in season, but there will always be plenty of ‘sticky rice’ – a staple food in Laos. Please advise us if you have any special dietary requirements.
The trekking day
A typical trekking day starts at around 8.30am. We aim to reach the next overnight stop between 4.30pm and 5.00pm. During the trek you will have plenty of breaks for rests, snacks and photographs.
Local guides
English speaking guides support your sightseeing and trekking activities. These guides are proud of their job and consider it an honour to show you their country. They have been fully trained in guiding outdoor tours around Luang Prabang. If you feel your guide provided you with great service, a tip at the end of the tour would be truly appreciated… a little bit goes a long way in Laos.
What to bring
Pack lightly for the trek, no more than 10kg, as you will be carrying your own luggage. Remember, you are only going for two nights! Use your daypack and travel wallet to carry your personal items and important documents. We recommend using a sturdy daypack with good back support and a water proof cover. Please dress conservatively in the countryside and villages and when entering temple areas.
Your luggage should include: trekking boots or walking shoes, thongs or comfortable slip-on shoes for after walking all day, light weight long pants + shorts, shirt + t-shirt, warm clothes for at night, bathers, sarong (for women to swim in), small towel, raincoat, hat, sunglasses, sun block, strong insect repellent (Deet medicated preferred), small medical kit, flashlight, essential toiletries, water bottle, camera, spare batteries, pen + paper, original passport, barley sugar/ lollies for sustenance, zip lock bags, toilet paper, personal medication and a light weight sleeping bag.
Note: A full list of what to bring is provided with your trip dossier.
If you have room in your backpack, bring some books to give away as gifts. You can help local children improve their reading skills by buying picture books printed in their own language. For more information on this worthwhile project, visit www.laobooks.com
Note on client safety
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reason, including road and weather conditions, frequency of visits to a village, or for any other factor that may impact client safety.
Tipping guidelines
It is customary to express a personal thank you to your guide and driver at the end of your trip, especially if he or she has provided you with excellent service. As a guideline only, we suggest tipping around AUD$4-$5 per day for the guide and AUD$2-$3 per day for the driver. You can pay this in local currency or US dollars. Of course whether you tip and how much is always at your discretion.
Laos visa
Most visitors can receive a 30 day single entry Tourist Visa on arrival at Luang Prabang or Vientiane airports or at the Friendship Bridge at the Thai Border Crossing and other border crossings (please check with your Lao Embassy). You need a valid passport for no less than six months, 2 x passport size current photographs & USD$30pp cash.
Health issues Good medical advice usually recommends vaccinations in advance of travel to Laos. We suggest you consult with your doctor to discuss health care needs specific to your holiday. You must have comprehensive travel insurance to travel with us. Insurance should include cover for personal accident and medical expenses, evacuation and repatriation, baggage loss and cancellation or curtailment of your holiday. Your final trip dossier vouchers will not be confirmed until you confirm possession of appropriate insurance. Better be safe than sorry! We can arrange additional hotel nights at the beginning or the end of your tour or if you are interested in doing additional touring we can organise a private tour to cater to your interests and time frame. Check out the IJE website for more details. To reserve a place on this trip, contact us now and we will send you a booking form. To guarantee your booking you must send your passport details and your non-refundable deposit of 30% of total tour cost. The balance of payment is due 50 days prior to your departure. If you departure date is less than 50 days then full payment is required now. Once your booking is confirmed and you have paid in full you will receive a tour voucher and detailed itinerary. |
