7 days 6 nights
Specific Tour
14 people
English
Quick answer
A seven-day private tour from Luang Prabang into the Nam Ou valley, with three nights in Nong Khiaw. It includes the 100 Waterfalls trail, a boat trip to Muang Ngoi, the Pak Ou Caves by Mekong boat and a final day of temples and Kuang Si Falls.
From US$1,030 per person for the whole tour, based on 2 travellers sharing double rooms in 4★ hotels as listed (couples travelling alone pay a little more). It changes with hotel level, season and group size, and is confirmed in your tailor-made quote.
| Day | Route and highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Luang Prabang | Luang Prabang |
| 2 | Into the Nam Ou valley: Nong Khiaw and Tham Pha Tok | Nong Khiaw |
| 3 | The 100 Waterfalls trail | Nong Khiaw |
| 4 | Boat to Muang Ngoi and village walks | Nong Khiaw |
| 5 | Pha Xomnang viewpoint and the Mekong to Pak Ou | Luang Prabang |
| 6 | Luang Prabang temples and Kuang Si Falls | Luang Prabang |
| 7 | Depart from Luang Prabang | — |
Private tour with your own English-speaking guide · 7 days / 6 nights · Luang Prabang – Nong Khiaw – 100 Waterfalls – Muang Ngoi – Pak Ou Caves – Luang Prabang
This Nong Khiaw private tour takes you north from Luang Prabang into the Nam Ou valley, where tall limestone cliffs drop straight into a jade-green river. You spend three nights in Nong Khiaw, a small town with one bridge, a handful of riverside cafes and a quiet morning mist that hangs over the water. From here your guide leads you on foot and by boat to places most visitors only see from a bus window.
The days are varied. One morning you visit the cave where villagers sheltered from heavy bombing in the 1960s and early 1970s, and a small community museum that tells their story. Another day you follow a jungle trail up the 100 Waterfalls, a chain of cascades you climb right through. Then you take a long-tail boat upriver to Muang Ngoi, a village with no road access, and walk out to Khmu and Tai Dam settlements.
On the way back you climb to the Pha Xomnang viewpoint for one last look over the karst, then drift down the Mekong to the Pak Ou Caves and arrive in Luang Prabang at sunset. A full day in the old town follows, with royal temples, Kuang Si Falls and the view from Mount Phousi.
Moderate. Days 3 to 5 include real walking: a few hours of trail and stream crossings at the 100 Waterfalls, about 30 minutes uphill to a cave near Muang Ngoi and a steep climb to the Pha Xomnang viewpoint. The drive from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw takes about three to four hours on a winding road. A good fit for active couples and families with children over 10.
Boutique comfort throughout: My Dream Boutique (Deluxe Pool View room) or similar in Luang Prabang, and Maison de Nong Khiaw (Nature Suite) or similar in Nong Khiaw, one of the nicest places to stay in the valley. Suites there are few, so early booking helps.
The best months are October to March, when skies are clear, trails are dry and mornings in the valley are cool and misty; December and January nights in Nong Khiaw can be chilly. March and April bring heat and haze from field burning. From June to September the waterfalls are at their fullest, but trails get muddy and some walks may be shortened.
Your guide and driver are yours alone for the whole trip, so the pace, the stops and the start time each morning follow you. The standard version has an English-speaking guide; guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese can be arranged on request.
More ideas: All private tours in Laos · Northern Laos by Train: Luang Prabang, Oudomxay and Luang Namtha in 7 Days · Luang Prabang and Southern Laos in 8 Days: Temples, Coffee Hills and River Islands · Luang Prabang and Vientiane in 6 Days: Two Capitals by Express Train
Photos: Ekrem Canli, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Ekrem Canli, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Your driver meets you at Luang Prabang airport and takes you to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours. Luang Prabang is one of the best-kept old towns in Southeast Asia, with gilded temples, French-era shophouses and quiet lanes between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Take an easy first walk along the riverbank, stop for a Lao coffee or browse the textile stalls of the night market. There is nothing scheduled, so you can rest after your flight.
Overnight: Luang Prabang
After breakfast, drive north through hill country to Nong Khiaw, about three to four hours with stops. The road follows the Nam Ou for the last stretch, and the limestone cliffs rise higher with every bend. In the afternoon, walk out to Tham Pha Tok, a cave in the cliffs where local families lived and hid during the bombing of the 1960s and early 1970s. Nearby, a small community museum in Ban Manda shows how villagers rebuilt their lives. The rest of the day is free to enjoy the river view from your room.
Overnight: Nong Khiaw · Meals: B
Start with a boat ride on the Nam Ou to a small riverside village, where your guide introduces daily life along the river. From here you walk through streams and rice paddies to the foot of the 100 Waterfalls. For the next few hours there is only water, forest and the sound of cascades as you climb up through the falls themselves, with inviting pools for a swim. Your guide prepares a simple local-style lunch on the falls. Return by a village trail with views over the valley, then take the boat back to Nong Khiaw.
Overnight: Nong Khiaw · Meals: B
After breakfast, board a long-tail boat upstream to Muang Ngoi, a riverside village that can only be reached by water. From here a 30-minute walk brings you to Tham Kang, another cave once used as a shelter by local people, set in lovely green surroundings. Continue on foot to Ban Huay Bo, home to Khmu and Tai Dam families, and stop for lunch in a village home. Walk on to Ban Na, a Tai Dam village of rice farmers, before returning to Muang Ngoi and cruising back down the Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw.
Overnight: Nong Khiaw · Meals: B
Rise early for the hike up to the Pha Xomnang viewpoint. The trail is mostly uphill, and at the top a wide panorama of karst mountains and valleys opens out below. Rest and take photos before walking back down to check out. Then drive to Ban Pak Ou and board a boat downstream on the Mekong. Stop at the Pak Ou Caves, two caverns in a cliff above the river filled with thousands of Buddha images, and at Ban Xang Hai, a village known for rice wine. Arrive in Luang Prabang as the sun sets over the river.
Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B
If you like, rise before dawn to watch the morning alms round, when saffron-robed monks walk the streets to receive sticky rice. After breakfast, visit the National Museum in the former Royal Palace, then Wat Sene and Wat Xieng Thong with its famous tree of life mosaic in colored glass. Drive out of town to Kuang Si Falls, where you can swim in turquoise pools or follow shaded forest paths. If you wish, stop at the Bear Rescue Centre near the falls. Back in town, climb Mount Phousi for sunset over the city.
Overnight: Luang Prabang · Meals: B
Enjoy a slow breakfast and a last stroll through the old town, perhaps for a coffee by the Mekong or a visit to a temple you missed. At the agreed time, your driver takes you to Luang Prabang airport for your flight home or to your next destination. There is no guide today, but your driver knows the way and the timing, so you can simply relax and enjoy the last views of the Mekong on the short ride to the airport.
Meals: B
You should be comfortable walking for a few hours on uneven trails. The 100 Waterfalls day involves stream crossings and wet rocks, and the Pha Xomnang viewpoint is a steady uphill climb. Your guide can shorten either walk, or swap it for a gentler boat trip on the Nam Ou.
Yes, it is one of our best northern Laos trips for families with children over 10. Boat rides, waterfall pools and village walks keep the days lively, and the small town of Nong Khiaw is easy to explore on foot in the evenings.
About three to four hours from Luang Prabang on a winding mountain road, with stops along the way. The return is split between a short drive to Ban Pak Ou and a scenic boat trip down the Mekong.
Yes. This is a private tour with your own English-speaking guide. We also arrange private guides who speak French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese or Vietnamese: tell us when you enquire and we confirm your guide in the quote. Book early for the December to April high season.
Nothing is payable until you approve your written quote. We then ask for a 30% deposit to confirm, and the balance 45 days before arrival, by bank transfer or card. Bank details come with your booking confirmation; always confirm them with us by phone or WhatsApp (+84 812 247 572) before any transfer.
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