Low water season, February to July:

You’ll meet your guide in Luang Prabang to take a drive north along the Mekong and Nam Ou Rivers to a riverside village called Ban Pha Teung, where you’ll have an equipment and safety briefing before your group begins kayaking on the beautiful Nam Ou. You’ll be immersed in nature as you paddle down the largest local tributary of the Mekong, past huge limestone cliffs jutting from the water. Stop anywhere along the way to take pictures or just relax on the riverbank and swim.

At the confluence of the Nam Ou and Mekong Rivers we’ll stop for lunch at a riverside restaurant with a great view of jungle, limestone cliffs and the Pak Ou Cave. After lunch, we’ll kayak across the Mekong River to the Pak Ou Cave to explore this holy Buddhist site adorned with thousands of sculptures. There are two caves, an upper and lower separated by a long series of stairs, and you’ll have time to explore them both.

Then we’ll continue kayaking, this time down the Mekong river itself, to the village called Ban Xang Hai. This is a popular site to explore local handicrafts and to sample locally made Lao Lao rice whiskey. We’ll take a car here for our return drive to Luang Prabang City by late afternoon.

Kayaking covers 20 km (13 mi) and is easy and scenic during the dry season.

High water season, August to January:

This tour is available during the low water season only as currents on the Mekong River can be too strong.  Conditions vary yearly, check with your Tiger Trail sales staff for availability.