Up the Nam Ou: Dien Bien to Luang Prabang, 4 Days
I. Tour introduction
DIEN BIEN – LUANG PRABANG 4 days 3 nights
EXPLORING THE NAM OU RIVER
4 days 3 nights
Dien Bien – Tay Trang – Muang Khua, 100km
Dien Bien shares 414.712 km of border with Laos, through the two international crossings of Tay Trang and Huoi Puoc, and faces the Lao provinces of Phongsaly and Luang Prabang. The old royal capital of Luang Prabang lies less than 400 km from Dien Bien Phu city — closer than the road from Dien Bien back to Hanoi.
HGE runs this exploration of northern Laos starting and finishing in Dien Bien Phu city. Over 4 days and 3 nights it takes you into Luang Prabang province and along the beautiful Nam Ou, with gorges several hundred metres deep, then brings you back to Dien Bien on an off-road route through the Huoi Puoc border gate. It is a journey into wild mountain country and into the culture of our Lao neighbours.
When we land at the airport, everything has been made ready by HGE. We gear up and ride to a restaurant in town for lunch. At 13:00 we set off for the Tay Trang border gate and complete the exit formalities for both people and vehicles. The afternoon is spent exploring the lovely villages of the Lao ethnic groups.
II. Tour highlights
- Meals: lunch, dinner
- Accommodation: Chalern Souk Hotel 3***
III. Tour at a glance
| Duration | 4 days 3 nights |
|---|
IV. Itinerary summary
| Day | From | To | Distance (km) | Riding time (h) | Meals | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Muang Khua | Nam Ou – Muang Ngoi, by boat | 5h | lunch, dinner | Phetdavanh Guesthouse 3*** | |
| 3 | Muang Ngoi | Nong Khiaw – Vang Xieng | 120km | breakfast, lunch, dinner | Keovandy Guesthouse | |
| 4 | Vang Xieng | Huoi Puoc – Dien Bien | 130km | breakfast, lunch |
V. Detailed itinerary
Day 2Muang Khua – Nam Ou – Muang Ngoi, by boat [5h]
This morning we board a boat to explore the beautiful Nam Ou, a river nature has been generous with. Along the way we stop at several ethnic minority villages on both banks.
We picnic on board before transferring around the hydropower dam by tuk-tuk and entering a landscape of massive, layered mountains, where the river is squeezed between vertical cliffs several hundred metres high. The boat stops at the lovely Kho Mu village of Muang Ngoi; after checking in we climb the hill together to watch the sun set over the Nam Ou.
If you are travelling by car, the guide/driver buys the tickets, arranges matters with the boat operator and meets you at the pier at 09:30. The guide (who is also the driver) then has to continue by road — 250 km — to reach Muang Ngoi in time to lead the afternoon climb.
Day 3Muang Ngoi – Nong Khiaw – Vang Xieng [120km]
After breakfast we take on a challenging 20 km forest track along the Nam Ou to reach beautiful Muang Ngoi, watching white clouds drift in the early morning mist.
Nong Khiaw is a famous stop that international adventure travellers to Laos never miss: high mountains rising along the Nam Ou make a landscape like an ink-wash painting.
The area also has trekking routes up to the summits with a full view over the mountains and forest. We choose one and give it about 2.5 hours there and back.
After coming down, resting and having lunch beside the Nam Ou, we set off on the newly opened route through the Huoi Puoc border gate. Some 50 km of it is demanding off-road riding, repaid by the wonderful feeling of exploring one of the wildest parts of Laos.
Vang Xieng is a very small and very pretty Lao town on the Nam Xoang, where we stop for the night.
Day 4Vang Xieng – Huoi Puoc – Dien Bien [130km]
After breakfast we head for the Huoi Puoc border gate, complete the entry formalities back into Vietnam and return to Dien Bien. On the way we stop at Na Lay village to visit the family of a veteran of the Dien Bien Phu campaign and listen to him tell the story of his life and of the years of fighting against the French.
The route then takes us to a Lao Noi village on the Nam Ngam, to see how the Lao of Dien Bien differ from those across the border. The village still keeps the traditional craft of brocade weaving and the distinctive customs of the Lao people.
After lunch and a rest beside the Nam Ngam, we set off back to Dien Bien.
End of the tour
VI. Tour prices
Motorbike – self-ride, 1 rider per bike
| Vehicle / type of participation | 5–6 | 7–8 | 9–10 | 11–12 | 13–15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125cc semi-automatic | — | — | — | — | — |
| Win 135cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda Winner 150cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 150cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda 230-250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CB 500X (small adv) | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 450cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 525cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto/Voge 800cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW F800 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1200 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1250 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1300 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| ChiangJiang Sidecar 750cc | — | — | — | — | — |
Motorbike – 2 people sharing one bike
| Vehicle / type of participation | 5–6 | 7–8 | 9–10 | 11–12 | 13–15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125cc semi-automatic | — | — | — | — | — |
| Win 135cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda Winner 150cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 150cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda 230-250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CB 500X (small adv) | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 450cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 525cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto/Voge 800cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW F800 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1200 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1250 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1300 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| ChiangJiang Sidecar 750cc | — | — | — | — | — |
Motorbike – riding pillion with our rider
| Vehicle / type of participation | 5–6 | 7–8 | 9–10 | 11–12 | 13–15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125cc semi-automatic | — | — | — | — | — |
| Win 135cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda Winner 150cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 150cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda 230-250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CRF 250cc (enduro) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Honda CB 500X (small adv) | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 450cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto 525cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| CFMoto/Voge 800cc | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW F800 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1200 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1250 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| BMW R1300 GS | — | — | — | — | — |
| ChiangJiang Sidecar 750cc | — | — | — | — | — |
Self-drive car tour prices
| Vehicle / type of participation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 seater | — | — | — | — |
| UAZ | — | — | — | — |
| Jeep | — | — | — | — |
| Fortuner/Everest | — | — | — | — |
| Toyota Rav 4 | — | — | — | — |
| Tank 300 | — | — | — | — |
Car tour prices with driver
| Vehicle / type of participation | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 seater | — | — | — | — |
| UAZ | — | — | — | — |
| Jeep | — | — | — | — |
| Fortuner/Everest | — | — | — | — |
| Toyota Rav 4 | — | — | — | — |
| Tank 300 | — | — | — | — |
Children under 5 travel free; from 5 to under 12 the tour is charged at 75% of the adult price; from 12 years old the adult price applies.
A maximum of one child discount applies per two adults.
The tour price depends on the number of participants — the larger the group, the lower the price.
The tour price also depends on the vehicle and on how you travel (which car, which motorbike, whether you ride yourself or travel as a pillion passenger).
Tours run with a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 15 participants.
VII. The price includes
- Airport pick-up and drop-off at Dien Bien Phu, with a vehicle accompanying the group for the whole journey,
- Vietnam–Laos cross-border transport permit, formalities, exit and entry fees and customs clearance for the vehicles,
- Insurance for both vehicles and people,
- The vehicle selected in the price table above,
- For car groups, the driver has to cover an extra 250 km from Muang Khua to Muang Ngoi (7-seater) or to Nong Khiaw (16-seater),
- If the group travels in a 16-seater, the following morning it continues for 30 minutes by boat on the Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw,
- A driver who specialises in mountain routes, knows the terrain well, and is courteous, professional and helpful,
- A guide for the whole journey,
- Meals as per the programme: 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 3 dinners,
- 3-star hotels and the guesthouse in Vang Xieng, 2 people per room (a third person added for odd numbers),
- The boat trip down the Nam Ou, 4–5 hours, plus the 30 minutes on day 3 for groups travelling in a 16-seater,
- 1.5 L of water and a cool towel per day on board (for car trips),
- Travel insurance,
VIII. The price does not include
- VAT,
- Optional services such as entrance tickets, cultural performances and herbal baths… (you are free to choose; if you visit a site or use a service you pay for it directly on the spot)
- Other drinks, anything not listed under “Price includes”, costs arising during the trip, air tickets, personal expenses… and tips for the guide and driver.
- PLEASE NOTE!
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 more months (counted to the last day of the tour)
- Children aged 14 and over travelling with their parents need their own passport; under 14 they may be included in a parent’s passport.
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