We’re planning a 3-week trip to Laos, focusing solely on the north. Our main goal is to do two 4-day treks in two different areas of Northern Laos.
We land in Bangkok on December 12th and will head straight to Chiang Mai before crossing into northern Laos at Huay Xai. Our journey will start there, ending in Vientiane, with a stop in Luang Prabang and the surrounding area. We’ll then take a night train from Udon Thani on December 30th to catch our flight back in Bangkok.
Right now, we’re mainly looking for reliable contacts to organize our two treks. From what we’ve read so far, trekking options exist around Luang Namtha, Phongsali (if it’s not too cold during that period, since we’ll have our 3-year-old daughter with us), or near Muang Ngoi and Nong Khiaw, as we’ve seen there are possibilities in that area too.
If we can organize both treks with the same contact, that would be perfect.
We’d prefer to avoid big agencies with a high-street presence and instead work directly with a local who knows their stuff and can give us good advice. We want to combine stunning landscapes (we love hiking) with cultural encounters in local villages.
We’d love to hear your tips and experiences—maybe some areas are better than others, less crowded, or more challenging (though we’re keeping in mind our 3-year-old, who’s used to hiking but we don’t want to put her in any danger).
That’s the gist of our plans for now!
Looking forward to hearing from you, fellow travelers
In December, in northern Laos, you’ll find temperature swings of about 25–30°C between day and night almost everywhere, so pack some warm clothes from around 6 PM until the temperature starts to rise again around 8–9 AM.
end by heading down to Vientiane (...) and take a night train on December 30 from Udon Thani to catch a flight in Bangkok.
Unless you have a specific reason, there’s no need to go all the way down to Udon Thani for the train. You can now take the Rapid 134 to Bangkok, which leaves directly from Vientiane around 6:30 PM (from a new station, not the one where the Chinese trains to the north depart, as the track gauges are different).
Laos: a country close to my heart (5 trips). My last month-long stay was mainly in the north, starting from Luang Prabang, the Plain of Jars, and the Nam Ou River journey (treks with the Akhas Loma and other ethnic groups), heading north and then back down via Luang Namtha and Muang Sing from Houay Xai, and descending the Mekong to L.P. for the return.
Our guide was Mr. Vong (nickname).
Full name: Mr. Chanthavong Kaopraseuth / WhatsApp +856 20 55571033
He specializes in the north, is resilient, knows the ethnic groups well, their customs, the habits of each province, and especially many villages from experience. He lives with his family in Luang Prabang.
He seems like the best fit for your request in the north.
Have a great trip with your family!
Eric
Oh, thank you so much! There’s unfortunately little feedback in the discussions about Laos, so your reply is really valuable. A big thank you, Eric.
I’ll keep you posted on how things go, and I’ve noted your route. We don’t have the luck of landing directly in Luang Prabang as planned—flight tickets are exorbitant. To cut the cost in half or more, we had no choice but to arrive and depart from Bangkok, so we’ll lose a bit of time, but no big deal, we’ll make it work.
5 Voyages, Laos must be incredible—there are countries like that you just can’t get enough of.
I love INDIA, but for this trip, we wanted a ZEN country, very ZEN. We’ve already been to Thailand, but personally, I didn’t like it—well, at least because we only did the south!!! And Laos has always appealed to me for its less touristy vibe.
Oh, thanks for your reply! The guidebook I bought isn’t up to date at all, even though I just got it!! It doesn’t even mention the new train line. That’s great news there’s a direct train line. Maybe that’ll let us skip going up through Chiang Mai—we’ll see.
Where can I find info on this train and trains in Laos in general? I read that I should book in advance. Are they sleeper trains?
Do you know if there’s also a train that goes up to Luang Prabang?
We really want to focus on the north since Laos is so big—we can’t do it all anyway. But is the Vang Vieng area between Vientiane and Luang Prabang worth lingering in, or should we save it for a future trip?
We have no idea about travel times, and we really want to take our time, even if it means seeing less. It fits with the country’s vibe!! Speed in a calm country just doesn’t mix!!! LOL
About the temperature—thanks for the info. Is it cold around Luang Namtha too?
Thanks so much, Thierry—your feedback is super helpful!
he doesn’t even mention the new train line. it’s great news that this direct train line exists.
Actually, it’s not a new line—it’s just the classic line (which already originated in Nong Khai, along the border, not U.Thani) that’s been extended to Vientiane.
maybe this will let us avoid going up through Chiang Mai, we’ll see.
That said, you can also reach the far north of Laos (Luang Nam Tha, etc.) by going through Chiang Rai (a bit faster than via Chiang Mai), Chiang Khong, and Huay Xai. For example, if you don’t want to take the same route there and back, but it’s definitely much faster now to go Bangkok-Vientiane and then Vientiane-northern Laos by train.
For info:
- Muang Xai station = Udomxai
- Na Teuy station allows access to Luang Nam Tha, about 30 km away, with transport arranged between the two.
- If nothing’s changed, you can’t book these Chinese trains directly from abroad without going through an online Lao agency.
- Everyone is searched before boarding the train, and they’re even more thorough than for a flight.
Are these sleeper trains?
(...) Is there also a train that goes up to Luang Prabang?
No.
Yes.
See the last link I posted.
is the Vang Vieng area (...) worth spending time in?
Yes, 2-3 nights if you have the time. But if you’re ambitious for Luang Prabang* and everything further north, it might be more reasonable to skip Vang Vieng to save time.
* Lovely and fascinating Luang Prabang and its nearby areas deserve at least 5 nights.
For the temperature, thanks for the info—is it also cold around Luang Namtha at that time?
We’re planning a 3-week trip to Laos, focusing solely on the North. We want to base our stay around two 4-day treks in two different areas of Northern Laos.
Hi there,
About 7 or 8 years ago, my wife and I went to Phongsaly by plane from Vientiane.
(We took the overnight train from Bangkok to Vientiane.) Once there, in Phongsaly, there was only one agency (which should still exist) that organized small treks lasting 2 to 5 days.
We went for 4 days: first, we took a pirogue up the Nam Ou River from Hatsa, then started the trek toward Akha Eupa villages. It was an interesting experience if you don’t mind basic hygiene and spartan comfort. With kids, it’s doable if they’re used to this kind of adventure.
After that, we descended the Nam Ou River by pirogue over 2 days, stopping in several villages, including Nong Kiaw and Muang Ngoi Neua (the ones I remember). From there, you can do day hikes without a guide. These two villages are great for a short stay and local walks, but they’re much less "wild" than the Phongsaly region.
We ended our trip in Luang Prabang.
Return flight from Luang Prabang to Bangkok.
Thanks for your feedback.
I got in touch with Thierry’s guide—I’ll see how it goes. We’ll probably go for just one week-long trek so we can take breaks with our daughter and leave time to explore another area.
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Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
Je pars en autonomie totale sur un trek au Maroc (10jrs) Imilchil - Aghbalou.
Trouve t-on des cartouches gaz à vis (Coleman, Primus) à Marrakech (adresse) ou villages entre Imilchil - Aghbalou ?
Si non , trouve-t-on des cartouches Butagaz pour camping-gaz (petit volume 230 gr ...)
Merci d' avance pour vos réponses
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
Jaimerais savoir si quelqu'un aurait fait des treks sur le Ruwenzori et combien ça coute en moyenne, les infrastructures, les paysages la sécurité sur les lieux, merci beaucoup. J'attends avec impatience vos réponses.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Bonjour
Souhaitant faire de la randonnée sur cette île, je voudrais d'abord savoir quelle serait la période la plus favorable sachant que j'avais passé quelques jours en novembre 2018 pas pour cette activité mais plus pour une simple découverte de l'île et le temps n'était pas top notamment en montagne. Donc peut on choisir une organisation en étoile sachant que je louerai un véhicule avec éventuellement 2 points d'hébergement.
Je n'envisage pas d'intégrer une structure mais de partir à 2 et de s'organiser sauf si vous me conseillez une agence locale ou un guide local. Enfin même si je compte me procurer les différents supports, carte et topo guide plus gps je vous remercie de bien vouloir me communiquer les randos à faire en priorité
Merci beaucoup pour vos informations
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
I’m traveling solo by plane to Catania in May and plan to hike the northern side of Etna, starting from Linguaglossa where I’ll arrive by bus. After that, I’d love some info on how to get up to Piano Provenzana (shuttles or hitchhiking), since it seems there’s no public transport except in the summer. Can you sleep there in a free or cheap refuge, or camp? And how far up can you go without having to hire a guide? Thanks in advance. Bernard.
Bonjour a tous,
je pars en voyage au Maroc en aout et nous allons commencer par nous arrêter a Chefchaouen(nous sommes en voiture).
Ma question: quelqu'un peut il m'indiquer un itinéraire de rando en boucle d'entre 5 et 7 jours aux départ de Chefchaouen dans le parc de Talassemtane passant si possible par le pont de dieux?Ou un guide papier qui en reunis quelques uns?
Nous privilégions le camping sauvage et les gites.
Merci d'avance
Hi there, for those who’ve been recently—is it possible to find other solo travelers in March on the island to share transport or room costs? It doesn’t seem easy to travel on a budget.
If you have any recommendations for simple lodgings or places with dorms, I’d love to hear them.
For those who’ve done multi-day treks while moving around: do you need to bring your own sleeping bag? I’d love to hear about itineraries you’ve done without a guide, just with a map and GPS.
Thanks, and have a great day!
Hi everyone!
We’re planning a 15-day road trip to Scotland this summer, specifically to explore and hike on Lewis and Harris—places we’ve never been before. We’ve visited other islands on previous road trips in Scotland (we usually go in April for a week). This would be our first time in Scotland in the summer and for 15 days. We’re looking at late August to early September.
I’m currently drafting the itinerary. We’d be crossing from Ullapool and were thinking of spending 3 nights on Harris and 4 nights on Lewis.
Does that sound balanced to you? Is it better to keep the same accommodation on Harris and the same on Lewis to explore the area? I’d love to hear about any past experiences you’ve had on these islands.
Thanks!
Hi there, I’m trying to leave for 15 days very soon to São Vicente. I’m either looking to join an agency or figure things out on my own to go hiking on one of these islands or both. From what I’ve seen, it’s not easy to organize with local transport, so it gets expensive. Can I use the services of a small local agency? I’m looking for the simplest way to hike for several days. Also, how do you get from São Vicente to São Nicolau? Thanks in advance and have a great day!
Aichatou
I’ve been wanting to do this for several years, and this year’s the one. Next September, I’ll be trekking in Tusheti (Georgia), from Omalo to Shatili.
Of course, I won’t be renting a vehicle that’d just sit unused. No problem getting to Pshaveli, but from there to Omalo, it’s a dirt road (still the case?)
There must be some form of public transport since there are so many guesthouses, and not all travelers come in a 4x4.
If any of you have been to Omalo, could you confirm that these shared transports exist and how often they run?
we’re planning a trip to Yellowstone and hoping to do a three-day backcountry hike if we get a permit.
if any of you have done this before, could you let me know if it’s possible to find water along the way? And if we can transport it, are we allowed to use a stove?
Hello,
I’ll be in Nepal from March 6th to 29th (we’re flying into Kathmandu via Varanasi and leaving via Delhi).
I’m a bit confused about the regulations requiring a guide.
My wife and I (we’re 63 and 64) aren’t experienced trekkers—we’re more used to walking on terrain with very moderate elevation changes. I’m looking for fairly easy hikes, possibly day trips.
Here are my questions:
- Does the Poon Hill trek from Pokhara require a guide, or is it better to go through a local agency? (I’ve seen a lot of them offering 4-day packages)
- I’d like to do a few multi-day hikes around Jomsom (Kagbeni, Mukitinath, Lupra, Marpha)... Do you need a guide for those, and can you find accommodations easily without booking in advance?
Last question—I’m really hesitant to lug around a sleeping bag or down jacket during our 6 weeks in India. Can you easily find these kinds of items at reasonable prices in Pokhara?
Thanks in advance for any tips you can share!
Yann
I’m a 56-year-old man who’s done several treks in Nepal and elsewhere. Also passionate about photography.
I’m looking for one or more people to form a group for a trek in Nepal. The trek is the Annapurna and Manaslu circuit (24 days), including a stop at Tilicho Lake. I’ve got a great itinerary and the local company seems solid. The price is around $1600.
I’ll be in Nepal from April 5 to May 12, 2026, so the trek would need to happen within those dates.
