Trekking

Guided and self-guided treks are possible at Hillside. Please check our offers below.

Self-guided walks


It is NOT common in Southeast Asia that you can go hiking without a guide. At Hillside Lodge, you can. We are proud to give you several options that we explored. Just walk out the doorstep, call for "Buddy!" our dog and tourguide and you will easily find your way. You won't get lost: We created our own hiking maps for you, and marked the tracks.


Ban Xien Muark is a nice farming village close to the resort. Its location with a cooler climate and spring water makes it a perfect place for traditional agriculture. This walk takes you to the village, some beautiful gardens and through the rice fields in the valley. You can also visit the local temple or a cave, and you can see a dam lake, the first dam in Laos built by French colonialists.

If you wish, we can arrange a school visit with the teachers in advance. Hillside Lodge supports this school with in-kind donations such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, books, pencils and other teaching or learning materials needed. Please do NOT give cash or sweets to the children. This would encourage them to beg, and sweets would harm their teeth. Your presence and interest will make them happy already.

  • Walking time: ~1.5 hours (round trip)
  • Level of difficulty: easy

Located only 1Km from the Hillside Lodge, Nahm Dong Park is 12 hectares of beautiful plants, lush greenery, exquisite flora and fauna and rushing waters. The area is spotted with cosy picnic places, some under straw huts, some in flower gardens. You could spend an entire day lounging, swimming, trekking and enjoying this natural preserve. Not only are you immersed with this beautiful greenery that is easy to navigate, but you are also in a self-sustaining destination. Nahm Dong park is developing programs on organic farming, conservation practices and sustainable development with local communities.

This place is the ultimate place for quality time. Many facilities to relax, a view point café, food and beverages and a quiz course for kids. For the ones in need of action, zip-lines, walking circuits and workshops (e.g. cooking classes) are available.

  • Walking time: 20min to get to the park entrance
  • Level of difficulty: easy

This short but steep walk through a bamboo forest leads you to a nice view point behind the lodge, recompensing you with views over Luang Prabang, the Mekong and mountains as far as the eye can reach.

  • Walking time: ~40 minutes (round trip)
  • Level of difficulty: medium

Tad Thong is a rainy season-only series of small waterfalls, in a shady old fairytale forest, a peaceful place with clear pools to cool off. You can also visit a village of ethnic minority (Khmu) and a view point to enjoy the views over the Mekong and Luang Prabang.

  • Walking time: ~3 hours round trip
  • Level of difficulty: low to medium

Option:
If you want to do this hike on your day of arrival and with a guide, you can book a 2-Days Package and get a pick you up in Luang Prabang that brings you and your luggage to the starting point. After the waterfall hike, you can continue walking to our lodge, and in the meantime your luggage will be brought to the lodge by car. (Extra costs as part of the package organized by Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures).

Our Different guided hikes and packages


We offer following guided hiking tours and packages.


Kuang Si waterfall is one of the main attractions around Luang Prabang that lies in proximity of our lodge. Opposed to the standard access for visitors at the bottom of the falls, you approach the falls from the top, which allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature and the falls without the mass of visiting tourists.

An impressive mass of water tumbles out of the dense forest into a turquoise lagoon that invites for a swim. Climbing further down, the cascades get more gentle, and you will meet more fellow travellers. As you walk out to the park entrance, you will come across the Asiatic Black Bear rescue centre, which houses a couple of dozen animals rescued from the hands of poachers and traffickers.

The Butterfly Park, 300m after the Kuang Si waterfall, was opened in 2014 as a breeding sanctuary for Laos' myriad butterflies. Open to travellers, you can wander the beautiful gardens, observe colourful butterflies, as well as having your feet nibbled by miniature fish at the foot spa. Great fun for kids.

A nice little café on the pound can finish the visit, for having a good coffee, delicious baguette in a beautiful surrounding.

  • Hiking time: ~3 hours
  • Transfer: 25 minutes by car to the starting point in a village of the Hmong minority group
  • Total round trip: 5-6 hours
  • Level of difficulty: medium
  • Accessibility: all year around

Price (with travel agency):

  • 1 person: 100 USD
  • 2 persons: 70 USD per person
  • 3-5 people: 50 USD per person
Includes:
  • all transfers by minivan,
  • local English speaking guide,
  • lunch box,
  • park entrance fees,

  • taxes

Please note:
This guided trek can only be operated by travel agencies with official guides. Unfortunately, we from the Hillside are not allowed to run the tour. We are happy to organize it for you.



Explore the hidden treasures around Luang Prabang on this wonderful tour through Lao nature, hidden waterfalls, jungle forests and remote ethnic Khamu & Hmong villages.

Day 01

Explore Waterfalls & Jungle, village visit, Hillside Lodge hideaway

This soft adventure tour starts in Luang Prabang were you meet & greet your guide in the morning at your hotel. You take a short TukTuk ride to the That Thong waterfall where you start the trek. Take your time to explore the forest and the rarely visited protected area with your guide on small trails, surrounded by the sound of nature. After an exciting uphill walk through cascading waterfalls and jungle trails you will meet locals in the Khamu village (ethnic minority). Take the chance to learn more about the rural life in this small Lao community. After the village visit, you take another short hike crossing a plateau, rice paddies and agricultural highland farming areas. Around noon or later you will arrive at the Hillside Lodge for lunch beside the pool or in the tropical garden. Enjoy the pool in the afternoon or take another short walk to the view point on the hill, where you can see the Mekong and Luang Prabang on a clear day. Dinner is served at the small restaurant or in the lush gardens.

  • Walking time: ~3 hours
  • Level of difficulty:low to medium
Day 02

Poolside hang out & unique Kuang Si Trek with the Bear Rescue Center

After a leisurely breakfast you will be picked up for a short ride through the valley to your start point of the today's hike. At a Hmong ethnic village you start the 3-hour walk to the famous Kuang Si river and waterfalls. Opposed to the standard access for visitors at the bottom of the falls, you approach the falls from the top, which allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature and the falls without the mass of visiting tourists. An impressive mass of water tumbles out of the dense forest into a turquoise lagoon that invites for a swim. Climbing further down, the cascades get more gentle, and you will meet more fellow travellers. As you walk out to the park entrance, you will come across the Asiatic Black Bear rescue centre, which houses a couple of dozen animals rescued from the hands of poachers and traffickers. A tuk tuk will bring you back to Luang Prabang in the late afternoon, or back to the Hillside Lodge.

  • Walking time: ~3 hours
  • Level of difficulty:medium

This tour is fully operated by Tiger Trail Outdoor Adventures. We at Hillside are happy to organise it for you

Price (with travel agency):

  • 2 people private: 130 USD per person
  • 3 to 5 people private: 100 USD per person
Included:
  • Local English speaking tour guide,
  • Picnic lunch on day 2,
  • All transportation in open tuk tuk (Surcharge for A/C minivan),
  • All taxes and permission,
  • Village community support fees,
  • Waterfall entrance fees
Not Included:
  • Accommodation (link to bungalow prices),
  • Lunch/dinner (except lunch on day 2 which is included),
  • Tips and personal expenses,
  • If you chose to come back to the Hillside Lodge after the hike on the second day, instead of returning to Luang Prabang, an additional 25 USD per vehicle applies.