The 8 Best Nong Khiaw Tours & River Trips

1.Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw: River Cruise, Hike & Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 53 reviews · 1 day · from $55Our pick

Travel from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw by private van and boat with an English-speaking guide such as Nouan. Cruise the Nam Ou, eat a boxed Lao lunch, visit Sop Keng, then hike to a seasonal waterfall before arriving near your Nong Khiaw hotel at sunset.

“The boat ride to Nong Khiaw was beautiful and comfortable. The van ride to the river boat was incredibly bumpy - if you struggle with car sickness this may be an issue for you. The hike to the waterfall was enjoyable and not difficult. We were led by a local guide (in addition to our main tour guide) - and unexpectedly had to pay an additional $100,000 kip to the guide split between the group, so bring small cash. If you are vegetarian or vegan, note that the meal option is just the side dishes of the meat-based meal (we were served rice, a cabbage stir fry, tofu salad, and…”

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2.Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang, Mekong & Nam Ou River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 33 reviews · 1 day · from $55

Travel from Nong Khiaw to Luang Prabang by river, van, and boat instead of spending the day on the road. Guide Nouan leads the morning Nam Ou cruise, followed by lunch at Manifa Elephant Camp, Pak Ou Caves, Ban Xang Hai, and a sunset Mekong ride. Kayaking to the caves is available at no extra cost for at least two participants.

“la première partie du trajet comme à l allée on est trop nombreux pas assez de place et pas de gilets. sinon le reste très bien”

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3.Muang Ngoi, View Point, Water Fall and Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 26 reviews · 8 hours · from $35

Spend eight hours traveling from Nong Khiaw by boat to Muang Ngoi, climbing to Phanoi Viewpoint, visiting a history cave and weaving village, trekking to Tad Mok Waterfall, and kayaking back at sunset. The day is active, scenic, and best for fit swimmers.

“Sehr schöner und abwechslungsreicher Tagensausflug. Der Guide hat viel erzählen hat viel erklären können. Jederzeit wieder :)”

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4.2-Day Trekking,Hmong village,Home Stay&Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 17 reviews · 2 days · from $80

Spend two days trekking from Nong Khiaw through Lao, Khmu, and Hmong villages with guide Bick, sleep in a village home, make bamboo crafts, visit a cave and viewpoint, swim at Tad Mork Waterfall, and kayak down the Nam Ou River. Expect a moderate to challenging trek and simple local accommodation.

“It was such a wonderful experience, our guide Bick made it even better! We had two full days of exploration and I’ve learned more than on my two weeks trip in Laos. Bick showed us so many new things, he was always cheerful and easygoing. I can’t recommend enough as this trip has all the best experience you can have in Nong Khiaw. I would totally do it again, thank you very much for these wonderful memories ❤️🙏”

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5.100 Waterfalls, Nam Ou & Khmu Village Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 13 reviews · 7 hours · from $35

Spend seven hours from Nong Khiaw cruising the Nam Ou, visiting a riverside Lao village, hiking up stream-fed cascades, swimming, and eating lunch beside the 100 Waterfalls. English-speaking guides such as Cam, Thongsy, Kham, and Bik have led recent departures, though the cave visit can be affected by closures.

“Commencer avec 1h de retard, la soit disant visite du village n’a pas été faite, on a juste attendu le bateau sur des chaises dans le village, aucune explication ou visite. Ensuite la visite de la grotte était inexistante, on demande quand on va visiter cette grotte et ils nous disent que la grotte est fermée pour travaux. Or, personne ne nous en a informé et on a payé pour. Au final ils nous on remboursé 100 000 kips alors qu’on a payé 60€ d’excursion pour que la moitié des choses proposées ne soit pas faite. On ne recommande PAS.”

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6.Overnight Camping At nong khiaw view point, 360 view

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 12 reviews · from $35

Hike from Nong Khiaw at 2 PM through bamboo and jungle to a 360-degree viewpoint. Guide Ming and the local team provide tents, sleeping bags, dinner, and water. Expect steep paths, a possible scramble near the summit, sunset, sunrise, and an early descent.

“Guide was nice and another group joined st the top which was fun. All went ahead despite the weather which was good! Food was good!”

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7.Nong Khiaw 3-Day Trekking & camping, Homstay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 9 reviews · 2.5 days · from $180Top rated

Travel from Luang Prabang to Nong Khiaw for a demanding 2.5-day trek through jungle, villages, and mountain scenery. You’ll camp at a viewpoint, sleep in a weaving village homestay, visit Muang Ngoi, swim at Tad Mork Waterfall, and kayak along the Nam Ou River. English guiding and meals are included.

“Incroyable treck marche jungle rizières le guide super simpa faite le! juste avoir un bon état physique mais vous allez voir des chose incroyable”

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8.Nong khiaw, 1Day Muang Ngoy Waterfall, Local Village and Kayaking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $30Best value

Spend eight hours moving through northern Laos by boat, foot, and kayak. From Nong Khiaw, you reach Muang Ngoy, visit History Cave and Phanoi Viewpoint, walk through farms and terrace fields to Tad Mok Waterfall, then kayak back toward Nong Khiaw as the sun goes down.

“We asked the owner of Nong khiaw nature tours tours for help to apply for a Vietnamese visum when we walked past his company.”

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