The natural beauty of Laos, including lush tropical rainforests and stunning waterfalls, is one of the main reasons for millions of tourists going to this mountainous landlocked country every year. Best ways to explore that wonderful nature and really experience its immense beauty is biking, trekking, driving motorbike.... Northern areas like Luang Nam Tha,Phongsali and Muang Khua are among the most famous. Those seeking a truly unique experience should take a look at the Gibbon Experience in the northern town of HuayXai in Bokeo province – bordering with Thailand. Although you can experience activities like that in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and many others countries, but Laos with unique beauty of rain forest is still one of the best choice.
Its mission
The Gibbon Experience project was born in 2004, focusing on preserving the jungle surrounding HuayXai- Bokeo Nature Reserve wilderness - from the pressures of poaching, slash and burn agriculture and logging. This is Laos' most primal forest, home to tigers, clouded leopards, black bears and the black-crested gibbon.
This is largely accomplished through the money collected from tourists who participating in the jungle. A lot of options are available for tourist to choose, such as overnight stays in tree houses and zip lining, which combine to provide a fantastic perspective on the jungle through which you are trekking.
Our advice
There have been many mixed reports regarding the Gibbon Experience over the years, with many of the negative reports set against a backdrop of how expensive this activity is. There is only one choice for this kind of adventure in Laos, so you can do nothing with prices even when you are walk-in tourists or travel agents.
Our advice is to completely forget the cost if you join in this experience as against this backdrop, you will find fault. Our other advice is to go into this experience with a positive mind-set, as out there in the forest there aremany things to knock you down a peg, especially in rainy season with difficulties of muddy conditions and bugs. Bring a good pair of hiking boots and long socks to deter the ever-persistent leeches.
That said, this is a chance for those who want tofight a mental (and perhaps physical) battle the whole way.
Products
There are three programs available from March 2015: The Classic Gibbon Experience, The Waterfall Gibbon Experience and Gibbon Express.
The Classic Gibbon Experience– 3 days 2 nights programme - is as easy as you want it to be. However, you still should be fit and healthy enough for the best experience of the zip-lining and hiking for day long. You will have the same tree house for 2 nights. Gibbon sightings of this program is the best.
The Waterfall Gibbon Experience is also a 3-day 2-night program. You will go deeper into the park - more hiking - and you will have relaxing moments while swimming in a very cool waterfall/swimming hole. You need to be in quite good shape.
Accommodation is located in unique area - tree-houses - that are spaced sufficiently far from each other so that you will feeltotally alone in the jungle. Each tree house can accommodate 8 people, some can only accommodate 2. Its height is 40m above the ground in average with stunning view to the nature. You should be prepared for the rats and spiders on the ceilings. You will have delicious meals with well-cooked dishes while coffee, tea, hot chocolate and various additional snacks are available in each tree-house.
Gibbon Express, a 2 days 1 night program is for people who don’t have much time. You need an hour by road and a two-hour hike to get to this area. The highlight is possibly the largest living tree in Laos. However, your chance of seeing gibbons is low.
All those programs are very challenging in wet season. You better should prepare in mind about mud, leeches and slippery trails.
