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Luang Namtha Mountain Bike Tours
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Luang Namtha Mountain Bikes Tours are operated by the The Boat Landing Guest House based on the principles of community-based tourism following the model of the Nam Ha Ecotourism Project. In addition to fees, permits and purchases in the participating villages 10% of tour profits go to a village development fund.
A local English-speaking guide trained in the principles of ecotourism by the Nam Ha Ecotourism Project leads each tour. Being local guides there are the best ones to give you insight into the local lifestyle and culture. Our mountain bikes are 1st class professional equipment
Tour 1 - Luang Namtha Valley Day Tour
Tour 2 - Ban Nam Yang Day Tour
Tour 3 - Muang Sing Tour 1- 4 days
Tour 4 - Muang Nalè Tour 2-4 days
Do-it-yourself Tours
Tour 1 - Luang Namtha Valley Tour
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Cost: $12/ person ( min. 2 pers)
Duration: 6 hours
Departure: 9:00 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House.
Level: moderate, no large gains in elevation
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This is a 32 km tour around the Luang Namtha Valley. This tour includes visits to Black Tai, Tai Leu, Lao Bit and Lanten ethnic villages. You will see silk production and silk weaving with natural dyes, a Lao alcohol distillery, mountain vistas, and a visit to a waterfall as well as introduction to the local ethnic cultures. Lunch will include local village food prepared by Tai Leu villagers.
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Tour 2 - Ban Nam Yang Tour
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Cost: $15/ person ( min. 2 pers)
Duration: 7 hours
Departure: 9:00 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House.
Level: off-road, lots of uphill, 500+ meters gain in elevation
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This one-day tour into the Nam Ha NPA winds forest and upland fields. This tour has broad open vistas of the area mountains and Luang Namtha Valley. Along the way you may encounter villagers collecting forest products, tending livestock or working on their upland fields. Before returning to the valley, the tour visits an Ahka village at the highest point of the tour. This tour also includes a stop at That Poum Pouk Luang Namtha's ancient and newest stupa. Includes a packed lunch from the Boat Landing Guest House.
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Tour 3a One day Muang Sing Tour
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Cost $21/person (4 - 9 persons or min. $84 if less than 4 pers)
Duration: 6 - 9 hours
Support Vehicle Included
Departure: 8:30 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House
Level: moderate, 1000+ gain in elevation, endurance required, route goes along main road
This tour offers and alternative way to Muang Sing, the former outpost of the French Empire. Peddle to Muang Sing along a road with gradual elevation gain. On the way you will see mountain streams, forest, ethnic Hmong, Lanten, Khmu, Akha, Tai Leu and Black Tai villages. From the Kiew Lom Pass a quick descent into the Muang Sing Valley where the road will open to broad vistas of mountains and expanses of paddy. Tour includes a picnic lunch of local food as well as luggage transport. Support vehicle included.
Tour 3b Two or three day Muang Sing Tour
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Cost $47 (4 - 9 persons or min. $188 if less than 4 pers)
Duration: 2 or 3 days
Support Vehicle Included
Departure: 8:30 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House
Level: moderate, 1000+ gain in elevation, endurance required, route goes along main road
This is an extension of the 1-day tour. On this tour you can choose to tour the Muang Sing Valley visiting That Xieng Dueng, a Tai Leu stupa, Tai Leu, Ahka, Io Mien and Hmong Ethnic villages. It is also possible to peddle to the Chinese Frontier. In Muang Sing you can visit the bustling town market in the morning, learn about the history of Muang Sing at the visitors center and see the former French fort. You have the choice to peddle back to Luang Namtha on the third day. On the return it is hard peddling up hill for two hours and then a long coast before finally reaching the Luang Namtha Valley. Tour includes food and accommodation (Stupa Mountain Lodge) as well as luggage transport. Support vehicle included.
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Tour 4a Two Day Muang Nalè Tour
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Cost $43 (4 - 9 persons or min. $172 if less than 4 pers)
Duration: 2 days
Support Vehicle Included
Departure: 8:30 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House
Level: moderate, some elevation loss, endurance required, route follows dirt road
This an overnight trip to Muang Nalè along the Namtha River. This tour follows the at times rugged Namtha River road through Black Tai, Lanten, Khmu Rok and Tai Leu ethnic villages. You will be able to see silk weaving in the Black Tai villages and paper making during the cold season in the Lanten villages. The road skirts the edge of the Nam Ha Protected Area, which you will be able to see from the opposite bank. If the timing is right you may see the monthly traders rendezvous in Ban Nam Jaleng. The tour overnights in Ban Naleng, a Khmu Rok ethnic village, where you will dine on local village fare. 5 meals and 2 nights' lodging are provided with the tour as well as the transport of luggage to Muang Nalè. Support vehicle included . The tour terminates in Muang Nalè from which you have the choice to return to Luang Namtha by boat or bus or to continue onto Luang Prabang or Houeisai by boat. Onward transportation not included in price of the tour.
Tour 4b Three Nalè Tour
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Cost $28/person/day (4 - 8 persons or min. $112/day if less than 4 pers)
Duration: 4 days
Support Vehicle Included
Departure: 8:30 AM from the Boat Landing Guest House
Level: moderate, some elevation loss, endurance required, route follow dirt road
This is an extension of the tour above. The three-day tour includes transport by boat back to Namtha with riverside village stops and forest excursions. On the four-day tour you peddle the bikes to Luang Namtha. Overnight stop can be in the same or different village. Support Vehicle provided..
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Mountain Biking Information for the do-it-yourselfer
Luang Namtha has mountain biking to die for - but no one knows about it! Now is the time to get out there and explore it all before it is discovered. Presently the only place to rent top quality mountain bikes is at the Boat Landing. There are few shops is town with low quality mountain bikes. It is strictly for those who bring their own bikes.
There are several roads and trails in Muang Sing, Muang Long and Muang Luang Namtha which are ideal for mountain biking:
Muang Luang Namtha (see tourist map)
If you turn right on the road past the airport and continue straight on, you will plunge right into the Nam Ha NPA. Eventually the road will dead end at the Ahka village of Ban Nam Yang.
If you'd like river views then take the 60 km road from Luang Namtha to Muang Nalae. This road can be accessed from the boat landing or from Ban Babouak on the road to Udomsai.
Muang Sing (see Muang Sing Tourist Map)
Muang Sing to Sop La ~75km
Muang Sing to Ban Sai ~ 50 km
Muang Sing to Xieng Keng ~ 50km
The Xieng Keng road branches at Ban Chak Keun and takes you to the Sop Loi Sub-district of Muang Long. It connects with the Muang Long to Ban Chak Kham Leu track.
Muang Long
The town of Muang Long is 42 km from Muang Sing on the road to Xieng Kok, which is 70 km from Muang Sing.
In Muang Long there are three roads of interest.
Long River Waterfall road. This road heads generally south from the town. It is easily seen as it descends the mountain and joins the main road near the Drug Supply and Demand Reduction Project compound. This road is presently under construction. It will eventually reach all the way to Muang Vieng Phouka making it possible to travel direct from Houeisai to Muang Long. At the moment the main goal of the builders is for the road to reach the waterfalls on the Long River.
Muang Long to Ban Chak Kham Leu. This road is easily seen from Muang Long as it ascends the mountain to the north of Muang Long on the other side of the river. There is a rough road from Muang Long to Ban Jamai. The road is under construction from Ban Jamai to where it meets the road coming from Ban Chak Keun ( see Muang Sing above)
Half way between Muang Long and Xieng Kok at Ban Somphammai is a road which climbs the mountain to the left. This road will take you to the Akha villages of Ban Somphanyao, Ban Tasoummai and Ban Muang Khan before descending to Xieng Kok Gao. This road is also under construction.
Copyright © 1999-2005 The Boat Landing Guest House and Restaurant. All rights reserved.
Revised: December 05, 2006 .