Hike through coffee plantations in the Bolaven Plateau, venture to waterfalls and wetlands, and spend the night in a village or eco-lodge.

Pakse Environs

Embark on a 6-hour trek up Khong Mountain, just north of Pakse in Phou Xieng Thong NPA. After a Mekong River boat ride and homestay, you’ll walk through untouched nature and clamber up slopes to views all the way to Thailand.  

Kong Mountain Trek

Drive north from Pakse to a Mekong pier and 1.5-hour cruise to secluded Ban Mai Singsamphan inside Phou Xieng Thong NPA. Stroll through this Mekong fishing and trading village accessed only by boat, take a walk in the nearby forest, or just relax by the river and watch the sunset. After a dinner of freshly caught fish, you’ll spend the night in a homestay.

The next morning, head out for a full day on Khong Mountain. Local guides point out wild orchids and mushrooms as you climb past odd rock formations and through thick jungle. Explore the ruins of an ancient Khmer civilization as you approach the peak, and views stretching across the Mekong. After lunch on the trail, descend to Ban Mai Singsamphan and the boat back to Pakse.

Xe Pian NPA Treks

You’ll find several trekking options for exploring the Xe Pian NPA. Dive into the forest, visit wetlands, camp in nature, and meet the people in ethnic villages.

A Day in Nature

Take a day-trek in Xe Pian, and spend 4 hours walking deep into the NPA’s forest. Start at Ban Kiet Ngong, about an hour’s drive from Pakse, where you meet your guide. The trek kicks off with a chance to see elephants, as the guide explains the nature reserve’s wildlife and forest plants used for healing. Spot birds in the lower canopy and keep your eyes open for monkeys. Inspect the “Big Hole” used to trap wild elephants, and stop at Phou Asa, a plateau-top temple, before returning.

Camping in Nature

Extend your “Day in Nature”, by camping overnight in the forest and trekking 6 more hours on the second day. After packing up early, discover the Xe Pian Wetlands and experience untouched jungle. After lunch on the trail, circle back over a river and then back to Ban Kiet Ngong and a short climb to Phou Asa Temple.

Ta Ong Trail

Take the classic 3-day Ta Ong Trail into the Xe Pian and immerse yourself in the forest, wetlands, and ethnic Brau culture. Start at Ban Phalai Bok and follow the long forest trail for 5.5 hours to Ban Ta Ong. Your late-afternoon arrival leaves time to stroll through the Brau village and see their unique way of life before enjoying a traditional meal. Spend the night in a homestay or village lodge.

Rise before dawn to spot birds feeding in the forest and possibly catch a glimpse of an endangered Yellow-cheeked Gibbon. Return to the village for breakfast, and then head back to Ban Phalai Bok on a different trail that stops at Ban Nong Ping for lunch, and includes a short paddle on the Nam Ta Eueng River. A transfer then takes you to Ban Kiet Ngong for an overnight in an eco-lodge or wetland bungalow.

Bolaven Plateau

If you like waterfalls and coffee, you’ll love trekking on the Bolaven Plateau. Visit plantations and watch farmers in their fields, hike through the forest to four waterfalls, and go hard core on a trek that uses a via ferrata (iron way) to explore the rugged terrain.

Bolaven Waterfall Trek

Start your 2-day trek with an easy morning walk through coffee plantations to Dong Hua Sao NPA, and one of two seasonal trails. From November to May, trek for 5 hours through dense forest with orchids, and look for exotic birds and monkeys on the path to the top of the twin Tad Fane Waterfalls. Continue to Tad Yeaung Waterfall and swim in the pool at its base, before trekking to a farming village. During Green Season (June-Oct), the high river prevents a trek to Tad Fane, but longer hikes are available in the Tad Yeaung area before going to the village and ride back to Pakse.

Day 2 starts with a cup of local coffee before a walk past coffee farming villages. Continue to Tad Champi Waterfall for lunch with the limestone Sung Sin Xai Plain and cartoon-like rocks as the backdrop. The final stretch of the trek stops at Tad Kachep Waterfall and a village before the transfer to Pakse.   

Tree Top Explorer       

Thrill seekers can fly through a forest on Green Discovery’s Tree Top Explorer. Start your adventure with a trek through coffee plantations and thick forests before reaching zip lines that crisscross gorges and waterfalls. Then, take on the via ferrata that climbs steep cliffs, and explores the forest on a canopy walkway.