good for you

Nestled in the Lao countryside, just a three-hour upstream cruise along the Mekong from the city of Luang Prabang, Kamu is a stylishly decorated eco-lodge whose thatched roofed tents are powered by solar energy, built in the local style and decorated with locally made furniture and crafts.

Accessible only by boat, the lodge blends subtly into its environment, which it shares with the local Kamu people, a Laotian ethnic minority, who are happy to teach you their traditional methods of farming, weaving, fishing and gold-panning. Whether trekking to a remote waterfall, learning about medicinal plants in the jungle, planting rice alongside villagers in a paddy field or watching life on the river, a few days here will offer you an opportunity to experience a lifestyle that has barely changed in one thousand years.

good for laos

Kamu Lodge, accessible only by boat, was designed with sustainable tourism in mind. While the rooms are housed in low-impact eco-tents, the lodge's main buildings are made from natural local products (bamboo, wood and stone). Solar-powered electricity and hot water systems keep carbon emissions low, while the lodge's atmosphere, along with the delicious food it serves, keeps pace with traditional country life in this part of Laos.

Rooms

Food

Traditional cuisine is served in a thatched dining area overlooking the verdant rice paddies, on floor mats and cushions gathered at low tables laid with banana leaves. The food is plentiful and delicious, using only the freshest locally-grown ingredients, including a colorful array of organic tropical fruits and vegetables. Dishes include green curry with buffalo meat, fried freshly caught fish or pork-stuffed bamboo served with stir-fried aromatic vegetables followed by a dessert of sticky rice and fresh fruit. Breakfast includes omlettes, toast with jams, fresh fruits and juices along with tea and coffee.

Features & Facilities

• Restaurant serving delicious Lao food.
• Accommodation is in safari style tents imported from South Africa.
• All Kamu Lodge packages include transfers by the lodge's own traditional riverboat, an excursion to Pak Ou Caves en-route and typical Lao meals served in a restaurant set amongst rice fields.

Local Info & Activities

Here are just some of the activities you can enjoy at Kamu Lodge and among its surrounds:

• Rice planting and harvesting in surrounding rice fields
• Gold panning (January to June) in the Mekong. Anything you find is yours!
• Jungle walks to search for medicinal plants
• Trekking through the forest to waterfalls (two hour hike and boat ride)
• Enjoy a boat ride to the mysterious Pak Ou Caves, where thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimetres to the size of a human.
• Traditional fishing techniques. You can sample your catch for dinner!
• Pay a visit to the local village of Ban Yoyhai, where the Lao Loum and Kamu people live.
• Archery contest

insider tips

The lodge advises you to bring along:

• Hiking boots
• Flashlight
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sun screen
• Mosquito repellent
• Rain jacket (wet season only)

Sustainability

Only accessible by boat, the lodge maintains excellent standards of environmental sustainability through its reliance on solar energy and its use of locally grown products.

While the rooms are housed in low-impact eco-tents, the lodge's main buildings are made from natural local products (bamboo, wood and stone). Solar-powered electricity and hot water systems keep carbon emissions low, while the lodge's atmosphere, along with the delicious food it serves, keeps pace with traditional country life in this part of Laos.

The lodge plays an important role in the economy of the neighbouring villages, which are largely underdeveloped. The lodge encourages Kamu villagers to produce handicrafts, and provide a market for those products. Local growers sell their vegetables and fruits to the lodge, and additional income flows to the village through the village tours the lodge conducts. The Lodge itself employs around 10 local people.

Since the Lodge began construction in 2002 (it opened in 2004), the village population has grown from 150 to about 350 people (or around 60 families), mostly in response to economic growth provided by the lodge, which buys around three tonnes of locally grown rice and other agricultural products each year.

The Lodge also assisted in the creation of the first primary school in Ban Yoihai. The school has two classrooms shared by some 100 students. The lodge helps provide school materials (some of which are donated by Kamu Lodge guests).

Getting There

Kamu Lodge is situated 3 hours upstream from Luang Prabang. Access is by boat only.

Transfers by the Kamu Lodge boat to the lodge depart daily from Luang Prabang at 09:30am and return the following day at 12:00 noon.

Journey time is 3 hours to the Lodge but only 1 hour on the way back.

Boat transfers are included in the rates

Visit our Transport section for flights, hybrid car rentals and train bookings.

Rates & Bookings

• Low season: from May 1, 2007 - September 30, 2007
• High Season from Oct 1 07 - April 2008

kamu lodge package

2 days / 1 night

Low Season: US$12O p/p

High Season: US$149 p/p

• Rates are per person based on two people sharing.
• Single supplement is US$20 in the low season or US$25 in the high season.
• Children aged 2-12 sharing their parents accommodation will be charged at 50% of full rate.

Day 1: At 9:00 a.m. embark for a local boat cruise on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. In Pak Ou, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimetres to the size of a human. Continue upstream to reach Kamu Lodge. Welcome drink & lunch at the Lodge's Sala. _In the afternoon you may choose to participate in the different activities. You will be rewarded with a very original Lao experience. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge

Day 2: Breakfast at the Lodge.

After some time to relax, cruise down back to Luang Prabang by boat.

3 days/2 nights

Low Season: US$16O p/p

High Season: US$185 p/p

• Rates are per person based on two people sharing.
• Single supplement is US$40 in the low season or US$50 in the high season.
• Children aged 2-12 sharing their parents accommodation will be charged at 50% of full rate.

Day 1: At 9:00 a.m. embark for a boat trip on the Mekong River to visit the mysterious Pak Ou Caves. In Pak Ou, thousands of gold lacquered Buddha statues are crammed into two caves carved out of a towering limestone cliff. They range in size from a few centimetres to the size of a human. Continue upstream to reach Kamu Lodge. Welcome drink & lunch at the Lodge's Sala. In the afternoon you may chose to participate in the different activities. You will be rewarded with a very original Lao experience. Dinner and overnight at the Lodge

Day 2: Breakfast at the Lodge. Full day trekking in the beautiful surrounding area. _Dinner at the lodge

Day 3: Breakfast at the Lodge.

After some time to relax, cruise down back to Luang Prabang by boat.

included in all packages

• Accommodation in twin sharing room
• All meals
• Service of local English speaking guide
• Visits and entrance fees
• Transfer from Luang Prabang
• Joining group

excluded

• Any services or meals not mentioned
• Personal expenses (tip, mini-bar, laundry, souvenirs)
• Local taxes
• Service charges

additional nights

Guests who wish to extend their stay beyond the duration of the package should enquire with The Good Travel Company for a per night rate.

booking & cancellation policy

• A booking fee of 25% of total cost of stay is required in order to secure a booking. The remaining 75% is payable at the latest, 3 days before arrival date.
• If a cancellation is made at any time up to 30 days prior to arrival, a 10% cancellation fee will be charged.
• If a cancellation is made between 30 and 20 days prior to arrival, 35% of the total cost of stay is charged as a cancellation fee.
• If a cancellation is made between 19 and 8 days prior to arrival, 60% of total cost of stay is charged as a cancellation fee.
• If a cancellation is made between 7 and 1 day prior to arrival, 85% of total cost of stay is charged as a cancellation fee.
• Cancellations made 24hour or less before arrival will be charged at 100%.

Want to avoid cancellation fees? Visit our Insurance section for information on travel insurance.