NK Seeds Travel
Frequently asked questions
The questions we are asked most often. If yours is not here, write to us: a member of the team will reply to you personally.
Before you book
Which tours do you offer?
Two kinds. During the day, three private guided tours, leaving from your hotel at 9 am: the temples and Mount Phousi; the Mekong cruise to the Pak Ou caves; the Kuang Si waterfall and a Hmong village. In the evening, Monday to Friday, two tours guided by our students, leaving from the post office at 6 pm: the food tour at the night market and the sindad evening, the Lao barbecue.
What language are the tours in?
Day tours are in French, English, Chinese or Thai. Evening tours are guided by our students in French, English or Chinese. You choose the guide’s language when you book.
How much does a tour cost?
Day tours cost from 65 to 210 € per person, depending on the tour and the size of the group: the more of you there are, the lower the price per person. Evening tours cost 30 € per person. Each tour page details the price and what it includes.
How many people can take part?
Every tour is private: you do not share your guide with other travellers. Day tours can be booked from 1 person, and evening tours from 2. For more than 8 people, write to us and we will arrange it.
Why do I need to book a week in advance?
Every tour is private, so it requires a guide dedicated to you and, depending on the tour, a tuk-tuk, a boat or a minivan. This one-week notice lets us organise everything properly. For an earlier departure, write to us rather than booking online: it is sometimes possible.
Are the tours suitable for children?
It depends on the tour. The temples day, from 9 am to 4 pm, involves a lot of walking and standing, with about 300 steps up Mount Phousi: it is not recommended for young children. The Kuang Si waterfall suits children who can walk, and swimming is possible in the permitted pools. Tell us the children’s ages in your request: we will tell you honestly whether the tour is suitable.
Booking and payment
How do booking and payment work?
Send your request from the tour page, with the date, the number of people and the guide’s language. We confirm the date within 24 hours on weekdays, with a link to pay for the whole tour online by card. There is nothing to pay on site.
Can I cancel or change the date?
Yes. If you cancel more than 48 hours before departure, the amount paid is refunded in full. Within 48 hours, or if you do not show up at the meeting point, it is kept, because the guide has set the day aside for you. You can move to another date free of charge, subject to guide availability. The details are in our terms of sale.
Read the terms of sale →What happens if it rains?
The tour goes ahead: here, rain is often heavy but brief. If the weather makes a tour impossible, we offer you another date or another tour, and we refund you if no option suits you. The decision is the agency’s, and we let you know the evening before.
On the day of the tour
Where does the tour start?
For day tours, we pick you up at your hotel at 9 am and bring you back at the end of the day. Evening tours start at 6 pm in front of the Luang Prabang post office, next to the night market, and end there.
Are meals included?
Lunch is included in the temples day. On the Mekong cruise and the Kuang Si waterfall tour, there is a lunch break, but the meal is at your own expense. In the evening, the food tour tastings and the sindad dinner are included, with water and a Beer Lao.
What should I bring?
For all tours: comfortable shoes, water, a hat and sunscreen. For the temples, the Royal Palace and the Pak Ou caves: clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and shoes that are easy to take off. For Kuang Si: a swimsuit and a towel. In the evening: come hungry.
Do I need insurance?
Yes: every participant must have travel insurance covering medical costs and repatriation. Please also tell us about any physical limitation when you book.
Should I leave a tip?
No, tips are not expected. If you would like to thank your guide at the end of the tour, you are of course free to do so.
The association
What does the price of your tour pay for?
The price covers the guide, the costs of the tour and the running of the agency. The profits go to the NK Seeds association, which owns the agency: they fund its French-language tourism training for young Laotians.
Who guides the evening tours?
Students from the NK Seeds training programme. These tours let them practise with you: their French is still progressing, and every exchange helps them move forward.
Can we visit the association’s projects?
Yes, free of charge and by registration: on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 10:30 am, for about two hours, with 10 people at most. The visit is in French only.
Visit our projects →