Wake up to the call of the Crested Gibbon, one of the world's most endangered primates but with small populations still living in the dense jungles of Northern Laos. This is one of the last untouched mountain areas of South East Asia and a new trekking hub is slowly developing in the tiny one-street town of Vieng Phouka for those 'in the know', home to a smattering of guesthouses and a few more intrepid travellers. From here you can head into the hills, trekking through remote hilltribe villages that are genuinely off the beaten track (unlike in neighbouring Thailand) with incredible views over the surrounding mountains. At night you can sleep in a forest camp, the sounds of wildlife all around you and, if you are lucky, the distinctive call of the crested Gibbon. 

A 15 day trip in Northern Laos, including a two night / 3 day trek into the Nam Ha National Protected Area, costs from £1,500 per person including flights from London, all accommodation, internal flights, excursions and many meals.

Stubborn Mule Travel specialise in arranging tailor-made tours for families to Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. All of our staff have travelled extensively with their own children and use that experience and knowledge to create unique itineraries that are tailored to the specific ages and interests of each family. To keep the kids engaged we arrange travel not only by bus but also by tuk tuk, train, boat, canoe, elephant, donkey, bamboo raft or camel; we use hotels with pools wherever possible so that there is somewhere to cool off after a day exploring; we include activities that fire the imagination such as cycling around a lake in Burma, climbing to a remote cave in Cambodia to watch the sunset and riding a bullock cart around a village in Sri Lanka.

For more details see www.stubbornmuletravel.com or contact Liddy by email on liddy@stubbornmuletravel.com or by phone on 44 7825 667 083.