A magical forest experience straight out of your childhood fantasies…
Disconnect from the digital world and re-connect to the forests…
welcome to
The Gibbon Experience
Quick facts:
Location: Ban Houayxay, Laos
Facility type: Eco-tourism & community based forest protection
Opportunities: Tourism & adventure travel
This is an adventure like no other.
Located in the Nam Kam National Park in Northern Laos, the Gibbon Experience allows you to see the forest from a whole new perspective - the sky!
You will be invited to trek into the forest before transferring to zip-lines that take you deep into the heart of the trees. Here, you will spend your nights in the worlds tallest treehouses and learn the true power and beauty of this threatened eco-system.
Visit the Gibbon Experience website.
What to expect…?
Note: I booked the classic tour - considered the easiest trek, best chance to see gibbons, and lasts 3 days and 2 nights. So all information will be applicable primarily to this tour.
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Sleeping in the worlds tallest treehouses was definitely a huge draw for me in this experience - and it did not disappoint.
I loved waking up and having a panoramic view across the forest, showering with a complete vision of nature, and even going to the toilet felt like a special event!
If you're looking for luxury accommodation, then this isn't for you. The treehouses are simple - you'll sleep on mattresses under mosquito nets, have an outdoor 'bathroom', and have your meals zip-lined to you (vegan meals easily provided and extremely tasty). This simplicity was perfect to me - I had everything I needed and nothing more.
The treehouse felt very safe and trust me, you're not going to accidentally roll out in your sleep (I'd be so impressed if you did). -
Spending time in this forest is like getting a complete reset. You'll wake up to the most beautiful sunrises and fall asleep surrounded by the sounds of LIFE in the trees.
Your guides will take the time to teach you about the different plants and materials found in the forest and their various medicinal and practical uses - we even got to taste some pretty interesting plants and I left with a bamboo ring.
I never felt unsafe and if anything, had a greater sense of peace and respect instilled in me for the protective power of forests.
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During my visit we spent around a few hours a day trekking. The terrain was not hard, but with the heat you definitely need a base level of physical fitness to make it through.
I'd suggest proper hiking boots and long trousers/sleeves to protect you from cuts and mosquito bites, but otherwise I felt the trekking was very manageable. -
The zip-lining really is the big draw of this experience. Seeing the forest from the sky and taking in views you'd never normally get to experience- it's magical.
Everything is very well managed and I felt safe on every zip line. You will be acocmpanied by 2 guides, 1 takes the zip line first while the other waits to ensure everyone in the group gets going safely. The cables range from 50-570 metres in length.
There is also a quick training and practice line before you take on anything more serious. As someone who is afraid of heights and quite frankly useless with anything technical- this quick training is all you need. It's really very simple and safe.
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This is not a wildlife trek - that's something everyone should be clear of right away.
The Gibbon Experience is a chance to reconnect to the forest and support its inhabitants. If you're lucky, you might also see some wildlife. But it's important to know that this isn't guaranteed and will not be emphasised during your visit.
However, you are pretty much guaranteed to HEAR the white crested Gibbon - one of the most endangered primate species in the world - their song is really something to behold.
What makes it ‘ECO’ tourism?
Book a tour with the Gibbon Experience through their website but be sure to plan in advance - spaces go fast!
You can also follow along on Instagram for updates on the forest and its inhabitants.
