Previously the only way to find out about the Gibbon Experience was by word of mouth in Laos. It isn't in any Lonely Planet Books, only on Matador Travel. Say the words Gibbon Experience in Laos and instantly other backpackers listen up. It is the best thing to do in Northern Laos. With canopy ziplines and treehouses, how could you go wrong?
We started in the small, boarder town of Houayxai. From the main office in town, we road in the back of a truck for three and a half hours into the Bokeo Nature Reserve. From a small village in the hills we walked two hours, mostly up hill, through the dense jungle. We arrived at a small hut and we were given harnesses and a drink of water. From there we hiked up the hill a bit futher where we got our first lesson on zipping through the tree tops. We clipped onto the cable and glided out over the tree tops to a treehouse over 100 meters in the air! After a short introduction about the project, we were back on the ziplines soaring from one valley wall to the next. We were attached to a cable hundreds of meters in the air overlooking the rainforest below and out over the hills of the reserve. It was the craziest feeling ever!
There are optional two trips: the classic and the waterfall. The waterfall option entails alot more treking than the classic. We chose the waterfall and hiked an additional 3 hours down the vally wall to the waterfall that first day. After a swim in the pool below the waterfall we zipped into our tree house for the night. The guides brought us a Laos style dinner of sticky rice, steamed veggies and a chilli chicken dish. It was really good. After dinner we sat around the candle light and talked story.
In the mornig we woke up in the clouds. As the sun warmed the jungle, the hilltops rose out of the sea of clouds, like islands. After breakfast we hiked back up the valley wall to another tree house, where we would stay our second night. We spent most of the day gliding along the cables, through the tree tops, and out over jungle floor. It never got old! Zipping hundreds meters in the air, with the wind whipping by, looking out over the valleys and hills. That evening we watched the sunset behind the distant mountains from treehouse #3. In the morning we zipped along the cables back to treehouse #1 for breakfast. After a few more zips we hiked out of the forest.
The Gibbon Experience was unbelievable. Super fun and all for a good cause. If you are interested, google it or go to www.gibbonx.org. You won't be disappointed.