As an adventurous travelers, an adventurers, we always seek extraordinary things, something thrilling, exciting to our core. In that case, why not join in the Gibbin Experience while you are in Laos? Once you are ready for it, what you get in this wonderful will be an experience of your lifetime. So here we are: Incredible Gibbon Experience in Laos!
What is Gibbon Experience?
Gibbon Experience is originally a innovation plan created by the local people to preserve and protect the Bokeo Nature Reserve, located near Huay Xai, Laos. Later on it also knowned as Nam Kan National Park. Bokeo Nature Reserve is green pristine forest, also the home of the Black-Crested Gibbon – an endangered specie of monkey and other wild animals like black bears, tigers, elephants and wild water buffalos. Of course, in such a forest enriched with wildlife and natural resources. Some people will find a way to exploit the forest, but not in a truly good way.
In the past, the local people were used to follow the old exploitation method for agriculture, which was burning a part of the forest. Also, hunters and poachers tended to go into the forest and hunted beasts. And as mentioned, in this forest enriched with wildlife, animals here would be the hunters’ target, including the rare Black-Crested Gibbon. Under this situation, the local people, NGOs, and other conservationists came up with a solution. And that is: Gibbon Experience Project.
The aim of the Gibbon Experience Project is to conserve the Bokeo Nature Reserve, helping the local people to protect the area. These locals themselves, including hunters and poachers, have become the area’s rangers, and guides for the travelers. In addition, they built treehouses and installed ziplines throughout the forest. This new addition made the trip become far more interesting, while not doing any harm to the forest. In this way, their finance income mostly comes from the Gibbon Experience service, where visitors come and enjoy the primal beauty of this preserved forest. With the zipline aspect, this experience has become much more fascinating to the outsiders, thus making it one of the most attractive activities in Laos.
What do we do?
Visitors can enjoy the sights and the wildlife of this green lush forest (typically seeing the Black-Crested Gibbon) simply by hiking. It is truly an unforgetable experience. However to enjoy this experience to the fullest, it’s best to take part in the ziplining aspect. In the Gibbon Experience, travelers can choose from these 3 options: Classic trip (3 days, 2 nights) – considered to be the easiest one, and also provides the best chance to see the gibbons; Waterfall trip (3 days, 2 nights) – considered to be harder trip, traveling through and a charming waterfall and a fresh-water swimming pool but also requiring some fitness; Express trip (2 days, 1 night) – The faster trip, but will be hard to spot the gibbons since travelers will be on the zipline for most of the time.
The trip will mostly begin at a small village. Tourists will have a short time to prepare stuffs, after the exciting Gibbon Experience starts to kick off. Tourists will have to both trek and zipline continuously at daytime. The hiking path and ziplining will be longer as they travel deeper into the forest. The ziplining will also be more exciting as the tourists travel in the faster speed. The feeling of moving between areas on air with the camera on hand is simply incredible.
When the mid-afternoon comes, it’s time to ziplined to the new home: the world’s highest treehouses. And unlike what travelers mostly expect, the treehouses are all in pretty good shape: clean, running water, solar electricity for lighting, a toilet, cool shower, cutlery, plates and beds. From here, tourists rest and call it a day, while enjoying the gorgeous view from these high standpoint. The night rest is confortable, however, adventurers will have to beware of the wild rat (you will be warned by the locals before the journey begins) as they can creep up to your food box.
In the early morning, visitors will have breakfast and continue the journey. For those who choose the Classic or Waterfall trip, early morning will be the best time to see the gibbons as they start to sing and come out.
Of course there are more to this Gibbon Experience, but it’s better to find out by yourselves.
Should we go for it?
First of all, the price of Gibbon Experience is around 300$ in total, 100$ for each day, and most of the money will be used for preservation project. In some manners of speaking, the price is relatively high, however, what we get from this trip is totally worth it. However, it does not mean that the Gibbon Experience can be suitable for anyone because there will be hard work. Also since we will stay in a natural world, wild rats and night habitat can be disturbing for those who are not ready or used to it.
In the end, Gibbon Experience is a magnificient trip, and by far one of the most exciting trip in Laos, if not, the Most exciting trip. It may not be for everybody. But once you ready for it and accept it in a possitive way, it will be totally worthwhile.
