Learn Laotian Cooking & Camp in Primary Forest, Luang Prabang

Cook over fire, sleep in the forest, wake to breakfast smoke

This overnight class in Luang Prabang teaches you to prepare typical Laotian dishes using fire and minimal tools in the primary forest, then you sleep in a hammock or raised bamboo carbet and wake to a fire-cooked breakfast. Private transportation, all meals, water and snacks are included. A live guide speaks English or French. Children from age 5 are welcome.

The experience

You arrive in the countryside outside Luang Prabang and begin the cooking class in the evening, learning to prepare Laotian cuisine the traditional way: using fire and the few utensils you'll find in a forest setting. The guide walks you through each dish, showing how the ingredients and methods have stayed the same for generations. After dinner, you settle your belongings under a carbet, a structure of wood and bamboo raised from the ground to keep out crawling animals, or choose to sleep in a hammock strung nearby. The forest fills with its own sounds through the night.

Morning arrives announced by smoke from the rekindled fire. You eat the breakfast you chose the day before, cooked the same way over the flames. The meal is hearty and marks the end of the overnight stay. Private transport brings you back to Luang Prabang afterward.

What’s included

• Private transportation to and from Luang Prabang.
• dinner and breakfast cooked over the fire.
• coffee, tea, bottled water and snacks.
• overnight shelter in a carbet or hammock.
• a live guide in English or French.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 to 85 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Laos Experience Tours

Is this one for you?This overnight class suits travelers with at least moderate fitness who want hands-on cooking instruction and are comfortable sleeping in the forest with minimal facilities. The overnight stay is what makes the full traditional experience possible. You cook, eat, sleep and wake in the same setting, rather than returning to town each night.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 12 years). Under 5: they can't be included in the booking.

What do I actually cook during the class?

You learn to prepare typical Laotian dishes using fire and minimal utensils, the way they are cooked traditionally in the countryside. The guide teaches you the methods and ingredients during the evening session before you sleep.

Where exactly do I sleep, and what is a carbet?

A carbet is a structure made of wood and bamboo, raised from the ground to keep crawling animals away. You sleep either on the floor of the carbet or in a hammock strung nearby, both options letting you experience the forest sounds through the night.

What time does the experience start and end?

The class begins in the evening when you arrive in the countryside. You sleep overnight in the forest and wake for breakfast cooked over the fire the next morning, then return to Luang Prabang by private transport.

What meals and drinks are provided?

Dinner, breakfast, coffee or tea, bottled water and snacks are all included. You choose your breakfast menu the day before, and it is cooked over the fire in the morning.