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 Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants – found almost everywhere except deserts and glaciers, but the great majority are found in the tropical regions. Though orchids are relatively easy to identify they are often overlooked in the dense tropical vegetation. As perennial epiphytes they are anchored on trees or shrubs, others are terrestrial or lithophytes. The structure of flowers makes orchids well known, but the variety is huge, with features often not recognizable as orchid anymore. In most cases it needs an expert’s eye to spot them in the wild. Most of them are blooming seasonal once a year and just for a few days. The peak is generally the time between January and June but there is some blooming every month. Orchids of all types are very much sought after by collectors of both species and hybrids and therefore important for cultivation for the enjoyment of the flowers. Surprisingly, considering the huge number of species, only one genus, Vanilla, is commercially important (as flavoring). However, being part of the largest plant family doesn’t mean that the flowers are abundantly found everywhere - they still can be considered to be rare! (See also vientianeorchidees)
The orchid flora of Laos is still largely undiscovered, only 500 of the expected 800+ species have been identified. About 50-60% of these as of now known species are also found at Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area, not far from Vientiane. The biggest threat for orchids is loss of habitat such as cutting trees on which they live and unsustainable collection.
 Phou Khao Khouay, a range of sandstone mountains, belongs to a network of 20 National Protected Areas and comprises the southern periphery of the Northern Highlands of Laos. The reserve itself comprises four loosely divided mountain blocks of sandstone, separated by the rivers, the Nam Gnong, the Nam Leuk and the Nam Mang. The forests of this 2,000 km2 conservation area are broadly deciduous forests, in which a majority of the trees shed their leaves in response to water stress during the annual dry season, and evergreen forests, which remain in leaf throughout the year. The distribution of the different forest types is extremely complex and is influenced locally by such factors as topography, exposure, drainage, proximity to watercourses and so on. Two or three different forest types, with inter-gradations between them, may occur locally in a mosaic pattern, even in a relatively small area. The deciduous forests may be divided into easily recognizable, major sub-types, namely: dry dipterocarp forest and mixed deciduous forest. The evergreen forests predominate whenever wetter conditions prevail, particularly the higher elevations within the centre of the reserve. On the western plateau on shallow soils extensive stands of pine are found.
The park is also home to considerable wildlife like elephants, bears, clouded leopards and others, though they are usually very elusive and difficult to see – with the exception of elephants (trekkingcentrallaos). Its flora is widely unaccounted for and – for sure – will still harbor many surprises for the specialist.
 Enjoy a trek through lush forest and explore the many orchids the inexperienced eye may not be able to spot and to identify. Start your trip at Ban Hatkhai in the south-eastern part of the Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area. Spend most of the time in one of the prime areas of the park with mixed deciduous and evergreen forest. Beautiful waterfalls are inviting you for a refreshing swim – a trip not only for the serious botanist but for everyone who loves nature.
 Our trip starts in Ban Hatkhai. The first day we will visit Tad Xay and Pha Xay waterfalls, and enjoy a trek through lush forest with beautiful waterfalls inviting you for a refreshing swim before we return to the village for a home-stay overnight. The second day we will take a traditional local long-tail boat and cruise up-stream on the Nam Mang river for about an hour. We then go trekking to get breathtaking views from the Pha Luang cliff over the Mekong plain. On the way back we pass Houay Ki Ling (“Stream of the Monkey Manure”). With some luck, monkeys may indeed been seen here.
 Not yet available: This tour takes off at Tad Leuk, one of the well-known waterfalls inside Phou Khao Khouay NPA. We visit first the Swedish Information Center, then walk along the beautiful, 1.5 km long Nature Trail. Then we leave Tad Leuk behind and make our way through sometimes dense jungle more or less parallel to the Nam Leuk river upstream to the rarely visited but larger Tad Xang waterfall. We will have our picnic lunch there. The pool at the foot of the 10 m waterfall is great for a refreshing swim.
The offered tours bring you close to one of the great and most admired plant families - but also in touch with the beauty and plight of a typical Southeast Asian forest system, and the simple life of rural communities in Laos. You will be guided by local and/or foreign experts to guarantee you real and unforgettable insights into this often overlooked marvel of nature.
Please have a look into the following links regarding tours to the Phou Khao Khouay NPA of this website as well:
Ban Na Elephant Explorer (2 days trek);
Phou Khao Khouay Experience (1 or 2 days trek and long tail boat);
Phou Khao Khouay Challenge (1 or 2 days cycling, trekking, kayaking).
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