LAO 6: BOUN TAI-PATH TO NAMO

Route through the north of Lao in November 2018.
Tips and tricks:
Bikes: I hired at Tiger trail in Luang Prabang. Good bikes; nice guy; provide racks if necessary. I travelled in a bikepacking way.
Weather: November is dry season, but it is still pretty hot. Beware of the added effect of temperature and humidity, as it can rise the thermal sensation above 42-43ºC between 11 AM and 2 PM.
Water: Main concern initially, carrying 6 litres/day. But there is no problem with water; there is a village every 10-15 km where you can buy still water, at least if travelling along paved roads and not in the far north. In case of travelling through remote areas, carry enough water or purification system.
I carried purification stuff, but I didn´t utilize it. In case you need to purify, take into account that river water is brown colour due to the presence of soil sediments. That means that you will need to filter it thoroughly before applying any purification method.
Food: Same as for water, but it is not so easy to find restaurants or markets to re-stock or dinner after a long journey. You will probably find a stall or hawker where you can eat some sausages, but not a proper restaurant or market. So, it is advisable to carry an emergency ration or some supplements to eat at the end of the journey.
Traffic: I changed my route due to traffic. There are chinese trucks coming and going in specific areas, especially in the routes from the NW to Oudomxai and Huai Xai. Not heavy traffic from Muang Kua to Boun Tai, and nothing between Boun Tai and Namo. The road from Namo to Oudomxai is a heavy traffic area... Oudomxai to Pakbeng: fewer traffic as you go farther Oudomxai.
Accommodation: There are guesthouses everywhere, except in the far north and if travelling out of paved roads. I carried a bivouac tent, but I utilized it only once; usually, you will find a room at any point...
The route was:
Luang Prabang-Pak Nga: Easy to ride. Paved road. There is a guesthouse at the end of the track.
Pak Nga-Nong Kiaw
Nong Kiaw-Muang Kua (BOAT)
Muang Kua- Ban Namly. Easy until Paknam. Here starts the road to Boun Tai and Phongsali, progressively steeper uphill. One guesthouse at Ban Namly. No restaurants or market, some shops to buy cookies,...
Ban Namly-Boun Tai. At Boun Tai there are plenty of guesthouses and restaurants.
Boun Tai-Namo: The hardest day. The route from Boun Tai to Namo junction is 83 km of unpaved, loose rocks, and 2200 m of elevation gain. Hard to do on one journey; even so, you will find nothing in Namo. So, I decided to camp overnight at point 60 km.
No water or food along this track, you will pass many tiny villages but don´t expect to find anything. Carry enough water or a purification method.
Namo-Oudomxai. Paved road, beautiful mountain pass. Terrible traffic as you approach Oudomxai.
Oudomxai-Namkat. Namkat is a national reserve, 20 km NE of Oudomxai. Beautiful place where you can enjoy an outstanding resort to relax before keep riding...
Namkat-Baeng: Paved road. Guesthouses at Baeng.
Baeng-Pakbeng. Beautiful road as you approach Pakbeng, little traffic.
Pakbeng-Luang Prabang (BOAT)