5 Days Nam Ha National Protected Area Adventure Hiking Tour

Hiking in the Nam Ha National Protected Area “Nam Ha NPA”- an ASEAN Heritage Site; Experience and learning of how to accommodate to your jungle environment, sleeping and eating in the rainforest by using nature’s products such as: cooking bamboo vessels, a banana leaf camp, looking for food, medicinal plants and learn native skills for hunting wildlife; Participate in Community Based Tourism activities, such as: husking rice by feet or hand, Khmu traditional Baci-ceremony, watch a blacksmith at work, making bamboo basket “bamboo toys such as: birds, frogs, a simple cup, etc…; Unique experience in the homelands of the Akha, the Khmu and the Lantén ethnic minority groups; they proudly maintain their way of life, culture, and traditions; Hiking through rainforest, beautiful nature, mountainous landscapes, survival skills in the wilderness, topped off with splashing in or gazing at a hidden waterfall.

Price Includes:

• English speaking tour guide
• Local guide from the Khmu village
• Transportation from your hotel & back to hotel
• Accommodation (Akha-Eco-lodge, 2 Mountain Jungle Camps & Khmu Homestay)
• Meals (13 meals covered) “Local food or Jungle style”
• Drinking water during the trip
• Nam Ha National Protected Area Fee
• Community distribution
• Government Taxes and charges

Extra info 

More Information about Treks

Do I have to be very fit to do a trek?

For the first day we have to trek 4-6 hours include relaxing along the trail. No transfers for pick up who can’t trek. If you can’t trek on the second day that we can use kayaks travel along the Nam Ha River. For the longer treks you need to be reasonably fit, but a lot depends on your own flexibility. You will not sleep as well as usual because of the primitive way of sleeping and the sounds of the village.

In the jungle
During the trek there will be hardly any flat parts. All the paths are used by the local people. Sometimes the path is overgrown, and the guide has to use his machete. We walk through dense jungle of Nam Ha National Protected Area, before arrival village we will walk through open areas, plantations of the hill tribes and sometimes along or through rivers. If you want, you can hire a porter to carry your luggage.

Akha Eco-lodge

Akha Eco-lodge is the guesthouse made by Akha people to welcome guests who stay overnight in the village, the Eco-lodge design look same Akha’s house style some made by bamboo and woods. the Eco-lodge are shared room include provided blanket, sleeping-mat & mosquito nets and toilet. Participants must be aware that there are no western-style toilets and washing facilities.

Khmu Homestay

All Khmu homestay in the village have been passed Luang Namtha Homestay Standard and ASEAN Community Based Tourism Standard. Homestay design look same Khmu’s house style some made by bamboo and woods. Each room in homestay include mattress, blanket, mosquito net, towel, pillows with clean toilet in outside.

Riverside & Jungle Camps

Built up by local people of Nam Ha & Nalan Village (Khmu tribes) who will serve your service when you stay overnight there. The camp very basic made by woods and bamboo located on the bank of Nam Ha river. The camp will provide sleeping bag and mosquito net.

For the jungle camp will build up when you arrive that area by local guides that you can join with them. you will be sleeping on the ground cover by leaves and roof by banana leaves. Sleeping bag and mosquito net will prepare for you. If you need sheet bag, we have but you have to bring from our office. If you need tents please tell us advance.

Village Passing

Ban Phou Varn Akha Village is located on the top of the mountain in Nam Ha NPA where you will see stunning view around the village. They have lived here for a long time and still unique in terms of culture. In the village your will learn about Akha lifestyle, culture, and traditions. The village started tourism since 2005. In the village they offer Eco-lodge, local foods, local guides, and Akha massage etc.

Ban Nam Ha Khmu Village located along the Nam Ha Rive. The village started Community based tourism since 2010. It was developed in response to preserve natures, cultures and as an alternative source of income for local villagers. As poverty is still a main problem in the area, there is a need to generate jobs and income for villagers to prevent them from illegal forest encroachment. Present they offer group of husking rice, black smith, making bamboo basket, Khmu traditional Baci-ceremony, sword dance, short trek through jungle forest & participate in the day-to-day work of the family.

Ban Nalan Khmu Village the village award ASEAN Standard of Community Based Tourism 2018, where your will learn about Khmu lifestyle, culture, and traditions. The village started tourism since 1999 that you know Nam Ha Ecotourism the first project in Laos PDR. In the village they offer homestay, local foods, local guides and many activities as traditional performant, rice husking, bamboo baskets, bamboo cup, blacksmith, archery and etc.

When is the best time to do a trek?
This is very hard to say. During the Laos winter, from November to February (the high season), the weather is the best (not to warm in the daytime, no rain and cool to cold in the nighttime). During the summer (March to May) it will be very hot in the daytime but there are few tourists. During the rainy season (July to September) the nature is at its most beautiful with green forests and beautiful natures. Walking can be hard sometimes after or during a tropical shower.

What you should bring on a trek
Sleeping bag (in winter) or sheet bag (in summer), mosquito net (only for sleeping in the camps the local guide will bring for you. No need if you overnight homestay in the village), small backpack, T-shirt, short pants, long pants, towel or sarong, pair of socks, long sleeve shirt, pair of slippers, pair of shoes, swimsuit, soap, shampoo, toothbrush /toothpaste, mosquito spray, sun cream, flash light, 2 liter drinking water for the first day (buy at day 1 first stop) , hat or cap, first aid kit, toilet roll

Extra in Rainy Season (June-October) = Raincoat and Hiking Boots
Extra in Cold Season (November-February) = (Jacket and Warm Pants)

The luggage you do not take on the trek you can leave in the store room at your hotel or our office as well as passport, ticket and travelers cheques which they will put in their safe. Good hiking boots are essential in the rainy season but also very handy in the other months. You can buy water in the villages.

In the mountains it is a few degrees cooler than in Luang Namtha town. During winter it can even be cold, a few degrees Celsius above Zero. Please remember this when you do a trek during this time.

What you should NOT take on a trek

Passport, Flight ticket and Travelers Cheques. Whenever you lose your passport you have to go to Vientiane to get a new one. Also, a tropical shower can reduce your precious papers to something else. At the safe in your hotel your belongings will be safe!

Make sure that your photo or film camera is packed water proof, nature here is unpredictable

Candies for the children would be nice but they usually can’t go to the dentist easily. A donation for the village or village school is a better idea.

Bank notes in high denominations will be a problem changing them in smaller ones

Optional:

• Snacks, fruit, your own bottle of water
• Your own medicine if you need it
• Sandals
• Flip-flops

Other:

• Please let us know in advance if you are vegetarian
• Please be at our office at 8:00 am
• You are welcome to contact us beforehand if you have any questions

Important Do’s & Don’ts:

• Do not give individual gifts of sweets or money to children
• Ask before taking photos of people or spiritual items
• Help keep the trails clean by not littering
• Please purchase handicrafts but do not purchase antiques
• Do not remove any archeological remains from the site of the ancient temples
• Always stay with the guides
• Do not use drugs