Early in the millennium, a UNESCO team guided a handful of trekkers along a trail in Luang Namtha to a remote Khmu village. Feedback from this pioneering group of tourists would help design the country’s first Community-Based Tourism (CBT) activity, the Ban Nalan Trek.
What they didn’t know was the trail they were blazing in the Nam Ha National Protected Area would win a United Nations Development Award and become a model for poverty alleviation. Since then, the province has added a much wider choice of CBT treks, but Ban Nalan remains on top.
Sophie and Hardus (Brit n’ Boer) recently tackled the Ban Nalan Trek, while travelling the back roads of Southeast Asia on motorbikes. Read their tale and enjoy the videos and photos from their trek.
Trekking in Luang Namtha
By Brit n’ Boer
This is one of the most well-known areas in Laos for trekking. It was the first time that both of us had visited, and we enjoyed every minute of it! We decided to do a medium difficulty 3-day / 2-night trek with the company, ‘The Hiker’. We booked at the last minute and got to join a trip with two lovely Italian ladies.
If you love being in nature and like the idea of being away from human civilization for a night or two, this is definitely a trip for you. You can learn so much about the jungle and the people who survive off of it. We enjoyed some wild snacks such as banana flower, bamboo shoots, rattan, figs, pomelos, coconuts and edible leaves found in the jungle during our trek.
Brit n’ Boer Tips
We suggest booking when you arrive at Luang Namtha. This allows you to choose the best for your budget or your preference. If you book last minute, you can join a trek with other people making it cheaper.
You have to carry your own sleeping bag and water, so make sure you have a good way to secure the sleeping bag to your backpack. We recommend using a rehydration bladder inside your backpack, it’s much less bulky to carry than big bottles, and believe us, you need a lot of water!
Costs
3D/2N Trek for 4 pax – LAK 1,400,000 (About USD 40/each)
Snacks / Fruit – LAK 87,000
Optional donation to Village – LAK 50,000
Beer in village – LAK 15,000
Coke in village – LAK 10,000
Large Water in village – LAK 10,000
Check out our 3 videos on YouTube showing each day of our trek:
The Hiker Travel Agency Laos
17A Main Street Phonexay Village, 03000, Laos
+856 20 59 294 245
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