Trekking in Luang Namtha: The best jungle trek in Laos

Jungle trekking is one of the most alluring activities in Southeast Asia. The untouched rainforests draw travelers in with their mysterious wildlife, thick tree canopies, and raging rivers. And the best jungle treks in the region are in Laos. The country’s forests are both naturally spectacular and home to unique hill tribe cultures. In particular, trekking in Luang Namtha — near the Chinese border — is unforgettable.

In this post, I’ll fill you in on everything you need to know to plan the perfect jungle trek in Luang Namtha. It may be a long bus ride from the main tourist trail in Laos — but I promise, it’s worth the journey!

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Why Luang Namtha is the best place to go trekking in Laos

The treks in Luang Namtha are unique in that the tour companies put genuine effort into making a positive impact (and a low impact) on the communities they take people into. If you’ve been trekking in Sapa, Vietnam, or elsewhere in Southeast Asia, you’ll be amazed at how much higher quality the travel agencies in Luang Namtha are.

Every trek is led by at least two guides — one English-speaking lead guide, and one guide from the communities you visit who can translate into the local languages. This allows you to form connections with villagers rather than gawking at them human-zoo style.

The guides discourage tourists from handing out candy and money to kids in villages. Instead, they encourage us to give Big Brother Mouse books — literacy-building materials in a country where many kids have limited access to formal education.

The tour companies keep groups small — no more than six. They also spread out where they bring tourists. So villagers might see five groups a month in high season, but usually only one or two. This goes a long way toward keeping attitudes toward tourism positive.

How difficult is the trekking in Luang Namtha?

If you’re considering trekking in Luang Namtha, the first thing you need to consider is whether you’re in good enough shape to do it.

I’ve done pretty intense treks all over the world — from the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal to the Lost City Trek in Colombia to Taman Negara in Malaysia. And I can honestly say, my jungle trek in Luang Namtha was the hardest of them all.

See, the jungle in Laos is quite mountainous. You’ll be climbing or descending almost the entire time (it’s never flat). You might have to crawl over/under logs that block the trail. If it’s dry season, the path will be covered with slippery dried banana leaves. If it’s wet season, you’ll be soaked and covered in mud. You’ll have to ford/swim across rivers. And you have to do it all in 90+ degree heat and extreme humidity, with no possibility of a shower.

You’ll walk for 6-8 hours a day during your trek, covering about 20 km per day. If that doesn’t sound too bad, keep in mind that you’ll have to carry all your camping gear. If you aren’t accustomed to hiking with a weighted backpack, trust me, it’s a lot harder.

I was definitely not in good shape when I attempted my Luang Namtha trekking tour. I survived, but just barely. My legs were so worn out by the final descent on the last day that I ended up sliding/rolling halfway down the last hill.

Choosing your trek in the Nam Ha National Protected Area: Routes and activities

Tour companies in town have a huge variety of Luang Namtha trekking trips on offer. Some include a variety of activities, some involve wild camping, and some involve nights in hill tribe villages.

The most popular option is a 2 day/1 night trek. You base yourself in a Hmong village at the edge of the Protected Area and trek into the forest during the day, but you still get to sleep in a bed/rinse off in the river at night. Plus, you get the combination of a nature experience and a cultural one.

Alternatively, you can do a 2 day/1 night trek that involves camping in the jungle. I took this option — spending a night in the forest was unforgettable, and we even got to go “night trekking” in search of nocturnal wildlife. We still stopped in hill tribe villages on the way into and out of the jungle, and the village at the end was where I had the most fascinating cultural experience in all my travels.

A third popular option is to hike for your first day, sleep in a Hmong village, and then kayak on your second day. The variety is nice, but the kayaking route tends to be quite crowded.

Trekking costs and how to save money if you’re travelling alone

Prices for trekking in Luang Namtha are extremely variable. The best way to save money on your trek is to book in person at the last minute — but this requires some flexibility.

If you book your trek in advance with one of the top agencies in Luang Namtha, expect to pay around $90 for a two-day trek. That assumes a group size of at least 5 or 6 people. Solo trekking or going with just your partner will increase costs significantly.

However, if you show up in person, you can pay as little as $30 for a two-day jungle trek.

To find the best deal, simply take a stroll down the main road leading south from the night market in the early evening. All the tour companies put boards outside listing the trips they have departing over the next few days and the number of travelers already signed up. Look for one with at least six people already on it and you’ll pay next to nothing for your trek.

If you’re traveling during dry season, you can usually show up and find a cheap trek to join within 1-2 days. I visited in May and it took me two days to find a group and price that I could live with.

The cheapest treks are the ones that involve jungle camping. So you have to weigh the discomfort of carrying your own tent and sleeping in the forest with no shower against the cost savings. All treks include food, water, sleeping arrangements (including tents and sleeping bags if camping), transport, and two guides.

What it’s like to go jungle trekking in Luang Namtha

At 8 am on the day of my trek in Luang Namtha, I met my group, two guides, and the sorngthaew (pickup truck with benches in the back) that would take us to the Nam Ha NPA.

We drove for half an hour before stopping in a Lantan village. We chatted with the locals through a guide from the village (who translated for our Lao guide, who translated to us). The people invited us into their homes so we could see how they live and offered us some grilled bananas.

Another 20 minutes of driving later, we arrived in a Khmu village, where we met our other guide. We packed up our camping gear, kayaked across the river to reach the NPA itself, and we were off!

The first day of trekking

The first hour was straight uphill along a narrow path with a steep drop-off on one side. The second hour was straight downhill, but otherwise the same, except this part of the path was exceptionally slippery, as it was covered in dry bamboo and banana leaves.

We stopped for lunch — a massive feast of sticky rice and a half dozen different meat and veggie dishes. The guides prepared everything on plates made from banana leaves.

The trek in the afternoon was a bit easier, so the guides spent more time pointing out exotic plants and teaching jungle survival skills. We learned how to boil the water inside bamboo shoots to replenish our water supply.

In the evening, the guides prepared an even bigger meal. They created chopsticks and drinking glasses from bamboo shoots. One of them had brought a bottle full of Laolao (rice whisky), so we passed that around for awhile.

Then, the guides asked us if we wanted to go to bed or go night-trekking. So of course we chose night-trekking.

Unfortunately, the moon was really bright, so we didn’t see any animals. But we heard a lot of stuff. Mostly little stuff — insects, birds, rodents. We discovered that fire ants become a force to be reckoned with after dusk. But just the act of stumbling all over the path in near-completely darkness in the hopes of being able to see a pair of eyes in the trees felt like a genuine adventure.

The second day of trekking

After a sweaty night in tents in the jungle, and a jungle breakfast of more sticky rice and fresh-brewed coffee brewed in a bamboo shoot, we set off for an even more intense Day 2. We hacked our way through the forest with machetes as we climbed up and down hills all morning. We saw some absolutely gigantic plant life and some really cool insects, including some colorful butterflies.

The last hour was the most difficult of all — straight downhill, with steep drop-offs on both sides and a narrow path with “steps” carved out of dirt that were so steep and slippery that they were almost un-navigable. I got some pretty impressive wounds from accidentally grabbing thorn bushes when I slipped.

Finally, we saw the village we had departed from — on the other side of the river. And this time, there were no kayaks to help us cross. Instead we had to swim, holding our bags over our heads.

When we reached the village, we waited around for our ride for awhile. The return trip took about an hour, and we arrived at the end of our Luang Namtha trekking tour just as the sun was setting.

Overall impressions of my jungle trek in Laos

Normally when you sign up for a multi-day trekking tour, you expect to get some pretty incredible views in exchange for the effort. But in Luang Namtha, you’ll quickly learn to adjust your expectations.

Since the treks run through the jungle, you won’t actually be able to see anything through the trees. Most of the time you’ll see a lot of big roots and banana leaves, but little else.

This is where a good guide comes in handy. The rainforest is an extremely complex ecosystem, with tons going on — but you won’t notice it on your own. You need a guide to point out all the little things, like the parade of fire ants so strong they can lift an entire bamboo shoot, or the way a certain bird call indicates a nearby predator.

But the most memorable part of your Luang Namtha trek will be the people you meet in the hill tribe villages along the way. The lack of mass tourism here means you’ll encounter a warm welcome unparalleled in the region. You may find yourself drinking rice wine with the village chief, or reading a book in English to a local child trying to practice her language skills, or buying a cold Coca-Cola from an old woman who tells you stories of her ancestors while you dig out your wallet.

How to get to Luang Namtha, Laos

Luang Namtha is a long way from most other tourist areas in Laos. Plan on a full day of travel in any direction.

Most people visit as an out-and-back trip from Luang Prabang. At least one direct bus departs every morning and every evening along this route. It costs 100,000 kip and theoretically takes 8 hours — but in reality, it’ll be more like 12.

If you’re headed for Vientiane, you should either fly or break up the trip in Luang Prabang. Otherwise it’s a 24-hour bus ride at a cost of 200,000 kip. Don’t even think about trying to get further south within one day.

If you want to see more of northern Laos, it’s easy and convenient to divert to Nong Khiaw. Long-distance buses now cover this route at least once a day (6 hours, 100,000 kip). But if you miss the direct bus, you can take a more frequent bus to Muang Xai or Pak Mong and change to a sorngthaew the rest of the way. It adds up to about the same cost. The road between Muang Xai and Luang Namtha is one of the most scenically stunning in Laos, especially around sunset.

Buses arrive and depart from the long-distance bus station and airport, which are right next to each other 10 km out of town. Tuk-tuks and sorngthaew meet all arriving buses to shuttle folks to the town center. You’ll pay around 20,000 kip for a lift in a shared vehicle.

A few other tips for trekking in Luang Namtha

• Bring a reusable water bottle — you won’t be able to buy any water once you start your trek.
• Practice “leave no trace” principles while you’re in the forest.
• Tips for guides are not expected, but they will deeply appreciate it if you buy them a Coke or beer at the end of your trek.
• You don’t need a sleeping bag if your’e camping in the jungle. A sleep sheet or sarong weighs less and will keep you plenty warm.
• The main traveler strip in Luang Namtha is littered with budget hotels. I stayed at the completely adequate Thoulasith Guesthouse for $8 a night for a private room with a bathroom inside.
• Luang Namtha has the most atmospheric night market in Laos. It’s lit only by candles — it’s magical.
• If you have some extra time before your trek starts, rent a bike and explore the surrounding villages and nature. Don’t miss the “amazing” waterfall.

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