2-Day Kayaking and Trekking in Nam Ha NPA: Khmu Homestay

Trek jungle trails by day, paddle rapids by night, then sleep in a Khmu village homestay.

A 2-day trek and kayak adventure through Nam Ha National Protected Area combines hiking through rainforest on day one with overnight stay in a Khmu homestay, then river paddling on day two. The guide speaks English, pickup is included from your hotel or the office, and all meals, accommodation, park entry and community contributions are covered. Best booked July through November when the Namtha River has water for kayaking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Trek to Ban Nalan and village activities

• Meet at office or hotel at 9:00 AM
• Visit morning market for supplies
• Start trek on Nam Ha NPA trail at 10:00 AM
• Learn about plants from guides
• Have lunch prepared from jungle resources
• Continue hiking through rainforest and cultivated lands
• Arrive at Ban Nalan village before sunset
• Check into Khmu homestay
• Explore village and learn local culture
• Enjoy dinner prepared by host
• Participate in Khmu performances and crossbow demonstrations
• Relax by Nam Ha River or explore village
• Learn to cook Laotian food and have candlelight meal

Day 2: Kayak from Ban Nalan to Ban Houy Leuat

• Have breakfast prepared by guides
• Meet at riverside for kayaking instructions
• Paddle through initial rapids
• Visit Nalan Tai village for Lao picnic lunch
• Continue kayaking and enjoy scenery
• Visit Nam Koy village for natural dyeing and bamboo paper making
• Navigate rapids joining Namtha River
• Reach Houy Leuat village
• Return to office via tuk-tuk

The experience

Day one starts at 9:00 AM with pickup, then a stop at the morning market to gather supplies before the trek begins at 10:00 AM. The trail climbs through dense rainforest where your guide points out plants used by local communities: lunch is cooked from jungle resources along the way. The afternoon push crosses cultivated lands of rattan, cardamom and banana before you reach the Khmu village before sunset. You check into a homestay run by villagers, explore on foot, and join community activities: Khmu performances and crossbow demonstrations happen most evenings. Dinner is prepared by your host, and there's time to learn basic Laotian cooking over a candlelight meal or wander down to the Nam Ha River.

Day two is built around the river. After breakfast, guides give kayaking instruction and safety briefing at the riverside, then you paddle through initial rapids to Nalan Tai village for a Lao picnic lunch. The afternoon continues downstream with more rapids and stops at Nam Koy village, where locals demonstrate natural dyeing and bamboo paper making. The Namtha River itself carries you through a final set of rapids to Houy Leuat village, where a tuk-tuk returns you to the office. Water levels matter here: July through November the river runs high enough for solid paddling. December to June levels drop and conditions change.

The trek demands moderate fitness: hills and rainforest terrain on day one, then paddling and rapids on day two. Children from age 6 are welcome. Guides speak English and know the trails and villages well enough to explain what you're seeing, not just point at it. Everything is arranged: transport to the trailhead, all meals, the homestay bed, park fees and the community contributions that support the village tourism program.

What’s included

• Pickup from your hotel or office.
• English-speaking guide.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• overnight Khmu homestay accommodation.
• Nam Ha National Protected Area entry fee.
• kayaking instruction and equipment.
• community contributions and government taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (16 to 65 years) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 5 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Phou Iu Travel & Ecotourism

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine trekking and kayaking in one trip. The overnight homestay lets you do both without rushing, and small groups mean your guide can teach kayaking skills and forest ecology hands-on rather than shouting instructions to a crowd.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (6 to 10 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What's the Khmu village like, and what do you actually do there?

The Khmu village is a community-based tourism site that won the ASEAN Standard award in 2018. You stay overnight in a homestay run by villagers, join evening performances and crossbow demonstrations, learn to cook Laotian food with your host, and have free time to walk around and talk with people. It's not a museum. You're sleeping and eating in the village, not visiting it as a stop.

When is the best time to do this trek and kayak trip?

July through November is ideal because the Namtha River has enough water for kayaking and rapids. From December to June, water levels drop significantly and paddling conditions change: the operator notes this affects the experience, so check current conditions if you're booking outside the peak window.

What happens if I'm not a strong swimmer or have never kayaked before?

Guides give full kayaking instruction and safety briefing at the riverside before you paddle. The trip requires moderate fitness for the trekking on day one, but kayaking experience is not a requirement: the guide teaches you on the water. Children from age 6 are welcome, which suggests the rapids and paddling are manageable for people new to it.

Does the price include everything, or are there extra costs?

Pickup from your hotel or the office, all meals, the homestay accommodation, Nam Ha National Protected Area entry, and community contributions are all included. You don't pay separately for the guide, transport to the trailhead, or the village activities. Bring personal medicine and any snacks or water bottle you prefer to have on hand.

How much trekking is there, and how hard is it?

Day one is a full day of hiking through rainforest and cultivated lands, starting at 10:00 AM and ending at the village before sunset. The operator rates it as requiring moderate physical fitness. It's not a casual walk, but it's not a mountaineering expedition either. Day two is paddling and rapids, not trekking.