2-Day Trek Nam Ha NPA Luang Namtha: Khmu Homestay & Jungle Trail

Hike old-growth jungle and sleep in a village where you learn to shoot a crossbow and pound rice.

A 2-day trek through Nam Ha National Protected Area near Luang Namtha combines hiking through upland rainforest with an overnight stay in a Khmu homestay. You visit Khmu and Lanten minority villages, practice traditional activities like crossbow shooting and rice pounding, and eat meals prepared with local ingredients. An English-speaking guide leads the trek, and all accommodation, meals, park entry and village activities are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Trek from Doiluckkham to Nalan Village

• Depart Luang Namtha to Doiluckkham
• Trek through secondary forest
• Have Lao-style picnic lunch
• Hike 2-3 hours in upland rainforest
• Arrive at Nalan village before sunset
• Explore village and learn local life
• Dinner with local cuisine
• Participate in community activities

Day 2: Village visits and hiking options

• Visit village, try Lao coffee or tea
• Practice crossbow shooting and rice pounding
• Enjoy traditional breakfast
• Option 1: Hike uphill and downhill to Chalernsouk village
• Option 1: Lunch on forest path
• Option 1: Tuk-tuk back to Luang Namtha
• Option 2: Hike along Nam Ha River to Nahome village
• Option 2: Visit village and learn crafts
• Option 2: Lunch and hike to Namlue village
• Option 2: Tuk-tuk back to Luang Namtha

The experience

The trek starts with a 20 km drive from Luang Namtha town to Doiluckkham, where you enter secondary forest and climb into the old-growth rainforest of Nam Ha NPA. The first day covers 2–3 hours of hiking beneath tall trees, with a Lao-style picnic lunch in the forest, ending at Nalan village before sunset. You check into a Khmu homestay, explore the village to learn how people live there, and share dinner with your host family before joining in evening community activities.

Day two starts with coffee or local tea in the village, then you try crossbow shooting and rice pounding: skills the Khmu have used for generations. After a traditional breakfast, you choose between two routes back to Luang Namtha. The shorter option (3–4 hours) climbs uphill through forest with a lunch prepared on the trail, then descends to Chalernsouk village where a tuk-tuk returns you to town. The longer option (5–6 hours) follows the Nam Ha River to Nahome village, passes through areas where Khmu and Lanten groups farm and practice traditional crafts, visits Namlue village after climbing a steep jungle section, and also returns by tuk-tuk. Both routes end by afternoon.

The guide speaks English and travels with you throughout. Nam Ha NPA entry, all transport, accommodation in the homestay, every meal, water and snacks, and the village activities are included in the price. You'll need at least moderate fitness to handle the hiking and elevation changes, and children from age 3 are welcome.

What’s included

• Nam Ha NPA entry fee.
• accommodation in a Khmu homestay.
• all meals (dinner, breakfast, and lunch on the trail).
• water and snacks.
• all village activities including crossbow shooting and rice pounding.
• English-speaking guide.
• transportation from Luang Namtha to the trailhead and back to town by tuk-tuk.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesAdult (16 to 70 years) · Youth (11 to 15 years) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (3 to 5 years) · Under 3: 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 7 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Phou Iu Travel & Ecotourism

Is this one for you?Choose the shorter route on day two if you prefer 3–4 hours of hiking and want to return to Luang Namtha by early afternoon. Pick the longer route if you have the time and fitness for 5–6 hours of hiking and want to visit more villages and see traditional crafts in Nahome and Namlue.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 15 years); Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (3 to 5 years). Children under 3 can't be included in the booking.

What is the Nalan Trail like to hike?

The Nalan Trail climbs through secondary forest and then into upland rainforest within Nam Ha NPA, with the first day covering 2–3 hours of hiking beneath old-growth trees before reaching Nalan village. The second day offers two routes: a 3–4 hour uphill-then-downhill hike to Chalernsouk, or a 5–6 hour river-and-jungle route to Namlue, both with elevation changes that require moderate fitness.

Do I stay in a hotel or somewhere else?

You stay overnight in a Khmu homestay in Nalan village, where you sleep with your host family and share meals prepared with local ingredients. This is part of the trek experience, letting you learn directly about village life and traditions.

What activities happen in the villages?

In Nalan village you explore on foot and learn about local life. On the second morning you try crossbow shooting and rice pounding, traditional Khmu skills. If you take the longer route, you also visit Nahome and Namlue villages to see how Khmu and Lanten groups practice traditional crafts.

What meals and drinks are provided?

Dinner and breakfast are included each day, prepared with local ingredients. On day one you eat a Lao-style picnic lunch in the forest. On day two, lunch is prepared on the trail. Water and snacks are provided, though you can bring your own water bottle and personal snacks if you prefer.

Is a guide included, and what language do they speak?

An English-speaking guide leads the entire trek and stays with you throughout both days, explaining the forest, villages and activities as you go.