our story podcast get the app write for us!
Sunny Destinations Snow and Ice Food and Drink Going Out Budgeting Art Music
Travltalk

Go Your Own Way

  • #goyourownway
  • #europe
    • #amsterdam
    • #croatia
    • #finland
    • #ireland
    • #slovenia
    • #spain
    • #uk
  • #asia
  • #48hoursin
  • #streeteats
  • #travltips
  • #video
user avatar
sign in sign up
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Lost password Register Login
or

Two Days Jungle Trekking in Luang Namtha

Sophie West Sophie West
December 27, 2019
617 views

Luang Namtha offers access to Nam Ha National Protected Area, great for jungle trekking and visiting various ethnic tribes. It is currently less visited than other areas of Laos by tourists, so we were keen to get there. We were torn initially, as this meant missing the two day slow boat from the Thai/Laos border to Luang Prabang. But having read more into it, we found that the boat trip is less authentic than it used to be, amongst other things. So, we decided to head straight to Luang Namtha instead.

Getting to Luang Namtha from Chiang Rai

TIP: There are now a few direct buses a week from Chiang Rai to Luang Namtha. We went to bus terminal 2 to get a ticket costing 500 baht each. The journey took 9 hours, including a relatively uneventful border crossing (aside from the 10,000 kip ‘overtime fee’, and the fact they almost didn’t take the only cash we had on us for our visas as it was slightly creased!). Maybe be a bit more prepared than us, and take some extra cash instead (they accept baht, USD, kip, euros).

Jungle trekking Nam Ha National Protected Area from Luang Namtha
Trekking through the jungle

We went to Luang Namtha purely to do some trekking to visit different ethnic tribes. We’d looked into some companies which offer this, and did lots of research to try to choose a socially responsible one. Most companies offer similar experiences ranging from 1-7 day treks, some you can add kayaking in too, and different companies offer visits to different tribes. There are many tribes in the area (approx 17), all with different languages and cultures.

Booking a Tour

We chose to go with Discovering Laos for a two day trek with a homestay. The three day one sounded really good too, but we were feeling a bit knackered as we’ve packed a lot in recently, and wanted to save some pennies!

Jungle trekking Nam Ha National Protected Area from Luang Namtha - Khmu tribe village
The village we stayed overnight in

The price is cheaper the more people who book on, so it’s good if you could get a group together! Or just ask the company which day has bookings if you’re flexible on dates (bear in mind many don’t book until the night before).

We actually ended up rearranging ours for the following day as I was sick, and they did this at no extra charge (definite customer service points here!). They’d quoted us $71 each for two days including all food, a guide, and accommodation as there were two other people (four in total) booked on. Even though we rearranged, and no one else had booked that day, they still gave us the price for four people (even more points!).

Jungle trekking Nam Ha National Protected Area from Luang Namtha

The Jungle Trek from Luang Namtha

We set off into the jungle with our guide Toua. We would hike to a village belonging to the Khmu tribe, where we would spend the night. Our guide was Khmu himself, so spoke Khmu, Laos, Thai and English! He told us stories about his own life, and stopped to show us different plants and animals in the jungle, from medicinal plants to bear claws on a tree. Along the way, Toua would pick nuts for us to try, collect herbs for lunch, and chopped down some rattan to include in our lunch. I’d never seen it before, but it’s a huge spiky tree that looked tough to cut branches from as he hacked at it with his machete.

We came to a beautiful opening in the dense jungle. Toua made a fire and started to prepare lunch. He made it only using things from the jungle, without even a pot – he used bamboo to cook soup! BAMBOO! He told us his dad taught him to cook in the jungle, and that most people from the villages, could come into the jungle for a week or two and survive just off the jungle!

He dropped the ingredients in one by one (alright, he got the mushrooms and the rice and chicken we had it with from the market, but the rest was from the jungle!), and let the fire boil it gently.

The villagers often hunt in the jungle, and he had fond memories of running around with his brother and a slingshot. People also farm rice despite the difficult land in the jungle. They have to be very careful as to where they farm though. The Khmu people have animist beliefs, and believe in nats (spirits). If someone disturbs or harms a King tree (a very important tree thought to house a spirit), they will become sick. He told us many stories where this had happened in his village. People sought medical help, but were only cured when the shaman was called upon and appeased the spirits with a ceremony and a sacrifice.

Lunch in the Jungle

He wandered off to wash the chicken in the stream, and came back having placed it on a stick, and tied it with a leaf to secure it, to barbecue over the fire. I must admit all my mum’s uni cooking tips came screaming back to me, and I was a bit dubious. But there were no pink bits in sight after he grilled it! (I swear, Mum!)

He kindly blessed our food, and asked the nats for protection for the rest of the hike. He served it on banana leaves, no plates in sight! We ate the sticky rice with our hands as per Laos tradition, and Toua made us banana leaf spoons for the soup. The food was truly delicious, and the whole experience of it was just something else!

The finished result! Rattan and mushroom soup, served with sticky rice, chicken, and fried bamboo. Couldn’t believe the flavour he achieved cooking in the jungle!

Khmu Tribe Village Homestay

We continued to hike until we reached the village. Unlike other homestays we’ve done, you don’t actually stay in the family’s home in this village. Instead you’re next to it, in a house, still built in the traditional way. Most houses were built from a mixture of bamboo, and rattan. They were raised for relief from the heat, and to stop chickens and pigs wandering into their homes!

Jungle trekking Nam Ha National Protected Area from Luang Namtha - Khmu tribe village
Kids playing next to the traditional bamboo houses. Our house was like this, and we slept on a bamboo mat with a mosquito net and blanket.

These animals roamed freely round until someone got hungry basically! The more animals a family had, the more meat they could sell to other villagers. Sometimes we came across a concrete house with wooden doors and windows. These people were wealthier, so perhaps had sold more animals or land.

A local lady weaving a bag out of jungle vine.

The village has a nearby stream, which they use to wash themselves, and their clothes. There is only one refrigerator in the village, but mainly they dry out meat by smoking it over a fire, and then this lasts for up to 2 months!

Most had a modest bamboo house, and a small patch of land behind used for farming. Families rely on farming to feed their families, so often don’t have a lot of actual money spare. The children can go to the village primary school for free, but pencils and paper are expensive for families. We asked Discovering Laos if we could take something for the village, and they suggested stationery for this reason. We took some coloured pencils we bought from the local market in the town to the school. It was nice as they had a globe, so we showed the children where we are from.

The village primary school.

Back to Luang Namtha

For day two, there were two options. A 3 hour hike through another Khmu village, or a 6 hour much steeper one through a Lanten tribe village. Usually, we’d have taken option 2, but I still wasn’t 100% from my illness. So we opted for number 1, and got to hear more of Toua’s fascinating stories about the Khmu people before arriving back in Luang Namtha. Day 2 was equally as beautiful as day 1, and it wasn’t without drama when a snake was found rustling in the leaves just a matter of feet away from us!

Sophie West on Instagram
Sophie West
Sophie West
Sophie from Blackpool, UK, has always dreamt of travelling the world. After years of saving, and quitting her job, she is now traveling for a year with her boyfriend Joe.


Are you travelling to multiple countries over the next few months? Looking to share your story and get a little extra pocket money? Apply to become a Travltalk contributor now!

Categories: 48 Hours In... Adventure Travel Hidden Gems
Tags: asia homestay jungle laos luang namtha nam ha southeast asia trek tribes

Leave a reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Chacahua, Mexico: Tropical Surfer’s Paradise and Hidden Gem

February 21, 2020

Adventuring Like Indiana Jones in Battambang, Cambodia

February 19, 2020

7 Things to Do in Bariloche, Argentinian Patagonia

February 12, 2020

10 Day Road Trip on the Carretera Austral in Chilean Patagonia

February 3, 2020

5 Game Drives, 4 Days: What I Learned on Safari in South Africa

January 27, 2020

Why You Should Add Cafayate to Your Northern Argentina Itinerary

January 24, 2020

 

Follow us on Instagram

travltalk

📱 Download our Travltalk mobile app. It's like Tinder for travellers without the f*cking. What happens next is up to you 😆

Rhiannon Monks
Heading to Mexico 🇲🇽and looking for somethin Heading to Mexico 🇲🇽and looking for something off the beaten track? Checkout Chacahua, a tropical surfer's paradise and hidden gem, that Travltalk Contributor Monica discovered. Read the entire article on travltalk.co (link in bio)⠀
⠀
📸@monica.itorres - "Chacahua is a hidden gem on the Mexican Pacific coast. Just a few kilometres south of the famous surf spot of Puerto Escondido you can find this island of pristine empty beaches. It is located in a national park only accessible by boat, which makes it all very special. Here are my travel tips for this beautiful island.⠀
⠀
In Chacahua you’ll watch the most beautiful sunrises 🌅 on the sea and you’ll walk barefoot most of the time. You can see baby turtles being released on the ocean almost every sunset and if you’re lucky maybe you’ll see a big one 🐢 coming to lay its eggs on the beach at night. Also if you are a surfer this is the place for you, with perfect long waves, even if you’re just a beginner.⠀
⠀
For accommodation I definitely recommend the Chacahua Surf Camp, if you don’t mind camping or sleeping in a hammock. It’s 50 pesos per night, on the beach, and has a kitchen and WiFi." 🏄‍
Are you heading to Cambodia 🇰🇭 and keen to s Are you heading to Cambodia 🇰🇭 and keen to see what else there is on offer outside of the temples in Siem Reap...check out Travltalk Contributor Alana's adventure in Battambang at travltalk.co (link in bio)⠀
⠀ 📸@alana_donascimento - "The bamboo train in Battambang is a super fun and a nice way to see the Battambang countryside. Just a few tips. 1) The train goes quite fast so try to keep your mouth shut to avoid eating all the insects of the Battambang countryside. 2) The train does not have a roof so put loads of sunscreen on. 3) When your train runs into another one on the same tracks 🛤️, the one with the fewer passengers has to be disassembled and reassembled after the other one".
Ever wondered if you could handle Egypt 🇪🇬 a Ever wondered if you could handle Egypt 🇪🇬 after all the stories you've heard? Hear what @trvlbreak_ has to say about it:⠀
⠀
"Egypt is such a unique place. It’s full of all the incredible sights and history you’ve probably learned about from a young age. Because of this, tourism plays a huge part in its economy, and it has done so for a long time. Ultimately, this is both to its merit and detriment, the way I see it.⠀
⠀
As for us? Our experience ran the gamut from some of the best days to one of the worst days we’ve had travelling. But overall, it was a net positive.⠀
⠀
In any case, we have no doubt that we’d like to return someday. To help prepare you for a potential trip, head to travltalk.co to read our first hand experience of travelling Egypt for two weeks. It’s everything we got right, and the things that we wished had gone better." (link in bio)
Are you in Vietnam 🇻🇳and trying to decide if Are you in Vietnam 🇻🇳and trying to decide if you're game enough to hire a motorbike?  @Sophiewest28 and her partner had never driven one before, but managed to tackle the challenge....⠀
⠀
"We first heard about the Ha Giang Loop in Northern Vietnam when chatting about off the beaten path travel in Vietnam with other backpackers. It sounded fascinating and just what we were after – a multi-day adventure in the stunning surroundings of the mountains visiting different tribes along the way. There was just one niggle – you did it on a motorbike, and at the point I heard about it, I’d never driven one!" 🏍️⠀
⠀
Read the rest of her adventure at travltalk.co (link in bio)
If you are in Thailand and have heard about a Sak If you are in Thailand and have heard about a Sak Yant tattoo...but not sure if it's for you, Travltalk Contributor Paige Walter shares her experience at travltalk.co (link in bio).⠀
⠀
What is a Sak Yant? What does it mean?⠀
⠀
"Broken down, sak means “to tap” and yant is derived from the Sanskrit word yantra, meaning sacred. Literally, the sacred tap. This translates to the tapping or tattooing of sacred text; a tattoo that carries with it special meaning and purpose".⠀
⠀
What makes it different from a regular tattoo?⠀
⠀
"A Sak Yant is different from a regular tattoo in a lot of ways. First, the designs are predetermined. You can pick what you like, but there is a set of designs that have specific meaning. In certain cases you can have the monk choose your design. I’ll talk about that later. If you want a tattoo of your mom’s name on your arm, you won’t be able to get this from a Sak Yant artist. The designs themselves are blessed and therefore cannot be altered".
Are you heading to Argentina 🇦🇷and deciding Are you heading to Argentina 🇦🇷and deciding whether to make the journey down to Bariloche? Travltalk Contributor Sophie Small definitely thinks it is worth the journey.... ⠀
⠀
📸@sophiestravellog: "I love Argentina. Having travelled around the colourful mountains in the north and the wine regions in the centre I was more than a bit excited to have my first taste of Argentinian Patagonia by travelling to the lakeside town of Bariloche. Turns out I was right to be excited. Bariloche is beautiful. A small town running along the lake with views of the national park and the snow-capped mountains 🏔️ in the background, you could easily get stuck here. In fact I ended up staying six days rather than the three I originally planned". ⠀
⠀
Head to travltalk.co to read Sophie's top 7 things to do while you are there.
What's the difference between Ha Long Bay and Lan What's the difference between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay in Vietnam? 🇻🇳 Find out what Travltalk Contributor Sophie West has to say:⠀
⠀
📸@Sophiewest28 - "When it came to seeing Ha Long Bay, one of Vietnam’s (if not one of Southeast Asia’s) most popular sights, the choices of how to do it were overwhelming to say the least! Day trips, overnight boats, multi-day boats, budget boats, party boats, ⛵the list goes on! I’ll just warn you here (so you can pick your jaw off the floor by the end of the article) that prices for overnight trips start from $80. Whilst we were weighing up countless options, we came across the idea of going to Lan Ha Bay instead". Read the rest of Sophie's tips on travltalk.co (link in bio)
What are downtime activities when you are not work What are downtime activities when you are not working during a Ski Season....? 🏔️⠀
⠀
📸@livingthe.veggielife - "Even though the term “ski season” seems like you’ll be skiing every single day, there are opportunities for other activities to take part in and below I’ll cover some of my favourites". Head to travltalk.co to read more about Rachel's stories of luging, eating 🧀, drinking 🍷, hiking 🥾 (and of course skiing), to decide if perhaps you should ditch your job and do a Ski Season next year. 🏂
If you're sick of Winter, or just dreaming of a ye If you're sick of Winter, or just dreaming of a year abroad, or backpacking and trying to decide where you should land next, see if you've got what it takes to move to New Zealand with 2 weeks notice. 🇳🇿⠀
⠀
📸@the_book_of_mavor - "I had been backpacking through Southeast Asia for four months, watching my bank account dwindle with each passing day. My clothes were faded and stretched out from too many hand washes in the sink. I didn’t have a job, a place to live, or even a visa to enter the country. I certainly wasn’t prepared for a destination with far lower temperatures and far higher prices". Read what happens next at travltalk.co (link in bio)
📸@travelingatlas - "Seeing Patagonia has been a 📸@travelingatlas - "Seeing Patagonia has been at the top of my list for years. The raw, untamed, natural beauty ⛰️ of this remote region of the world has always excited my imagination. The challenge that my fiancée Erin and I had when planning our trip was: What is the best way to see Chilean Patagonia?" 🇨🇱⠀
⠀
Discover the route Travltalk Contributors, Brandon and Erin, took during their 10 day road trip on the Carretera Austral and see if you might like to follow in their footsteps...👣(link in bio)
Discover why 📸 @monica.itorres thinks Para is Discover why 📸 @monica.itorres  thinks Para is the strangest and most amazing state in Brazil!⠀
⠀
Pará is a singular place in the north of Brazil, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean 🌊, the Amazonas River and the great Amazonia Jungle. Once home of indigenous tribes and then colonised by the Portuguese it’s a unique territory with a very particular music, cuisine and traditions. 🇧🇷- read the whole article on travltalk.co (link in bio)
Game for a safari? 🇿🇦 ⠀ ⠀ 📸@trvlbreak Game for a safari? 🇿🇦 ⠀
⠀
📸@trvlbreak_ "We left Aquila Private Game Reserve and Mabula Game Lodge feeling like they were two pretty distinct experiences. Each had its own pros and cons, but ultimately I preferred our time at Mabula". 🦏⠀
⠀
Hear more from Brittany about her Safari experience in South Africa at travltalk.co (link in bio)
In my opinion, if you’re looking for beautiful v In my opinion, if you’re looking for beautiful vineyards and easy access to wineries then Cafayate is your place. It’s also significantly cheaper than visiting the vineyards in Mendoza 🇦🇷. The average price of a wine tasting and tour in Cafayate is probably about 100 Argentine Pesos (~$1.70 USD) whereas in Mendoza it’s about 300 Argentine Pesos (~$5 USD). ⠀
⠀
Read Travltalk contributor @sophiestravellog article on travltalk.co to see why you should make time for Cafayate and its incredible wineries 🍷 when planning your travels in northern Argentina (link in bio).
Have you thought about cage diving with sharks and Have you thought about cage diving with sharks and wondered if you have what it takes? 🦈⠀
⠀
📸@trvlbreak_ "There were seven other wetsuit-clad individuals on either side of me, including my husband. We were wide-eyed, clinging to the metal bars protecting us and hoping for a thrill. Over and over again, we watched as chum—a special mixture of fish oils and guts that sharks find attractive—floated down into the water. Soon after, the sharks followed..." ⠀
⠀
Read the rest of Brittany's story about cage diving with sharks in Gansbaii at travltalk.co (link in bio)
Travel is a wonderful way to spend your time; you Travel is a wonderful way to spend your time; you learn, you grow and you see so much. Unfortunately, travel is also a leading contributor to waste and carries with it a massive carbon footprint. 👣 The Center for Biological Diversity reports that aeroplanes alone are estimated to consume 5% of the world’s remaining carbon budget by 2050. So how can you help minimise your impact? ♻️⠀
⠀
Head to travltalk.co for a few tips from Travltalk Contributor Paige Walter, for seeing and experiencing the world while limiting your waste. (link in bio)
@the_book_of_mavor: 15 dollars 💵doesn’t seem @the_book_of_mavor: 15 dollars 💵doesn’t seem like a lot if you’re in San Francisco and you’re thirsting for a really good cup of coffee. But if you’re a low-budget traveller, it’s all you need to spend a fun day eating and exploring in a foreign country. I spent a month travelling from north to south in Vietnam 🇻🇳 and spent $15 a day on average, including everything.⠀
⠀
For tips to help with budget travel read Alyssa's article on travltalk.co (link in bio)
Everybody talks about Vietnamese street food, but Everybody talks about Vietnamese street food, but you may not know that Cambodian street food is just as delicious and tasty. All of which you can easily find when travelling in Siem Reap. Check out the personal top ten from @alana_donascimento on https://buff.ly/2YxY9VL (link in bio)
📸@trvlbreak_ “I can’t believe we were just 📸@trvlbreak_ “I can’t believe we were just up there,” I called out to my husband as I looked behind me, taking in the magnitude of the 120-metre cliffside we had climbed down no less than thirty minutes earlier. A combination of bamboo ladders, ropes, and metal steps—all somehow impressively attached to stubborn roots and the craggy rock face—had led us down to the base of Tumpak Sewu Waterfall in East Java, Indonesia, and I felt almost giddy that we’d actually made it" ⠀
⠀
Read why Brittany recommends a visit to the Tumpak Sewu Waterfall and all the info you need to know about getting there and where to find it on travltalk.co - 'How to Visit Tumpak Sewu Waterfall - The Niagra of Indonesia' (link in bio).
@Sophiewest28 - We arrived in Luang Prabang by bus @Sophiewest28 - We arrived in Luang Prabang by bus from Luang Namtha. We liked the relaxed feel of the town so decided to extend our stay a few days. I booked onto a weaving class in a local village (through Backstreet Academy), to make my own scarf! 🧶 Throughout our travels, whenever I’d seen handweavers I was in awe, and could never quite fathom how they did it. I definitely wanted to try it myself!⠀
⠀
Are you heading to Laos and wanting to find out more about local traditions and culture in Luang Prabang? 🙏 Read the rest of Sophie's article on travltalk.co (link in bio).
"In the heart of the Brazilian 🇧🇷state of Ba "In the heart of the Brazilian 🇧🇷state of Bahía is Chapada Diamantina. The area used to be mined for diamonds and other precious stones 💎, and whether you believe in the energetic powers of these stones or not, you will definitely feel something special here. There is a reason why people from all over the world gravitate to this place for a more connected lifestyle. When you go, you’ll know. Chapada Diamantina is well known for its spectacular hikes, and Vale do Pati is regarded as the best multi-day hike in Brazil".⠀
⠀
To find out why Travltalk Contributor @tessjohnson describes her seven day hike 🥾through the Vale do Pati as the best hike in Brasil head to travltalk.co (link in bio).
Load More… Follow on Instagram
© 2017-2020 Travltalk Media Ltd
  • Travltalk App
  • Write for Us!
  • Contributor Agreement
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy