Nam Ha National Protected Area, Laos’ top trekking destination

There are a lot of wonderful places in Laos for trekking – some are famed while others are little-known and waiting to be explored. The Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA) in Luang Namtha province is one such place. Although well known to locals, this wonderful place is yet to be discovered by tourists. For me, it turned out to be the best place for trekking and the perfect location to experience the bounty and beauty of nature. I am a regular trekker and have been to many parts of Laos and to other countries, but trekking in the Nam Ha NPA was a special, almost unforgettable experience and exceeded my expectations. First we hired a car to get to Chaleunsouk village, the starting point of the trek. It then took us more than two hours to walk to Nalan village and we started climbing a hill close to the main road. It was not a challenging hike through the forest, but we took several breaks as some of our companions were not strong walkers and found the going hard work. But when we reached our destination and saw the panoramic view of the village in front of us they realised it was indeed worth the effort. We sat down for lunch as our guide detailed the activities available for visitors. Trekkers may cook their own food using what’s available in the forests. Our guide showed us a trap made to catch wild animals and demonstrated how the locals catch wildlife there. We resumed our trek soon after lunch and went deep into the jungle. We tasted the fruits of the forest along the way and were then greeted with a rather heavy rain shower. I’m not sure if this can be described as good or bad luck – what I can say with certainty is that we were all drenched as we couldn’t find a spot to keep ourselves dry. We stopped again after crossing a wooden bridge over a river and we could see cardamom plants around us. I could hear the chirping of the birds, perhaps celebrating the rain and the newly washed look of the hills, a stark reminder that we were far away from our city lives and in a jungle. Our guide advised us to walk slowly and enjoy our time in the forest. He also told us to be as quiet as possible so we would not scare the animals who make their home here. Drops of water falling from the trees were still hitting our heads gently, but it was safe to pull out our cameras and phones to capture the beauty around us. The sun was out too by now and it was certainly a sight to behold. We walked along a river as we admired the trees on either side. Some were huge – and I got goose bumps as I imagined being part of some jungle movie. I was also a little scared and wondered what would happen if we were attacked by a wild animal. I was deeply touched by the pristine beauty around me and everything seemed even more alive because of the rain. The sight of wild orchids was one particular memory that will stay with me for a long time to come. Most of us would have liked to spend longer in the forest but the day was short and it seemed that every minute passed more quickly than usual. Our trip had to come to an end because after the sun set we could not stay there any longer. And we had to get to Nalan village in time for the cultural show that is performed for visitors, including traditional dances and the telling of folktales. So we continued on our way. The next time I would plan things differently by arriving at the village a day earlier. The trekking experience was truly exhilarating – it is difficult to describe it in words. I am certain to return, do my own trek and spend more time with nature. I hope to someday figure out my connection with nature – what is it about it that makes me feel so good? The Nam Ha NPA was decreed in 1993 with a size of 697 square kilometres and with subsequent extensions - 2,224 sq km in 1999 - including areas from the districts of Namtha, Meuang Sing and Vieng Phoukha. Ecotourism activities in and around the NPA are a perfect chance for visitors to explore the area’s diversity. You can stay in local villages and experience the inhabitants’ way of life and local conservation programmes first-hand. This is said to be the most important and largest conservation area in Laos and is enveloped by majestic mountains with rivers gushing through. It is no surprise that it is counted amongst the heritage parks of Asean.