Trekking Tours

Wildlife Conservation Trekking Tours

A unique opportunity to enter one of the most important wildlife areas in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park. Feel like a field biologist for a few days as you identify signs of wildlife along the trekking trail.

Together with the park guide and village spotter (themselves former poacher), analyze footprints, scratches on trees, scat, and view wildlife camera trap images from cameras that are set along the trail, and you might find evidence of clouded leopard, dhole, or bears. Direct wildlife observations are rare on the trekking tours compared to the Night Safari tour, but lucky visitors can spot various civet species, giant flying squirrels, serow, muntjacs, sambar deer, langurs, as well as hear the beautiful morning calls of the critically endangered Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons. Higher elevation offers interesting birding opportunities, including sightings of Indochinese Green Magpie, Yunnan Fulvetta, Silver Pheasant and various species of hornbills.

The most challenging trek, leads up to the Phou Louey the “Forever” Mountain (Elev. 2257m),- the summit of the National Park!

The data from the camera traps is further incorporated into the national park’s wildlife-monitoring program.

The trekking tours are located in different part of the National Park than the Nam Nern Night Safari. 3 villages are responsible of the park trekking network and work as guides, porters, cooks etc, in addition 12 surrounding villages receive financial benefits based on their wildlife conservation efforts. The benefits to communities are based on the number and type of wildlife seen by visitors on tours and on the wildlife camera trap data.

Trekking Tour Itineraries:

Seasonality: Trekking tours are available during the dry season only, from October to May/June
Difficulty: Please select and sign up for the tours that suite your level of experience in trekking and physical fitness

The Nests (2 Days / 1 Night)
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Accommodation: 1 night in The Nests
In Brief: Trek to the heart of the National Park and overnight in spherical baskets hanging from the trees – ‘The Nests’. Identify proof of wildlife along the trail (footprints, scat, scratches, etc) and verify wildlife camera traps. Try your luck to hear the critically endangered Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons and to spot birdlife and wildlife from the observation tower overlooking a salt lick that attracts animals such as the rare Sambar deer from far and wide. Read More.

Waterfall & The Nests (3 Days / 2 Nights)
Difficulty: Moderate to Hard
Accommodation: 1 night in jungle huts & 1 night The Nests
In Brief: Trek to the heart of the National Park and enjoy natural pools and waterfalls. Identify proof of wildlife along the trail (footprints, scat, scratches, etc) and verify wildlife camera traps. Try your luck to hear the critically endangered Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons and to spot birdlife and wildlife from the observation tower overlooking a salt lick that attracts animals such as the rare Sambar deer from far and wide. Read More.

Cloud Forest Climb (3 to 5 day options)

Difficulty: Hard to Challenging
Accommodation: 2 nights in jungle huts (Add on options: 1 night in village homestay; 1 night in The Nests)
In Brief: Challenging trek up to the summit of Phou Louey the “Forever” Mountain (Elev. 2257m) – the summit of the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park and one of the few Cloud Forests in the region. This trek offers a unique opportunity to enter one of the most important wildlife habitats of the National Park. Feel like a field biologist for a few days as you track and identify proof of wildlife along the trekking trail. Cover the full length of the park trekking trails by adding extra day and night to the Nests camp and wildlife observation tower. Learn more about the Khmu culture by adding a night in the village before the trek. Read More.