Nam
| country: | Laos |
| departures: | Treks & river trips depart daily from the Luang Namtha Visitor Information Centre |
| price: | From US$ 9 – 35, all inclusive (excluding flights) |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Locally guided jungle treks and river trips into the Nam Ha National Protected Area; Birdwatching and safari; Accommodation in community owned ecolodges in remote ethnic minority villages; Interpretation of traditional hunting techniques, natural medicines, handicrafts, food preparation and the use of non-timber forest products.
The UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project's name is derived from the 222,400 ha2 Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA), home to 37 species of large mammals and over 280 species of birds. It is the third largest protected area in Lao PDR, and contains diverse habitat of global conservation significance.
In addition to diverse flora and fauna, the Nam Ha NPA is also home to people. There are 25 villages inside the protected area and 86 villages just outside its borders. The majority of people living in the remote villages inside and around the protected area are of the Akha, Lantaen, Khmu and Hmong ethnic groups.
Using a participatory approach that incorporated input from local communities, provincial authorities and local guides, the project team initiated the development of three trekking programs and one river tour. The one and two-day treks and river tour are located in the NPA buffer zone and the three-day trekking program takes place entirely within the NPA. All four programs visit ethnic minority villages, with simple purpose-built traditional lodging and accommodation owned and managed by the villagers.
The UNESCO-NTA Lao Nam Ha Ecotourism Project's name is derived from the 222,400 ha2 Nam Ha National Protected Area (NPA), home to 37 species of large mammals and over 280 species of birds. It is the third largest protected area in Lao PDR, and contains diverse habitat of global conservation significance.
In addition to diverse flora and fauna, the Nam Ha NPA is also home to people. There are 25 villages inside the protected area and 86 villages just outside its borders. The majority of people living in the remote villages inside and around the protected area are of the Akha, Lantaen, Khmu and Hmong ethnic groups.
Using a participatory approach that incorporated input from local communities, provincial authorities and local guides, the project team initiated the development of three trekking programs and one river tour. The one and two-day treks and river tour are located in the NPA buffer zone and the three-day trekking program takes place entirely within the NPA. All four programs visit ethnic minority villages, with simple purpose-built traditional lodging and accommodation owned and managed by the villagers.
This award winning tourism business presence on the responsibletravel.com site has been made possible by British Airways -- we are the official web partner of British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards (more) how this holiday makes a difference
 The Nam Ha Project model produces direct economic benefits for participating villages through the provision of meals and accommodation, guiding services and also from the sale of traditional handicrafts.The newly introduced ecotourism operations are one of the few opportunities for the poorest and most remote villages in one of the world's least developed nations earn cash income to help meet their basic needs in a modernising society. The economic benefits generated by the tours are also benefiting a wide range of stakeholders in Luang Namtha, with absolutely no "leakage" occurring because of strict regulations requiring the use of only local goods and services. Since the Nam Ha Ecoguide service's first tours began operating in late 2000, over US$ 60,000 in gross revenue has been earned by local guides and communities. For their exemplary contribution to poverty alleviation and conservation in the Lao PDR, the Nam Ha Project team was awarded the 2001 United Nations Development Award and achieved Highly Commended status in the 2002 British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The substantial economic benefits are not the only way communities benefit from ecotourism. During annual community workshops, villagers cited the main reasons that they enjoyed hosting international visitors was because it was "fun" and there now exists an opportunity for cultural exchange within a framework of mutual respect that was previously unattainable.Involving local communities in the design and ongoing implementation of the tours is one of the project's main strategies to protect natural and cultural resources. After all, it is these communities that have vested livelihood and traditional interests as stewards of the cultural and natural heritage. Through enforcement of strict carrying capacities, the trekking permit, use of only local guides, and participatory monitoring, the project team has established an effective operational framework to protect the very resources that sustain the newly created community-based ecotourism industry. An example of some operational regulations include: These and other regulations are printed clearly on the trekking permit and discussed in detail at a mandatory pre-trip orientation. |
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