Laos’ Best National Parks: Trekking, Wildlife, and Scenic Views

Introduction

Laos, a landlocked country in Indochina, has been on the bucket list of every nature-loving, trail-seeking traveler in the whole wide world. With the unparalleled beauty of green forests, dense thickets, flowing turquoise rivers, and mystical air, this beautiful country has seen 4 million tourists in 2019.

The country was even awarded “World Best Tourist Destination” by the European Council in 2013 for its rich history and its esteemed architecture. With an abundance of natural beauty, there are several Laos national parks worth visiting during your trip to the country. Without further ado, here are some of the best National Parks of Laos that you should add to your Laos travel package.

Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park

Covering a total area of 1585 sq mi, the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park lies across three provinces in Northern Laos. Consisting of rivers and thick forests, it was declared a national park in 2019 and some areas were bordered off for humans to live or to harvest wildlife.

On the other hand, the accessible areas in Nam Et-Phou Louey are a stunning spectacle as one can see the Laos wildlife roaming free in their natural habitat. The park is named after the Nam Et River and the Phou Louey Mountain (Forever Mountain). As such, you can expect an abundance of serenely green forests and the constant sound of the Nam Et River flowing when you’re trekking through the forests of Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park.

The tours to the national park are organised in Viengthong while the below tours are some of the most highlighted ones:

• Nam Nern Night Safari boat tour
• Trekking Tours The Nests
• Trekking Tours Cloud Forest Climb

P.S.: The Cloud Forest Climb tour is a trekking trail to the top of Phou Lou Mountain. This tour also offers the chance to track several Laos wildlife species, such as white-cheeked gibbons, leopards, bears and wild dogs, using camera traps.

Phou Khao Khouay National Park

Situated 25 mi Northeast of Vientiane, the Phou Khao Khouay National Park includes a large stretch of mountain range, sandstone cliffs, river gorges, and three large rivers that flow into the Mekong River.

What’s so unique about this national park is that it’s not made with one single topography. Ranging from 200 m to 1761 m in elevation, the Phou Kaho Khouay National Park has a rich and varied landscape like no other. You can find evergreen forests, deciduous trees, coniferous forests, dry sandstones, and flowing rivers in one place.

The park is also home to some iconic wildlife, such as elephants, tigers, and bears, and if you’re lucky, you could sight a Green Peafowl here (which was thought to have been extinct in Laos). Several Laos tours give you the chance to visit the Phou Khao Khouay National Park, so make sure to tick that in your wishlist while you’re looking at all the Laos tour package options.

Nam Ha NPA

To get that authentic native tribal experience, the Nam Ha National Protected Area is the perfect match for you. Situated just 3 mi southwest of Luang Namtha, the Nam Ha NPA is one of the most iconic Laos national parks to exist.

Being a mix of secondary types of deciduous forest and evergreen forest, the lower levels of Nam Ha NPA have signs of human settlement with several designated bamboo and scrub areas. Alongside humans, the Nam Ha NPA is also home to the Assam macaque, the clouded leopard, the tiger, the elephant, and a whopping 300 species of birds!

Tip: Ask for the Nam Ha NPA tour when you’re booking a Laos Tour with Threeland Travel to learn more about this iconic destination.

Nam Kan National Park - The Gibbon Experience

Nam Kan National Park is the perfect place for anyone looking for equal amounts of adrenaline rush and calm spots in the forests. The Gibbon Experience, which operates in the national park, has made the whole thing quite iconic and marvellous to witness.

Honeymoon tour, Giant, and Classic are three of its famous tours that thousands of visitors take every year. The Nam Kan National Park has treehouses built on top of giant trees where tourists can relax and watch the Gibbons (a form of primate) play and eat in their natural habitat.

The Gibbon Experience also includes a zipline ride throughout the entire perimeter of the national park. The tour takes 2 days to complete, while visitors spend the night in a giant treehouse and visit the Tree King (the biggest tree in Laos). The Gibbon Experience is also known for its trend-setting tourism style as it aims to improve the Nam Kan National Park every day so that more people can explore this hidden gem in Laos.

As per The Gibbon Experience, setting up treehouses on the top of trees is a great way to meet friends and family and get a different perspective on this beautiful landscape that we live in. The National Park hopes to raise awareness by building these treetops and to show the world that this beautiful planet is indeed worth saving for.

Conclusion

Even if you are a nature lover or a passionate trekker, these national parks of Laos have something for everyone. From the world-famous Laos wildlife to the serene landscapes and towering mountains of the Laos National Parks, thousands of tourists find their heaven here and you can be one of them.

Threeland Travel offers several iconic Laos tour package options with additional services and a visit to some of these beautiful spots of Laos. Don’t forget to check out some other Indochina countries like Thailand and Vietnam to get the best out of your journey.