Explore Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park

With a terrain of mostly steep hills and mountains, ranging from 336 to 2,257m above sea level, Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park is the source of many large rivers such as Nam Nern, Nam Khan, Nam Et, Nam Seuang and Nam Seng. The name Nam Et-Phou Louey is derived from the main river Nam Et and the mountain Phou Louey (meaning “Eternal”).

Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park has a large area of primary forest and a high level of biodiversity. There are currently 19 species of carnivores, 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, 50 species of mammals and 299 species of birds; including many endangered species such as tigers, golden cats, Sambar deer, white-cheeked gibbons, Indochinese gray langurs, Asian sun bears, otters and hornbills... In addition, there are 314 species of plants, 243 genera and 106 families, many of which have high economic value.

In and around Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park, there are currently 100 villages with a population of 44,500 people belonging to 8 of the 50 ethnic groups living in a subsistence way. Their main livelihood is agricultural production associated with the natural environment, some villages have traditional crafts such as weaving, distilling, pottery and weaving... To balance between protecting biodiversity and the living needs of local communities, the reserve is divided into 2 main areas: the Total Protection Area which is strictly conserved and the Controlled Use Area, where people live by agriculture or serving eco-tours organized by the Lao Wildlife Conservation Association.

One of the most popular tours is the Nam Nern Zoo Night Tour. Visitors can witness animals foraging for food; trekking deep into the national reserve on a 2- to 5-day trip to see rare wildlife. Along the trails are placed “camera traps” - devices with motion sensors that detect and photograph wildlife without humans. These photos will become souvenirs for visitors, or be used for research and promotion.

Thanks to good forest protection combined with sustainable tourism exploitation and development, Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park has continuously received the World Responsible Tourism Award 2013 - 2014; and the experience of exploring Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park at night is listed by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as one of the 10 best night tours in the world.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/kham-pha-vuon-quoc-gia-nam-et-phou-louey-662131.html