We booked an overnight trek in Nong Khiaw and were rewarded with some of the best views of our entire Laos trip. Initially, we had planned to climb Phar Kew Lom, one of the area’s most popular peaks. However, by the time we arrived, it was fully booked at all the tour operators in town.
We went to Backpacker Adventure Tour and they advised us that they had just opened a brand-new trail to an even higher peak called Pha Mok. It was so new that we couldn’t find any information about it online. The tour company had great reviews online so we decided to take a risk and go for it. We had no idea what to expect but it turned out to be great.
Overnight trek in Nong Khiaw
There are many different tour operators offering an overnight trek in Nong Khiaw. There are some longer ~2.5 hour hikes (like the one we did and Pharkewlom) and some shorter ~1 hour hikes (like Nong Khiaw Viewpoint).
For a complete guide to all the different hiking routes in Nong Khiaw, you can use this handy blog post. We could see the Phar Kew Lom viewpoint close by to us, just slightly slower, so if you opt for that one you will have similarly amazing views.
We chose Backpacker Adventure Tour and paid £24 for a 2.5-hour hike to the highest peak in the area, dinner, camping, breakfast, and local guides which we felt was well worth it.
Day 1: Nong Khiaw to Pha Mok
We met our group and guides at 1pm and left our large backpacks at the tour operator. There were 8 of us on the tour plus 2 guides, who took us 5 minutes via tuk-tuk to the trailhead. The trail began blissfully flat, crossing a shallow river which we waded through barefoot.
Soon, the incline became relentlessly steep, with muddy steps and makeshift ladders crafted from sticks and branches making for quite a fun hike. There were no flat sections—just a constant, grueling climb for 2.5 hours. Luckily we were shaded by the forest because it was so hot, we were absolutely drenched in sweat.
It was a stunning route though, through dense forest and glimpses of mountain views. It was clear the path was not well-trodden so we were pleased to have our guides.
About an hour in, we stopped for a break and the guides cut some fruit from a tree for us. They found it quite funny how much we were all struggling. They also told us how they do this hike every day, and sometimes they even run it. Cheers, rub it in guys…
Finally, 2.5 hours and some very sore legs later, we arrived at the summit just in time for sunset. The view was breathtaking and well worth the hard climb. We admired the sunset before tucking into a BBQ dinner at the campsite.
After dinner, we braved the cold and laid outside on the viewing platform in our sleeping bags to gaze at the stars. With minimal light pollution, the night sky was mesmerizing—easily the best I’ve ever seen.
Tired from the long day, we crawled into our tent hoping for a good nights sleep. But it was a very uncomfortable night because it was so cold and the ground was rock hard as we had no roll mats.
Around 4am, I was definitely questioning my life decisions knowing I had to wake up in 2 hours and hike back down with no sleep. I remember thinking, why the hell did I think this would be fun?
Day 2: Back to Nong Khiaw
We got up at 5.30am the following morning, weary eyed and cold. But, any regrets I had about the trip disappeared the moment the sunrise began. It was definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen: a pink-purple sky melting into rolling white clouds, illuminated by a bright golden sun. The town below was completely hidden, and we truly felt on top of the world.
Breakfast was a basic instant noodle pot—not exactly gourmet, but it did the job and warmed us up. By 7am we began the descent back to Nong Khiaw, weary eyed and sore legged.
We thought going down would be easier, but the steep, uneven terrain made it challenging so it still took us two hours. At the bottom, the group cooled off with a refreshing swim in the stream before our guides took us back to town in a tuk-tuk.
Overnight trek in Nong Khiaw: final thoughts
Overall, completing an overnight trek in Nong Khiaw was a great experience and one of the highlights of our trip. I’d definitely recommend Backpacker Adventure Tour and doing the new trail to Pha Mok. It’s tough, but the views are worth it. And if you don’t fancy a 2.5 climb, you can always opt for one of the shorter hikes instead.
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