About the trip
When you look in Chiang Mai for a longer trekking tour you will find that all the tour operators trek in the Pai area.Why not come to Pai instead - relax a bit and take a local guide? This is different to what you'll get from commercial ventures run out of Chiang Mai, Bangkok etc.
Accommodation
Included in the price
Pai
- Transfers with air-conditioned van between Chiang Mai and/or Mae Hong Son without guide assistance, (between Pai and trekking start / end transport is provided on non air-conditioned local pickup truck)
- English speaking trekking guide in Pai
- Basic dormitory style overnight at hill-tribe village with foam mattress and sleeping bag
- Elephant ride and bamboo rafting
- Service charges and VAT
Pai
- Transfers with air-conditioned van between Chiang Mai and/or Mae Hong Son without guide assistance, (between Pai and trekking start / end transport is provided on non air-conditioned local pickup truck)
- English speaking trekking guide in Pai
- Basic dormitory style overnight at hill-tribe village with foam mattress and sleeping bag
- Elephant ride and bamboo rafting
- Service charges and VAT
Day-wise Itinerary
ExpandDay 1: Arrival At Chiang Mai And Transfer To Pai For Trekking
Pick up from Chiang Mai at 9 am , we will drive one hour to reach the trekking trail. Start walking upstream along the Lang river, through one of the most beautiful mix deciduous forest in Northern Thailand: Teak wood forests, Indian Mahoganies and various species of bamboo. During a break for a basket lunch in the middle of the jungle, the guide will show you some survival skills using a bamboo and a machete. Then, walk up hill again, observing plants, flowers, insects and birds until reaching a remote Red Lahu village close to the Thai-Burmese border. Settle in a local bamboo house build on teak tiles and covered with a thatched roof; then you will have the opportunity to take a refreshing shower and walk around to observe the life of the village. If you wish, you can assist your guide and learn how to cook a delicious meal on a wood fire. The Kantoke style dinner will be the occasion to talk about the culture and history of the Lahu people, then you will spend overnight on your foam mattress and sleeping bag.
Day 2: Departure
- After a filling breakfast, you will be ready to hike 3 hours to one of the main Karen village in the region; walking through different kinds of forest and following mountain ridges planted with pine trees, arrive at a Karen village for lunch. Then, after a walk through the village observing the kids playing and the women weaving, continue the trip with a one-hour elephant ride down to the bamboo raft pier. The same kind of boats were already used on this river by the Lawa people, first population recorded in this area 800 years BC; the trip takes you to the entrance of a huge limestone cave which is the result of 200 millions years of erosion by the river. The Lawa people have been using some of its galleries as primitive habitation and have left there some traces of their civilization. After an interesting visit and a delicious barbecue lunch at the restaurant of the cave, transfer to your next destination:
- Option 1: Transfer back to Chiang Mai city or airport
- Option 2: Transfer to Mae Hong Son
- Option 3: Transfer to Pai
Exclusions
Expand- Meals other than described Beverages Personal expenses
Terms and Conditions
Expand- Packing list: Backpack (participants carry their personal belongings), a pair of sandals, a pair of "flip-flops", a pair of trousers, T-shirts, flashlight (torchlight), towel + toilet kit, bed sheet, mosquito repellent
- From June to October: raincoat
- From January to March: sweater and hat
