Thailand Hilltribe Trek

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand. The most vibrant city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has many famous temples and an interesting old city area. Renowned for dazzling beauty and extremely welcoming locals, the ‘Rose of the North’ will leave you spellbound. Chances are, you won’t want to leave. Today is an arrival day and you can arrive at any time before the welcome meeting tonight at 6.30pm. An airport arrival transfer is included. This transfer is only valid if arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Intrepid. Please provide your arrival details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel to organise this. There are so many things to do here – spectacular temples, delicious food, an enormous night market, a picturesque river-front and fantastic shopping, so perhaps arrive a few days early. Chiang Mai is a great place to hire a bicycle, sign up for a Thai cooking class, or loosen those muscles with some traditional Thai massage. After the welcome meeting your evening is free to explore the city as you please. Your local guide will meet you again tomorrow morning.

Check into day rooms this morning to gear up for your trek into the remote surrounding regions. Your first destination is the Karen village of Ban Pong Noi, with a lunch stop at the magnificent Mok Fah Waterfall. On the way, take a detour to Mae Malai local market to pick up fresh food for your trip. After a 1-hour drive, enjoy a relaxing lunch break by the waters of Mok Fah Waterfall, and take a refreshing swim if you desire. The starting point of the 2.8 km, 2-hour trek is Baan Mae Sae, which you'll reach after your break. The trek to Ban Pong Noi is relatively simple, and you'll arrive in the village in the late afternoon. This homestay experience will give you unique insight into life in this rural part of Thailand.

Rise early this morning to take a tour of the village before sitting down to breakfast. Once you’ve fueled up, begin today’s trek and follow a trail through jungle, rice paddies, rotation dry farms, streams, rivers and waterfalls, passing by more Karen villages as you go. The first leg of the trek is steep up and downhill through bamboo forest, with a total walking time of around 3 hours. Make a stop to rest your legs and enjoy a picnic lunch, then carry on for another 2-3 hours until you arrive at a Lahu village, your base for the night. Today’s total walking distance is approximately 11 kilometres.