TTTK03 - Chiang Dao in Depth Private Tour - 4 days
In the coming days you will learn about the flora and fauna of Northern Thailand and about the mountain dwellers who call these foothills of the Himalayas their home. You will learn about the traditions and life of the various tribes inhabiting this area, the Karen, Lahu, Palong and Akha. Most of these tribes migrated into Thailand from the surrounding countries. Your experienced guide knows this area as the back of his hand and will tell you about the flora and fauna. If you are interested in Thai cooking, you can join our guide with preparing dinner and he will teach you how to cook real Thai food. Enjoy the local hilltribe lifestyle, your guide can tell you many stories about their lives.
An unforgetable elephant ride. Experience the life of the hilltribe people. Profesionally organized private tour with high flexibility.
Your trekking guide will pick you up around 09:00 at your hotel or guesthouse. You will drive to the North into the mountains. On the way, you'll stop at the Mae Ma Lai market. Your guide will do some shopping for the coming days. He will take you along and will explain about the different ingredients used in the Thai kitchen. After lunch we will make a short ride to an Akha village. We will start our trek with the first hike to Pang Deng village, which is part of one of the Royal projects. Here the guide will explain about this interesting agricultural project. After this visit we will start trekking to Pang Hoo, a Palong village where you will stay overnight. There are only a handful of Palong villages in Northern Thailand. The Palong tribe only recently moved from Myanmar to Thailand, they wear a distinctive costume mostly in red, with rattan hoops worn around the waist.
Your guide will introduce you to the Thai kitchen and will explain you about all the different herbs we use for the Thai dishes. After that you can help him to cook the dinner. After dinner he will take you to one of the local houses to tell you the stories about the daily life of the Palong and about the history of the village.
After breakfast this morning we will start trekking to a nearby elephant camp. You will ride on one of these majestic animals. After this exhilarating elephant ride we will continue trekking to a waterfall where you will have time for a refreshing swim. Enjoy a delicious picnic lunch at the waterfall. After lunch we will continue our trek through the forest. Your guide will take his time to explain you about the natural environment. We walk out of the forest into the rice fields of the Lahu. "Obu uja" is hello in Lahu language. The Lahu are skilful hunters.
Once we have arrived in the village you can rest for a while or spend some time playing with the children. Your guide will prepare your evening meal for you all, and if you like you can join him to prepare dinner. At the campfire after dinner, it’s time to share some more stories with your guide and the local Lahu people.
On this day we have multiple routings depending on the season and the rainfall. If possible we will hike a few hours trough the jungle, otherwise we have to walk true the country side and pass a vew small village on the way where we can take a break and enjoy our lunch. Depending on the season we can visit a waterfall today. Overnight in a Karen hilltribe village.
After breakfast this morning we will trek to an Akha village. This is the most primitive and charismatic tribe in Thailand. The Akha are one the most interesting tribes living in South East Asia due to their very strong traditional beliefs. The women wear characteristic headdresses ornamented with coins. Here we will spend some time to look around in the village. After a short rest we'll travel by truck to a riverside camp where a bamboo raft will be waiting for you. Your helmsmen will manoeuvre the raft through the gentle rapids. After the raft trip it is time for lunch. Drive back to Chiang Mai by truck. On the way back we will make a stop at an orchid nursery.
- Short sleeve shirts for the day time (bring a spare one, just in case)
- Long sleeves for the evening (especially in the winter Nov - Feb it can be a bit cold)
- Shoes with good grip (especially in the raining season from May - Sep
- A cap
- Suncream
- A small towel
- Flip flops
- Sun glasses
- Your personal toiletries
- Personal medication
- Fully charged batteries or even an extra battery for your camera.
- 1000-1500 Thai Baht per person in small notes (not bigger than 100 Thai Baht). This is for souvenirs, drinks and tips.
- Private transport by pick up truck
- Accommodation in the local Palong, Lahu and Karen village
- All meals during the trek
- Private English speaking guide
- Elephant Ride (about 45 minutes)
- Bamboo rafting (about 45 minutes)
- Insurance
- Sleeping bag (on request)
- Backpack (on request)
- All drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips
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