Trekking Challenge: The Remote Beauty of Mae Wang

📍 Transfer from Chiang Mai Airport to Hotel: 45 minutes

After arrival, meet with the local guide and driver and be transferred from Chiang Mai Airport to the hotel. After checking in, freshen up and then enjoy a nice welcome meal for dinner in the evening. 
Dinner at a local restaurant in Chiang Mai.

Overnight at Chiang Mai
 

Inclusions:

🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from Chiang Mai to Khun Na Sa: 2 hours Trekking: 4-5 hours Difficulty: Medium

Check out of the hotel and head out of Chiang Mai towards Doi Lor District, southwest of the city. Stop at the local market so that porters can pick up fresh locally-produced vegetables and meat for the trek. If this day falls on a Saturday we have an option to stop at the buffalo market in Hang Dong to watch a local livestock auction while stocking up on food.

Then, head to Huay Teun, a small stream running down Doi Lor Mountain. From here, start walking along the stream for an hour and take a picnic lunch on the way. In the afternoon, the trekking becomes a little more strenuous as we start gaining elevation on a trail used by locals.

 After a challenging couple of hours on the trail, take a rest at a hidden nameless waterfall in the middle of the jungle. Afterwards, head further up before arriving at Khun Na Sa for a home-cooked dinner and overnight stay under the charming hospitality of a local hilltribe family. 

Overnight in Khun Na San Village Homestay
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Trekking: 4 to 8 hours Difficulty: Hard

After a home-cooked breakfast, pack up and head out for another day of adventure. Start walking through the evergreen forest with the occasional ray of sun streaming through thick lush green vegetation. There are two trails on this day, a shorter easier walk of 4 to 5 hours and a longer more challenging 7 to 8 hour trail which holds the reward of a waterfall on the way! Both trails provide excellent opportunities to spot wildlife, especially birds which are abundant in this area -so binoculars are a good thing to bring!

Lunch will be a jungle-style picnic. Afterwards, make one last push to Ban Khun Puay, a Karen hilltribe village of 70 families. Spend some time getting acquainted with the people in the village and learn about their culture and lives. At dinnertime, spend the evening as locals do: with a session of vocal storytelling! Afterwards, tuck in early for a well-deserved night of rest. The hilltribe village is nestled deep in a secluded valley, so dozing off to sleep tonight will be accompanied by little more than the chorus of nature. 

Overnight in Khun Puay Village Homestay

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Trekking: 5- 6 hours Difficulty: Medium

From the village of Khun Puay we start walking the hills north of Doi Inthanon National Park between Khun Puay and Khun Wang. The area was once subjected to furious deforestation, which posed a significant threat to the biodiversity of the entire region. Today, more sustainable practices have been adopted by the hill tribes inhabiting the region, and forests are once again teeming with wildlife. This will be a great opportunity to see how big of an impact local conservation initiatives can have on improving the environment. 

If the season and opportunity allows, this area also offers the opportunity to witness the rare Wild Himalayan Cherry. This light-pink tree flower can be seen blooming in the first months of the year in Khun Wang.

Overnight in Khun Wang
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Trekking: 6-7 hours Difficulty: Hard

Leave Khun Wang in the morning after breakfast and head out for another day of trekking. This trail is at over 1,000 meters in elevation, and crosses through lush evergreen forest, occasionally paired with farming plots facilitated by the hill tribes. 

The destination for the day is Ban Pha Mon, a Karen Village located on the northern tip of Doi Inthanon National Park. Along the way, enjoy a ‘jungle lunch’ and then have dinner with the Karen people in their village in Ban Pa Mon.  

Overnight Ban Pa Mon
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from Ban Mae Sapok to Chiang Mai: 2 hours Trekking: 5 - 6 hours Difficulty: Medium

The last day of our adventure takes us trekking through dense jungles to Ban Mae Sapok, a Karen village locally famous for its weaving techniques. Besides farming, the main occupation is hand weaving traditional Karen clothing, the village also has an interesting mix of spiritual beliefs that are unique to the Karen tribe. If we are lucky, there might be a ceremony on the day of our arrival such as a Wrist-Binding ceremony held in January and February or a Rice-Harvest Ceremony in August.

Lunch at the village and then transfer back to Chiang Mai by private air conditioned van.

Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, check in at the hotel for a well-earned hot shower.
In the evening, take a short walk from the hotel and celebrate the completion of an amazing journey in northern Thailand with a fabulous dinner of northern Thai specialties. Afterwards, head out to explore the famous Chiang Mai Night Bazaar to pick up any last-minute souvenirs or handicrafts. 

Overnight in Chiang Mai
 

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast, 🥘 Lunch, 🍗 Dinner

📍 Transfer from Chiang Mai hotel to Chiang Mai Airport: 45 minutes

Check out and transfer to Chiang Mai Airport for the onward flight.

“An itinerary may at times be altered by our guides due to local conditions, the skill of participants and other unexpected circumstances. Our priority is always the experience and safety of our clients.”

Inclusions:

☕ Breakfast