Northern Thailand Hilltribes Trek
5 days, Chiang Mai to Chiang Mai
Trek up into the mountains to meet Thailand's remote hilltribe communities on a five-day adventure. Head out from wondrous Chiang Mai and through a national park to Lahu and Karen villages, spend time with a shaman, explore deep caves by bamboo raft, and marvel at the lush jungle scenery before arriving at the hilltop village of Ban Jabo and the warmest of welcomes.
Is this tour for me?
Travel Style: Active
Hiking, trekking, biking, rafting, and kayaking adventures all over the world, made for outdoor types.
Service Level: Basic
Simple and clean hotels and hostels; affordable public and private transport; lots of optional activities.
Physical Rating: 3 - Average
Some tours may include light hiking, biking, rafting, or kayaking in addition to walking.
Trip Type: Small Group
Small group experience; Max 16, Avg 5. Please note this trip runs often in order to provide maximum flexibility when choosing dates. It's possible your group size will be fairly small.
Visa Requirements
5 days
Chiang Mai to Chiang Mai
Special Offers
Creating ripples that change lives
The Ripple Score is an honest evaluation of how often we use local businesses and services to create each tour. With this score you can see the percentage of our local expenses that stay in the communities you visit. Learn more
Ripple Score
100
More from Northern Thailand Hilltribes Trek
Itinerary Notes
1. Please be advised that a 2-week period of traditional slash and burn farming occurs in this region between March and April (start date varies). During this time your trek may follow an alternate route to avoid uncomfortably smoky areas.
Itinerary
Day 2Chiang Mai/Ban Pha Mon
Drive from Chiang Mai to the trailhead. Trek through farmland and bamboo and teak forests. Learn about bush food and medicinal plants. Enjoy lunch en route before continuing through rice fields and valleys to reach the first village of a Lahu tribe. Assist with food prep and cooking, or check out a local Lahu massage.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 3Ban Pha Mon/Ban Muang Pam
Trek between villages, over farmlands and grasslands, and ascend to the ridge line. Learn about bush medicine and seasonal fruits as you make your way to the lunch stop. Go for a swim and help the local guides prepare lunch. Continue on to the Karen village and spend the night. Opt to learn about medicine from a shaman or play football with the locals.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 4Ban Muang Pam/Ban Jabo
After breakfast, leave the village and continue on, trekking beside the Pam River through lush jungle. Arrive at Tham Lod, a 1666m deep cave. Enter by bamboo raft and move to different chambers - a truly unique experience. Following the cave visit and lunch travel to Ban Jabo, a Black Lahu village. Learn about the Lahu culture, try out some traditional activities, and lend a hand making dinner using regional products and cooking methods.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 5Ban Jabo/Chiang Mai
Following breakfast, bid farewell to your hosts and return by private van to Chiang Mai, arriving at approximately 3pm. Tour ends on arrival.
Meals included:
BreakfastWhat's Included
- Your G for Good Moment: Ban Pha Mon Homestay, Ban Pha Mon
- Your G for Good Moment: Ban Muang Pam Homestay, Ban Muang Pam
- Your G for Good Moment: Ban Jabo Homestay, Ban Jabo
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
- Trek to remote hilltribe villages (4 days)
- Lod Cave visit and bamboo rafting
- Prehistoric coffin cave visit
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodations
Hotels (1 nts), basic huts (3 nts, multi-share).
Meals
4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
Transportation
Open pickup truck, van, trekking, raft.
Staff & experts
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, specialist trekking guides.
Departures
Make it a private tour
Book this tour as a private departure - with your own CEO and all the benefits of a G Adventures group tour - for any group, big or small (even just one traveller).