3 Night Trek #1
Life in hilltribe communities is best experienced up close and personal - learn about the traditions, daily lifestyle, and culture of the Lahu people, on our 3 night long trek programme. Interact with locals and enjoy a quiet, laid back time in the remote hills north-west of Chiang Rai.
This programme is aimed at more adventurous travellers, who are relatively fit, and willing to forgo modern conveniences in order to experience real life in a remote community.
The programme begins with the homestay orientation, before you set out on the trek. From here you walk to a local waterfall, where you can rest before the main trek up to your homestay village. Relax before dinner, tour the village and meet the locals. After dinner, some of the women and children of the village will put on a dance display for you, which you are encouraged to join in.
After breakfast the following day, you will embark on an all-day trek ascending to reach a remote Lahu village perched on top of a hill with stunning views. Spend the rest of the day recovering and relaxing. Day three is spent in the village learning about life and interacting with the locals, and preparing for the final day's trek downhill.
Your final day is gentle, as the trekking only lasts for the morning - walking downhill to a Karen village near the Kok river. After a relaxed lunch, our car will collect you and drop you back at your accommodation so that you can freshen up before enjoying your evening.
The programme begins with the homestay orientation, before you set out on the trek. From here you walk to a local waterfall, where you can rest before the main trek up to your homestay village. Relax before dinner, tour the village and meet the locals. After dinner, some of the women and children of the village will put on a dance display for you, which you are encouraged to join in.
After breakfast the following day, you will embark on an all-day trek ascending to reach a remote Lahu village perched on top of a hill with stunning views. Spend the rest of the day recovering and relaxing. Day three is spent in the village learning about life and interacting with the locals, and preparing for the final day's trek downhill.
Your final day is gentle, as the trekking only lasts for the morning - walking downhill to a Karen village near the Kok river. After a relaxed lunch, our car will collect you and drop you back at your accommodation so that you can freshen up before enjoying your evening.
Day 1
- Pickup from hotel
- Drive to our office
- Trek to Huay Mae Sai waterfall
- Enjoy banana-leaf packed lunch
- Trek uphill to Ban Yafu (Lahu hilltribe village)
- Dinner
- Homestay
Day 2
- Breakfast
- An all-day trek to Ban J'Ga (Lahu hilltribe village - 6-8 hours)
- Rest, relax, and tour the village
- Dinner
- Homestay
Day 3
- Breakfast
- Activities with the villagers
- varies: from working in the fields, learning traditional weaving, bamboo crafts - farm work is seasonal, we cannot specify which activities will be available in advance. These activities are optional
- Dinner
- Experience traditional Lahu dancing
- Homestay
Day 4
- Breakfast
- Trek down to the Kok river
- Cross the bridge and board a longtailed boat
- Ride to Ban Ruammit (mixed tribal village)
- Lunch
- Send back to hotel
Below is some basic information to assist preparation for your overnight tour. For more comprehensive information, please visit our main 'preparation' articles.
What to bring
There are a number of necessary items to bring when you join one of our overnight programmes, so please continue reading to checklist them before you set off.
Recommendations
- Daypack/small backpack
- Spare clothes
- Torch/flashlight
- Toiletries
- Towel
- Sunglasses
- Sun cream
- Insect repellent*
- Water bottle
*Malaria is not an issue in this region, but there are cases of Dengue Fever from time to time. We recommend using insect repellent, and top up regularly. A mosquito net is provided at your homestay.
Advice
- Suitcases, and bags which use wheels, are extremely impractical for the trip - use daypack/backpack only. You are welcome to leave large luggage at our office.
- Please don't forget that we need the balance of the fee paid in cash (Thai Baht) when we pick you up - there are no ATMs once your trek begins, so please have it prepared in advance. This cash is used to cover fees incurred during your trip, such as the homestay.
- Electricity is limited in most villages, and non-existent in some, so don't rely on being able to charge batteries during the programme.
- We do not provide items for rental, so please check the 'what to bring' section carefully, to ensure you have what you need.
What to wear
When you join one of our overnight programmes, you need to consider the cultures of the homestay villages as well as the weather and terrain. Please continue reading to make sure you are prepared before you set off.
Recommendations
- Trekking boots - covered trekking shoes/trainers at a minimum.
- Some trails have grasses with small thorns which can irritate bare skin, especially in rainy season.
- Change into flip-flops once you arrive at the village (optional)
- Long sleeved tops and long trousers (because of thorny grass)
- Comfortable and cool clothes
- Enough changes of clothing for the whole trip
- Please note, we have a dress code that we ask you to respect
Advice
- Pack waterproofs during rainy season (approx June-Oct)
- Pack warm clothing for the evenings during winter (approx Nov-Feb)
Passports
For overnight treks, we are legally bound to send the passport information of all guests to the Thai Immigration Department. Therefore, an overnight programme cannot begin until we have received this information from all group members.
We require the full name and passport number of each member of the tour. These details are entered when you book the programme.
Insurance
Our public liability insurance coverage requires that we send the company the passport number and full name of everyone in the group.
We don't need photocopies, or even to see the original passport - just put the nationality, passport number and full name of each participant into our online form.
If you have any concerns, please email us to discuss the issue.
Pickups & Drop offs
Chiang Rai
We pick you up, and drop you off, anywhere inside Chiang Rai city, for free. This includes the new bus station (#2) and the airport, which are both located slightly outside town.
However, for other locations outside the city, we may charge an extra fee to cover costs. Please enter your accommodation name when booking and we can let you know if any extra fees will be charged.
Accommodation located outside town can also impact on the pickup and drop off times, or reduce the amount of time on the trek.
Chiang Mai
We no longer arrange pickups from Chiang Mai
To avoid extra charges, and early pickups, we strongly recommend staying in Chiang Rai city the night before your programme begins.
Guides
Our guides were trained by us, and each holds a TAT guide licence (Tourism Authority of Thailand). We also taught them English (one speaks Japanese too), which helps them to converse with the guests during the trip. But please understand that the standard of language varies - English will be at least their 3rd language, after their tribal and Thai language.
The guides were born and raised in the villages in our programmes, so you can be sure that the information you receive from them about local culture and tradition is authentic - many travel agencies and tour operators use Thai guides who have no firsthand knowledge of the hilltribe communities. Our guides are encouraged, once they have experience and self-confidence, to work for themselves or other agencies, whilst still freelancing for us.
Other information
- While we do everything we can to keep the itinerary as advertised, we reserve the right to change without notice
- Weather conditions may force route changes or removing an activity for safety reasons
- The guide may shorten or lengthen the route according to the wishes, fitness or ability of the group
- A community may be holding an event which will impact the programme's schedule.
- Select the date you wish to begin your programme
- Select the number of adults in your group
- If there are children, check the box and then select the number of children by age
- Once completed, the total price will appear at the top of the box
- Click 'Book Now' button
- Fill in the information fields
- Only required fields are necessary - First name, Last name, Email
- Add a username and password to access your private details
- Fill in the personal information for every group member, including children
- All fields are required
- Check the 'I confirm to read...' box
- Click 'Book Now' button
- Choose your payment method - check to see when the deposit must be paid by
Please note, we do not confirm any bookings without a deposit payment.
The balance must be paid in cash on the day of the programme (Thai Baht only)
Although we recommend a minimum of two people in a group - to reduce costs, but also so you have someone to share the experience with - we occasionally have requests from solo travellers who wish to book a tour. As our tours are private, the group would consist of the individual and our guide. We no longer offer to add a solo traveller to an existing group.
Solo travellers unfortunately have to pay a higher price as we have a number of set costs which we cannot reduce. This means that the per person fee is higher than the per person fee of a booking for 2 people.
Price includes
- Pickup and drop off in Chiang Rai town*
- Meals
- Homestay accommodation
- Tribal dance
- Boat trip
- Filtered water
- Tools and materials
*Accommodation outside town may incur an extra charge
Please have the following details ready when booking (for each person in your group)
- First name
- Last name
- Gender
- Diet (Meat, vegetarian, or vegan)
- Passport number
- Please also email a copy of each passport information page
Price excludes
- Surcharge for Pickup/drop off outside Chiang Rai town
- Snacks and drinks
- Souvenirs
- Extra options added to the basic tour
- Tips and gratuities
Cancellation policy
Please note we do not book a guide until the deposit has been paid. If a guide is unavailable, we refund the deposit in full.
If a group cancels within 48 hours of the trek start, the deposit is lost.
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