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 its beauty and welcoming locals, this city is known as the ‘Rose of the North.’ When you arrive, you’ll be met by a local representative and taken to your hotel. Your adventure then begins with a welcome meeting at 6.30 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe wander the spectacular temples, try some delicious food, explore the enormous night market and walk along the picturesque riverfront. Chiang Mai is a great place to hire a bicycle, sign up for a Thai cooking class or treat yourself to a traditional Thai massage, so you might want to arrive a few days early. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Check into day rooms this morning to gear up for your hike 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. Then, make your way to the starting point of your hike in Baan Mae Sae. Your route is relatively simple, and you'll arrive in the village in the late afternoon for tonight’s homestay experience, which will give you unique insight into life in this rural part of Thailand. Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour. Your hiking time will be approximately 2 hours or 2.8 km. The hiking route is not fixed and may change due to weather and local conditions. Please bear this is mind. All meals are included while trekking, but you'll need to purchase and carry your own water (please allow approximately 10 USD to cover your water for the hike. Accommodation is multi-share, sleeping on rented roll mats on the floor of the wooden/bamboo huts typical of the villages. There are shared squat toilets and basic washing facilities (a hose or water pipe) in most villages. You may also be able to wash in a nearby stream. Warmer clothing and sleeping bags are recommended from November to January, as the nights are usually quite cool during this period.

Rise early this morning to take a tour of the village before sitting down to breakfast. Then, begin today’s hike along a trail through jungle, rice paddies, rotation dry farms, streams, rivers and waterfalls, passing by more Karen villages as you go. The first leg is steep, up and downhill through bamboo forest. Make a stop to rest your legs and tuck into your picnic lunch, then carry on until you arrive at a Lahu Village – your base for the night. Your hiking time today will be approximately 6 hours or 11 km.

Start the day with breakfast, then take a walk around the village to see the locals going about their morning routines. You’ll have the chance to buy some local handicrafts – spending your money on community enterprises directly helps to support community development. After, you’ll begin today’s hike through a picturesque landscape of farmland and jungle to a Thai village for lunch, where you’ll link up with your transport. From here, you’ll return to Chiang Mai. This afternoon you may like to treat yourself to a well-deserved Thai massage. This evening, perhaps head down to the buzzing Chiang Mai Night Bazaar – we suggest getting your hands on some kao soy (yellow wheat noodles in a curry broth, traditionally served with chicken or beef). Your travel time today will be approximately 2 hours. Your hiking time will be approximately 4 hours or 11 km.

With no further activities planned, your adventure comes to an end today. You can depart the accommodation at any time after check-out and a transfer to the airport is included. If you’d like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.