Three Days Soft Adventures In Chiang Mai

WT.CNX 12: 3days 2nights :
Start & End in Chiang Mai
Trip Grade: Easy to moderate
Destinations: Chiang Mai
Activities:
Hiking, bamboo rafting, elephant
riding, hilltribe village, thai northern way of life ,
cultural exchange with Hmong hilltribe

This is a wonderful trip for cultural exchange & soft adventure lovers. The nature & culture elements are combined for your enjoyable and meaningful trip.

From Chiang Mai we travel about 1.30 hrs. by air cond-van along the beautiful, local road to the Forestry Rafting Camp in Mae Wang to enjoy bamboo rafting on beautiful Mae Nam Wang for 1 hr. and connected with elephant riding (1 hr.),and trekking into the jungle and straight to Hmong village, Ban Huay Nam Rin for 2 hrs.and home-made lunch will be served. Here we will have time for wandering to visit & chat with Hmong hilltribes after check in the dormitory of Hmong Cultural Center . In the evening, cultural exchange will be managed and Hmong style of dinner, cooked by villagers will be served at the Cultural Center . It is the real exciting night!

On the 2nd day, after breakfast in the village, go hiking for 1 hr. out of the village along the scenic trail to the road, where the bus driver waiting for us. Then take the van to Doi Inthanon National Park (about 1 hr. drive). Check in the Karen Ecolodge, located in the middle of Karen terrace rice field. After that drive up to explore the summit (2,565 m. above the sea level). Nature walk at Ang Ka Nature Trail (45 mins.), and drive down to the level of 2,000 m., hiking along the Kiew Mae Pan Trail for about 3 hrs. The hiking will end at the King & Queen Stupas. Lunch. In the afternoon, Visit Hmong's Fruit & Flower Market on the way before hiking (30 mins.) to visit Karen Mae Klang Luang Village where villagers are happy to show their fruits orchards. Chat with Karen people. Dinner & overnight at Karen Ecolodge.

Doi Inthanon , Thailand 's highest peak in Chiang Mai Province , is an offshoot in this southern extension of Himalayan Range . This national park's vegetation consists of 8 types (a native pine, lower & upper dry dipterocarp, opened & moist hill evergreen, and sub - alpine etc.). It is a habitat of more than 446 kinds of wildlife particularly 364 kinds of wild birds and there are several famous trails to explore the wonder of nature. Doi Inthanon is therefore one of Thailand ' s best places for a nature walk and bird watching activities. There are Karen & Hmong tribesmen dwell in isolated villages in this area where visitors can observe their unique lifestyle and culture.

On the third day, village tour in Mae Chaem - We have an ample time to visit a small but nice local temple in Lanna Thai style of art - observe home factory of hand-woven clothes - beautiful paddy field in a valley - and we may try our hands on spinning & weaving. Home-made lunch will be served on the local people's house where we will closely observe their way of living. After that continue the trip to Ob Luang (1.30 -2 hrs. drive). At Ob Luang, you will have time to observe the scenic views, the Pre-Historic Rock Painting and beautiful gorge of Ob Luang before returning  to the town of Chiang Mai with good memory and feeling.

Itinerary:

Day 1Chiang Mai - By air-cond van to Mae Wang (1.30 hrs.) - Bamboo Rafting (1 hr.) - Elephant riding (1 hr.) - Trekking ( 2 hrs.) - Hmong Village - Overnight homestay in Hmong Village or at Hmong Cultural Center(L,D)

Day 2 Hmong Village - Hiking (1 hr.) - By van to Doi Inthanon National Park (1 hr.) for nature walk at the summit Ang Ka (45 mins.) and Kiew Mae Pan Nature Trails(3 hrs.), Hmong's Fruit & Flower Market, hiking up (30 mins.) to visit Karen Hilltribes ) - Drive down hill (1 hrs.) to Mae Chaem - Overnight at a very simple & basic Karen Ecolodge in the National Park or at Nawasuang Resort in Mae Chaem (B,L,D)

*** Please note that guests can choose to stay at Karen Ecolodge or Nature Lodge in the Park, or stay at Nawasuang Resort in Mae Chaem.***

Day 3 Mae Chaem ( village life tour, hand-woven clothes & local temple, home-made lunch) -By van (about 1.30 -2 hrs.) to Ob Luang (Pre-Historic Rock Painting, the beautiful gorge of Ob Luang) - By van(2 hrs.) return to Chiang Mai (B,L)


Price

Group Size
USD/person
2
428
3-4
350
5-7
285
8-9
252

child under age 12 = 90% of adult fare

Single Supplement (only at Nawasuang Resort)
17
A portion of the trip's revenue will support to a local community project in Hmong Huay Nam Rin Village

The tour fee includes :
2nts. accommodation ( 1nt. dormitory at Hmong Cultural Center , 1nt. at Karen Ecolodge or Nawasuang Resort ), 7 meals ( 2B, 3L, 2D ), visits & excursion by a private air-cond. minibus/van, admission fee , all activities mentioned in the program - bamboo rafting, trekking, hilltribes visiting, etc., an English speaking guide & local guide, travel insurance (1 million baht / person), donation to people's organization

The tour fee excludes:
drinks & personal expenses

Things to bring
warm clothes in Winter ( Nov.- Feb.), rain coat in the Rainy Season ( Jul.- Oct.),long pants & long sleeves shirt & sport shoes for hiking, hat, personal medicine, insect repellant, a towel & toiletry, slippers, salong/clothes for bathing, flashlight, educational toys to Hilltribes, cultural performance to exchange with Hmong  Hilltribes

Itinerary: Due to the nature of the tour, the weather, road condition, local circumstance, prevailing safety factors, the route & itinerary may vary to those published but the content of the tour will remain similar. The final decision of the actual itinerary will be done by the tour operator's staff