1 Day Responsible Hilltribe Villages Tour - Sample Itinerary

Highlights Experience Lawa & Karen Hilltribe way of life, cultural, educational and agricultural tour Scenic Mountain Landscapes, Hilltribe schools, coffee cultivation, village handicrafts, hilltribe cuisine Day 1 -  Mae Sariang - Lawa & Karen Hilltribe Villages Depart from Mae Sariang town and drive to the Lawa and Karen hilltribe villages nestled in mountains in Mae La Noi 1,200m above sea level .  The drive up is very scenic with stunning panoramic vistas of the mountains along the way. After approximately 1.5 hours arrive at the first hilltribe village – La Up (Lawa hilltribe). Meet and greet the locals. Tour of the village visiting the village silversmith family* where they can demonstrate how they use traditional techniques and tools to make silver jewellery. At the end you have the chance to purchase some of their handmade products.  Then visit the village school where you can sit in on lessons and talk to the children.  Learn to cook and try traditional hilltribe food for lunch with a family.                   Visit La Up temple where Pat’s mum is head nun.  This temple is also home to 8 hilltribe children who are taken care of at the temple. It’s unique location offers stunning panoramic views of the mountains below especially at sunrise and sunset.  Walk through the picturesque temple grounds where the children, nuns and monks cultivate all varieties of vegetables and fruits such as passion fruit, banana trees, lychee, long beans and even coffee. Learn about Vispasana and Theravada Buddhism, Buddhist precepts and life as a Buddhist monk/nun. Drive to the 2nd village- Ban Dong village (Lawa hilltribe) a few kilometers away to visit the King’s Royal Agricultural Development Centre where they teach farmers organic farming methods. This is also the centre for the village’s women’s weaving cooperative where you can learn about how they make and weave cotton. You will also have the chance to purchase products from the cooperative. Visit Huai Hom village (Karen Hilltribe) great for coffee lovers as this village is renowned for its coffee cultivation and is the main supplier to Starbucks in Thailand. Sample their coffee for free with the chance to buy it at wholesale price. Learn about how they grow coffee and the coffee production process.                       A few kilometers on is Huai Ha village a Karen hilltribe village. This is the oldest and most traditional of all villages. Walk around the village and learn about how the Karen live, their customs, culture and costume. Leave the villages and head down the mountain back to Mae Sariang town End of trip *Optional activity: Learn how to make your own silver ring from the village silversmith you get to keep the ring that you make. This workshop takes a couple of hours and you pay the silversmith directly 800baht. 1 Day/1 Night Hilltribe Homestay Experience  Go back to La Up village where everybody can cook the evening meal with their homestay families Evening is free and easy.  Sit around a campfire, relax and chat with homestay family Sleep either with homestay family in their traditional wooden stilt house or at lodging in the King’s Agricultural Development Centre. For more information on staying overnight at the villages please vist our Hilltribe Homestays page                   Click here for Video clip of Sunset from Ban La Up