8d/7n North Thailand Loop Tour

Highlights

The ultimate northern Thailand Experience. Authentic cultural discovery through Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son provinces. The most comprehensive way to see northern Thailand

Description

Combines our 5d/4n Mae Hong Son Loop tour and 4d/3n Chiang Rai tour. We will travel through the heart of rural northern Thailand, to see the best views and landscapes in the region, exploring local culture and life along the way. We will visit a variety of hill tribe groups (Karen, Lisu, Lahu, Hmong, etc.), visit authentic villages, and learn about their fascinating way of life. Get up close and personal to the real Northern Thailand.

Sample Itinerary
This is a sample itinerary only and can be customised

Day 1) Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai - Chiang Saen

Pick up from hotel in Chiang Mai - depart for Chiang Rai, stop off at Mae Kachan hot springs and to see aspects of local life along the way. Visit the famous White Temple and Black House.
Onto Chiang Saen, visit the Golden Triangle - stop for photos at the best viewpoint overlooking the meeting point of 3 countries (Thailand, Laos and Myanmar) on the Mekong River. O/n at a local hotel in Chiang Saen.

Day 2) Chiang Saen – Mae Salong – Thaton - Karen Village

Depart Chiang Saen, visit the Fish & Monkey Cave (Wat Tham Pla).
Enjoy the scenic drive through the hills as we head up to Mae Salong Chinese village, characterised by its terraced tea plantations on the rolling hillsides, quaint shops selling Chinese teas and wares. The inhabitants here are mainly Chinese descendants who migrated from southern China hundreds of years ago.
We will descend Mae Salong, and head down to Thaton. On the way we will pass Akha hill tribe villages.
Visit a Kayan Long Neck tribe family - you will have the chance for cultural immersion and to learn about their way of life as refugees in Thailand - Option for short trek with the Karen hill tribe to learn about the local ecology, and how they live and farm - enjoy preparing a traditional evening dinner together with the Kayan Long Neck Tribe - O/n at a Kayan Long Neck Tribe Homestay in a bamboo hut or local guesthouse accommodation.

Day 3) Doi Angkhang Mountain (Palaung & Lahu Hill Tribe)

Option for short trek with the Karen hill tribe to learn about the local ecology, and how they live and farm. Your guide will show you how different plants and herbs are eaten and used by the tribes.
Visit their traditional villages, where these ethnic groups still live in bamboo stilt houses and hold belief in the spirit world - We will have the chance to talk to them and learn about their culture and way of life - Visit an outlook point which overlooks the mountainous Thai-Myanmar border - Descend Doi Angkhang, option to stop at Sri Sang Wang Waterfall (limestone terraced waterfall) where you can play in the waters - Visit a Lisu hill tribe family, learn about their fascinating story as refugees who crossed over into Thaiiland from Myanmar - o/n Lisu hill tribe homestay or local guesthouse.

Day 4) Doi Angkhang to Pai

Depart for Pai - Optional activities along the way - such as visit to an elephant sanctuary, bamboo rafting or other activities (upon request).
Drive to Pai (approx 2hrs) - Visit to Pai Canyon - Enjoy the night market on Pai's main walking street - o/n at local guesthouse in Pai.

Day 5) Pai to Mae Hong Son

Enjoy the scenic mountain drive and lofty landscape views, as we travel from Pai to Mae Hong Son. This route, is famous for its curves, and mountain scenery (approx 2hrs drive)
We will stop for pictures at viewpoints, and for aspects of local life along the way, such as roadside markets
Visit a Lisu hilltribe village, learn about the Lisu culture and way of life.
Visit a Kayan Long Neck Tribe village, nearby the Thai-Burma border. To reach the village we will take a long tail boat - enjoy the scenery and tropical nature as we cruise along the banks of the river - Chance to learn about the fascinating culture and way of life of the Kayan Long Neck tribe -You will be guided around the village by a Long Neck Tribe villager - You will have the chance to learn from them firsthand about their life as refugees in Thailand and how they feel about tourism - you can visit the village school, and see the women weaving.
Optional overnight in Huay Pu Keng village at Kayan Long Neck tribe Homestay or at guesthouse accommodatoin in Mae Hong Son town.

Day 6) Mae Hong Son - Mae Chaem

Visit the highlights of Mae Hong Son town; Wat Jong Kham temple (an ornate Shan style temple) and Jong Kham Lake, Mae Hong Son market - Visit Wat Doi Gong Mu temple, a hilltop temple which offers a birdseye view of Mae Hong Son town, a valley town ringed by mountains.
Depart for Mae Chaem via Khun Yuam, an outpost town that played an important role in world war II - visit aspects of local life along the way, including learning about the Shan people in the area and visit to Wat Tor Pae (traditional Shan temple) - In Mae Chaem you will visit a traditional Tai Lue (ethnic minority)village, famous for it's beautiful textile production and weaving cooperative - o/n Mae Chaem in a local guesthouse.

Day 7) Doi Inthanon

Visit Doi Inthanon National Park and mountain (the highest point in Thailand). Famous for its cooler climate and European-type ecology, we'll take a short walk on the Angkha nature trail, and visit two royal chedis - Descend Doi Inthanon, visit the mighty Wachiratharn waterfall on the way down.

Optional visit to a small local elephant camp. Or other customised activities upon request. Back to Chiang Mai (approx 1 hr drive). Drop off at your hotel.

Northern Thailand Loop Tour - Pics

Highlights

Flexible itinerary to explore local life along the way
Get up close and personal to life in rural northern Thailand
Every trip is personalised. Our guides tailor the trip along the way to suit your interests and travel style

Notes

Testimonials

EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT!!! Melissa, the tour coordinator and Pat the tour guide for Hilltribe Holidays were very good at understanding and communicating our specific desires as photojournalists and foodies for authenticity with wanting to visit the different cultures in Northern Thailand. This company is down-to-earth, original and honest. I highly recommend them and they will be our our holiday card list as friends! (Michael Bracey, USA, March 2017)

Details

-This tour starts+ends in Chiang Mai. We can pick up+drop off at your hotel /airport/ train station in Chiang Mai
- Accommodation is at local guesthouses with 1-2 overnights in a village at a hilltribe homestay(optional)
- The itinerary is an outline only. The details of each day are not fixed, this allows for greater opportunity to explore local life along the way - This tour can be customised, please contact us to discuss

Extensions
- This tour can be extended to 9+ days. For families with young children, spreading this itinerary over a minimum of 9 days to enable travel at a more family friendly pace.

Testimonials of this tour
"How to see the Thailand the tourists miss " (Mary & David Rogers, UK)
Best way to see what Northern Thailand has to offer (Lakoseljac family, Australia)
tours in chiang mai

Quick Enquiry

If you are interested in this tour, please fill out the form below. Please remember to check your spam folder. If you do not receive a reply within 48hrs please send an email direct to: info@thailandhilltribeholidays.com.

Click on each picture to enlarge

: 2d/1n Authentic Hill Tribe Tour

: Photography Tours Northern Thailand

: Karen Hill tribe tour

     Excellent  
     Based on 484 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Marta R 
 2023-08-14
 
 
 Verified Amazing trip with great people
The tour was amazing, we did the 2 days tour with a homestay with a Kayan family. Our guide Surachai was really good and knowledgeable, and really made our trip a great one. He was a local from the Karen tribe. We started with a bamboo rafting, which was alright but if you are more into adventure could maybe skip and do something else. Then we drove to see the Hmong village and market and then to the Kayan village. There a local guide took us around to see the rice fields and the village, really nice scenery and he told us all about the local plants and crops. We even stopped at the local shop to have a local drink (a sort of rice liquor) and some snacks with him. When we came back we had dinner with the family and our guides, the food was delicious, our host Massu and her sister cooked a feast and it was all stuff they had gathered or grown. My partner and I stayed at the village , there is an option to go stay at a nearby hotel, which my parents did, but I would recommend staying with the family to both support and get a better understanding of their way of living. We stayed in a bamboo hut with no electricity, and overall it was pretty comfortable. We stayed up after dinner to chat and play uno with our host and her kids and had breakfast with them the next day. It was really nice to chat with them and they shared a bit about their experience as refugees. The next day our guide took us to do a short trek on a mountain where we were the only ones, had dinner at a local place and then waterfalls. Our guide took us to less touristy places which were less crowded but equally beautiful, and we were glad to support the locals. He even offered us to do a long boat tour near his village, which was on the way to our next destination and he then went to pick us up on the other side, saving us some driving which was replaced by a very enjoyable boat ride. Only thing I would add is that if you want to do elephant camp, check with them before to see where they will take you. Our bamboo rafting was in the same place as an elephant camp which offered shows and rides (which we wanted to avoid). We had done our elephant visit the day before at an ethical elephant sanctuary so it didn’t impact us but something to keep in mind. Overall a fantastic and authentic experience and would it a longer tour in the future. 10/10
  
 
       
   Amber W 
 2023-07-12
 
 
 Verified Highlight of not only our trip but of our life as a family
We have traveled all over the world, and this is one of the most magnificent things we’ve done. My husband and 4 children - ages 13, 11, 11, and 11 - did the 4 day 3 night adventure with a home stay. It was amazing and authentic from start to finish. Pat is an amazing guide who knows several languages and all of the locals, which means you get an experience that you absolutely cannot rival anywhere else. I can’t recommend this highly enough for adventurous travelers who want off the beaten path and want a REAL Thai experience. We will always remember it.
  
 
       
   Pau-Ling B 
 2023-07-07
 
 
 Verified Experience life as a local
Wonderful trip with my kids. Guide was so good. Showing us life as a local. We stopped often to see interesting non touristy places and ate like locals. We particularly enjoyed meeting the ‘lisu’ and Karen people and seeing their way of life. The home stays were our highlights. Our guide was warm and enjoyed showing us his country. He was genuine in his desire to help support these small communities. Highly Recommend.
  
 
       
   Brian D 
 2023-07-01
 
 
 Verified Wow fantastiske oplevelser med fantastisk guide, der selv var fra bjergområderne
Vi var på 4 dages tur fra Chiang Mai og op i den nordligste del af Thailand. Afhentning i lufthavnen af Surachai, vores guide. Han talte ok engelsk, og vi forstod stort set alt. Han var den bedste guide, der gav os nogle fantastiske oplevelser og informationer. Største øjeblikke på turen: Ophold og Overnatning i bambushytte i Hilltripe hos Masu) Besøge den gyldne trekant Trekke opad Thailands 2. højeste bjerg Doi Ang Khang (det var ret udfordrende og man skal ikke være bange for højder eller være usikker på benene) Grænsen til Myanmar Grotten hvor fodboldholdet blev reddet Bådtur på flod Gå opad vandfald (Buaton waterfall) Vær forberedt på at du bliver spurgt meget til hvad du har lyst til - så lidt forberedelse hjemmefra kan være smart. Eneste minus ved turen var sidste overnatningssted - Chiang dai in love. Toilet var beskidt, der var små insekter/biller i sengene og området var meget forfaldent, så jeg ville bede om et andet hvis du bliver forslået at overnatte der (bambushytte var bedre) Vi var totalt overvældet allerede efter de 2 første dage og 4 dag var vi lidt mættet og droppede bambusrafting.
  
 
       
   Maria Fernanda G 
 2023-06-25
 
 
 Verified An inspiring family experience!
So inspiring!! I travelled alone with my two four-year-old twins for the first time, and this 3-days tour was such a fantastic experience. Our tour guide, Surachai, from the Karen tribe, explained a lot about the hill tribes, their differences, origins and culture, and organised all the details so we could have authentic encounters with these beautiful people. He was so patient with the kids and flexible also to organise seeing some nature wonders such as some fantastic waterfalls and caves. We stayed with a Kayan Long Neck family one night and it was so inspiring. I was unsure about visiting the Kayan Long Neck tribe, so I looked for an ethical and sustainable tour company. But the visit was worth it. The family have created a beautiful homestay. I learned from their resilience and awareness, and hopefully, my children also discovered a new perspective on life, and as a family, we will cultivate a new friendship. Everyone in "Thailand Hilltribe Holidays, Responsible Tours for Northern Thailand" was so responsive. I admire their work, and definitely, their purpose goes beyond any traditional tour company to change the status quo and give local northern hill tribes an opportunity to share who they are and have a sustainable income. Again- as a family- it was just inspiring.
  
 
       
   Claire 
 2023-06-20
 
 
 Verified Wonderful, authentic experience!
We loved our authentic home stay experience. Thank you for arranging everything Melissa and a big thank you to our private guide, Pat for his insights, knowledge and big, generous heart. I love that he is trying to change lives through training and teaching. Our driver also provided excellent, kind service. The highlight was being able to meet Masu and her beautiful family. We loved speaking with her and getting to know them. Her story is heartbreaking. And she served incredibly delicious food which we all thoroughly enjoyed. Your tour was exactly what we wanted…exploring and meeting people off the tourist path and not going to a “human zoo”. The home stay was a deeply meaningful experience for my kids as well. We included the elephant sanctuary and we also really enjoyed the waterfall stop! Thank you again!!
  
 
       
   George T 
 2023-02-11
 
 
 Verified One of our best experiences
It was a reals life experience and not just a tour. Melissa and Pat our trying to do something out of ordinary and. They are showing you how is really the north thailand.
  
 
       
   Andrea A. 
 2023-01-25
 
 
 Verified Amazing tour by expert guide
What an amazing experience! Anan was our guide. He is also a part of the tribe and is the perfect guide for this tour. The itinerary was perfect. It is customizable and he helps make sure you have a great time. We loved every part of this tour, from the elephant sanctuary, to the visit to the villages, the homestay, the food, farm tour, market tour, and seeing the waterfalls, and many more! We did so much within 2 days and it was just perfect. I will definitely do another experience with Anan and this tour agency in the future. Thank you so much and all the best to you!
  
 
       
   Vicky 
 2023-01-17
 
 
 Verified Recommended!
We had a wonderful time exploring part of Northern Thailand. We visited many hilltribes in a very respectful and authentic way. We would definitely recommend this company for your travels. Thank you again!

8d/7n North Thailand Loop Tour

Highlights

Description

NORTHERN THAILAND LOOP TOUR

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