2 Days Authentic Hill Tribe Tour
Highlights
Experience the Karen hill tribe way of life. Cultural immersion, Village life, Hilltribe Homestay, Nature & Scenery, Educational, Agricultural, Hill tribe schools & village handicrafts.
Description
With many touristic hill tribe villages in Thailand, it can be difficult to visit villages in an uncommercialised way. The hill tribe villages we will visit on this tour are non-touristic and we are the only group to visit there. As we only visit in small private groups, the experience is kept highly authentic and personalised. Enjoy an intimate cultural immersion experience with the Karen hill tribe, learn about and share daily life in the village, in a natural and responsible way.
2d/1n Authentic Hill tribe tour
As we follow the natural rhythms of village life, activities can change and we do not offer a fixed itinerary, this is a sample outline only
Day 1Pick up from hotel - enjoy the scenery as we head out into the sub-tropical countryside (approx 1 hours drive from Chiang Mai city) - stop to visit aspects of local life such as roadside markets and admire the forested mountain views and rice terraces on the way - visit to Karen hill tribe village - learn about Karen way of life (for example cotton weaving and traditional bamboo stilt homes) - lunch break - visit to farm, learn about how the Karen farm and live with nature (how they forage herbs and bamboo shoots) - cook a traditional dinner together over handmade fire - O/n Karen Hilltribe homestay
Day 2
After breakfast - optional short trek - learn about flora and fauna - optional visit to elephant camp or Baan Tong Luang village - or other activities upon request - visit to Hmong hilltribe village - learn about Hmong culture - back to Chiang Mai drop off at hotel



- Optional visit to elephant sanctuary
- Optional short trek through forest and farmland
- Visit waterfall
- Help to prepare a traditional dinner
Pat and his team drove us around Northern Thailand with a 2 nights at 2 different homestays. We explored markets, tasting different fruits, visited Tribes, learning about traditions and lifestyle and they included bamboo rafting a waterfall for the kids. Pat was very flexible with the tour. The homestays were a great experience, the families were very accommodating, with enough food to feed the tribe. Our family gained so much, highly recommend this experience (Kelly, Australia, Visited April 2018)

It’s not every day you get to experience life in a small Karen Hilltribe Village of thirty. From our basic accommodations to the openness of our host it was a very unique experience. I had a very enjoyable time with my guide Winai who shared my passion for photography and took me to many interesting places such as Baan Tong Luang Village. I watched him cut bamboo in the forest to make sticky rice for our breakfast treat. His English is excellent and I highly recommend him as a guide. I count myself extremely lucky to have had my schedule work with their availability. My only regret is having such a short time. They offer other longer adventure treks which I would have loved to experience. The office was prompt in responding to my emails and extremely professional. Highly recommend! (Linda, Vancouver, Visited February 2018)
"Local Living"We had this trip in the beginning of January (2018) and we must say that it was the best thing of our holiday. The guide (Pat) knew the places where were no tourists. That's why we had an excellent opportunity to observe real local living. We went to see for example poor hmong tribe, local school and hot springs. The best thing of trip was an unforgettable night with karen tribe family, where we lived together with water buffalos, roosters, chickens, pigs etc. Then we ate local food and had sticky rice from a bamboo. If you want to get rid of big tourist groups and experience local living, you should definately have this trip! (Oskari, Finland, Visited January 2018)
- The itinerary is an outline only, it is not fixed, this leaves opportunity to explore local life along the way
- Includes an overnight at a Karen hill tribe homestay in a remote village
- Conditions are basic (very little electricity, no hot showers, simple bedding in a stilt house)
- We follow village life, rather than village life following us, so we cannot guarantee what activities you will see in the village. But you will have the chance to meet villagers, be invited into their homes and to see how they live in an ethical and respectful way
- Includes an option to visit Baan Tong Luang village (where you can see the Long neck women, Palong, Lahu, Hmong, Lisu hill tribes). It can provide an educational and all-round insight into a wide variety of hill tribe groups. You can decide about this on the day, with your guide
- This tour can be customised. Please contact us for more details
DETAILS :
- This tour starts+ends in Chiang Mai. We can pick up+drop off at your hotel/airport/train station in Chiang Mai. If you require pick up from another location please contact us.
- The itinerary is an outline only, it is not fixed, this leaves opportunity to explore local life along the way.
- Optional overnight at a Kayan Long Neck Tribe Homestay. Conditions are basic (very little electricity, no hot showers, sleeping in a bamboo stilt hut) or guesthouse accommodation is also possible.
- The itinerary is an outline only, it is not fixed, this leaves opportunity to explore local life along the way.
- This tour can be customised. Please contact us for more details.
ETHICAL FACTOR :
- We follow village life, rather than village life following us, so we cannot guarantee what activities you will see in the village. But you will have the chance to meet villagers, be invited into their homes and to see how they live in an ethical and respectful way.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM :
- Option to go on a short trek with our village trekking guide. S/he can show you the local ecology, and how the hill tribes live with nature. This is part of our sustainable tourism efforts, to provide training and a livelihood to villagers so that they have the chance to practice guiding and their English.
TOUR IMAGES
- Kayan Long Neck tribe Homestay Masu