Hmong Village Ban Mae Sa Mai morning view

Chiang Mai: Trekking the Historic Opium Trail on Doi Suthep

Price per person in THB
2 persons	3 persons	4 persons	5 persons	6 persons	7 persons	8 persons
3,800	2,700	2,100	1,800	1,600	1,500	1,300

Difficulty

60%

This private one day tour takes you from Doi Pui Hmong village to Ban Mae Sa Mai, another Hmong village. Our purpose is to inform you about the lifestyle, history and culture of the Hmong people. By visiting the village you support the preservation of their culture and support villagers who act as a local guide. By hiking through their forest we try to raise awareness of the importance of the forest which is their watershed. You will also support Doi Pui-Doi Suthep National Park, a protected area. We try to communicate the diversity of the natural world and the healing effect of being in nature. We appreciate the efforts of the Hmong people to preserve this forest.

Total driving time: two and a half hours

Highlights:

Comfortable private transportation

Medium trekking, suitable for people with a normal fitness level

Wat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai’s most famous temple

Doi Pui Hmong village

Beautiful forest of Doi Pui-Doi Suthep National Park

Hmong tribal culture

Royal agricultural project

Majestic views

Hmong village Ban Mae Sa Mai

Interesting history of opium cultivation and substitution by cash crops\

Forest restoration

From: 3,800.00 ฿

SKU: BBTT08 Category: Day Tours Tags: Royal project, National Parks

Description

Great trekking on Doi Suthep

Wat Doi Suthep, the Temple on the Mountain

Our guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800 for your Doi Suthep trekking which we have labelled “Trekking the Historic Opium Trail”. Drive to Suthep Mountain. We recommend you to turn off your phone and enjoy your digital detox today. First, we will visit Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, arguably the most famous temple of Chiang Mai, before the crowds arrive. Walk up the 300 steps up to the temple from where you have a majestic view over Chiang Mai. We continue to Doi Pui Village, a Hmong community, close to the top of Doi Pui (Doi means mountain in Northern Thai language).

Your guide will tell you about the turbulent history of this community. In the past, the village was involved in opium cultivation. Nowadays the village is a significant tourist attraction on Doi Suthep. We walk around the village before we meet our local Hmong guide who will accompany us on our hike to the Hmong community Ban Mae Sa Mai in the Mae Sa Valley.

Golden chedi after dark with trees — Wat Doi Suthep by night

Trekking with Local Hmong Guide

This hike through Doi Suthep-Doi Pui National park will take about 5-6 hours, including many stops to take pictures and enjoy the forest and views. Our Hmong guide will share his knowledge of the woods with us and will tell stories of the past. After a walk uphill we will arrive at an open area with fantastic views on both sides of the mountain. We will stop briefly to look at a footprint of Buddha before enjoying a picnic lunch at a scenic spot. We will continue through the forest to the Hmong village Ban Mae Sa Mai.

This village is the largest Hmong community in Northern Thailand and gets very few visitors, a marked contrast with Doi Pui Hmong Village. You will learn about an exciting project of FORRU, the forest restoration unit of Chiang Mai University. Drive back to Chiang Mai. Your guide will drop you off at the hotel. Here your Doi Suthep trekking ends.