Small group – Meet the Karen People of Mae Wang

Difficulty
60%

This is a small group tour. This two-day/one-night hill tribe trekking program introduces you to the Karen people of Northern Thailand and their fascinating culture. Groups are a minimum of two persons, maximum of ten persons.
Total approximate driving time:
Day 1 – two hours
Day 2 – two hours

Please note: this trip only departs on are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday

From: 4,500.00 ฿

Map of Mae Wang district with attractions
Map of Mae Wang
guests at the waterfall
Mae Wang Waterfall

Meet the Karen People of Mae Wang

Day 1: Chiang Mai – Karen Village

Waterfall and Karen People

Your guide will meet you at the hotel for your two-day “Meet the Karen people of Mae Wang” trekking. Here you can find more about the history and background of hill tribe trekking in Chiang Mai. Our first stop will be at a typical local Northern Thai market where your guide will do his shopping for the coming days and explain some of the local specialties for sale here. Continue after this, and drive to the starting point of the trek. Today we will walk mostly uphill.

We will follow a fantastic mountain trail along a sparkling stream with crystal-clear water until we reach a camp beside a waterfall. Here we will stay for a while, enjoying a swim in the fresh pool. Your guide will prepare lunch. After lunch, we will trek further up the mountain to the first Karen village. Here we will stop for a chat and say hello to the many adorable pigs. Then we are set for the final stage to the Karen village, where we will spend the night. We will first reach the Royal Project of the village. Your guide will explain this exciting agricultural project. The last part of our hike leads us through dense forests.

Cooking dinner and village overnight

After arrival in the Karen village where we will spend the night, your guide will introduce you to your host for tonight. You can explore the village while he prepares dinner, and you are welcome to help him cook. We also encourage you to practice some Karen language with your host after dinner while your guide.
Overnight will be in a homestay in the Karen village. For more information on the Green Trails village Homestays, please have a look here.

Two women in a field
Karen women in a good mood

Day 2: Karen Village – Chiang Mai

Great views and ricefields

Rise with the roosters. Your guide will prepare a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, we will start our descent back to civilization, the second and last day of your hill tribe trekking. We will walk through the village and stop at local houses to chat with the local people. Then we start trekking. We are still at a pretty high elevation and are rewarded with great views over the countryside. We pass rice fields and walk through the beautiful dipterocarp forest before we reach a pretty waterfall, where we will spend some time relaxing, swimming, and enjoying nature. After a short walk, we will see our trekking truck parked along the road. We will drive to a private house where we will have lunch.

Bamboo rafting on the Wang River

After lunch, we will drive to a small rafting camp. Our bamboo rafts will be waiting for us. In the olden days, this was an essential means of transportation for local people. Enjoy a relaxing and, at times, exciting bamboo raft trip for about 45 minutes on the Wang River. After this, we board our trekking truck to drive back to Chiang Mai. It is the end of your “Meet the Karen People of Mae Wang” tour.

Tourist bamboo rafting Mae Wang
bamboo rafting on the Mae Wang

Highlights

Highlights:

Small group

Great trekking in Mae Wang National Park

Waterfalls

Local markets

Rural life

Royal Project

Great food

Overnight in a village homestay

Karen tribal culture

Bamboo rafting on the Wang River

Inclusions

What is included?

Transportation by pick up truck
Accommodation in the village
One breakfast, two lunches, and one dinner
English speaking trekking guide
Bamboo rafting (about 45 mins)
Limited medical insurance

What is not included?

All drinks
Personal expenses
Tips

Timeline

Day 1
08.00 – Departure from the hotel
09.00 – Short stop at a local market
09.30 – Drive to the start point of the trek
10.00 – Start hiking about three hours
12.00 – Stop for lunch and relax at the waterfall
13.00 – Continue hiking
13.30 – Short visit of the Karen village and local school
14.30 – Arrival at Karen village where we stay overnight, relax at the village
17.00 – Help the guide cooking dinner
18.00 – Dinner at the village before free at leisure

Day 2
09.00 – Visit and walk around the village
10.00 – Start hiking about two to two-and-a-half hours
10.00 – Stop and relax at the waterfall
12.00 – End of the trek and meet the driver
12.30 – Lunch at a local restaurant
13.30 – Start bamboo rafting
14.15 – End of the rafting trip and relax
14.30 – Drive back to Chiang Mai
16.00 – Drop off at the hotel

What to bring

Short sleeve shirts for the daytime (bring a spare one, just in case)
Long sleeves for the evening (especially in the winter Nov – Feb it can be a bit cold)
Shoes with good grip (especially in the rainy season from May-Sep)
Swimwear
A hat or cap
Raincoat
Sunscreen
Flip flops
Sunglasses
Your toiletries
Personal medication
Fully charged batteries or even an extra battery for your camera.
Some money to buy souvenirs, drinks, and tips: 1000-1500 Thai Baht per person in small (not bigger than 500 Thai Baht and plenty of 100 Thai Baht notes).