(5 Days Lisu and Lanna Trekking Experience)

Itinerary

Day 1: Lisu Lodge - Lahu Outpost (L, D)

09:00 : Arrive at the Lisu Lodge. A traditional welcome drink will be served.

Then, drive by local open-air truck to the area near Pha Mieng. Start walking along the jungle trails to the remote village of Hmong Pha Mieng (1h30). Meet the inhabitants of this small hill tribe village in the jungle.

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest.

After lunch, walk to the top of the mountain (1h30) where the Red Lahu Village of Pha Daeng is located. Continue walking along a mountain ridge to the Lahu village of Kup Kap (1h00), from where you have a spectacular view overlooking the Mae Taeng district and Chiang Mai town glittering at night in the distance. Beyond the mountain peaks to the west lies Myanmar (Burma).

Dinner and overnight at Lahu Outpost, modeled on a typical Lahu house. Basic amenities are provided: mattress, pillow, bed linen, blankets, towels, mosquito nets, etc. Two Western-style toilets and a communal shower are provided.

Day 2:  Lahu Outpost - Lisu Lodge (B, L, D)

After an early breakfast, we go on a one and a half hour walk down a steep jungle path passing by the Huay Sadharn Waterfall. This brings us to the spot where we will mount the elephants and continue on a one hour ride down to the river. In a remarkable setting on the bank of the river we first enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. Afterwards we go rafting down the river for about 45 minutes.

From there you return to Lisu Lodge. Upon arrival, a welcome drink will be served before you check into your room. Afterwards you will receive a briefing so you can select your activity for the following morning.

Guided by a Lisu villager, walk from Ton Lung temple to visit the herbal garden. Then continue through the village with a stop for a cup of tea at the village shaman’s house. Chat with the Lisu shaman and learn about his life, beliefs, curing rites and Lisu traditions.

Visit the cultural center and ‘museum’ created by the villagers. Inside you will find a collection of typical household items and tools from the Lisu as well as well as the Akha mountain peoples.

Time at leisure until Thai dinner with a traditional Lisu dance show.

Overnight at Lisu Lodge.
 

Day 3:  Lisu Lodge - Akha Outpost (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the Lodge.

In the morning you have a choice of activities:

• Guided bike tour around the Lisu Lodge area.

• Steam bath.

• Massage.

• Ox-cart ride through farmlands and orchards to the Thai village of Baan Pang Mai Daeng - about an hour ending up back at Lisu Lodge.

Notes: A second additional 1-hour activity can be booked at a nominal charge but as a free activity you are welcome to go cycling by yourself and we will give you a road book of recommended itineraries.

Leave Lisu Lodge and head to a Palong village in Chiang Dao. A tasty picnic lunch will be provided en route.

Walk uphill about 3 hours to Akha Outpost. Check-in at Akha Outpost, set in an isolated area with spectacular views: looking north down into the valley far below or to the west, the mountain peaks stretching into Burma; and finally in the east: the Lao PDR.

For dinner, help your guide whip up a tasty, wholesome mountain meal.

Dinner and overnight at Akha Outpost, modeled on a typical Akha house. Basic amenities are provided: mattress, pillow, bed linen, blankets, towels, mosquito nets, etc. Two Western-style toilets and a communal shower are provided.

Day 4:  Akha Outpost - Khum Lanna (B, L, D)

Breakfast at the Akha Outpost.

Start walking downhill passing by the waterfall to another Akha village. Then take the short drive to Khum Lanna.

Arrive at Khum Lanna and be greeted by local Lanna people. A tasty welcome drink (herbal tea or fruit juice from the garden) will be served prior to the briefing and orientation when you will choose your afternoon activity. Khum Lanna will provide Thai farmer shirts for guest use during their stay.

10:00 : Enjoy the preparation for a Lanna country-style BBQ lunch with a garden tour around the compound; collect different seasonal herbs, vegetables and fruits for cooking.

11:00 : Get your free sample of our “Khum Lanna Thai Recipe Book” before the Thai cooking class begins. Share an informal Lanna country-style BBQ lunch that you have prepared with your host. Get an introduction to Thai language (which will prepare you for your market shopping the next day)

In the afternoon, we provide you with a choice of one-hour activities:

• Guided biking tour around Khum Lanna.

• Fruit (or vegetable) carving.

• Local style personal herbal steam bath.

• Hot-pressed herbal massage (consisting of 8 kinds of herbs: ginger, zingiber, lemongrass, plantain, tamarind leaves, soap pod, camphor and Aom Kiew).

Notes: A second additional 1-hour activity can be booked at a nominal charge but as a free activity you are welcome to go cycling by yourself and we will give you a road book of recommended itineraries.

Late afternoon at leisure until the Thai cooking class begins 16:30.

Enjoy the fruits of your labors with a full 4-course sit-down Thai dinner with your host and friends. Watch a million stars beside a campfire in the garden.

At leisure until the scrumptious dinner which you prepared already in the afternoon.

Overnight at Khum Lanna.
 

Day 5:  Khum Lanna (B, L)

05:30 : Coffee/tea will be brought to your room for your wake-up call before the sunrise biking trip along the rural country road via San Kwang village to Phrao to visit an early morning local market where local coffee is available. With the help of your guide you may buy local cookies and flower garlands for the temple offering on the way back.

Then you visit a farmer’s rice and traditional tools shop, chat with the owner, and learn more about the rice legends and differences & properties of the varieties of rice. Your local escort will translate. Bike back to Khum Lanna with a stop to visit Wat Pa. Pay respect to the Buddha image under the sacred tree.

Continue biking to Khum Lanna along the local canal through the rice fields and get more information about the rice-growing process and the important place that rice occupies in Thai life.

Upon return, refreshment or shower before a local Lanna-style breakfast at 09:00 set up on the riverside.

Then, enjoy some light biking to the rural village down the road. See the incredible accumulation of beehives on the sacred tree at Ban Nam Phrae and get information about the need for bees and the reasons for local conservation.

Continue biking to Wiang Phrao Wung Hin (the ancient city 30 years older than Chiang Mai) to visit a temple and Phra Chao Lan Tong, the most significant Buddha Image in the Phrao district.

Here, King Mengrai (1259-1317) assembled the villagers and trained them as soldiers to defend the city. Continue to Wat Tham Dork Kum and visit different Buddha stucco figures and the huge reclining Buddha.

Picnic lunch will be provided on the orchard hill, which has a fantastic overview of the entire Phrao valley. Return to Khum Lanna.

Refreshment and check-out.

End of the program.

Price per person in Thai Baht (Min. 2 pax)
 

Price includes:

• English-speaking guide during visit.

• Tour and activities: Elephant riding (1 elephant = 2 person), rafting (1 rubber boat = 4-5 persons) and biking.

• Your choice of one activity at Lisu: biking or oxcart or steam bath or massage.

• Your choice of one activity at Khum Lanna: biking or carving or steam bath or massage.

• Accommodation in non air-conditioned room at Lahu Outpost & Akha Outpost and non air-conditioned room with electric fan at Lisu Lodge & Khum Lanna based on half twin-bedded room.

• Meals as specified.

• Baggage handling.

• Local open-air truck for the activity.

Price Excludes:

• Transfer from Chiang Mai airport or hotel to Lisu Lodge or v.v.

• Airfares and airport taxes.

• Other meals and services than those mentioned in the program.

• Personal expenses

OPTIONAL TRANSFER RATES CHIANG MAI TO LISU LODGE OR V.V