Hilltribe adventure
| country: | Thailand |
| trip type: | Moderate walking holidays |
| departures: | 2008: 22 Jun |
| price: | From £310 (8 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
The mountains of northern Thailand are home to a diverse number of hill tribes or ‘chao kao’, who have migrated from southern China, Burma and Laos. Each hill tribe has a unique culture and separate language, and all have largely resisted modernisation by retaining their traditional customs as well as colourful costumes.
Whilst trekking we become guests in some of their villages, enabling us to sample a taste of their unique lifestyles. Porters are available to carry our backpacks, thus making life a lot easier! We also enjoy elephant riding and bamboo rafting.
The laid-back township of Pai has become a haunt for artists and artisans in recent times, as evidenced by the many local style galleries that are well worth visiting. Chiang Mai’s famous Night Bazaar is a shoppers’ paradise, showcasing both Thai and hill tribe handicrafts. Throughout the trip you get to taste the delicious Thai food, as well as enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the people.
Whilst trekking we become guests in some of their villages, enabling us to sample a taste of their unique lifestyles. Porters are available to carry our backpacks, thus making life a lot easier! We also enjoy elephant riding and bamboo rafting.
The laid-back township of Pai has become a haunt for artists and artisans in recent times, as evidenced by the many local style galleries that are well worth visiting. Chiang Mai’s famous Night Bazaar is a shoppers’ paradise, showcasing both Thai and hill tribe handicrafts. Throughout the trip you get to taste the delicious Thai food, as well as enjoy the warmth and hospitality of the people.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive in Chiang Mai and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2-6: | Drive to Pai. Trekking to hill tribe villages, stay overnight in village huts. Trek back to Pai. |
| Day 7: | Drive back to Chiang Mai. |
| Day 8: | Trip ends in Chiang Mai this morning |
travellers' tales
Beyond and all around the jungle rolled away in a series of luscious green hilltops, into a misty purple distance. This was home for the night. You felt you were the first people on earth: it was a privilege to be in such a lonely and exquisitely beautiful place. I'll never forget it.
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small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Trek northern Thailand with the help of a local, as a Thai tour leader gives you a first-hand insight into the exotic and colourful tapestry that makes up this vibrant country. Walking around the scenic hills gives travellers an awareness of the beauty of the area and the importance of it being preserved and protected, so that it can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations.
The hill tribe people living in the border regions of Thailand, Laos and Burma also have rich, enduring and diverse cultures, which are unveiled on this trip. Equally important their Thai tour leader helps you to understand the traditions of these proud people, ensuring you don’t commit any cultural ‘faux pas’. On the trek various different tribal groups are encountered. You also find that their porters all come from surrounding villages. To support tour programs in Thailand this operator is training their tour leaders on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. By only employing tour leaders born and bred in the regions we visit, they are supporting local economies. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |