2-Day Doi Inthanon Hilltribe Trail

Route

What's the plan?

What's Included

Included:

√ Transport
All private transport required during the trek is included. On the first day, your trekking company will pick you up from your hotel in Chiang Mai and drive you to Doi Inthanon National Park. At the end of the trek, you will be taken back to Chiang Mai.

√ Professional guide
You will be accompanied at all times by a professional English speaking guide. 

√ Meals
Lunch, dinner and breakfast are included in the price of the trek. You will enjoy your lunch at a stunning viewpoint and you will eat out of banana leaves, which serve as plates. In the evening, your guide will prepare a traditional Thai dinner. You are welcome to join your guide and learn how to cook Thai food!

√ Accommodation
On this trek, you will spend one night sleeping at the Karen Hilltribe village, Khun Poy.

√ Water
Water is included on the first day of the trek (2 liters per person). During the remaining days of the trek, you can purchase water in the villages along the way.

√ Park fees
In order to access Doi Inthanon National Park, you need to pay an entrance fee. This fee is included in the price of the trek.

Excluded:

× Airfare
You have to make your way to Chiang Mai. The total amount is exclusive of flights to and from Thailand. 

× Accommodation before and after the trek
Before and after the trek you have to take care of your own accommodation.

× Travel Insurance
Your international travel insurance is your own responsibility. Discuss your itinerary with the insurance company before your trek.

× Extra snacks and drinks
Your trekking company will provide lunch, dinner and breakfast, as well as water during the trek. If you want some extra snacks or drinks during the hike, these are on your own account.

× Tipping
Tipps for the guide are not included in the price of the trek. You decide how much to tip, but if you got a good service from your guide, be generous.

Accommodation

Accommodation

On this trek, you will spend one night sleeping at the Karen Hilltribe village, Khun Poy. Our homestay gives you a chance to stay in host families' homes in the villages in the mountains, and enjoy rustic rural living like the locals. The host family ensures guests sleeping beds are made and ready and can choose themselves how much interaction they would like. Hill tribe members are busy sometimes on the farm etc and cannot always be around. Another lovely lady in the village will often come to meet our guests to sell her traditional Karen hill tribe hand weaved bags, shirts, skirts, and scarves. This is another great way we get to give back to our local communities. 

The accommodation is very basic in a traditional teak wood house. We provide bedding, including basic floor mattress, blanket, pillows and mosquito net. You will spend the night in a dorm-style room. Basic bathroom facilities are available and there is electricity in this village.

FAQ

FAQ

Where is Doi Inthanon National Park?
Doi Inthanon National Park is located just 60 kilometers away from Chiang Mai, in Northern Thailand. Although the park is close to the city, the road to the park's entrance is a mountain road, with plenty of twists and cutbacks. This park is one of Thailand's most popular national parks, not only because it is home to Thailand's talles mountain, but because of its rich flora and fauna, and its scenic trails. On our Doi Inthanon Hikes, we take you on treks in the heart of the rainforests that only our company treks, completely off the beaten path jungle trekking in the Doi Inthanon National Park.

How hard are the trails?
The trails on Doi Inthanon National Park are not hard. Always bear in mind that you will be trekking for several hours and that the trails are on a mountain, which means that there will be up and downs. If you are in good shape, this trek shouldn't be a problem for you. However, if you are worried that it might be too much, you can always train in advance, walking a few hours a day and climbing some stairs.

Karen Hilltribe Communities
The Karen Hill Tribes are the largest ethnic minority group in Thailand. These tribes live in mountain villages in northern Thailand and practice agriculture. The indigenous Karen people of Thailand are Thai citizens even though they speak a different language and their culture differs from Thai Culture in some ways. They still can speak Thai and have Thai ID’s. Chiang Dao is home to the largest population of ethnic minorities “hilltribe villages” in Thailand. In Doi Inthanon National Park, a lot of Karen Hilltribe villages work with the royal project founded by the late king to promote organic farming.

Best season
Doi Inthanon National Park can be visited throughout the whole year. However, there are some recommendations when it comes to choosing your dates. It is important to point out that the top of the mountain is one of the few places in Thailand where you can actually feel cold. Temperatures can drop below 0°C in winter, so, if you are trekking from November to March, be prepared and bring some warm clothes.  May to November is Monsoon season, and although the temperatures are more temperate, the national Park sees a lot of rain and clouds tend to obscure the views. Just remember your rain jacket and good shoes for the rainy season (July to September) and warmer clothes for overnight trips in our cool season (Mid October to early February).

Tipping
Tipping is 100% common in Thailand, it is 100% expected. If you got a good service from your guide and you want to thank him, it will always be much appreciated. How much to tip your guide is up to you. If you had a good time, 300 Baht/USD 10 for a full-day tour is a good tip.

Packing List

Packing List

Although trekking in Doi Inthanon National Park is not hard, it is always important to have the right equipment with you. Thay way, you can just enjoy the trek without any unpleasant surprises. If you are planning on doing this trek, Ethnic Hill Tribe Eco Trails has some recommendations for you:

- Wear shoes with grip suitable for trekking
- Bring a swimsuit to enjoy at the waterfall
- Pack a warm layer, mornings can be chilly 
- Bring some extra snacks in case you get hungry
- If you are trekking in summer, don't forget your sunscreen
- If you are trekking in winter, bring some warm clothes, it gets cold
- Insect repellant is also a good idea

Safety

Safety

Safety is of the utmost importance to us. That is why this is an area in which we simply do not compromise when it comes to keeping the cost of our trekkings low. Our guides have been selected on the basis of their technical competence, proven safety performance, impeccable judgment, friendly attitude and ability to provide useful and expert instructions. Our Karen guides have a deep knowledge of the rainforest and how to live in the mountains. Join us to completely immerse yourself and hike in the beauty of northern Thailand.

Ethnic Hill Tribe Eco Trails

Ethnic Hill Tribe Eco Trails

Hi, we're Mit and Kischa, the founders of Ethnic Hilltribe Eco Trails. We met and fell in love on a jungle trek in Chiang Mai, and we started this company with a dream. We love our home, and want to give people a chance to experience real, authentic hiking trails, visit hilltribe villages, and experience the culture of northern Thailand hilltribes in the same intimate and personal way that we do.

Beyond leading off-the-beaten path journeys, we're also passionate about sustainable tourism. We've seen first-hand how education and training can lift, not just families, but entire villages out of poverty, and we're committed to providing tourism support and opportunities to our guides and partners. Let us introduce you to our hilltribe family and friends and show you the beauty of northern Thailand's hills and rainforests.

How to Book

How does it work?

On Bookatrekking.com you can find and compare the adventures of your dreams. Is this trekking adventure your match? In that case you can proceed to booking. At Bookatrekking.com you make a deposit of 15% of the total amount. You pay the remaining amount on location prior to the trek directly to the trekking company.

Bookatrekking.com uses only the safest payment methods. Once your booking has been received, your place is reserved, your place is safe and you can look forward to your chosen trekking.

After you have made your booking, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with all necessary information and the contact details of the trekking company. If you have any questions or if you want to clarify something, you can obtain information directly from the right person. Of course, you can also always ask us your question. Send us an e-mail on support@bookatrekking.com

The trekking company will also receive your details and can therefore always contact you and provide you with extra information.

Cancellation Policy

You wish you didn’t have to, but there is no other way: You find yourself having to cancel your plans. In this case, you lose your deposit, but since you haven’t paid the large sum yet, you at least save that. Please do let us know if you cannot make it. A no-show can be a small disaster for your trekking provider, who did its best to block your dates. View our complete cancellation policy here.