Temples, Waterfalls, Remote Communities and Camping with the Mountain Tribe Karen
You will be picked up at 8:00am from CHIANG MAI GATE HOTEL in Chiang Mai city and our team will transport you by minivan to The Tuk Tuk Club's base in Mae Wang, approximately 45-60 minutes southwest of the city. Upon arrival at our base, you will be introduced to your reliable Tuk Tuk and driver (if you do not want to drive yourself) and you will be ready for the impending adventure.
Our Tuk Tuks are specially modified to perfectly cope with the winding mountain roads and also provide extra comfort and views from the back seat. There are Bluetooth speakers onboard so you can play your own music, and you can even roll back the roof if you feel like catching some sun!
Note: For those who choose to drive themselves, there will be a detailed and thorough training session for drivers, followed by a test that all drivers must pass before heading out on the road. For those who have chosen to have a driver, this is a great opportunity to learn more about Tuk Tuks, how they work, and if you fancy, the opportunity to try for yourself! You start the journey by driving through amazing winding roads passing small farming communities (think of amazing photo opportunities) and visiting magnificent and almost never visited, distant temples where you will receive a blessing for the impending adventure.
You will have a simple but hearty lunch at a good local restaurant and then start driving up the magnificent mountains. Along the way, stop to take a short hike to a forest waterfall and explore a small Karen community, then continue up the winding hairpin turns to your accommodation in a remote Karen village, where you will camp and have an incredibly authentic 'Hill Tribe' experience. By the way, Karen is pronounced “The Kåren”;)
Once you arrive at the camp, you will have the opportunity to explore the local community and meet 'elders' and learn about their community, culture and lifestyle. In the evening you will learn how to cook jungle-style with an open fire and lessons from our Karen hosts before spending the night under the stars — a real Thailand experience. NOTE - the tents are actually very comfortable with mattresses/pillows/blankets, etc., and there are 'western
Tuk tuk driving time: +/- 5 hours including driver training
Distance covered: +/- 75 km
The day Includes:
- Transportation from The Chiang Mai Gate Hotel to our “base camp” in Mae Wang
- Fully tuk tuk orientation program
- Professional guide and possibly driver
- Extensive tuk tuk driver training
- Temple blessing, waterfalls, beautiful remote villages and some of the best roads in Northern Thailand
- Lunch, dinner (jungle cooking class included!) and drinking water
- Karen Hill Tribe village experience and overnight stay in tent