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Since the beginning of our research In 2013, Thailand Mountain Trail has investigated most of the hill-tribe areas around Chiang Mai. We have been in touch with the different ethnic minorities to help us discover all these footpaths previously used for communicating between mountain villages. The different hiking routes we now offer have been created from all the trails we relived and maintained.
This trip will lead us to the Lahu high country in the last part of TMT.1, just before Chiang Dao National Park. That’s the highest area of this long route with several summits higher than 1700m. It has stunning scenery with many ascents and descents. This trip is a 2-day loop up to the summit of Sam Liam and down to the Mae Taeng river with a night in a local family in beautiful bamboo huts.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIP
6'600
PICK UP AT YOUR HOTEL (8.00-8.30 AM)
PANG KO (1H30 TRANSFER FROM TMT)
JUNGLE, RIVERS, WATERFALLS
SUMMIT WITH VIEW, BAMBOO VILLAGES
PANG KO (1H30 TRANSFER TO TMT)
DROP OFF AT YOUR HOTEL (4.00-5.00 PM)
ALL INCLUSIVE (SEE DETAILS) (LINK)
ONE NIGHT IN LAHU BAMBOO HUTS
5-6 HOURS TREKKING DAILY
90% SINGLE TRACK / 10% DOUBLE TRACK
AVAILABLE ALL YEAR
RECOMMENDED TIME: JUNE > MARCH
We start the 1st day by following the river of Mae Taeng. It’s one of the most beautiful in the province of Chiang Mai. Settled down in the valley and surrounded by a luxuriant tropical forest, the river is known for its rapids. It’s a great place for rafting but we will go down walking in the jungle alongside the river. It’s humid and it’s wild. Several times, we have to use the machete to clean the trail and move forward.
After 5 kilometers in one of the wildest jungles we know, we finally leave the main river and turn left to follow one of its streams. The trail is now wider; the pace is easier; we enjoy a comfortable hike on a flat route alongside the river. At several points we have to cross the river until we reach a 15-meter-high waterfall. We will take a break there to recharge our batteries before the last difficult part of the day.
After the longest ascent of the day (600-700m elevation gain), we arrive at the Lahu village of Kup Kap where we stop for lunch. We will enjoy a traditional Thai meal on a platform with a wonderful view over the valley of Mae Taeng. Refreshed by food and drinks, we can now tackle the second part of the hike to the final Lahu village of Pha Daeng. It’s easier with only a few easy ascents that give us the opportunity to enjoy a continued open view on further mountains and the objective of the day.
The village is located on a ridge at 1100m with open views of valleys and mountains all around. In the morning of the 2nd day, after a refreshing night, we will enjoy breakfast on the terrace of the house in front of green mountains with a beautiful sunrise in the back. Warmed by the first rays of the sun, we will leave this enchanting place with regret to run a path up through fields and hills. When we reach a tiny Lahu village, we can see in the distance the summit of Doi Pha Sam Liam the objective of the day.
The biggest challenge is now waiting for us: 700m elevation gain to conquer the summit of Doi Pha Sam Liam (1650m). It’s a long climb in a mix of tropical forest and pine trees. We follow a steep ridge until the foothill of the summit then turn left for the last meters. At the top of the peak, the reward is huge and eases fatigue immediately. As far as our eyes can see, it’s a sea of green mountains all around and down below in distance the 2 Lahu villages we come from.
We enjoy some time at the summit eating the meal the family cooked for us and recharging batteries. Soon it’s time to go back home, it’s a very long descent (from 1650m to 450m) that waits for us. First, we hike down to Kup Kap village, then on the last steep descent down to Huay Satan waterfall. We will take a break here to relax our sore legs, before tackling the last part of the route through rocks alongside the river.
BAN PHA DAENG LAHU VILLAGE
Located on a ridge at 1100m high, it is a very small and remote village. No tourists come here, so we can enjoy the quiet place just for us. The view of the valleys and the other mountains around is wide and impressive, with stunning sunrise and sunset. We will sleep in bamboo huts in comfortable rooms and beds that we have built with a local family. We have known them for more than 10 years. They will cook delicious food for us; it’s almost like home here!
