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Thailand Mountain Trail has spent several years to investigate the most remote mountain trails in Northern Thailand before creating an important network of hiking footpaths. Thanks to our extensive knowledge of these mountain areas and our long relationship with local people, our company is the only one in Chiang Mai to organize trips and bring runners into these remote tribal areas.
This is a challenging 3-day trip in the Chiang Dao area, the highest mountain range of Thailand. It’s a real and long adventure that will see us running to the highest summits and hill-tribe villages of Northern Thailand. The trails we relieved are wild and tough with much elevation gain. It is dedicated to advanced runners able to run at least 30kms a day.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIP
13'500
PICK UP AT YOUR HOTEL (8.00-8.30 AM)
HUAY NAM SAI (1H TRANSFER FROM TMT)
JUNGLE, WATERFALLS
HILL-TRIBE VILLAGES, SUMMITS
NA LAO MAI (2H TRANSFER TO TMT)
DROP OFF AT YOUR HOTEL (5.00-6.00 PM)
ALL INCLUSIVE
SEE DETAILS (LINK)
6-7 HOURS RUNNING DAILY
80% SINGLE TRACK / 20% DOUBLE TRACK
AVAILABLE ALL YEAR
RECOMMENDED TIME: JUNE > MARCH
We start the 1st day by tackling a remarkable, dense bamboo jungle, acting as a natural frontier between Karen country and Hmong country. While the former live in the valley, the latter live in the high country. It’s wild and beautiful, it’s a blessing to run in such an area. Finally, we leave the jungle when the slope begins to go up. It’s a complete change of atmosphere; we are now uncovered, and the mountains open in front of us.
It’s a long and slow climb exposed to the sun and the mountains around. It’s both beautiful and tough as the sun begins to beat down. After one hour appearing at 1300m above sea level the village of Hmong Ngo located on a pass with its bamboo houses nestling against the mountainside. The view all around is now imposing and wide. For the next kilometers we are surrounded by an ocean of greenery until we reach the lovely village of Kio Bua Ha.
After passing another Hmong village, the route turns left to follow a river for 10 kilometers. It starts with a stream that runs down into gorges and jungle. We must focus and be careful because it’s not really a trail that we have to follow, we must hike directly in the water. Progress is difficult and slow, but when the stream finally joins the river of Mae Taeng, the horizon opens. The trail becomes easier until we reach the 20m-high waterfall of Huay Satan.
It remains 8k and 800m elevation gain to reach the overnight place. We must first hike up a steep slope to the Lahu village of Kup Kap. It’s a last tough effort, but on arrival, we get a wonderful wide view over the valley of Mae Taeng. Then it’s getting easier with an open trail on the mountainside until the village of Pha Deng. This Lahu village located on a ridge at 1100m. offers great scenery at sunset. We will eat and sleep there in bamboo huts we have built with a local family in the purest traditional Lahu style.
From Ban Pha Daeng on the 2nd day, the run is mountainous, the atmosphere is more alpine. In the early morning, we leave the village with regret by hiking on a path up the village. For a last time, we can look back and enjoy the beautiful morning view, before being covered by trees and forests. The biggest challenge of the day is now waiting for us: 800m elevation gain on a steep ridge to conquer the summit of Doi Pha Sam Liam (1650m). At the top, the reward is huge: as far as our eyes can see, it’s a sea of green mountains all around.
After the summit and a deserved lunch break, we continue running on a beautiful ridge. The atmosphere has changed completely; we are now in a large pine forest and running on a carpet of needles is a great feeling. When we arrive at Doi Pakhia summit (1680m), we can observe for the 1st time the massive mountain range of Chiang Dao. Standing out against the sky, it is the only alpine mountain in Thailand. With a profusion of lesser peaks and ridges, it is also the most imposing and beautiful one.
In the Hmong village of Pakhia, we will take a break for lunch, before tackling the final part. We have to go all around the massif of Chiang Dao from the south face to the north face on a steep trail going up and down. We will reach first an open-ridge line where we can observe in the distance the magnificent mountains of Chiang Dao. Then we run down and up a technical trail that will lead us to the final Lisu villages of Fa Suay and Na Lao Mai.
In the morning of the 3rd day, we continue our trip by entering the large valley of Nong Khatae. Down in the valley we are surrounded by 3 big and imposing mountains: Doi Chiang Dao in the back, Doi Nong Khatae on the left and Doi Nang Non, the sleeping lady mountain and our objective, in the front. It’s one of the best places we know to observe the high mountains of Thailand, and no other tourists have never heard of it.
The way up to the Lisu village of Nong Khatae is wild and steep. It goes through a dense forest dotted with large rocky boulders. It’s an amazing place that would please any climber! Finally, when we leave the forest, we are surrounded by high cliffs left and right. In front far ahead, we can make out the small Lisu village at the foothill of Doi Nang. Only 5 families live here in this remote area completely isolated.
After a break, it is now time to reach the target of the day, the summit of Doi Nang at 18475m high. The trail goes up steep and narrow at the back of the village. Local people used to grow poppies there on a high plateau. It was stopped several decades ago, and we can now enjoy without any risk the view on the summit of Doi Luang. The last part finally goes down to the valley of Chiang dao where we stop before driving back to Chiang Mai.
1ST NIGHT: 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!
2ND NIGHT: NA LAO MAI (LISU VILLAGE)
Ten years ago, it used to be an empty village with a few houses and families only. Then it became suddenly a tourist place for Thai people eager to discover the mountain range of Chiang Dao. And it’s true that the view is unique and magnificent. It is now occupied with a couple of homestays managed by the local Lisu minority. We will sleep in bamboo huts facing the whole mountain and a local family we have known before it became popular will cook for us in the evening and morning.
