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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 in these remote tribal areas.
This 3-day trip will lead us on the 1st part of TMT.1 directly from Chiang Mai to Karen areas, one of the tribes located in the mountains of Thailand. We will run through their beautiful valleys and villages on wild footpaths in remote areas. At night we will eat and sleep in local families and houses. It’s a unique experience to live and the best way to discover another Thailand.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRIP
12'900
PICK UP AT YOUR HOTEL (8.00-8.30 AM)
CHIANG MAI CITY (15 MIN TRANSFER FROM TMT)
JUNGLE, RICE PADDIES
KAREN VILLAGES & LOCAL FAMILY
HUAY NAM SAI (1H TRANSFER TO TMT)
DROP OFF AT YOUR HOTEL (5.00-6.00 PM)
ALL INCLUSIVE
SEE DETAILS (LINK)
5-6 HOURS RUNNING DAILY
60% SINGLE TRACK / 40% DOUBLE TRACK
AVAILABLE ALL YEAR
RECOMMENDED TIME: JULY > DECEMBER
Starting from Chiang Mai the 1st day in the early hours of the morning, we hike up directly on a pilgrim trail used by monks. Without transition we pass into rocky terrain which lasts until the almost fairy tale appearance of Wat Palaad, nestling on the bank of a river. A few kilometers further on the course crosses the site of Wat Doi Suthep, one of the most holy temples in Thailand. The view over the valley of Chiang Mai is panoramic and imposing.
The route runs down the dizzyingly steep staircase from the temple, and then, just behind the temple, we take a hidden path that plunges headlong into the jungle. This route was created in the beginning of the last century by Hmong people. Plunged headlong into a first stretch of jungle, we run 10k in this wonderful atmosphere surrounded by long green tunnels on undulating paths punctuated by fallen branches and trees.
As we emerge from the jungle after a break in a hill-tribe village, the slope gets progressively harder and becomes so steep that we have to use our hands to help us at some points. High in the sky we follow a magnificent line of ridges edged in pine trees. All around us we can observe fields and mountains. Soon the reward is here; just in front the summit of Doi Pui (1685m) stands out in the distance.
Finally, we plunge for a very long downhill in a pine forest until the finish point. The trail is wilder and more difficult, punctuated by fallen branches and tree trunks which we have to step over. After a final hour running down the Queen Botanic Garden, we will arrive at our beautiful and peaceful hotel surrounded by green mountains. Enjoying the swimming pool and eating delicious Thai food, it’s a perfect place to recover before the 2nd day.
We start the 2nd day directly from the resort by hiking up in the mountains. It’s a steep ascent until we arrive at a couple of Hmong settlements. Leaving the fields, suddenly we enter a wild jungle. It’s a long crossing until we reach a new valley. Emerging from a long stretch of jungle and seeing the horizon opens up again is a fantastic feeling; it’s like taking a sudden lungful of air after a long period of holding your breath.
It’s a long and wild part in the jungle; sometimes we even have to find our way or to make it with a machete. It’s a special atmosphere we enjoy until the first rice fields. After 20 kilometers in the jungle, we finally reach the first rice paddies carved into the hillsides, like huge staircases of greenery. Crossing the terraced rice fields is an obstacle race for tired runners. To run across the strips of grass without falling, one has to learn how to keep balance.
When we see the first roofs of the village, the Karen village of Mae Kha is not far away. It’s a wonderful place to stay overnight. People live simply and are happy to welcome us; they live in deep contact with nature. After enjoying a deserved shower directly at a waterfall, we will share a meal for dinner with local families. We will sleep in comfortable wood houses beside the rice fields.
In the morning of the 2nd day we particularly appreciate the unique scenery on fields and valleys at sunrise while having breakfast. We quit the village with regret by one of its mountain slopes, gradually leaving its wattle and daub roofs behind us. We run again through rice fields and up to the mountains until Wat Prabat Si Loi. This sacred temple is known for its 4 Buddha footprint; it’s a quiet place and a majestic temple surrounded by green nature.
We leave the temple behind us and take a dirt track that brings us deeply into the Karen areas. The route goes down through mountains and valleys and offers great views of green hills. It’s a delightful setting characterized by a perfect mix of rice fields, villages and jungle. It’s also a quiet area; only a few people live there. Finally, after 10 kilometers we enter a small Karen village and its lovely wood houses where we take a break.
The route is flat for a couple of kilometers and give us the opportunity to run softly and relax our heavy legs. We need it before entering a new wild bamboo jungle, the last part of the trip and the last difficulty to tackle with. Finally, after we leave the jungle, the view opens again and we can observe the high mountains further up. That’s where TMT.1 route continues, but for us this is the end of our trip.
1ST NIGHT: MAE SA VALLEY RESORT
Mae Sa Valley Resort is perfect for people who don’t like to follow the crowd. Amid lush, natural landscape and facing the green mountains, guests will feel here a warm and personal atmosphere. The hotel is located in the Mae Sa valley at 650m high. It provides a very good Thai traditional food, a big swimming pool as comfortable and quiet rooms. All rooms are decorated in a contemporary Lanna Thai Style. They are equipped with a personal bar refrigerator, color TV, hair dryer, telephone, coffee and Tea Pot.
2ND NIGHT: MAE KHA PIANG
(KAREN VILLAGE)
The Karen village of Mae Kha Piang is one of the most beautiful villages we know in Thailand. And hopefully it is not visited by any tourist. Arriving there after a long 1st trekking day, we will immediately appreciate the quietness, the freshness as the beauty of this village surrounded by jungle and rice paddies. We will spend the night with a family we have known for 10 years and who we have built our own bungalows with. The cold shower, the welcome and the smile of its people, the delicious food and the night in local wood houses will leave an unforgettable memory and give us strength back before the 2nd day of our trip.
