Chiang Mai: tips for choosing the right trek

Among the many visitors to Thailand, those who decide to visit the north, choose often to embark on a trek, in particular to meet mountain tribes. Whether in the mountainous region surrounding Chiang Mai, those of Mae Hong Son or even around Phrae, in northern Thailand, experiences in the heart of nature attract. And while the majority will be satisfied with their experience, a minority will feel a sense of disappointment, due to several factors. (For example. en due to the organization of the chosen local agency, or because of biased expectations).

Here are some tips that beginner trekkers should keep in mind while selecting a trek.

Why trek in Chiang Mai?

First of all, I want to clarify that if I focus on the Chiang Mai region, as stated in the title, it is because my personal experience to date is limited to this province. In addition, Chiang Mai remains a must-see destination in northern Thailand and for a first trip to the land of smiles, often being a first "big" trip at all (outside Europe), this stage is highly likely to be part of your stay. After the advice given also remains true elsewhere for the rest of the country.

A view of Chiang Mai from Doi Suthep.

The advantage of Chiang Mai, which is certainly the tourist heart of the north of the country and can therefore put off some people looking for more "authenticity" and calm, is to offer a wide range of choices in terms of possible experiences. Experienced in the exercise, many local agencies offer tours, most of which take place in the mountains of Mae Taeng, north of the city, or in Mae Wang and the national park of Two Inthanon South. Since the supply is significant and there are enough applicants, the prices are mostly competitive.

What’s a trek in Thailand like?

You should know that trekking in Thailand is often closer to a “simple” hike than a trek as such. If we take the definition of the words, a trek is characterized as a "long hike", the difference from a classic hike is mainly its longer duration. This involves crossing wilder or more difficult to access areas, such as a multi-day hike in the mountains punctuated by bivouacs. This is the Wikipedia definition.

But in Thailand, we often find ourselves with day trekking packages. And it is often the same "magic" formula, namely a small moment with elephants (in sanctuaries of the “no riding” movement), the famous hike was done along a path leading to a waterfall very often, then swimming break. In the afternoon, walk a little more and then possibly do some activity like bamboo rafting, understand, let yourself slide along a small river on a raft built of bamboo. There are sometimes formulas integrating real rafting, suitable for beginners.

The elephant moment.

A waterfall visited during a two-day trek.

Bamboo rafts passing by (before our tour).

While the order of these activities may change, these day treks are more or less like this. The reason being that for timing reasons in particular, not everyone necessarily has the time to devote two days to this type of practice. Moreover, some being beginners in the matter, this formula becomes like a “nice” initiation and generally requiring little physical effort. The feeling of doing something original on the other side of the world.

But if you are looking for a bigger challenge, you can then try the formulas over two days or more. Here, we really enter the “trekking” category since you you will sleep in the middle of the mountain after a long day of walking. But here again, the formula is often repeated, namely a first day where you are taken to your starting point, sometimes going to see a waterfall accessible by car along the way. Then it's the climb to the starting point, in a village in the middle of the mountains. The walk usually lasts less than 4 hours depending on group speed and stops/breaks. Night then falls in a mountain tribe village and the next day, we enter the formula of the day trek, with elephant + Bamboo rafting.

The 4x4 to reach the starting point of a trek.

Let's go for a few hours of walking!

The kind of landscape we encounter.

Our accommodation for the day.

I will end this chapter by mentioning the fact that while many tours offer group rides, it is often possible to take a private tour for more privacy. This obviously involves paying extra for this exclusivity. Trekking in a group is not necessarily bad in itself, because it can be an opportunity to meet people, but I will come back to that later.

So, what are the criteria for choosing your trek in Chiang Mai?

To choose the trek that suits you best, here are the criteria to take into account in order to select an experience that suits you.

1. Your expectations

The base. With what I have already summarized above, it is up to you to see if this type of "adventure" pleases you, if a rather simple trek mixing encounters and "classic" activities would suit you. Some of you might be at looking for a real challenge, in which case, there are real treks whose goal is often to reach the summit of a mountain, camp there and admire the sunrise the next day.

To do this, there are two options: either by yourself or with an agency. By default, we often choose an agency, because we simply do not know where to start and where to go. But if you are the resourceful type, it is important to specify thatThere are many treks to do alone, without accompaniment, and is therefore not forced to call on an outside organization. This is the case, for example, at Doi Mon Chong (also spelled Jong), known for its iconic rock reminiscent of a lion. Located in the south of the province of Chiang Mai, it is necessary for this trek, as is often the case in this type of case, to report to the authorities, because you don't usually set off like that into the middle of the forest. (here it is from the village of Ban Muser).

In the middle of the mountains.

For information on elevation and distance, you can, for example, visit the AllTrails website, which lists this type of trek (in the example of Doi Mon Chong, there is however a mistake because the hike is about 6 km and not 11 km as written on the site, but it can give you a basis, in particular on where to go).

If you prefer discover while being accompanied, you have the site Thailand Mountain Trail, which offers real treks on the iconic mountains of Doi Suthep (adjoining the city of Chiang Mai) and Chiang Dao. It is even possible to do a 5-day trek connecting these two mountains.

Generally speaking, the right question to ask is: why do you go trekking? Often, the idea behind it is to live a special moment in the middle of the mountains and share an experience that is unusual with everyday life. This includes seeing ethnic villages and getting out of your comfort zone. But if sleeping in isolated places, where hygiene seems far from our standards and that puts you off, then opt for a day trek.

Meeting in an ethnic village (non-tourist).

A shared room during a two-day trek.

If you have in mind a trek like "Rendez-vous en terre inconnue", and expect an authentic experience in a remote village, the choice of operator can be crucial to avoid falling into the village too "commercial", because some walks are so calibrated and daily that the experience with the locals will necessarily be limited because too formatted.

2. Your physical condition

obviously, the choice of trek will depend above all on your physical abilities. If you are not usually a walker (logically, trekking would not appeal to you more than that), you will more easily opt for a short day trek. If, on the contrary, you are used to walks in natural surroundings, you will more readily opt for a long trek of two days minimum, allowing for better immersion.

The agencies will normally be able to advise what type of difficulty the trek is and so you should know where you are going. Do not rely solely on duration, because the difference in altitude can play a significant role in the fatigue caused. Lduring my two-day trek, “classic” way (including a visit to a waterfall before the walk and elephant + bamboo rafting activity the next day), the hike itself did not exceed 4 hours. And if overall everyone kept up the pace, it must be admitted that certain sections required a more intense effort due to the hill to climb.

The other important point being if you are with children. Many day treks are less demanding and can be enjoyed by children, provided that they are at least a good walker.

A day trek is generally accessible to children.

Rafting for beginners, a good way to have a side of adventure without risk.

A good pair of shoes is not too much if the walk is substantial, I am always half surprised and half amused to see tourists going on an adventure in flip-flops in the middle of the forest (yes, there are some). Do not overload yourself unnecessarily. Take the essentials in a light backpack and leave your main luggage at your hotel or at the agency reception if you go there on your own. Trekking in Thailand does not generally involve porters, but there are treks involving villagers ready to take care of the "dirty" work. This is the case for the trek to Doi Mon Chong that I mentioned just above, but I also came across some on the trail leading to the summit of Ramkhamhaeng National Park, next to the historical park of Sukhothai.

Among the essentials, a good mosquito repellent, you will not be spared in the forest. Rest assured, in these areas around Chiang Mai, there is no malaria, however, il There may be other diseases linked to the bites of these insects. (dengue fever, zika, chikungunya, although cases remain quite rare concerning these two last). Bring sunscreen and a hat is a good idea.

The jungle.

We often forget it, but in the cold season (mid-November to mid-February), it can be cool in the evening and at night. Take warm clothes and make sure there is enough bedding (this is usually the case since you will have blankets).

3. The trek and its activities

If we combine the two previous paragraphs, you should start to know what you would like to include as activities taking into account accessibility (easy/difficult) and their variety. You can go for a trek clearly more oriented towards landscapes, combined with a meeting of a tribe in the mountains, or a bit of a catch-all tour to multiply the experiences, elephant, walking, waterfall, bamboo or white rafting are the most common examples.

But being limited by time, we tend to want to do too much, see too much, do not let yourself be overwhelmed by temptation. Seeing five villages in one day is not necessarily interesting, because there will be a repetition effect. One or at most two tribes per day is more than enough. Instead, look for how many time you will pass through a village if you visit during the day. Will you have the opportunity to participate in village life, for example by trying out a local craft? (weaving), helping with the work in the fields (crash ou rice harvest according to the season or other plantation), by talking with the villagers about their daily lives? If possible, please provide information in which villages will you be staying? Which tribe(s) will you visit?

In an ethnic village.

Break at a waterfall during a day trek.

A kilometer on foot is tiring, tiring…

It comes back to the fact that you are looking for a "trek" after all, so there has to be a minimum of walking, but you probably won't be up for being on your feet for ten hours a day. So ask yourself the right questions – how many hours of walking are there each day? Are there any long breaks? How fast will the trek be? How is the terrain? You will mainly pass through rice fields, jungle following trails or roads. How long does it take to get to where the trek starts? How will water and meals be managed? These are generally provided, can you make special and adapted requests? (allergy, vegetarian). 

4. The agency

We come to the important choice of the agency. As it is a classic activity since Chiang Mai, there is no shortage of agencies offering you wonders and other adventures. A lot of guesthouses will offer their own services. It should be noted that this is not because your guest house in Chiang Mai organize a trek that they organize the trek themselves – this often means that they sell you a place on a trek organized by a separate company for which they will get a discount.

To ensure equal quality, it is better if the hotel manages the outings. It is always better to go to the source – ask if they organize the visits themselves and if they say no, go elsewhere, I will also give you some good addresses below. Overall, if you go and see on site, does the agency seem professional? Do the illustration photos have theair recent? Can you see the comments from previous groups? On TripAdvisor ? Are they run by a company or a family? Both can be good attention friends each with their advantages and disadvantages.

On a street in Chiang Mai.

Among the references of hotels offering their own activities:

• • le Swiss Lanna Lodge, a French-speaking family hotel that offers a variety of tours and treks up to 4 days with their guide, Loolu.
  • le Spicy Villa Eco-Lodge, another hotel with a good reputation, with a location in the heart of nature.

If you search online, does the site look professional and up-to-date? Does the information seem clear and comprehensive? When I was looking for a "classic" day out, I wanted an "intimate" setting and a mix of activities including elephant, walking, bamboo rafting. I chose www.chiangmaijungletrekking.com, managed by Toto, behind the Toto Elephant Sanctuary, which has a very good reputation (4.9/5 rating on Google). The latter has just opened a hostel, the Toto Hostel in Chiang Mai, which should suit small budgets (less than 400 Bahts).

If you are looking for the day in question, it is no longer available from them (not as is), which for me is also a positive point, because it means that they do not rest on their laurels and vary their offers and places of discovery. So I had re-tested a new similar tour with them to see the difference (available here)

At Toto Elephant Sanctuary.

In addition, the latter, like some agencies, offer as a "bonus" the photos they take throughout the day, this is sometimes useful for recovering memories of moments when you might not have a camera. (when the activity involves of the(water, example, the photo of rafting). 

Finally I also give you two other reputable agencies:

• • Chiangmai Trekking with Piroon, which, with a rating of 5/5 on TripAdvisor, is clearly a reference.
  • Pooh Eco-Trekking, which has already stood out for several years for its very nature-oriented approach and notably exploring more distant regions (towards Mae Sariang).

5. The guide

Another point that can play on the experience, the guide. While some of the agencies listed below will always have the same ones, sometimes they are freelancers. So if you hear from an acquaintance saying "I had a great stay with the guide Lek at X", there is no guarantee that you will have Lek in turn when you go to X. In addition to the references given above, you can ask if possible to meet your guide the day before.

The guide will play an important role in the memories you bring back from this hike. Will your guide be the type to have a drink around a campfire and sing along (I did), or are you more interested in learning more about the ethnic group hosting you and the power relations within a tribe? Your guide should be able to provide you with the experience and knowledge you are looking for.

The guide for the two-day trek carving a bamboo cup.

With a local hunter (old-fashioned rifle!)

Some guides or hosts are known to offer quality treks and an enriching experience. This is the case of Tee Watertown (who you can contact on Facebook, in English), a young native of Chiang Mai who was destined for a life as a monk. After 7 years in the orders, he decided to explore life differently and got his first job as a guide for treks. He is a self-taught man who has also opened his own structure since 2016, previously called Karen Cultural Treks but since renamed in his own name, see his site: Tee Watertown.

6. The group

Last point to be prepared for all eventualities. The cohesion of the group. Obviously, it is difficult to predict who you will end up with. But if you take a tour in your guesthouse, some can make available to you the list of participants if you ask for it. Gender, age, nationality are all normally indicated and will allow you to get an idea of ​​the people who will share your daily life, especially important if you are leaving (and therefore have to put up with them) for several days.

While private tours are generally more expensive, it's up to you whether you prefer to be intimate with your friends, family or alone as a couple, or whether you're open to discovering in a small group (usually 10-12 people) without necessarily speaking English.

It is in this section that I can mention the case of Pauline, who manages Évasion Karen, because married to a man of this same tribe and living in the village nestled in the mountains of Chiang Mai. It allows to live 2 days of immersion in a Karen village, and if it does not have a defined program at the base, it is possible to integrate a walk in the jungle and therefore fits well into the "trekking" box, and in French, that can help. She can only be contacted via Facebook page and not does just private visits, so you will be alone as a couple or with your family and only you. On the other hand, it goes without saying that his calendar fills up quickly and it is better to book months in advance.

Have a nice trek in Chiang Mai!

With all this information, you should have all the tools to find an interesting trek that will allow you to have the best experience while staying in Chiang Mai. Please feel free to come back here to share. your good plans and memories, I will update if it is worth talking about it, then be an actor in the blog too !

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