Day 1 Chiang Mai-Lisu Lodge-Lahu Outpost
Morning pick up from the hotel in Chiang Mai town by local truck (songtaew) 09h00: Arrive at Lisu Lodge. A traditional welcome drink will be served. Then, drive by local open-air truck to the area near Pha Mieng. Start walking along the jungle trails to the remote village of Hmong Pha Mieng (1h30). Meet the inhabitants of this small hilltribe village in the jungle. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the forest. After lunch, walk to the top of the mountain (1h30 hrs) where the Red Lahu Village of Pha Daeng is located. Continue walking along a mountain ridge to the Lahu village of Kup Kap (1h00.), from where you have a spectacular view overlooking the Mae Taeng district and Chiang Mai town glittering at night in the distance. Beyond the mountain peaks to the west lies Myanmar (Burma). (Total walking time: about 4 - 5 hours : Difficulty: medium grade walking, mainly uphill : Distance: about 12 - 15 km) Dinner and overnight at Lahu Outpost, modeled on a typical Lahu house. Basic amenities are provided: mattress, pillow, bed linen, blankets, towels, mosquito nets, etc. Two Western-style toilets and a communal shower are provided.
Day 2 Lahu Outpost-Lisu Lodge
Breakfast at the Outpost. Then, walk 2 hours downhill passing the clear pool of Huay Sadarn Waterfall. (Total walking time: about 1.5 - 2 hours : Difficulty: hard grade walking, mainly down hill : Distance: about 3 - 4 km) Experience a 45-minute inflatable raft trip downriver to a traditional Thai country village. Short transfer to the Elephant Camp, where a picnic lunch can be enjoyed in this remarkable setting. Afternoon, enjoy an hour of elephant riding through the beautiful mountainous jungle down to the river where you will take a short drive to an Akha village for a visit and chat with the shaman (spirit doctor). From there, return transfer to Lisu Lodge. Upon arrival, a welcome drink will be served before checking into your room. Then you will receive a briefing and orientation for you to select your activity for the following morning. Guided by a Lisu villager, walk from Ton Lung temple to visit the herbal garden. Then continue through the village with a stop for a cup of tea at the village shamans house. Chat with the Lisu shaman and learn about his life, beliefs, curing rites and Lisu traditions. Visit the cultural center and museum created by the villagers. Inside you will find a collection of typical household items and tools from the Lisu as well as well as the Akha mountain peoples. Time at leisure until Thai dinner with a traditional Lisu dance show.
Day 3 Lisu LodgeKhum Lanna
Breakfast at the lodge. In the morning, we provide you with a choice of one-hour activities: - Guided biking tour around the Lisu Lodge area - Steam bath - Massage - Ox-cart ride through farmlands and orchards to the Thai village of Baan Pang Mai Daeng - about an hour ending up back at Lisu Lodge After a luscious Thai lunch, transfer by local truck to Chiang Dao and onto an ethnic Karen village. Start with a 2-hour soft trek through the tropical forest to end up at a traditional Lahu village. After a visit with the Lahu mountain people, transfer to Khum Lanna. Upon arrival, a tasty herbal or fruit juice welcome drink from the Khum Lanna gardens will be served. Then, check-in to your room followed by a briefing and orientation to select your next days activity. 16h30: Introduction to Thai cooking; get a free Khum Lanna recipe book and start your first lesson to prepare authentic tasting Thai food (4 dishes). All major ingredients in Thai cooking are introduced along with the concept of balancing the 5-flavor groups. Times at leisure until dinner. Enjoy the Thai dinner that you have prepared in the afternoon.
Day 4 Khum Lanna-Chiang Mai
05h30: Coffee/tea will be brought to your room for your wake-up call before the sunrise biking along the rural country road via San Kwang village to Phrao to visit an early morning local market where local coffee is available. With the help of your guide you may buy local cookies and flower garlands for the temple offering on the way back. Then walk to visit the farmers rice and traditional tools shop, chat with the owner, and learn more about the rice legends and differences & properties of the varieties of rice. Your local escort will translate. Bike back to Khum Lanna with a stop to visit Wat Pa Gee. Pay respect to the Buddha image under the sacred tree. Continue biking to Khum Lanna along the local canal with a stop to see the rice fields and get more information about the rice-growing process and the place of rice in Thai life. Refreshment or shower before riverside breakfast served at 09h00. 10h00: Enjoy preparation for Lanna country-style BBQ lunch with a garden tour around the compound; collect different seasonal herbs, vegetables, and fruits for cooking. Learn how to ride a water buffalo and then do the actual riding. 11h00: Take your second Thai cooking class, followed by an informal Lanna country-style BBQ lunch - that you have prepared - with your host. Enjoy a fulfilling Thai Lunch at Khum Lanna. In the afternoon, we provide you with a choice of one-hour activities: - Guided biking tour around Khum Lanna - Fruit (or vegetable) carving - Artificial flower and carved candle making - Local style personal herbal steam bath - Hot-pressed herbal massage (consisting of 8 kinds of herbs: ginger, zingiber, lemongrass, plantain, tamarind leaves, soap pod, camphor and Aom Kiew) 16h00: End of the Experience and return transfer to your hotel in Chiang Mai town by local truck (songtaew)
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