Karen Lover Cultural Experience – Karen tribe farming, weaving, building

Slow travel experience: explore Thai rural culture by cycling, trekking, and participating in village life.

From 250 USD per person to 550 USD per person

Quick facts

Tour type: Private
Operated by: Next Step Thailand
Location: Mae Wang, Chiang Mai

Tour duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights

Pickup: 9 AM in Chiang Mai

Drop off: Afternoon in Chiang Mai
  • Trekking difficulty

This five day slow travel cultural experience is for those who want a deeper insight into Lanna, Thai, and Karen hill tribe culture. We interact with Thai minorities and take part in activities as diverse as helping villagers with woodcrafts, cooking traditional Lanna food and offering alms to monks. You also cycle through spectacular countryside and learn how to look after the area’s most beloved residents: the elephants.

Pickup and drop off

Baan Kart market

Karen village home stay

Spicy Villa

Tour highlights

Cycling in northern Thailand
Rice Farming in Chiang Mai
Woodcrafts basket making
Hiking crossing river on wooden bridge

Itinerary

Day 1

At 9 AM, we pick you up from your accommodation in Chiang Mai and and drive to Mae Wang countryside where we first make a short stop at a local market to stock up on supplies for the next five days.

We then drive to a nearby cycling start point and cycle through villages, past fruit farms, rice paddies, crops and waterways. We also stop at a local Buddhist temple which is a great viewpoint to enjoy the scenery from. After a two hour ride we stop for lunch at a local restaurant.

We then trek to a tropical waterfall before walking to a Karen tribe village. Trekking length depends on your wishes, so please discuss it with your guide and he will choose an appropriate trail. In the village, we meet the Karen family that will host us, have dinner with them and spend the night as their guests.

Meals included: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Karen village home stay

Day 2

Rise early and catch the mists lifting below in the valleys. After breakfast, we walk to the farmland and rice paddies surrounding the village and learn about traditional farming practices. Come prepared; this is a hands-on cultural experience and depending on the season you learn about preparing the fields, maintaining water levels, planting, harvesting, drying or milling rice and other seasonal crops.

Before lunch, we walk to a nearby waterfall and for about 40 minutes and learn how to cook in bamboo stems over fire. We then enjoy a delicious northern Thai lunch jungle style! 

When we return to the village, we have a hands-on experience of Karen weaving. Karen lady shows us how to prepare for weaving and how to use a wooden loom to weave traditional striped Karen fabric. This is only a short weaving demonstration. Those who wish to turn it into a weaving class, please let us know in the comments. Weaving class will have two parts, each about 4 hours, and you will finish a piece of clothing.

In the afternoon, we learn how to prepare and cook traditional Lanna dishes during a cooking class. Afterwards, we have dinner and spend the night with our host family.

Meals included: Lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Karen village home stay

Day 3

After breakfast, we visit the local school where the children love practicing their English! Please note that school is only open on working days. We can adjust the itinerary and move the visit if it falls on a holiday or weekend.

Afterwards, we enjoy more delicious food for lunch before learning about traditional Karen tribe building techniques or woodcrafts, depending on what the villagers need help with during our visit. We could weave a traditional Karen roof using leaves, make bamboo walls for Karen hill tribe huts, make a wooden basket, or a rice broom. 

In the afternoon, we walk to Spicy Villa where we have a second Thai cooking class, followed by dinner and a night in a private bungalow.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Private bungalow at Spicy Villa Eco-Lodges

Day 4

After breakfast, we go for a trek in the farmland and jungle surrounding Spicy Villa. We stop at another Karen tribe village and a waterfall and have lunch on the way. Trekking is optional and length and difficulty adjustable. Discuss your wishes with your guide.

In the afternoon, we visit an elephant camp where we learn about Thai elephants, feed them, and cool off in the river as we bathe these gentle giants.

We have dinner and night at Spicy Villa. 

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Private bungalow at Spicy Villa Eco-Lodges

Day 5

Today you can either sleep in or get up early as we have two options:

1.) Enjoy free time between breakfast and lunch

2.) Wake up early and visit a Buddhist temple in the valley to give alms to the monks and make merit. Then have breakfast at a local restaurant and visit local mixed minority school. For the kids this is an opportunity to practice their English – something that can greatly improve their futures.

After lunch, we drive to Wang River for bamboo rafting before heading back to Chiang Mai.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch

Tour options

This tour has options for customisation. Please let us know if you want to customise the tour when you make the booking.

Trekking difficulty

By default, trekking on this tour is moderately difficult. We can make it easier or more challenging.

Early morning temple visit

On the last day of the tour, we can visit a local Buddhist temple and a mixed minority school or have free time at Spicy Villa. 

More info

Pickup & drop off

Pick up and drop off in Chiang Mai city is included in the price for this trip. Pick up and drop off locations include accommodations in Chiang Mai city (15 km area around the old city centre), Chiang Mai airport, Chiang Mai train station and bus stations.

If you would like us to pick you up outside of Chiang Mai city, for instance in Mae Rim, Sankampaeng and similar, additional charges might apply, please enquire about options.

Meals
All meals are prepared with fresh ingredients by your guide or bought fresh at a local market. Each meal consists of several northern Thai dishes. For breakfast, we also prepare some western dishes, such as toast or pancakes for instance. Let us know if you would prefer to eat only Thai dishes.

If you have any kind of dietary restrictions, let us know in advance, and we will make sure to provide suitable meals for you. We can cater to most dietary restrictions and prepare vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, milk free meals and more.

Guides
Your private guide will be with you at all times, from pick up to drop off. He is local and speaks good English and will be able to tell you a lot about local plants, animals, culture and traditions. He will also adjust trekking route and difficulty according to your wishes, but please let us know in advance how long and difficult you would like your trek to be, so we can prepare a suitable route. You will also have an assisting guide.
How to pack
We have prepared a packing guide with instructions on how to pack for our tours. We hope you find it useful. You can also have a look at our article that covers how to dress for activities.
Insurance
In accordance with Tourism Authority of Thailand regulations, we provide accident insurance for every traveller for the duration of the booked trip.

Tour pricing

One guest

Private tour for one guest

USD

550

Per person

Two guests

Private tour for two guests

USD

390

Per person

Three guests

Private tour for three guests

USD

300

Per person

Four+ guests

Private tour for four or more guests

USD

250

Per person
Included

Prices include:

  • Transportation – choice of JEEP (up to six passengers) or covered pickup with benches
  • Accommodation in Karen tribe village
  • Accommodation at Spicy Villa
  • Meals as mentioned in the itinerary
  • Activities as mentioned in the itinerary
  • Private guide
  • Guide’s assistant
  • All entrance fees
  • Compulsory insurance
Excluded
Prices do not include:

  • Drinking water
  • Drinks
  • Snacks
  • Personal expenses

Questions and inquiries regarding five-day Lanna adventure

If you have any questions or inquiries about this tour, please fill out the form below and we will get back to you in one working day.

Inquiry about five-day Lanna adventure

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