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KAREN MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY
Overnight Trip Supporting a Karen Hill Tribe People and Asian Elephants
This is a new overnight project offered exclusively by Asian Elephant Projects. If you are traveling to Thailand and are interested in joining Karen Mountain Hideaway for an adventurous 2 day / 1 night trip please book your visit below.
Karen Mountain Hideaway is an adventurous two day / one night trip, which includes trekking in a remote forested location following a beautiful stream, staying in a traditional Karen hill tribe village, visiting Doi Inthanon National Park and spending time with a family of rescued elephants in the jungle.
On the first day, guests will experience a scenic walk along secluded forest trails, following a stream, and passing a stunning waterfall. After arriving at a Karen hill tribe village, you will collect food for the elephants and stay the night in a traditional bamboo bungalow with great views overlooking the rice fields and mountains in the distance. The following day, guests will travel to Doi Inthanon National Park and explore Thailand’s tallest mountain, including an impressive walk through evergreen forest. In the afternoon, the group will visit Karen Elephant Serenity to spend time in the jungle observing and feeding a herd of elephants including a baby elephant, along with her mother and nanny before heading back to Chiang Mai.
By visiting Karen Mountain Hideaway, you are supporting people from a remote Karen hill tribe village as well as a beautiful family of elephants now living a better life in natural surroundings.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy a jungle trek to uncover the hidden beauty of Chiang Mai, walking by a scenic stream and waterfall.
- Visit a Karen hill tribe village seldom seen by travellers. Learn about their way of life and traditions. Stay in a bamboo bungalow overlooking the rice fields.
- Visit Doi Inthanon National Park, one of the most popular national parks in Thailand, famous for its waterfalls, trails, remote villages, picturesque farms, viewpoints, bird-watching and the all-year-round cold weather at higher elevations.
- Spend time with a beautiful family of elephants including a young elephant, her mother & nanny - feed them and watch them foraging in the jungle.
- Embark on an exciting adventure with an experienced guide, fully planned itinerary in the remote mountains of Northern Thailand.
Karen Mountain Hideaway Review
Our 2 day trek with Nikorn and Por was absolutely unforgettable, they were so friendly and helpful and made our experience feel so unique. The entire trip felt so personal, there’s genuinely nothing more we could have asked for! The trek on the first day was so much fun and the scenery was beautiful, we particularly loved wading through the river! The bamboo accommodation was brilliant. It was a comfy, traditional, and starlit evening with lots of good food. The second day when meeting the elephants was the highlight of our time in Thailand. They were clearly so well cared for and we loved that we could meet and feed them in the wild. If you’re looking for a sustainable and ethical experience with elephants but also an authentic taste of northern Thailand with an insight into Thai and Karen culture then we cannot recommend this project enough. Thank you so so much!!
Emily and Ollie
Visit Doi Inthanon National Park & spend time with a beautiful family of elephants
ACCOMODATION AT KAREN MOUNTAIN HIDEAWAY
8:00-8:30 Pickup from your hotel in a 4WD drive vehicle and travel to Chom Thong district in the south of Chiang Mai province.
9:30 Arrive at Chom Thong district and visit a local market.
9:45 Continue on for a 15 minute drive up the mountain and arrive at the starting point of the trek. The trail is in a non tourist area that passes through beautiful scenery. Walk along a remote stream while experiencing the peaceful natural surroundings, including a picturesque waterfall.
12:00 Enjoy a picnic vegetarian lunch and relax and cool off at the waterfall.
13:00 Continue trekking for about 2 hours. Relax and enjoy the unforgettable natural scenery while learning about native plants, herbs, and gaining insights into the jungle habitat.
15:00 Arrive at a remote Karen hill tribe village and take a rest & enjoy some drinks.
15:30 Walk to a nearby farm to cut food for elephants (banana, sugarcane, corn and tamarind, depending on the season). Prepare food for the elephants that you will meet and feed the following day.
16:00 Walk back to the village and drive to a bamboo bungalow in the middle of the rice fields with great views where you will stay the night. Prepare yourself for dinner.
18:00 Learn how to cook Pad Thai and have dinner on a balcony overlooking the rice fields. Learn about the way of life, culture, and traditions of the Karen hill tribe. End the night listening to Karen folklore stories.
7:30 Enjoy breakfast in the Karen village.
8:00 Collect your belongings and say goodbye to your friendly Karen hosts.
8:30 Depart from the Karen hill tribe village and drive to Doi Inthanon National Park, known as ‘The Roof of Thailand’ with the highest peak at 2,565. Optional visits along the way:
- Viewpoint at Hua Seu Mountain
- Viewpoint at Pha Thang Mountain
10:40 Arrive at the highest point in Thailand at Doi Inthanon National Park. Walk along the Ang Ka Luang Nature Trail, 2,500 meters above sea level surrounded by high altitude evergreen forests, including a variety of native plants species, such as rhododendron, sphagnum moss, ferns, orchids, as well as animals species, including an amazing variety of birds as well as macaques, shrews, porcupine, squirrels, turtles, frogs & more.
11:30 Depart from the highest point in Doi Inthanon to have lunch. Optional visits along the way:
- Hmong market
- Doi Inthanon viewpoint
12:00 Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
13:00 Drive to meet the elephants at Karen Elephant Serenity. Optional visits along the way:
- Hmong hill tribe farm viewpoint
- Thai Sakura flower garden (winter season only)
- Strawberry farm (January – March)
15:00 Arrive at Karen Elephant Serenity and take a short rest, then walk into the jungle to meet the elephants, feed them the food you prepared, and observe them foraging on native vegetation. Learn about their behavior and individual stories.
17:00 Time to say goodbye to the elephants and enjoy some refreshing drinks and snacks before travelling back to Chiang Mai.
18:30–19:00 Arrive back in Chiang Mai city and transfer to your hotel.
** This program is flexible and includes optional visits along the way **
Tour Details
Number of Guests: 3 – 4
Number of Elephants: 3
Tour Type: Overnight Stay
Fitness Level: Moderate
Age Suitability: Adults 16+
* Minimum 3 people required for this tour to proceed
What's Included
- 4WD round trip journey
- Meals: Breakfast x 1 / Lunch x 2 / Dinner x 1
- Drinking water, coffee and tea
- Accommodation - 1 night Karen hill tribe bamboo bungalow in the rice fields
- Admission fee to Doi Inthanon National Park
- Food for the elephants
- Qualified English speaking tour guide
- Accident insurance
Tour Price
Adults 16+: 6,000 Thai Baht (3 guests)
A minimum of 3 guests required for the overnight trip to proceed
If we have 4 guests then the price will be discounted to 5,500 B per person
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Ethical Elephant Project
This tour includes a visit to a small Saddle Off project with a limited number of guests. Our model is based on ensuring the well-being of the elephants, which means no riding or other unnatural activities.
About Your Trip
Start: 8:00am – 8:30am pick up from your Chiang Mai city hotel. If staying out of town (outside the middle ring-road) additional charges apply. Please advise on your reservation form.
Travel Time: Travel in a songtaew pickup around 60 minutes to the start of the trek
Return: Arrive back in Chiang Mai city on day 2 at 6:30pm – 7:00pm.
Baggage Allowance: One backpack / small suitcase and a day pack per person.
What to Bring: Small backpack, towel, change of clothing (warm clothes in the winter season, Nov-Feb), trekking shoes / walking shoes, socks, sandals or flip-flops (that can get wet), insect spray, sunscreen, flashlight, personal medication, waterproof bag for phone, camera, and electrical items, personal items, refillable water bottle, rain jacket (in the rainy season, Jun – Oct).
Items Provided: Traditional Karen shirt, ponchos in the rainy season.
Age Suitability: Adults 16+ – guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Fitness Level: Moderate – trek along a stream to a Karen village and the following day take a walk at Doi Inthanon and walk into the forest to spend time with the elephants. The trek along the stream may by slippery in the rainy season.
Topography: Grasslands, forest, hills, mountains, waterfall & stream.
Location: Mae Wang, South of Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand.
Nearest Airport: Chiang Mai (CNX) – we recommend you stay in Chiang Mai city the night before your visit. Please note that we cannot collect you from Chiang Mai Airport – only from your Chiang Mai city hotel / guesthouse.
Booking Details: Bookings close 3 days before the date of your tour if made in person at our office or 3 days in advance if booking online. A 30% non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking. The balance should be paid at our Chiang Mai office on the morning of your tour.