Fantastic trekking in Umphang (6 days / 5 Nights)

• Day 1

  Bangkok – Maesot
  You will be picked up at your hotel. From here, we depart by car to the bus station, where we take a bus from Bangkok to Maesot. Remember to bring a warm sweater for the overnight bus, which has efficient air conditioning. Arrival early the next morning.

• Day 2

  Maesot – Umphang
  In Maesot, we are picked up at the bus by Mr. Lar and have the opportunity to sleep a few extra hours on a mattress in his guesthouse. After breakfast and a shower, he takes us on a short drive to the Thai-Burmese border market at the Moi River. Here, there is lively trading with, among other things, jewelry, wooden crafts, dried mushrooms, and cheap copy cigarettes. After lunch, you will travel by public songthaew (half-open truck) to Umphang in the company of local travelers. It is a very beautiful, approximately four-hour drive through the mountains – with over 1,000 bends! Your backpack is stored on the roof of the songthaew, so take out your warm sweater and possibly a raincoat before departure, as it can be cold at high altitudes. The highest point of the journey is 1,400 meters above sea level. In the evening, accommodation is provided by Mr. T, where we have dinner on the veranda and meet with the guides, who give a brief overview of the tour. (B,L,D)

• Day 3

  Soft rafting in rubber boat and trekking
  After breakfast, rafting begins in a rubber boat southward on the Mae Klong River (From February to May, we use bamboo rafts if possible). The river varies in speed depending on the season. Here, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic surroundings. It’s a good idea to store your camera equipment in a plastic bag and have sunscreen, hat, and sandals ready for the boat trip. After the boat trip, there is about four hours of trekking to the public campsite in Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, where we have permission to set up tents. Note that this is the toughest trekking day of the tour with uphill hiking. (B,L,D)

• Day 4

  Tee Loi Su waterfall – Trekking to Karen village
  On the fourth day, we hike in the morning to the impressive Tee Loi Su waterfall, Southeast Asia’s largest. It’s most beautiful just after the rainy season (Nov.-Dec.). If the weather allows, you can take a dip in the natural pools at the foot of the waterfall. Tee Loi Su is also a popular destination for Thais, so be prepared for many tourists in the high season. After lunch, we hike through large bamboo groves, over bridges, and through dense jungle to the Karen village of Ko Tha, where we stay overnight in a traditional stilt house built of teak and bamboo. You can take a walk around the village and get an impression of the Karen tribe’s daily life and way of living, and the guide will tell you about culture and traditions. (B,L,D)

• Day 5

  Umphang to Mae Sot – Bangkok
  After a good breakfast, it’s time for a trekking tour of about 3 hours through the jungle to Palatha, where your transport back to Umphang awaits you. Here, you can take a bath before being driven to Mae Sot, from where you will take the bus to Bangkok. The bus from Mae Sot departs in the evening with an expected arrival at Bangkok’s northern bus station early the next morning. This is where the tour ends, and you will have to arrange transportation from here on your own. The guide stays in Mae Sot and therefore does not take the overnight bus to Bangkok.

  If you choose to end the tour in Chiang Mai or Mae Sariang, an extra night in Mae Sot is included. You must inform the guide in advance whether you want to end the tour in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Mae Sariang (B,L,D)

• Day 6

  Bangkok / Chiang Mai
  Expected arrival in Bangkok on the Northern bus station Mochit early morning around 05.30 AM. The tour ends on the bus station and you will have to get to your next destination yourself.

  Mae Sot – Chiang Mai or Mae Sariang
  If you wish to continue to Chiang Mai, you must take the bus here in the morning. You also have the option of taking a local bus to Mae Sariang (6-7 hours) in the morning, where there is ample opportunity to explore northern Thailand on your own.

The tour is not recommended for children under 6 years old or if you are pregnant.

Note that the trek is harder during the rainy season, when there can be heavy rain, and the trails become muddy. Sometimes it may be necessary to walk part of the way on gravel roads. For the sake of nature conservation and your experience of the tour, we strive to trek in small groups with between two and eight participants. Many of the guides are from Umphang and grew up with the jungle, but their English skills are often limited.

Difficulty level: Easy – moderate (depending on the season). Suitable for families. Note that the trek is toughest during the rainy season from June to October.

The trek can also be completed in Mae Sot or Chiang Mai. If the tour ends in Bangkok or Chiang Mai, you will arrive on the 6th day. If you wish to continue north to Chiang Mai, the bus will depart the next morning on the 6th day. You can also take a public songthaew to Mae Sariang (6-7 hours) in the morning on the 6th day and explore northern Thailand on your own.

Please note that transportation between Mae Sot and Umphang is by public songthaew (half-open truck), where you may expect to share the space with many locals on busy days.

If you cannot or do not want to carry your own luggage, it is possible to rent a porter.