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Hill Tribe trekking near Chiang Mai – Questions

Question:

if you want to see hill tribes, try the hill tribes in the sapa region of vietman- much less people, and villages that literally have never seen caucasians.a more authentic experience. all around sapa are many different hill tribes, each with their own ethnic purity, and their own languages. it was the absolutely best time we spent in vietman..and lots of local tour guides. we used a hanoi guide (vido tours), who then used other more local guides who spoke the dialogues. steven from florida – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If you don’t want other people there, perhaps you should just get out of a bus in the middle of nowehere and begin walking into the jungle. Should be a real adventure holiday for you. Renting a car/motorbike and simply showing up in a village without a guide is an option (I have done this myself). But if this will be your first ever time among hilltribe villagers, I would certainly not recommend it! Not so much because of safety (which is more of a factor as you get closer to the Burmese border), but because you will learn/experience very little unless you are at least conversational in Thai and/or the language of the minority group you are visiting (the Lonely Planet hilltribe phrasebook is a joke!). If you have the money, a private guide to take you into these villages one-on-one will bring you the most rewarding experience (this is how I generally visit these villages). Also, there are good reasons why some areas are not used for trekking by any responsible company. Here’s an obvious, but little-discussed fact: Thailand ain’t Disneyland, and there are many places that are indeed unsafe. Another (controversial) aspect is the plight of the Karen groups. Some tour companies in Northern Thailand no longer include Karen villages in their itinerary, feeling that the Padaung (whose female members wear rings around their necks) are treated like animals, while their human rights in Burma continue to be abused with little protest from the rest of the world. I would suggest doing some research around this if you are not already aware of the issues. Anything more than that you’re either nuts or an anthropologist, or perhaps both. While I may well be nuts – and I am trained in anthropology – my main reason for spending time among these people is photography. Not knowing the original posters motivation(s), it’s difficult to make recommendations other than examine your motivation and, if you have the time, shop around before choosing a guide and, if possible, insist on paying only 50% of the cost up front and the remainder once you return to base. Hope this helps!

Response:

Yes. You will find them at www.peoplesoftheworld.org. Enjoy!

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Nice reply – I think Mr Wolf missed the point entirely Any of your photos available to see? cheers If you don’t want other people there, perhaps you should just get out of a bus in the middle of nowehere and begin walking into the jungle. Should be a real adventure holiday for you. Renting a car/motorbike and simply showing up in a village without a guide is an option (I have done this myself). But if this will be your first ever time among hilltribe villagers, I would certainly not recommend it! Not so much because of safety (which is more of a factor as you get closer to the Burmese border), but because you will learn/experience very little unless you are at least conversational in Thai and/or the language of the minority group you are visiting (the Lonely Planet hilltribe phrasebook is a joke!). If you have the money, a private guide to take you into these villages one-on-one will bring you the most rewarding experience (this is how I generally visit these villages). Also, there are good reasons why some areas are not used for trekking by any responsible company. Here’s an obvious, but little-discussed fact: Thailand ain’t Disneyland, and there are many places that are indeed unsafe. Another (controversial) aspect is the plight of the Karen groups. Some tour companies in Northern Thailand no longer include Karen villages in their itinerary, feeling that the Padaung (whose female members wear rings around their necks) are treated like animals, while their human rights in Burma continue to be abused with little protest from the rest of the world. I would suggest doing some research around this if you are not already aware of the issues. Anything more than that you’re either nuts or an anthropologist, or perhaps both. While I may well be nuts – and I am trained in anthropology – my main reason for spending time among these people is photography. Not knowing the original posters motivation(s), it’s difficult to make recommendations other than examine your motivation and, if you have the time, shop around before choosing a guide and, if possible, insist on paying only 50% of the cost up front and the remainder once you return to base. Hope this helps!

Response:

Nice reply – I think Mr Wolf missed the point entirely Any of your photos available to see? cheers – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If you don’t want other people there, perhaps you should just get out of a bus in the middle of nowehere and begin walking into the jungle. Should be a real adventure holiday for you. Renting a car/motorbike and simply showing up in a village without a guide is an option (I have done this myself). But if this will be your first ever time among hilltribe villagers, I would certainly not recommend it! Not so much because of safety (which is more of a factor as you get closer to the Burmese border), but because you will learn/experience very little unless you are at least conversational in Thai and/or the language of the minority group you are visiting (the Lonely Planet hilltribe phrasebook is a joke!). If you have the money, a private guide to take you into these villages one-on-one will bring you the most rewarding experience (this is how I generally visit these villages). Also, there are good reasons why some areas are not used for trekking by any responsible company. Here’s an obvious, but little-discussed fact: Thailand ain’t Disneyland, and there are many places that are indeed unsafe. Another (controversial) aspect is the plight of the Karen groups. Some tour companies in Northern Thailand no longer include Karen villages in their itinerary, feeling that the Padaung (whose female members wear rings around their necks) are treated like animals, while their human rights in Burma continue to be abused with little protest from the rest of the world. I would suggest doing some research around this if you are not already aware of the issues. Anything more than that you’re either nuts or an anthropologist, or perhaps both. While I may well be nuts – and I am trained in anthropology – my main reason for spending time among these people is photography. Not knowing the original posters motivation(s), it’s difficult to make recommendations other than examine your motivation and, if you have the time, shop around before choosing a guide and, if possible, insist on paying only 50% of the cost up front and the remainder once you return to base. Hope this helps!

Response:

I’ve never understood why people complain that there were other trekkers in their group; it’s a chance to meet people and watch out for each other. If you don’t want other people there, perhaps you should just get out of a bus in the middle of nowehere and begin walking into the jungle. Should be a real adventure holiday for you. Also, there are good reasons why some areas are not used for trekking by any responsible company. Here’s an obvious, but little-discussed fact: Thailand ain’t Disneyland, and there are many places that are indeed unsafe. A three-day trek from a responsible commercial company around Doi Inthanon is all most people want to finish (even, young fit people). Even though there are many trekking groups in the area, it is still enough of a challenge that trekkers have had enough of the wilds after three days, and are glad to return to civilization with some stories to tell. Anything more than that you’re either nuts or an anthropologist, or perhaps both.

Response:

If you don’t want other people there, perhaps you should just get out of a bus in the middle of nowehere and begin walking into the jungle. Should be a real adventure holiday for you.

Renting a car/motorbike and simply showing up in a village without a guide is an option (I have done this myself). But if this will be your first ever time among hilltribe villagers, I would certainly not recommend it! Not so much because of safety (which is more of a factor as you get closer to the Burmese border), but because you will learn/experience very little unless you are at least conversational in Thai and/or the language of the minority group you are visiting (the Lonely Planet hilltribe phrasebook is a joke!). If you have the money, a private guide to take you into these villages one-on-one will bring you the most rewarding experience (this is how I generally visit these villages). Also, there are good reasons why some areas are not used for trekking by any responsible company. Here’s an obvious, but little-discussed fact: Thailand ain’t Disneyland, and there are many places that are indeed unsafe.

Another (controversial) aspect is the plight of the Karen groups. Some tour companies in Northern Thailand no longer include Karen villages in their itinerary, feeling that the Padaung (whose female members wear rings around their necks) are treated like animals, while their human rights in Burma continue to be abused with little protest from the rest of the world. I would suggest doing some research around this if you are not already aware of the issues. Anything more than that you’re either nuts or an anthropologist, or perhaps both.

While I may well be nuts – and I am trained in anthropology – my main reason for spending time among these people is photography. Not knowing the original posters motivation(s), it’s difficult to make recommendations other than examine your motivation and, if you have the time, shop around before choosing a guide and, if possible, insist on paying only 50% of the cost up front and the remainder once you return to base. Hope this helps!

Response:

All the reply info is correct – the only problem with trekking near Chiangmai these days is that you will almost certainly be trekking with lots of other trekkers.

How many? I went on an Inca Trail trek in Peru a couple years ago with 16 people, and it was very enjoyable. Many of the Chiangmai trekking companies follow specific routes and have accommodation deals with hill-tribe villages, especially around Chang Dao and Samoeng areas. If  you Want to really explore rural northern Thailand on any sort of personal safe trek you will need to venture beyond Chiangmai.

What about Chiang Rai? — Chris

Response:

Better but some cut-back on Burma border areas at present 26 is too many overnighters in a small hill-tribe village hope the info helps "Chris Nelson" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – All the reply info is correct – the only problem with trekking near Chiangmai these days is that you will almost certainly be trekking with lots of other trekkers. How many? I went on an Inca Trail trek in Peru a couple years ago with 16 people, and it was very enjoyable. Many of the Chiangmai trekking companies follow specific routes and have accommodation deals with hill-tribe villages, especially around Chang Dao and Samoeng areas. If  you Want to really explore rural northern Thailand on any sort of personal safe trek you will need to venture beyond Chiangmai. What about Chiang Rai? — Chris

Response:

As another poster said, be sensitive to the size of the group vis-a-vis what such villages can reasonably accommodate. As for joining a trek the following day – that really depends on the time of year you are there – it’d be harder to do that in low season. As for gratuities, many guides would have you bring candy for village children. Judge for yourself how appropriate that is, bearing in mind that many of the minority villages in that area either don’t have access to toothbrushes/toothpaste, or are ill-educated on the benefits of using it if they do. Similarly with medicines – don’t take medicines as gifts unless you are trained enough in a medicinal field to understand the potential consequences. Please respect their beliefs; the Akha in particular are still vehemently Animist and it would be easy to offend them unintentionally. Assuming you’re not a "drug tourist," something I’ve tried in the past is asking whether I’ll be able to smoke opium on the trek. If a guide answers yes, I begin looking for a different one. Hope this helps. "Chris Nelson" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a few questions about Hill Tribes treks originating in Chiang Mai: 1. What trekking companies are reputable and recommended? 2. How long do treks last? 3 days? 4? 3. If I arrive in Chiang Mai on, say, Tuesday, can I join a trek leaving Wednesday? Or will I have to wait a few days first? 4. How much do these treks generally cost? Do I need to worry about gratuities? 5. Any other advice you can think of? Thanks!! Chris

Response:

All the reply info is correct – the only problem with trekking near Chiangmai these days is that you will almost certainly be trekking with lots of other trekkers.  Many of the Chiangmai trekking companies follow specific routes and have accommodation deals with hill-tribe villages, especially around Chang Dao and Samoeng areas. If  you Want to really explore rural northern Thailand on any sort of personal safe trek you will need to venture beyond Chiangmai. Pang Mapha between Mae Hong Son and Pai is a good place to start. Personal hill-tribe guides and trekking itineries can be sorted for you.  I was invited to go along on a 3 day trek organised by a very well-known Chiangmai company a month ago (I know the trek leader very well and I was involved in writing an article for a travel magazine) At the first overnight stay village there were 26 people staying and the conversation degenerated into the usual looking up Lonely Planet references to the next week’s destination – oh dear. Try   www.thailine.com/siam-sun/cnx012-e.htm or www.soppong.com    for the more non-torist treks have fun LK – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – 2. How long do treks last? 3 days? 4? There are treks for 2, 3, 4 days and even longer ones (1 week). We did a 3 day trek. 3. If I arrive in Chiang Mai on, say, Tuesday, can I join a trek leaving Wednesday? Or will I have to wait a few days first? No problem, as there are tons of trekking operators. Just do some shopping around and join a trek. 4. How much do these treks generally cost? Do I need to worry about gratuities? In January 1998 I paid 1500 Baht for a three days trek. I guess competition keeps the prices down. — Alfred Molon Remove the obvious to email http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Olympus4040_5050/ Photo galleries at http://www.molon.de/Galleries.htm

Response:

I have a few questions about Hill Tribes treks originating in Chiang Mai: 1. What trekking companies are reputable and recommended? 2. How long do treks last? 3 days? 4? 3. If I arrive in Chiang Mai on, say, Tuesday, can I join a trek leaving Wednesday? Or will I have to wait a few days first? 4. How much do these treks generally cost? Do I need to worry about gratuities? 5. Any other advice you can think of? Thanks!! Chris

Response:

2. How long do treks last? 3 days? 4?

There are treks for 2, 3, 4 days and even longer ones (1 week). We did a 3 day trek. 3. If I arrive in Chiang Mai on, say, Tuesday, can I join a trek leaving Wednesday? Or will I have to wait a few days first?

No problem, as there are tons of trekking operators. Just do some shopping around and join a trek. 4. How much do these treks generally cost? Do I need to worry about gratuities?

In January 1998 I paid 1500 Baht for a three days trek. I guess competition keeps the prices down. — Alfred Molon Remove the obvious to email http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Olympus4040_5050/ Photo galleries at http://www.molon.de/Galleries.htm

Response:

Filed under: Human Rights

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