The Mae Hong Son Loop

Departure in the morning for the mountains of the North-west and the Pai region, a charming border town of Burma. Surrounded by mountains and crossed by the Pai river, this town is a true paradise for nature lovers and offers many hiking opportunities in the surrounding mountains. Pai is also a festive and relaxed town. When evening falls, the streets come alive with street stalls that abound. Food flows freely, bars fill up quickly and music is of course on the agenda! 130 km of mountain road with very many curves awaits us this morning. Allow between 3 and 4 hours, plus stops to be planned along this road nicknamed 'the road with 1600 curves'.

Quiet afternoon with rest and first discoveries and walks in the city center.

We're hitting the road this morning, via the Soppong region heading to Mae Hong Son – (110 km of winding mountain road).

On the road, we pass through Pang Mapha district, a favorite place to explore caves. We will make a small detour to the extraordinary Tham Lod Cave.

The latter, 1.6 km long, is crossed by an underground river.

We board a bamboo raft, which will take us inside it.

Observation of stalagmites & stalactites.

On the way, stop at the Su Tong Pae bamboo bridge (15km from the city). Depending on arrival time, afternoon discovery of the city and main temples in Shan (Burmese) style around the lake.

In the evening, we can make a quick trip to the night market, which starts from the main street. An opportunity to appreciate local dishes and observe local craftsmanship. Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Early in the morning (between 6am and 8am), possibility to attend or participate in the offerings to the monks.

Next, we continue on the road to Ban Rak Thai, a small Sino-Thai village located on the Burmese border. We take the opportunity to admire its tea plantations.

Return to Mae Hong Son, where we will visit the temples Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu, an ancient Burmese temple located on the Doi Kong Mu hill. We will have a lovely view over the city. Ideal for sunset.

Then, visit of the temples Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang, which both face each other, across the lake. Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

We resume our journey after breakfast, heading towards Mae La Noi, a small traditional village perched in the mountains of northern Thailand. Here the vast majority of inhabitants are from the Shan, Lawa or Karen ethnicities. A quiet village, away from tourist circuits, Mae La Noi offers the opportunity to peacefully exchange with the local population.

Continuing towards the green city of Mae Sariang, at the border of Burma. Lush rice fields, rivers with impetuous courses, Karen tribe village, herds of elephants roaming freely in Salawin Park… Mae Sariang is a hiker's paradise. The town itself is just a rice basin where thatched-roof houses dot flooded rice fields. In the surroundings, the terrain is hilly and dotted with turbulent watercourses. Gateway to Salawin National Park, with its dense forests, Mae Sariang is the ideal stop for any eco-tourism trip. Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

This morning, we set out to discover the surrounding area, including Doi Phu Co, which offers a panoramic view of the Sop Moei mountain range. To reach the summit (1046 meters), we take a trail that requires approximately 45 minutes of hiking. The climb is quite steep, but rewarding.

We then continue with the discovery of the surroundings of the Salawin National Park. We first head to the banks of the Salawain River, which serves as a natural border between Burma and Thailand. Drawing its source from the mountains of the Himalayan range, the Salawin River flows for 2800 kilometers, crossing Tibet, China, Burma and Thailand.

We board a small boat and travel up the river to the village of Mae Sam Liam (approximately 45 minutes), where we meet the Karen people.

In the late afternoon, return to the hotel. Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide

Early departure to make the most of Doi Inthanon.

Upon arrival at the destination, we meet our local guide, with whom we will carry out the day's hike. Approximately 3 kilometers long, we will walk the Doi Inthanon trail, which will take us to discover various natural landscapes: tropical forest, meadow, waterfalls, rivers…up to its summit which will offer us a panoramic view of the surroundings. Hike starting at 2,200 meters to reach the summit at 2,565 meters altitude. This hike takes 2h30 / 3h00.

Before or after your climb, you have the possibility to stop at the magnificent Mae Klang waterfall, which is located at the foot of the trail. Please note that this activity may be cancelled if there is a risk of rain.

On the way back, there is the possibility of stopping at Mae Klang Luang village, which during the rainy season offers postcard-worthy landscapes, with its terraced rice fields. If we still have time ahead of us, we will take a detour to one of the largest waterfalls in the park, Mae Ya Waterfall, with a height of 250 meters and 40 meters wide.

In the afternoon, we resume our journey towards Chiang Mai. Day accompanied by an English-speaking guide