3 Days only walking in the Doi Inthanon Area

The longest of Maewin and Family's walking treks: three days and two nights in the hills south of Chiang Mai, in the northern part of Mae Wang National Park where it meets Doi Inthanon. The guides were born in these villages, and the trek goes deeper than the shorter programs, with more forest, more waterfalls and two very different nights. It suits people with a reasonable level of fitness who want time in nature and a genuine look at village life, and who are happy sleeping simply.

Pickup from your hotel is between 07:00 and 07:30, followed by about one and a half hours' drive south with a stop at a local market. Day one is a warm-up: a walk to a waterfall for a swim and lunch, then two and a half to three hours through forest to a Karen village, where you sleep in a homestay and spend the evening around a fire. Day two is the big walking day: after breakfast you follow forest trails watching for wildlife, cook and eat a picnic lunch beside a waterfall, and walk four and a half to five hours to a bamboo camp for the second night. Day three is a gentle one and a half to two hours on nature trails to more waterfalls, lunch at a local restaurant, and the drive back to Chiang Mai for about 16:30 to 17:00.

Both nights are basic: local huts or a camp with a mattress, blankets and a mosquito net, a cold shower or a stream to wash in. The food is local and simple, with fresh fruit like watermelon and pineapple at the end of the day. You get a walking stick before heading into the mountains; the terrain is uneven, steep in places and slippery after rain, and there are regular waterfall stops to cool off. Pack light in a small backpack and leave your main luggage at your hotel.