3 Days 2 Nights Non Tourist Trek

The longest of Mr. Whisky's treks, for people who want to properly disconnect. Over three days you walk into the hills, learn how the forest can feed and shelter you, sleep two nights in bamboo huts with hill tribe families, and come out via a river and a waterfall on the last afternoon.

Day one begins with hotel pickup between 7:00 and 7:30. You stop at the elephants to feed them and help with their shower, then trek for three to four hours while your guide teaches jungle survival: what is edible, how to cook without pots, how villagers set traps. You cook lunch and dinner over the fire, and after dark there is a walk into the forest by moonlight. The night is spent in a hut at a hill tribe village.

Day two is the big walking day: breakfast, then three to four hours of trekking to a mountain viewpoint, lunch on the trail and a lantern release in the evening. You sleep in a hut with a hill tribe family.

Day three is gentler. After breakfast you walk about two hours, eat lunch, visit a hill tribe family, then spend 45 minutes on a bamboo raft and swim at a waterfall before the drive back. You reach Chiang Mai around 5:00 to 5:30 pm.

The huts are very basic, with a mat and a sleeping bag and no hot water. The supplier provides the rucksack, sleeping bag, head torch and knife. Bring good walking shoes, layers for cool nights and a rain jacket in the wet season. This trip suits people in good shape who are happy to be dirty for a few days.