Huay Namdaeng National Park Trek and Raft 2 night / 3 Days

Trek Grade : Easy to Moderate.
Best Season : September to May.
Activities : Trekking, elephant rides, bamboo rafting, hill tribe villages and scenic excursions.

Theme : Nature and culture of Chiang Mai, Huai Nam Daeng National Park trekking, elephant back trek, home-stay or tented camp, hill-tribe cultures, bamboo rafting.

This trek offers visitors a back to nature experience in the Hui Nam Daeng National Park forest trails and the remote villages of hill-tribe people. Some part of the trek covers jungle atmosphere while some places are semi-jungle and thinned out forest cover. It is a travel in the remote area once we leave Chiang Mai and the forest headquarter area. It is a pleasant trekking in the nature that is purely an eco-trek where we do not cause any harm to the natural entities nor try to influence change to the local culture. The following is an introduction and brief description of the national park through which we trek. Our trek covers what is described in the day-to-day itinerary below.

Huai Nam Daeng National Park :
It is formerly know as an area of Doi Sam Muen Highland development project, which was initiated by His Majesty the King to solve the problem of forest encroachment and poaching, as well as to enhance the lives of the local hill tribe people.

As this area is filled with attractive natural condition and virgin forests provided vital watershed, Huai Nam Dang was declared the 81st national park of Thailand by the Royal Forest Department on 14th August 1995, with an area of 1,247 km2.

The park is ruggedly mountainous spread from north to south and the same ranges Chiang Dao mountain range. The highest peak-Doi Chang at 1,962 meters above sea level, is the vital source of important streams, which flow into the Pai river, Ping river and Taeng river. The climate is comfortably pleasant all year.

The healthy natural condition of Hui Nam Dang National Park is a matrix of highly diverse habitat types. Main plants found in this park are Malabar ironwood, Dipterocarpus Tubinatus, teak, Crudia chrysantha, Red cedar, Pinus kesiya Royle and orchids.

Attractions :
Doi Gew Lom Viewpoint: this viewpoint is well-know among Thai and foreign visitors who come here to see a spectacular sea of mist collects in the valley as well as various types of colourful flowers. Beside, this place situates Silver Orchids Palace, the palace of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana. Moreover, there are two nature trails: Ueang Ngoen Nature Trail and Chom Doi Nature Trail. Each trail covers a distance of approximately 1.5 kilometers.

Doi Chang Viewpoint: this highest viewpoint offers delightful view of orchid hanging from trees branch or trees top. This place deserves to be a source for nature study. It is in the north of Doi Gew Lom Viewpoint.

Pong Dued Hot Spring: there are 3-4 big hot spring and some small and scattering all over the area. Here water erupts from geysers in a small stream, creating clouds of stream in the woodland. Sometimes, the hot water erupts as high as 2 meters. The temperature of water is about 90-99 degrees Celsius. There is a nature trail, Pong Dued Nature Trail, which covers a distance of 1,550 meters.

Lam Nam Mae Taeng: The bank of Mae Taeng river are surrounded by evergreen forest with plenty of plants and birds. White-water rafting along this current can be an enriching and exciting experience not easily forgotten. The trip start from Pong Dued Hot Spring through the short route of trekking tour to Ban Pang Pa Kha (7 km.) or Ban Pa Khao Lam (9 km.). The rafting take about 3-4 hours and ends at Ban Sop Kai.

Tha Pai Hot Well: the boiling water bubbles from the well. Its heat is about 80 degrees Celsius. This boiling water gathers and becoming a vast hot current with clouds of stream all over the area. The Pai Hot Well located about 30 kilometers from the park Headquarters. It is in Tambol Mae Hee, Amphur Pai Mae Hong Son province.

Hui Nam Dang Waterfall: has 4 levels, surrounded by moisten plants of evergreen forest and marvelous rocks. This spectacular waterfall is located in the area of Hui Nam Dang village, Amphur Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai province.

Mae Yen Waterfall: this large and lovely waterfall is about 30-40 meters high and has 2 levels. It locates in Tambol Mae Hee, Amphur Pai, Chiang Mai province.

Highlights of Chiang Mai and Mae Hongson :
Chiang Mai, the northern province of Thailand, founded by King Mengrai in 1296. This northern region was known as the Lan Na Thai kingdom in the 13th to 14th centuries. Chiang Mai City is the second biggest in Thailand, the most active trading post in the north and a vibrant university center. Visitors will be amazed by the well over 300 temples and its scenic landscape. Thailand's highest peak, Doi Inthanon (2595 meters above sea level), crowns the north. Here, travelers can enjoy scenic trekking, elephant riding, hiking through hill tribe villages, bamboo rafting and magnificent vistas at sun set and sun rise. The province is home to many hill tribes with distinct cultures. Extraordinary woodcarvings, silverware and the artworks, beautiful flower festival parades and diverse cultures are some of the attractions here.

Mae Hongson, a northwestern province bordering with Myanmar (Burma), is the home of diverse ethnic minority groups as well as refugees from neighboring Burma. The province is very remote, mountainous and far less developed than neighboring Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and fewer tourists visit here. Thus, people looking to explore pure ethnic cultures and wanting to experience natural forest covered landscapes, should consider to travel here. Scenic trekking, rafting, mountain biking and hill tribe village excursions are a few of the leisure to adventure tours here. Join us and explore the scenery and the cultures of northern Thailand with Discover Asia Travel.

Itinerary :

Day 1 Drive and trek to Pong Noi Village
9.00-9.30am, pick up from hotel by truck (Songtaew with two bench seats), and drive on 107 Highway till Mae Malai market about half hour, and continue on 1095 highway for some 40 minutes. Stop for lunch, after lunch, walk 30 minutes to the waterfall for swimming and bathing. Then, trek back and drive about 1 hour on the winding road to Shan village, where we start on foot through the jungle about one and half hours, visit hot spring and then trek for about one and half hours to Karen Hill-tribe village, where we will spend overnight.
Meals: LD.

Day 2 Trekking from Pong Noi to Pong Ngen Village
Breakfast, start trek about two and half hours to another Karen village for elephant ride to see nature for about one and half hours. Then lunch break will be at rafting camp; after lunch, take bamboo rafting along Mae Tang River for about one to two hours. Finish rafting at the Lahu Village, and overnight.
Meals: BLD.

Day 3 Trek to Akha Village and Drive to Chiang Mai
Breakfast, trek for about two and half hours, visit the Akha hill-tribe village; at the Akha village, you may purchase many gifts. Then, have lunch at the Akha village. After lunch, pick up by truck and drive off road for about two ours until highway 107 and to Chiang Mai, expect to reach back around 5.00pm or 6.00pm. Meals: BL.

Huay Namdaeng National Park Trek and Raft 2 night / 3 Days.
TREK COST PER PERSON IN US DOLLARS :