Burma Hill Tribes & the Golden Triangle
On this expedition trip we cross from Thailand into Burma (Myanmar) at the famous Golden Triangle and spend a week exploring a rarely-visited corner of this mysterious land. Hidden away - yet close to the Lao, Chinese and Thai borders - the area around Kengtung (Kyaingetong) has numerous ethnic minority groups living traditional lifestyles side by side. In a series of day treks we explore many of these remote and inaccessible hill tribe villages before experiencing the tranquil old British colonial settlement of Loi Mwe, a little-known former hill station.
With our time in Burma coming to a close, we look east across the Mekong River to neighbouring Laos. Our plan is to cross back into Thailand and then on to Laos, where we spend a night in Huay Xai. Flexibility will be the key as the border situation can change at short notice! Regardless, we make our way to Luang Namtha and visit Lao minority villages on a day trek. Our exploration of this off the beaten track area continues at Nong Khiaw, a beautiful little town surrounded by limestone karsts. Here we find our boat driver ready to navigate us down the Nam Ou (Ou River) to Luang Prabang. There is no better place to relax for a day or so and reflect on our amazing journey. This lovely town is a firm favourite with both newcomers and seasoned travellers in Asia. Finally we fly back to Bangkok and our expedition is complete, with three weeks of incredible adventures behind us.
Itinerary
| Day Number(s) | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | (Sat) Arrive in Bangkok and transfer to hotel. |
| 2-3 | Fly to Chiang Rai and visit the Golden Triangle. Cross into Burma at Mae Sai-Tachileik and travel to Kengtung (Kyaingetong). |
| 4-12 | Explore minority villages and markets in the Kengtung region. Travel by basic truck to remote regions and trek into villages that are inaccessible by road. Meet the various people of the hills – Akha, Enn. Lahu, Loi and Palong. Visit old colonial settlement of Loi Mwe. Trek to several more minority villages before returning to Kengtung for a final night in Burma. We travel back to Thailand via Tachilek before crossing into Laos at the Chiang Khong border to spend a night in Huay Xai. |
| 13-16 | Drive from Huay Xai to Luang Namtha for a day trek to minority villages. Continue on to the beautiful riverside village of Nong Khiaw. Take boat down the Nam Ou (Nam River) to Luang Prabang. |
| 17-20 | Spend a few relaxing days exploring the historic UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang – the ‘jewel’ of Laos, before returning by air to Bangkok for a final night. Our journey ends after breakfast on Day 20 (Thu). |
Trip Highlights
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At A Glance
Trip Length |
20 days |
Trip Code |
PAGO |
Activities |
|
| Trekking (Easy) | |
Minimum Passengers |
|
| 6 people | |
Maximum Passengers |
|
| 15 people | |
Countries Visited |
|
| Burma, Laos, Thailand | |
Start City |
|
| Bangkok | |
End City |
|
| Bangkok | |
