City Escape: Doi Inthanon & Karen Village Private Day Trip

We had a wonderful day with Naphat. She was gracious and accommodating. We enjoyed the sites and appreciated her flexibility to tailor the trip to suit our interests.

I booked and took a day trip to Doi Inthanon with Naphat. This excursion made a huge impression on me historically, scenically and spiritually. Naphat is a very experienced and versatile trained tour guide with a flair for captivating people. The in-depth conversations and detailed explanations of the various places visited far exceeded my expectations. Among other things, I was able to experience first-hand insights into coexistence in a mountain village. This and the explanations about Buddhism in everyday life touched me very much and I am very grateful to Naphat for that. I can highly recommend Naphat to anyone looking for something more than just landscape images.

Minty met us in the Marriott lobby at 8:30 and we rolled out of Chiang Mai through a rush hour far less daunting than Bangkok’s. Minty is a very well informed and personable guide who gave us a brief and clear account of the absorption of the Chiang Mai’s Lanna kingdom into modern Thailand under Rama V and its development as a tourist destination and agricultural center. Minty is also an excellent photographer whose pictures never fail to capture the captivating beauty of the tour and the happy faces of her clients. The countryside was lush except where dried rice stubble awaiting burning. The air was acrid with smoke until we started ascending the foothills of the Thanon Thong Chai mountains toward the Doi Suthep-Pui National park. Along the way to the park, we stopped at the Wachirathai waterfall, an 80 meter cascade that drew hordes of awestruck tourists and made a beautiful rainbow at its base. The views from both vantage points were spectacular; from the upper one, the torrent seemingly just beyond arm’s reach. , We entered the park and visited the Rama IX and Queen pagodas, built on gorgeous twin peaks to commemorate the 60th birthday of the beloved late king Bhumibol and the 25th anniversary of his reign. They are serene and shapely, and surrounded by dreamlike mountains and valleys thinly veiled with mists, but breezy and cool, interspersed with gorgeous gardens filled with blooming snapdragons. Inside the queen’s pagoda has frescoes depicting the life of Buddha, and the king’s bas reliefs of the holiest places and moments of Buddha’s life: his birth, enlightenment, first sermon, and death. We drove to Thailand’s highest point, and the crypt of the last King of Chiang Mai. Beside the chedi is a rounded brass plate on which visitors are invited to balance a coin. After watching a succession of coins tilt and fall, I succeeded, and my secret wish will soon be granted. We celebrated with lunch at a Hmong restaurant Romphoti, where we a had the best tilapia ever. After lunch, we stopped at viewpoint overlooking a verdant valley where flowers and vegetables, perhaps including those we’d just lunched on, are grown beneath canopies. We drove to the entrance of the Dai Inthanon park, collected bamboo walking sticks, end set off into the forest led by Minty and assisted by a local guide, Miu, a young Karen girl. Rainforest trees towered above us, We trekked downhill near a river whose roaring cascades filled the forest with soothing sound and delighted the eyes with their beauty, so close it seemed possible to touch the whitewater as it raced by. We crossed a wobbly bamboo bridge backdropped by a torrent of falling water, then hiked past coffee trees, some with ripened red beans, growing in the shade of the forest canopy. We reached a Karen village where Miu left our group and stayed with a group of elder Karen women looming the textiles for which they are famous. Then Monty returned us to Chiang Mai just after sunset.

Purichat ["May"] was a wonderful and enthusiastic tour guide. She presented us with a variety of activity options to choose from and took us to see and do the things that interested us the most. May's also a great driver and very knowledgeable and flexible guide. We really appreciated the history of Thailand she shared with us as well as how the country was formed both geologically and politically. We chose the hike that goes along a rushing river filled with water falls and went through rice paddies and a Karen Hill Tribe village. It was a memorable hike and a memorable day, and while we noticed other guides were hurrying their groups along and limiting the time they could spend taking pictures, May let us go at our own pace and take as many photos as we wanted. I highly recommend her as a guide!

We used Charin for a second time as a guide for a day trip to Doi Inthanon, Wachirathan waterfall and some other places off the regular tourist routes, visiting a local tribe and the Royal Agricultural centre with fabulous gardens to walk around, a great place to stop and eat our picnic lunch. There is not much Charin doesn’t know, he has had such a varied life, his knowledge is wonderful and we couldn’t have picked a better guide. Would highly recommend taking this tour, the sights are amazing as was Charin.

Nephat has an infectious enthusiasm and natural talent helping people discover the history and culture of Thai people. She was very patient with me when I asked a lot of questions about the stone engraving in the twin pagodas. I appreciated the way she took her time with me Inever felt rushed on under pressure. Being an older man with asthma, I appreciated How she chooses trails in Doi Inthanon National park that were appropriate and still allowed me to experience Thai nature and wild life to its fullest. Again takin time to explain the natural land ecosystem. I have had many Quine’s, but would have to say that she was one of the best.Will recommend her to all my friends and will book her again when I come back to thailand.

Unfortunately, the weather for our day trip out of Chang Mai was very poor and we were able to see little at the top of Thailand’s highest mountain. However, Ae still made the day memorable as we went through the countryside and had an excellent lunch. Ae is an excellent guide speaks very good English and goes out of her way to bring her city alive to her guests.

My Husband and I had a fabulous day exploring Doi Inthanon, from the waterfall , to the white Karen hill tribe , a little jungle trekking, and up to the twin pagoda's and the amazing gardens. Purichat ( Mae) was wonderful, she made each stop more interesting & engaging.. I feel very fortunate that Purichat was our guide ,who provided such a memorable day on our vacation to Thialand.

We were very happy with the tours that we took with Purichat (May). We did the half day Chiang Mai hidden gems tour as well as the full day Doi Inthanon trip. May was very professional, highly informative and thought of the many little things that made the tours very comfortable and easy for us (she even recommends local restaurants which had delicious food!). For the hidden gems tour, she showed us around the local market and temples. For the Doi Inthanon trip, she even walked with us and the Karen hill tribe guide for the Mae Kew Pan nature hike and happily took many photos for us along the way and explained the various trees and plants. We would highly recommend May to show you around Chiang Mai and we would be happy to have her as a tour guide the next we are there. Thank you May!

We enjoyed a fantastic day out with Purichat at Doi Inthanon. She was super helpful, creating a slightly customised itinerary for us prior to the trip and was really informative when responding to some of our questions. We wanted to combine the trip with a 2 hr trek to Kew Mae Pan and a visit to the Wachirathan waterfall. In addition to the twin Pagodas, we also visited both the Karen and Hmong tribes and had an amazing time with a hands on lesson on how coffee is made! We also went into one of the villagers houses and met the family! Purichat is a lovely, warm person with a great sense of humour and immediately makes you feel at ease. Don't hesitate to book a trip with her, you will not regret and and will have an amazing time.

Naphat was an incredible tour guide. She was flexible when we wanted to change our plans and gave us a one of a kind experience. Her knowledge of her country is commendable. She is really plugged in and engaged and it made our time with her much more interesting. It felt like we had a good friend showing us the little gems in Chiang Mai and letting us see a part of Thailand through a completely new lens. We wanted to know a lot about Buddhism and the rituals of that religion and she did not disappoint. Our day with Naphat ended up being the highlight of the whole trip. Thanks Naphat!

Wutikorn (he goes by Boy) took great care of us. 10 hours is a long tour and he was always attentive to what we needed, water, coffee, a restroom or just quiet time, he was always on top of it. He was full of enthusiasm for what we were seeing, it never felt canned or rote. He took care of little details, like ordering food ahead at the local restaurant which is delicious, but slow, or adjusting the schedule to be out of sync with the crowds at various sites. In short, we saw lots of extraordinary things and Boy was a kind, thoughtful and knowledgeable guide.

Kit is a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable, articulate and extremely accommodating. He has excellent command of English language and has lots of great stories to share. Our tour was so much fun, I highly recommend booking Kit while in Chiang Mai. We had an ambitious plan with lots of places to visit and Kit ensured we stayed on track and managed to get us everywhere on time. Thank you Kit for such a wonderful day!

We had an amazing day with Kit at the Doi Inthanon national park. Despite having bad luck with the weather, Kit gave his best to make this day a blast!. We learned a lot about his time as a monk and he gave us an insight in his personal life. It felt like we are hanging out with a friend. We would definetely recommend him for any kind of tours around Chiang Mai! Thank you

The best day tour while in Chiang Mai! Wonderful, friendly and patient host. Highly recommend. From morning pickup, to each visit, to wonderful lunch, to drop off ( nicely exhausted), a wonderful day!

Purichat (Mae) was a very knowledgeable guide that created a great experience for us. We traveled with a wheelchair user and Mae was able to successfully navigate the days agenda to make sure our tour worked for our unique needs. I highly recommend Mae for any tour in Chiang Mai.

We had a wonderful day with our guide Sith. The long drive from Chiang Mai to his local village in Doi Inthanon was well worth it as Sith introduced us to his family and involved us in the various steps of artisanal coffee making. We harvested and stripped the fruits of their outer shell, saw how coffee is naturally sun roasted and the shell removed by hand. We roasted the grains in a clay pot over wood fire, ground the coffee after it cooled down and finally enjoyed a lovely cup of our own roast! Meanwhile, Sith's cousin sang story telling traditional songs. It was magical... After a lovely lunch at the village's only restaurant, we enjoyed a nice walk with a local guide along the river and numerous waterfalls, learning about the jungle flora and fauna.

Boi was an excellent guide with a wealth of knowledge about the local area, history and Thai folklore. At various points in the trip, he told stories, took pictures and even picked up some regional snacks for us to taste. It was refreshing to have a guide who geniuinely loves the area, respects the people of Karen Village and is happy to give us a glimpse of life in the area from working the rice patties, growing and making coffee to hosting guests glamping and running restaurants. The hike is moderate in difficulty.

Connected with our guide a few weeks before our arrival, he was very good at communicating with us and working out a good itinerary. He stayed in contact all the way up to our day of arrival, making sure to check in the night before our scheduled adventure. He arrived promptly and met us in our hotel lobby. We made our introductions and all packed into the car. We made a quick stop to get fuel and talked more about what we wanted to do for the day. My Brother had expressed an interest in seeing some elephants so we mentioned that. He said no problem and made a quick phone call, as we later learned, to his brother who worked with a local elephant sanctuary. So, our first stop for the day was to feed and interact with a small herd of elephants. From there we traveled further up the mountain to Doi Inthanon national park. The rest of our day was spent exploring the local area and visiting with Karen Hill Tribe locals, topped off with an immersive introduction to the art of coffee growing and roasting. Overall we had a fantastic day and made lifelong friends.

Our guide was Charin and he was great on this trip with us. He tailored the itinerary a little bit so we got to see a local market to try some foods and see a less visited Karen tribe (not the long necks). Those were great, but the highlight of the trip was getting to the waterfalls and Doi Inthanon. Those areas are beautiful and were refreshing to see after being in the city for a few days. The waterfalls here are breathtaking and the wildlife is incredible, especially when you get into the upper forest. I’d recommend this as a great chance to see the more natural side of northern Thailand.

Naphat was an absolutely fantastic guide! Not only was she polite, organised and incredibly informative, but she also had a passion for sharing her knowledge and experience of mindfulness, meditation and Buddhist philosophies which added a richness to every experience. This was not at all preachy and Naphat regularly checked in with me as to whether she was giving too much information - but her passion was infectious! Naphat took me to some truly wonderful, fascinating places and shared in my joy in experiencing them for the first time, so much so that I thoroughly enjoyed her company. I met her a solo traveler seeking a guide and felt that, after our last trip together, I had made a new friend. Additionally, Naphat was flexible and non-judgemental in accommodating of my M.E. (myalgic encephalitis, or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and adapted activities to fit a pace I could manage. She also didn't stop when the booked tours ended, but gave me recommendations for places to eat (very handy as I'm vegetarian), live music, and more.

Purichat was an amazing tour guide and driver for our private tour to Doi Inthanon! She was very knowledgeable, spoke English very well and was a joy to be with for our day long trip! Purichat accommodated our needs, answered all of our questions, pointed out highlights and had a great sense of humor. This tour went above and beyond our expectations thanks to Purichat! I would highly recommend anyone to book a tour with Purichat!

Purichat “May” provides a spectacular and special experience! Her knowledge and enthusiasm made the trip so much more interesting. She is a gentle and kind spirit, a great listener and communicator. The van was excellent and she is a careful driver. She accommodated anything we asked about, modifying the itinerary to personalize the day to our needs and interests. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and we wish to express our gratitude.

Purichat was a wonderful tour guide. She taught us a lot and was able to add Pha Chor (a site important for our daughter and really neat as well) to the Doi Inthanon tour. We really made the most of our day!

Perfect day with super empathic local guide - deep knowledge of Buddhism and the country. We have learnt so much from her and the whole trip was so great for us - thanks a lot!!!

We booked this trip as we wanted to see nature and culture around Chiang Mai in a family friendly setting. Long story short: it was great and better than expected. Purichat and her sister took us on the tour and arranged for everything in a perfect way. Clear communication upfront, very nice car, very friendly and willing to explain, yet also very sensitive to what 8- and 10-year old boys can handle. All the different kind of activities during the day make it very interesting and provide for good intervals and mix in experiences. The Karen village and coffee plantation were a good experience and the best was the walk through the jungle. It was very doable for the whole family but also provided the nice experience and introduction to the landscape with jungle, river, rice fields etc we were hoping for. So if you want to experience something very complementary to city and beach life, go for this tour and Purichat is an excellent guide!

Boy was a great guide telling us all about Doi Inthanon, the history of the park and thai culture The hiking trail was very easy, included a swim at a secluded waterfall and had many beautiful sights to see Definitely recommend!

Wow! Fantastic, personalised trip; highly recommended! Tanya was amazing; informative, super friendly and by far the best guide I’ve experienced to date. About 1hr 1/2 North of Chiang Mai, you can fully immerse yourself into the beautiful biodiversity and wildlife within Thailand and explore the scenery and surroundings of hill tribes. The Twin Pagodas are a must see, I was fascinated by the story of Buddha, and how intricate and eye catching the design and delicacy of the Pagodas, really captured the beauty of both the King and Queen. The gardens were absolutely stunning and they made me feel like I was in a different world! The craftsmanship and care that has gone into these beautiful gardens and architectural forms was outstanding. (Excellent toilet facilities here as well) The Royal Project was a delight to see, and was again exceptionally well cared for. I would highly recommend the pumpkin crackers! The visit to the waterfall was phenomenal and took you into a world of calm and beauty. Lunch was in a beautiful hill-tribe setting, with views that you can only dream of! The Karen hilltribe visit was just amazing! Beautiful people!! Fantastic overview of their tea and coffee production with samples to try. In addition, some of the best textiles you can buy! Beautifully constructed (weaved) scarves, skirts and traditional garments just blew me away; you are immersed into a wonderful world of talented artisans. Not only do they display an exceptional talent, but they also highly represent their beautiful culture. Working as a community to create these pieces, you can just feel the care and love put into them. They are extremely well priced as well! I could have stayed here for longer! Amongst all of this excitement, we also visited some local markets and stalls along the way. If you haven’t experienced what life is like in a traditional setting, this is the perfect time to do so! This whole trip was one of warmth, welcoming tribes and artisan products. Excellent value for a trip of a lifetime.

Boy was the absolute best guide we could have asked for. We did the Doi Ithanon tour and with his guidance, we got to learn so much about the people of Karon Village, how they live off the land and we got to dive deep into what the Thailand culture is truly about. It was not only the most culturally rich thing we did during our time in Thailand, but it was actually one of the most culturally rich things we’ve ever done on a trip. Boy’s knowledge of Thailand and Buddhism is incredibly impressive. His recommendations for local food and restaurants lead us to try places we never would have found on our own. He’s even a great photographer, huge foodie and an incredibly kind person as well! By booking a tour with Boy, you’re guaranteed to have a very special time in Chiang Mai!

Purichat was wonderful. She was kind, professional, and knowledgeable about Chiang Rai. A very pleasurable day and tour.

We went to Doi Inthanon with Purichat (or May as she prefers to go by) and we had a truly epic day. May could not have been more solicitous and accommodating and we truly enjoyed her company and her very in-depth knowledge of Thailand. After our tour, she took us to find street food and mango sticky rice and even showed us her family’s favorite Thai dessert. She went above and beyond to make sure we had a great day and even connected us with her equally amazing sister, Minty, who took us to Chiangrai to see the temples. Minty took us to a restaurant to try Khao soi and to another place to try coconut milk coffee. Just like her sister, she went above and beyond and was so nice. You can’t go wrong with either of these very knowledgeable, friendly tour guides. If you can afford to take a private tour through Withlocals it is so worth it. Having your own private guide with a comfy car to ride in is priceless. We definitely feel like we got a great feel for Chiangmai in our 3 days here and would recommend these tours to everyone. *I couldn’t include the proper members of our group. I went with my mom and grandma and May and Minty were very helpful to my grandma and concerned about her safety during the slightly sketchier parts of the jungle hike.

time of our lives!!! To say this was amazing is the understatement of a lifetime. We stayed with the Karen tribe and their family overnight. We were traveling with 3 girls ages 10, 11 and 13. What a great experience for our whole family. To live with the Karen tribe overnight is something my family won’t soon forget. Sunday and his family made us feel so welcomed from the start. Accommodations are really nice. The food is beyond amazing. Perfection from start to finish. The love they have for the elephants is undeniable. We can’t wait to return. WE WERE HERE 10/2018 I POSTED OUR ORIGINAL REVIEW WITH THE WRONG COMPANY BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE I GOT IT ON THE RIGHT COMPANY BECAUSE IT WAS TRUELY THAT AMAZING.

We spent the day laughing and taking in the beautiful sites of Doi Inthanon with Sith. On the way we stopped at his friend's coffee shop where we were treated to our new favorite favorite cake, pandan and coconut cake, amongst a beautiful garden. We then met up with a Karen trail guide for the trek along the nature trail we took to the village. She taught us about the many trees, flowers, and other flora and fauna along the way, including their uses (both in terms of making daily items as well as medicinally). We saw countless butterflies, beautiful wild orchids, amazing waterfalls, and got to swing on nature's playground. Sith has quite the sense of humor and poked fun and had us laughing the whole time while also teaching us about Karen traditions and the history of the area. At the end of the trail we were treated to an incredible meal with an equally incredible view (who knew french fries with vegetables in a spicy fish sauce could be so amazing?!). We ended the visit with Sith taking us to his home where we met his parents and got to partake in the family business - coffee! We got to take our own beans through the entire process - and we each received a bag of them to take home with us. It was fun to see the warm connection between Sith and everyone in his village, and he certainly helped us feel welcome and a part of the family. Without a doubt one of the highlights of our entire trip in Thailand.

Sith was the perfect guide for our group of 6. He was funny and took us to a gorgeous waterfall as well as to his home to make our very own coffee. It was a truly amazing experience that was only made better with Sith’s guidance.

Sith is a real treasure. He is an excellent tour guide and a genuinely nice person. We spent a fabulous day with him learning about nature, the Karen tribe, coffee and much more. He also has a deep appreciation for 70's music that helped finish off a wonderful day. We would highly recommend Sith as a tour guide extraordinaire.

The National park in Chiang Mai is such a beautiful place to visit! Wasa was a great host and took pictures of us all day! We had a wonderful time swimming near the waterfall, eating fresh strawberries, drinking local coffee, and chatting with the locals! We stopped by a temple on our way back from the hike and saw amazing views of the city. Wasa also gave us great suggestions for dinner and other adventures to explore in Chiang Mai! Definitely a must do!

ANNA is punctual, thoughtful, very knowledgeable and fit! We had a great hike in the National Forest, wonderful lunch, visit to a secret monastery, waterfalls, and more. Her driver is excellent and went out of his way to accommodate us. You will love your time with Anna!

Wasa was great! I was with a group of 4 and we went to do the waterfall hike. It was a simple hike with not much elevation gain at all. One area with switchbacks with handrails to go down a few hundred feet was the hardest part of the trek. You see a nice clearing with a tomato and chrysanthemum farm, then onto the beautiful waterfalls. Wasa was also our paparazzi snapping photos of us the whole way with our phones and her phone. We exchanged numbers via WhatsApp and shared the photos with each other at the end of the day. The waterfalls are beautiful and there is an area where you can take a dip in the water if you'd like, it's very cold, but refreshing. After the waterfall you pass a large clearing with a strawberry farm and have a cup of fresh strawberries in the middle of a valley, then continue to a coffee hut to get fresh coffee from some locals, then have lunch overlooking the valley. We spent 10 days in Thailand and this was my favorite part of the trip! Cant recommend Wasa enough, super friendly and speaks English very well. 5/5!!

Sith was amazing. His sense of humour had us laughing all day. His love of his country, his culture and his family was very evident. He shared his knowledge of the forest and the efforts by the people to re establish their community. He was generous with his time and made every effort to make sure we enjoyed our day. He shared his home and we met his family. He runs a small coffee roasting business and we were able to grind, roast and sample some. Even sent us home with a small bag of it. What a delightful and enjoyable day.

I don't know where to begin! Time spent with Sith was a delight! He was excellent with the kids. We stopped at an old tobacco warehouse with a stroller coffee shop on the way. Kids got to run around and we took pictures and fueled up. Then on the way to the park we sampled sweet potatoes, and kept busy with stories and song. Hiking was great and the local trail guide helped with the kids (7,5,3) whole we enjoyed the river, waterfalls, and plants. We stopped at a local Karen community place overlooking rice fields for lunch. Then on to Sith's home for coffee process learning and roasting our own beans. Met mom and dad and saw his beautiful community before heading home. There's just something special about Sith and his friends. When you meet his dad you get a glimpse of that same bright character. He is a bright spirit! Can't recommend this tour or any tour with him. Great with the kids!

Not only was Sith genuine and easy to be around, his English was perfect and spending the day with him was a total privilege. The tour was a wonderful capture of local life in a Karen Village, exactly as we had hoped, and not to be forgotten. We all enjoyed our day, many of us indicating it was a highlight of our time in Thailand. All ages enjoyed the activities, favorites being the musician, coffee roasting and riding it the back of a truck. I have never been disappointed in a booking with locals and every guide I've used Bangkok to Marrakesh has been exceptional. I highly recommend time with Sith and this day trip itinerary.

Yee was my guide for the Doi Inthanon Trekking & Karen Tribe Day trip on Jan. 5th. (Note: this is a white Karen tribe - not a long-neck Karen tribe - village). My partner and I were supposed to visit Chiang Mai together but Ivy could not make it at the last minute. And, I was fighting a cold by the time I went on this trek. I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it but decided to push through. Yee was a patient, considerate guide. She was aware of how much interaction I could take and allowed me to sleep on the 2-hour drive up and back down. This way I could rest up for the trek. I also appreciated that she was a careful driver. Sometimes these drives up and down mountains in developing countries can be harrowing! As I was travelling alone, Yee became my personal photographer and boy did she take some wonderful shots. She knew what she was doing! She was also very knowledgeable about the Doi Inthanon national park and its foliage. We met a Karen Tribe man at the beginning of the trek who escorted us throughout until we arrived at the white Karen Tribe village. The trek was interesting and it was nice being in nature. I hoped to see animals but, unfortunately, the gibbons fled once the first group of hikers arrived earlier in the day and were nowhere to be found once our group got there. The only animal we did see was a green snake hanging off a tree branch that our Karen Tribe guide pointed out to us. I was picked up at 8:00 AM at my hotel. We arrived at the Karen Tribe village in time for a simple but satisfying lunch of Thai dishes (soup, chicken & basil, stir fried mixed vegetables and rice). I was told Karen tribe cuisine is prepared in a way that may not agree with a Western stomach. We had coffee afterwards - coffee that was grown, roasted and served on the premises. I think I was back at my hotel before 5:00 PM. I highly recommend Yee as a guide. I recommend this tour for the experience of trekking through Doi Inthanon. But I did expect more once we got to the village. I've hiked in Peru and thoroughly enjoyed their native costumes. I didn't see much traditional costume in the village. In fact, my picture of the Karen tribe costume was taken during a different tour - my sunrise tour of the Doi Suthep temple because there were 2 little girls in Karen tribe dresses sitting at the base of the temple steps. But this is just a minor caveat and I highly recommend this tour! (Buying tip - purchase your Karen tribe souvenirs at the pit stop before the national park. The shopping at the village itself is limited compared to what you'll find at the pitstop which has a market.)

Our day with Wasa and her associates was wonderful. All of them were extremely friendly, polite, knowledgeable, and fun. We enjoyed our day in Doi Inthanon. The location was beautiful and being able to experience it with a local was an extra special touch. I would highly recommend Wasa and this tour to anybody thinking of visiting Doi Inthanon.

I would highly recommend Sith and his tour. We were able to tour an old tobacco plantation that was gorgeous and have delicious coffee to start our day. We then went on a 2.5 hour mountain hike to waterfalls. Sith was very patient with us as we are slow hikers who like to take our time. We then had an awesome lunch after our hike with beautiful views. Sith took us to his village and we were able to meet his family and make our own coffee beans which we were able to take home with us. We were able to taste his coffee and it was some of the best I've ever had. Sith went the extra mile the entire day and made sure we were always enjoying ourselves! Make sure to do this tour while you're in Chiang Mai! You won't regret it.

When we travel, we always search out unique and local experiences, sometimes finding them. This is a real, authentic, local experience. Nothing mass produced, not rushed, just a wonderful person sharing his beautiful countryside with us.   Our day with Sith was AMAZING! He is so personable, we immediately felt like we were friends. Our 3 kids (ages 7, 7, 9) loved him and he is so funny and engaging with kids. We hiked through a gorgeous trail, seeing beautiful waterfalls. The local Karen trail guides explained the local fauna, while Sith (who is Karen himself) translated. We walked through the gorgeous hills and valley to a spot for lunch, at a tiny village. He cooked us a delicious lunch (better than most other food). We then went to his own Karen village to learn about coffee. He showed us the coffee trees, how they are picked (his mom does the picking herself), fermented or dried. We then got to roast our own beans! Even the kids did this. He then surprised us with our own custom bag (he went into his home and color printed a picture of each of us he had taken and put it on each bag) and we filled it with our roasted beans. We then sampled our coffee. Delicious!  The views from his village alone were worth the trip. It was awe-inspiring. Bring your camera.   Thank you again Sith for a day we will always remember!!

We had an excellent day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park with Wasa, just before Christmas. Wasa is a native of Chiang Mai. She speaks English very well and we had a lot of fun hiking the park as well as visiting a Karen village for lunch and a temple later. My grown up son claimed that the fried rice she ordered was the best he had in Thailand. Though she was not feeling well, she made sure that we covered all the activities and shared a lot of information about the area and people. We were able to enjoy the beautiful scenery and took lots of pictures. The restaurant that she took us to had an amazing view of the valley and the mountains around. The final stop at a mountain top temple was beautiful with a panoramic view of Chiang Mai. She is a very safe driver and a jovial person with whom one can have lively discussions about the country and culture. She also pointed out and provided details about many sites in Chiang Mai on our drive. If we had stayed longer in the area, we would have booked more local trips with her as the guide. She made us feel like a part of her family.

We chose this hike with Anna because it was leisurely and not too physically taxing. Anna picked us up at our hotel in Chiang Mai and we traveled for about an hour to the trail. The actual hike was only 3km but we took our time because the view was beautiful with several waterfalls, paddy fields, strawberry farms etc. The highlight was the coffee break with the Karen Tribe where we ground our own Arabica coffee beans. Lunch was excellent too! Anna is a great guide who is very knowledgeable and pleasant to talk to. I would recommend her anytime.

My husband and I just booked with Sith and we cannot say enough good things about our experience. Sith planned a day that truly showed the culture and beauty of Thailand, and better yet, a snapshot into the culture of his village. It was truly an individualized experience and was not touristy in any sense of the word. We took a beautiful hike, visited his Karen tribe village and made coffee, learning about the process from start to finish. My husband and I travel quite a bit and this was by far the best day we have ever had on a a trip. Aside from the day that Sith had planned, he is simply an amazing person. He is friendly, knowledgeable, and makes you feel like a member of his family. Truly cannot recommend him enough. If you book Sith, I promise you won't regret it and will take away memories to last a lifetime.

Tribe Day Trip' tour with Anna. She very kindly adapted the tour to include one extra trail on Doi Inthanon that we wanted to visit and perfectly planned the trip accordingly (moved the starting time and lunch time to make it all more convenient). The trip was really smooth, fun and interesting. Anna was really friendly, knowleadgable and was able to tell many interesting facts & stories and also answered all of the questions we had. The trip had plenty of nice details not even in the main programme - like a place for swimming, a quick trip to a market and others. On our way back, Anna also suggested to see one additional huge waterfal, since she saw how amazed we were with the previous ones! Such attention, care, great planning makes us extremly happy to recommend Anna to anyone going to Doi Inthanon!