Tuk Tuk and Hill Tribe Experience with Driver

At approximately 08:00am our team will pick you up from your hotel in Chiang Mai city and transfer you by private minivan to the Mae Wang valley, around an hour South West of the city. On Arrival meet your Tuk Tuk for the day. Note - there is a maximum of 2 adults per Tuk Tuk and a maximum of two Tuk Tuks for this unique private trip. For approximately 45-minites your guide will give you a training session on how to drive a Tuk Tuk and you can have a go at being your very own Tuk Tuk driver on our off-road training area. Later on in the day, for those who feel confident enough, there will be an opportunity to test your driving skills for a short period on one of the stunning quiet countryside roads. (any driving done is for those 18 & over only)

After getting the chance to drive on our field, settle into the comfy back seats (the Tuk Tuks are specially modified to be more spacious in the back to provide extra comfort and the best views possible) as your guide drives you by Tuk Tuk heading north up the valley. We pass through small villages and farming communities (with potential stops for tasty local coffee!) until we start climbing up into the mountains reaching an altitude of around 1300-1400 metres.

The road winds its way up through forests until we reach a stunning huge Buddha image that's being built in the forest overlooking the surrounding valleys. Here we'll stop to walk up to the Buddha image to get a birds eye view of the surrounding area and wonder at this incredible site - somewhere that's very rarely visited by travellers and as such a unique experience. We then travel onwards through small settlements with plenty of opportunities to stop and explore / take photos until we reach a bustling Karen community where we then head off deep into the valley to explore the area and arrive at our location for a memorable lunch. Perched on a famers rest point, overlooking fields and small settlements you'll tuck into a mixture of different Thai foods served up by your guide. Your guide will explain how the local community live, the crops they grow and give you an insight into the way of life in the hills - something very different from the more urban Thai towns that people experience.

After lunch we'll head off again, this time to another fascinating Karen village that's pretty much at the end of the road! We'll park up and explore the village on foot seeing a very traditional Karen settlement and one that is a very long way off the tourist trail - this is hill tribe village exploration at its best.

It's then time to wind our way slowly back through the hills towards the Mae Wang valley, of course with plenty of time to stop and explore, take photos and stretch your legs wherever you wish - or even do things as simple as stopping at a local store to sample snacks and interact with the local communities who are so welcoming and friendly to the infrequent visitors they get. We'll arrive back in our Mae Wang base in the late afternoon. Here you may want to have a drink to discuss your day to remember, before being transferred back to you hotel by private minivan, arriving around 18:00-18.30pm.