Compare One Week in Thailand: Kayaking and Hilltribes by Intrepid Travel vs Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek-4 Days by White Hill Adventure
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
4.5 | Great
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 8 days | 4 days |
| Price From | $ 502 | $ 380 |
| Price Per Day | $ 63 | $ 95 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Basic | Basic |
| Physical Level |
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N/A |
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description |
Head into the hills and get sky-high on this eight-day northern Thailand adventure. Pass through the bustling hub of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, and take the time to check out the night markets and bars well worth hopping. Trek the hillside villages outside of Chiang Mai, before exploring the city and its colourful nightlife. Find waterfalls, elephants and your new fave activity (kayaking, anyone?) and soak in some gorgeous natural scenery that you’d only see from local hilltribes. This journey will take you through temples, jungles, markets and mountains, sure get your heart pumping and your tastebuds singing. |
Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek certainly delights and fulfills the dreams of interested trekkers, a short adventure for all age-groups as well for interested people where you will be walking with constant views of magnificent Annapurna peaks all along the walks on Ghorepani Poonhill Trek. Ghorepani located within the enchanting green forest of tall rhododendron trees (national flower of Nepal) where an hour hike leads you on top Poonhill at 3,210 / 10,531 ft highest spot of the journey offering stunning sunrise views over a chain of Himalayan peaks Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu range with majestic Machhapuchhre Himal ‘the fishtail peak’. |
Day 1 Bangkok
Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand. Your adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, there's plenty to keep you occupied – maybe take a walk around Chinatown and explore the vibrant streets or head to the magnificent Grand Palace. Tonight, it’s time to dig into some traditional tastes of Thailand. Bangkok is known for its street food, so maybe head out with your leader and check out some roadside stalls around the Sukhumvit area. Later, maybe discover Bangkok’s nightlife and head out to one (or more) of the best local bars. Ask your guide for directions or grab your new travel mates and attempt to navigate the BTS skytrain and MRT subway.
Day 2 Bangkok - Overnight Train
This morning, you have a free day in Bangkok before your overnight train this morning. Maybe start off with a relaxing Thai massage – the perfect way to limber up and start your day. Then, maybe check out Talad Noi by bike, take on the Bangkok Temples or book yourself on the River of Kings Urban Adventure (just see urbanadventures.com). After your day exploring, hop on an overnight train up to Chiang Mai.
Day 3 Chiang Mai
Arrive in Chiang Mai in the morning and transfer to your guesthouse. Then, you’ll head out on an orientation walk to get your bearings. Chiang Mai is the perfect entrance to the Thai highlands, with misty mountains and colourful hillside villages waiting to be explored. This will be your base for the next few days, as you’ll return here after your hillside trek. Today, you’re free to relax or explore the city. Maybe get active and go ziplining or cycle around the city. Take on a cooking class to learn some local flavours (and pick up some mad skills to take home) or just wander around on foot and visit Doi Sethep Temple and a couple of the cool cafes around the area. Tonight, why not get your group together to go bar hopping or explore the night markets in the happening Nimman area?
Day 4 Chiang Mai - Hilltribe Trek
This morning at around 8 am, leave Chiang Mai and head to Mae Malai Market to stock up on some delicious fresh snacks for your trek. Then, visit Mok Fah Waterfall for a cheeky dose of natural beauty. Sit down for some lunch to refuel with your group at a local restaurant, then continue to the starting point of today’s hike. Your destination for this evening is the Mae Ma Nai Hilltribe Village. Walk along the mountain ridge and take in the views of the natural forest and remote scenery. When you arrive, enjoy a local home-cooked dinner by the campfire to celebrate a successful day. Later, take a walk around the village and chat with the locals. This is a really special opportunity to experience rural Thai life first-hand!
Day 5 Hilltribe Trek
The best thing about being deep in the jungle in the morning is waking up to the natural sounds of wildlife calls. After breakfast, begin today’s trek through the storybook landscape of farmland and jungle, exploring other hilltribe villages and seeing how life differs between them. Your whole trek is the perfect nature photo op, so make sure you’ve got your camera handy! Enjoy lunch along the way and reach Pong Ngan Lahu Village this afternoon. After two long days of hiking, relax your legs and soak in some natural scenery before an included home-cooked dinner tonight.
Day 6 Chiang Mai
The Mae Taeng River awaits you this morning, as you head off on a kayaking adventure towards Sop Kai Village. Paddle downstream as you're immersed by gorgeous surroundings for 2 to 3 hours, taking in the lush green scenery. From here, you can choose to head back to Chiang Mai via private transfer and enjoy a leisurely evening or opt to take to the rapids for some whitewater rafting. Paddle further down the river and get the adrenaline pumping before you head back to Chiang Mai for the night. When you arrive, maybe refresh and recharge or head out to explore the Wat Prasingh and Wat Chedi Luang temples in your free time. Tonight, ask your leader for the best spots for a pad thai or a khao soi.
Day 7 Chiang Mai - Overnight sleeper train
Today is a free day to explore Chiang Mai and you’re spoilt for options. Maybe take the chance to learn one of the world’s legendary martial arts, Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) this morning. Spend 1.5 hours learning the basics of Muay Thai with the pros, plus how to adapt yourselves to be the weapons and the guard. You could also visit the Chiang Chill Elephant Sanctuary and witness these majestic animals roaming the valley and chilling in nature. Or maybe stop by Chuan Chom Vocational Training Center for lunch or a massage. Here, you'll learn about the work that they do to train the women from the correctional institution with skills to go back to society. Later, board an overnight train for Bangkok.
Day 8 Bangkok
Your train is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok early this morning. When you arrive at the station, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to stay in Thailand for longer, and we wouldn’t blame you, just speak to your booking agent.
Day 1: Drive from Pokhara 860m/2821ft to Nayapul and trek to Ulleri.(1960 m/6430ft).-4/5hrs.
With pleasant overnight stop in Pokhara, where morning short drive leads you to the starting point of our trek at Nayapul town or from Bhirethati village, a nice place on the side of Modi River, where walk starts heading with slow uphill into villages overlooking cascading waterfalls entering forest and farm areas with climb to reach at Tirkhedhunga, a nice farm village close to its beautiful waterfalls. From Tirkhedhunga morning walk up hill on stone paved steps all the way to reach a high ridge top at Ulleri village for overnight stops after a tough walk of few hours. Ulleri a large Gurung and Magar village facing views of rolling hills and snow capped peaks of Annapurna South, Huin Chuli and top of Machhapuchare Himal.
Day 2: Trek to Ghorepani (2,880m/9448ft)- 05 hrs.
From Ulleri after a pleasant overnight morning walk continues on winding gentle path within oaks-pines and rhododendron forest, and then slowly gaining altitude to reach at Ghorepani village. Ghorepani offers fantastic views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Vara-Shikar also called Annapurna Fang, village with blue painted houses serving as good lodges located at the base of Poon Hill, populated with Poon people of Magar ethnic tribe.
Day 3: Morning hike to Poon-Hill(3210m/10531ft) and trek to Tadapani(2,721m/8927ft)- 05 hrs.
Starting early morning hour hike to Poon-Hill above 3,210 m and 10,531 ft high, offers stunning views of sunrise over range of mountains from Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu to Annapurna and as far to Ganesh Himal including Mt. Machhapuchare “The Fish Tail”. After enjoying wide angle panorama views of mountains with sunrise walk back to Ghorepani and then continue trek to Tadapani, our route leads to a climb into enchanting rhododendron forest all the way to Tadapani for overnight stops, Tadapani situated in the middle of rhododendron, magnolia and oaks forest with fabulous view of Mt. Machhapuchare and Annapurna South peaks.
Day 4: Trek to Kyumi (via Ghandruk village 1940m/6364ft) and drive to Pokhara (860m/2821ft).-5/6 hrs.
Our last day of marvelous walks around hills of Annapurna, morning catching views of Annapurna peaks as walk leads downhill into dense forest to reach one of the largest village of the area at Ghandruk populated by Gurung hill tribes of Annapurna region. From Ghandruk heading downhill on nice stone steps to reach low warm farm areas at Kyumi village, from here drive back to beautiful Pokhara nearby Phewa Lake for overnight in the comfort of nice hotels.
