Insights of Northern Forests

2 Day / 1 Night at Pang Soong Lodge

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1 Day Nature Trek and 1 Day Sightseeing

Spend two days exploring the mountain trails around Doi Lohn. On the first day At Pang Soong walk the trails of a highland semi-evergreen temperate forest that has been preserved through the centuries by the Cha Miang Tea growing village of Ban Mae Lai and learn about the plants and ecology of the area. On day 2 enjoy a drive through the mountains forming the border between Chiang Mai and Lampang Provinces.

Day 1
The Trail of Waterfalls – 1 Day Nature Trek (3 – 4 hours)

You will be met at your hotel in the morning by an English speaking guide and a mini-bus. Drive for 45- 50 minutes northeast of Chiang Mai through the plains and then up through winding mountain roads of Huay Kaew Subdistrict to Ban Mae Lai and Pang Soong Lodge.

After checking and stowing your luggage, start the journey on the Trail of Waterfalls.

This trail allows unhindered access to the most beautiful parts of the Ban Mae Lai community forest. The all-weather trail follows Houay Hawm, a tributary stream to the Mae Lai River, up through several levels of waterfalls. Along the trail you will see wild tea and Arabica coffee plantations. Your guide will introduce you to the different trees and plant species and explain to you how the villagers use them. You may see, first hand, villagers harvesting any of the myriad different forest products.

At Pang Soong Lodge you will be met by your Khon Muang community forest guide. After a brief introduction to the Pang Song Lodge and its activities, the nature trail begins with a visit to the spirit shrine and sacred fig tree to learn a bit about the villager’s spirituality regarding nature and the forest.

Trekking along the stream you pass through wild tea, Arabica coffee plantations, visit the 3-in-1 tree and learn about traditional bee keeping, passing by several smaller waterfalls before coming to the first large waterfall and a nearby tangle of woody vines. Continuing up the trail you will pass through stands of bamboo, learning about the countless uses of this wonder of nature. You will visit a spring and learn about traditional uses of water power, pick and taste various herbs and spices found in the forest before you arrive at the last large water waterfall. Here, admire two very different manifestations of strangler fig while you enjoy your lunch of traditional Northern Thai food. Note how the village guide makes a small offering to the local forest spirit before eating.

After lunch you will return the same way with the possibility of a side trip or two into the forest and an opportunity to splash in any one of the seven water falls along the way. If you need a little pick-me-up your guide will offer you some of the village’s chewing tea for your enjoyment.

Reaching the Pang Soong Lodge you will meander among some old orchards learning about some of the different fruits grown in the area as well as learning about rattan and other forest products. Spend a few moments with your village guide collecting herbs and vegetables for the evening’s dinner.

The trip winds down with a visit to the village to learn a bit more about the people who have taken such good care of the forest over the centuries. You will have a chance to see how wild tea is processed, pickled and made into chewing tea.

Returning from the village you’ll have some free time to settle and relax at Tharnthong Lodge where the Mae Lai River runs through its well kept gardens.

Day 2
After breakfast depart for a driving tour of the area. Today’s focus is on the history of the Cha Miang culture and how it has managed to preserve the area’s forests despite unrelenting outside pressures.

Your first stop with be the Royal Project where you will see the King’s efforts to create sustainable livelihoods for the mountain people, which includes promotion of coffee and fruit orchards, as well as forest conservation.

From the King’s Project drive the scenic mountain road up to the ranger station just below the peak of Doi Lohn. Walk from the ranger station for about 10 minutes up to the scenic overlook point for a picnic lunch of Northern Thai food. Returning down the mountain, stop at the Ban Mae Khampong Waterfall. Down the mountain towards Chiang Mai your last stop of the day will be at the San Khampaeng Hot Springs for a hot soak (and the opportunity to boil eggs in the hotter part of the springs).

The English speaking guide will accompany you in the minibus back to your hotel in Chiang Mai.

Pang Soong Lodge

northern thailand map

chiang mai visitors guide

sponsors and awards

Page content under revision. If you have an urgent enquiry for this programme please contact us on info@track-of-the-tiger.com