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More Information about Treks
Do I have to be very fit to do a Trek ?
 We have Treks of 1 day where you get a good idea of the life of the hill tribes and you can make an elephant ride or go bamboo rafting. However, you do not have to walk a lot. For the longer treks you need to be reasonably fit but a lot depends on your own flexibility. You will not sleep as well as usual because of the primitive way of sleeping and the sounds of the village.
In the jungle
 During the trek there will be hardly any flat parts. All the paths are used by the local people. Sometimes the path is overgrown and the guide has to use his machete. We walk through dense jungle, open areas, plantations of the hill tribes and sometimes along or through rivers. If you want you can hire a porter to carry your luggage.
In the village
At the end of the afternoon you will arrive in the village. We advise to make your sleeping place before it is dark because in many villages there is still no electricity. The guide will start preparing dinner. You will be surprised about the tasteful meals in this primitive surroundings. It is nice  to walk through the village and try to communicate with the people. After dinner everybody sits with the host family and a lot of stories will be told by hands and feet. Sometimes we can make a campfire for you and maybe there is somebody in the village with a guitar. Everybody sleeps early because the villagers get up at sunrise
Which trek is suitable for me ?
Location ? San Patong is about 1 hours drive, Samoeng 3 hours, Phrao 3 hours, Mae Taeng 4 hours
Walking ? Generally, a 2 day trek is not easier than a 3 day trek. Difficulty of walking is similar for all areas, between 2-4 hours per day
Jungle ? Good in all areas, Mae Taeng and Samoeng most spectacular
Elephant ? Similar for all areas
Rafting ? Phrao slow, Samoeng and San Patong faster and Mae Taeng most beautiful and longest (3 hours) but in the rainy season sometimes so fast that we have to cancel
Busy ? San Patong closest to Chiang Mai which means also the day tours go to that area, Mae Taeng is the place where trekking started so actually the best location but more treks go there. Phrao and Samoeng are both not busy at all, chances are that you will not see any other tourists at all
What you should bring on a trek
Mosquito Net (Free from us)
Sleeping bag (Free from us)
Sheet bag (in summer)
Backpack (Free from us)
Films
Earplugs (sleep better)
T-shirt
Short pants
Long pants
Towel or Sarong
Socks
Long sleeved Shirt
Slippers
Shoes
Swimsuit
Soap
Shampoo
Toothpaste/Toothbrudh
Mosquito Spray (good and much veel cheaper in Thailand)
2 liter water for the first day
Suncream
First aid kit
Toiletpaper
Flashlight
Hat of cap
>>> Extra in Rainy Season (June-October)
(Raincoat and Hiking Boots)
>>> Extra in Cold Season (November-February)
(Jacket and Warm Pants)
 A lot of people nowadays take a self inflating sleeping mat (not for sale in Thailand), you sleep more comfortable but you have to carry more kilos. The luggage you do not take on the trek you can leave in the store room at Cafe Crossroads as well as passport, ticket and travelers cheques which we will put in our safe. Good hiking boots are essential in the rainy season but also very handy in the other months. You can buy water in the villages.
In the mountains it is a few degrees cooler than in Chiang Mai. During winter it can even be cold, a few degrees Celsius above Zero. Please remember this when you do a trek during this time.
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What you should NOT take on a trek:
 Passport, Flight ticket and Travelers Cheques. Whenever you loose your passport you have to go to Bangkok to get a new one. Also a tropical shower can reduce your precious papers to something else. At the safe in our office your belongings will be safe !
Make sure that your photo or film camera is packed water proof, nature here is unpredictable
Candies for the children would be nice but they usually can not go to the dentist easily. A donation for the village or village school is a better idea.
Bank notes in high denominations will be a problem changing them in smaller ones
When is the best time to do a trek?
This is very hard to say. During the Thai winter, from November to February (the high season), the weather is the best (not to warm in the daytime, no rain and cool to cold in the nighttime). During the summer (March to May) it will be very hot in the daytime but there are few tourists. During the rainy season (July to September) the nature is at its most beautiful with green forests and beautiful waterfalls. Walking can be hard sometimes after or during a tropical shower
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