2 days, 1 night · Private trip · Chiang Mai
Thung Yua: sleep in a Lahu village, leave on a bamboo raft
Day 1, we walk up a jungle river, through the water and past the waterfalls, to a Lahu hill tribe village few travellers ever reach. We sleep there. Day 2, we cross the ridge to Pong Ngan and float out on a bamboo raft. Everything is included: van, guides, porter, homestay, raft and all meals.
The map didn't load. Here's the valley near Thung Yua instead.
Day 1 · river hike to the villageDay 2 · ridge to the raft
Rough elevation, Day 1 then Day 2. The map line is simplified on purpose.
The route
Why there's no GPX for this one
I share most of my trails for free. Not this one. Day 1 follows a jungle river with no marked trail, and the river changes after every storm. Alone, it's easy to get lost or caught by rising water. So this route is guided only.
- Your feet will get wet. Day 1 follows the river and crosses it again and again. Wear shoes that drain and dry. Not your nice ones.
- Wear long pants. This is not a groomed trail. Grass, branches and leaves. Very few people walk here.
- Pack a change of clothes in a dry bag. You will get wet on the river hike and on the raft.
Want a free trail you can do alone? Try Khun Chang Kian.
Don't want to go alone?
Come with me. Private, just your group.
You can't do this one with a map. It needs someone who can find you a bed in the village, carry your dinner up the river, or tell you who the Lahu are and why they live up here. I can. I'm a licensed guide from Chiang Mai, and I just walked this route to check every step of it.
- ✓Private. Only you and your people.Your pace. We stop at the waterfalls for as long as you want.
- ✓Hotel pickup and drop-off, both daysVan from the old city or Nimman to the trailhead, and back from the river. Travel insurance included.
- ✓A night in the Lahu villageA simple wooden homestay with a view of the valley. Mattress, mosquito net, hot shower.
- ✓A local guide and a porterThe local guide knows this forest and the village. The porter carries the food and the heavy stuff up the river, so you carry only your day pack.
- ✓Bamboo rafting at Pong NganDay 2 ends on the river, on a raft made of bamboo, with a raftman at the back.
- ✓All mealsLunch in the jungle, dinner and breakfast in the village, lunch after the raft.
- ✓Photos of you, on your phone, freeYou walk, I take the pictures. You go home with them already on your phone.
- ✓Too much rain? Free reschedule.If the river is too high I'll move your date for free, or give your money back.
The plan
How the 2 days go
Day 1 · Up the river to Thung Yua
About 7 km and 500 m of climbing. 4 to 5 hours on foot with stops.
- 07:00
Pickup at your hotel
We drive north out of Chiang Mai toward Mae Taeng.
- 09:00
Start walking
Through fields and banana groves, then down into the jungle. Meet the porter and our local guide.
- 09:30
The river
The trail follows the river. We walk in it, cross it, climb over the rocks beside it. Small waterfalls the whole way up. This is where your shoes get wet.
- 12:00
Lunch in the jungle
Eaten by the river, in the middle of the forest.
- 12:30
Climb out of the valley
Up through dry forest and banana fields to the ridge. The valley opens up below you.
- 14:00
Arrive in Thung Yua
Shower, change into dry clothes, rest on the deck.
- 16:00
Walk the village
A slow walk around Thung Yua with our local guide. How the Lahu live up here, what they grow, and how they came to these mountains.
- 18:30
Dinner in the village
Then just hang out. No road noise, no wifi to worry about. Bed early.
Day 2 · Over the ridge to the raft
About 4 km and 280 m of climbing, then the river.
- 07:30
Breakfast with a view
Morning mist in the valley below the village.
- 08:30
Walk to Pong Ngan
Up over the ridge through the forest, then down to the river.
- 11:00
Bamboo rafting
Sit on a raft of bamboo poles and float down the river through the jungle. You will get wet again.
- 13:00
Lunch by the river
Then dry clothes, and into the van.
- 16:00
Back at your hotel
Your photos are already on your phone.
Before you book
Is this trip for you?
- Yes, if you do sport regularly. Running, hiking, the gym, a few times a week. Day 1 is about 4 to 5 hours on foot, much of it in or beside a river.
- Yes, if you like it wild. This is not a tourist trail. Very few people have walked it. No handrails, no signs, no shops.
- Yes, if you're happy to sleep simple. A wooden homestay, a mattress on the floor, a mosquito net.
- Not this one if you've never hiked, have bad knees, or want a soft bed. Try the Khun Chang Kian day first.
What to bring
- Shoes that can get wet. They will, for sure. Trail shoes that drain, or sport sandals with a strap.
- Long pants for the hike. Light and quick-drying.
- A change of clothes in a dry bag, for the evening, and another for after the raft.
- A small backpack, rain jacket, sun cream, mosquito spray, a head torch.
- Your toothbrush and a small towel. I bring the water and the snacks.
Who's taking you
I'm Folk.
I'm a licensed Thai guide and trail runner from Chiang Mai. I lived two years in Australia, and that's where I found out Thai culture is a gift. Now I share it the way I love most: on foot, on the trail.
I walked this whole route myself, in October 2026, to check it before taking anyone. Every photo on this page is from that walk.
Licensed guide · Insured through LocalRoot Adventures (TAT 24/01237) · Thai, English, 日本語
Questions
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to walk 4 to 5 hours on uneven ground, with a few short climbs. If you do sport a few times a week, you'll be fine. We go at your pace.
Will my feet really get wet?
Yes. The trail goes up the river, and we cross it many times. Don't try to keep your feet dry. Wear shoes that drain and enjoy it.
Where do we sleep?
In a simple wooden homestay in Thung Yua, with a deck over the valley. Mattress, pillow, blanket and a mosquito net. There's a toilet and a hot shower.
Do I carry a big backpack?
No. The porter carries the food and the heavy stuff. You carry a small day pack with your water and a change of clothes.
Is the bamboo rafting dangerous?
It's a calm float, not whitewater. A raftman steers from the back, and you get a life jacket. You will get wet.
What if it rains a lot?
A big storm makes the river too high to walk safely. I watch the weather and the river, and tell you the day before. You move to another date for free, or get all your money back.
What's the price for my group?
฿12,200 for 1 person, then +฿1,300 for each extra person, up to 6. So 2 people is ฿13,500 in total, 4 people is ฿16,100. Everything is included: van, insurance, guides, porter, homestay, raft and all meals.
Can I pay in Bitcoin?
Yes. Message me your dates and group size and I'll send you a Lightning invoice.
Can I do it alone with a GPX?
I don't recommend it, so I don't share the file. The river hike has no marked trail and changes after storms. If you want a free GPX trail to do alone, take Khun Chang Kian.