Chiang Rai trekking and bamboo cooking tour with villages

Trek three hill tribe villages and cook your lunch over bamboo fire in the forest

A full-day trekking tour in Chiang Rai that combines forest and mountain trails with visits to Lisu, Akha and Lahu villages, a hands-on bamboo cooking class where you prepare and eat lunch, and a soak in a natural hot spring. Hotel pickup starts the day at 9am. An English-speaking guide leads the entire route. Children from age 10 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Trekking and cultural experience

• Pick up from hotel lobby
• Travel to trekking starting point
• Trek through bamboo forest to Lisu village
• Learn bamboo cooking and make utensils
• Enjoy lunch in the forest
• Visit tea plantation and hike to waterfall
• Explore Akha village culture
• Trek to Lahu village
• Trek through bamboo forest to hot spring
• Relax with hot spring swim
• Return to Chiang Rai hotel

The experience

Your guide picks you up from your hotel lobby between 9 and 9:30am and drives you to the trekking starting point. From there, you trek through bamboo forest and up into the mountains, moving at a steady pace through natural landscapes. The first stop is a Lisu hill tribe village, where you walk through the community and learn how the residents live and work.

After the trek, you arrive at a bamboo cooking area deep in the forest. Here you learn to prepare a traditional bamboo-cooked meal from scratch. You make your own bamboo chopsticks and cups, then cook and eat lunch using the utensils you've just made. The meal happens surrounded by forest quiet, a shift from the morning's walking. After eating, the route continues to a tea plantation with mountain views, then down to a waterfall where you can swim and cool off for a break.

The afternoon takes you to an Akha village, then onward on foot toward a Lahu village through more mountain scenery. From the Lahu village, you trek through peaceful bamboo forest to a natural hot spring, where you have a 30-minute soak to rest after the day's walking. Your driver then takes you back to your hotel in Chiang Rai, ending the tour in the late afternoon.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel.
• an English-speaking guide for the entire day.
• lunch prepared during the bamboo cooking class.
• entry to the hill tribe villages and tea plantation.
• access to the waterfall and natural hot spring.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to10h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (10 to 11 years) · Under 10: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by manachiangrai tour

Is this one for you?Hotel pickup from Chiang Rai City means you don't need a car or separate transport to reach the trailhead: the day starts at your hotel and the guide handles all the driving, so you can focus on the trekking, cooking and cultural stops without logistics.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (10 to 11 years). Children under 10 can't be included in the booking.

What's the difference between the three hill tribe villages I'll visit?

The tour visits Lisu, Akha and Lahu villages, each with distinct traditional ways of life and cultural practices. You walk through each community with your guide to observe daily life and learn about their customs and traditions.

How much walking and trekking is involved in this tour?

The tour is a full day of trekking through forest and mountains with stops at villages, a tea plantation, a waterfall and a hot spring. The pace is steady throughout, and the route is suitable for all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or poor cardiovascular health.

Do I need to bring my own lunch, or is it provided?

Lunch is included and prepared by you during the bamboo cooking class in the forest. You learn to cook a traditional bamboo-cooked meal and eat it using chopsticks and cups you've made yourself.

What happens if I don't have a car or I'm staying outside Chiang Rai City?

Hotel pickup is included in the tour. Your guide collects you from your hotel lobby in Chiang Rai City between 9 and 9:30am, so you don't need to arrange separate transport to the starting point.

What should I bring for the waterfall and hot spring?

Bring swimwear if you want to swim at the waterfall or soak in the hot spring. The hot spring has a 30-minute break built into the itinerary for you to relax in the natural pool.