Thee Lor Lay Trek

One of the best places to trek in Thailand is to the northwest in the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary and the Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary , which was declared a World Heritage Site in 1991. Here, the Mekong rolls along cliffs 400 meters high and the beautiful landscape is ideal for trekking and rafting. You will pass horizontal cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, exotic flowers, lianas , and giant teak trees. Bird songs and cicadas will accompany you all the way and, if you’re lucky, you can get a glimpse of gibbons, snakes, giant lizards, and turtles living in the dense forest.

Season:
The tour to Theelorlay can only be carried out in the rainy season from June until the beginning of December, when the water level in the river is normally high enough to ride wild rapids and when the waterfall is most dramatic. Remember to bring waterproof clothing and rubber boots, or buy them on the cheap in Mae-sot or Umphang.

Note!
This trip is not suitable for children under 12.

Day 1: Bangkok – Mae Sot
We will meet at New Road Guesthouse around 20:00 (please ask the service guide about the exact time the day before). From here we will go by car to the bus terminal and onwards with VIP luxury bus from Bangkok to Mae Sot. Remember to bring a warm sweater for the night bus as the air-condition can be quite effective! Arrival at Mae Sot next morning around five o’clock.

Day 2: Mae Sot – Umphang
In Mae Sot we will be picked up by Mr. Lar and have the opportunity to sleep a couple of extra hours at a mattress in his guest house. After breakfast and a shower he will take us on a short ride to the Thai Burmese border market at the river Moi. After lunch we will go by public Songthaew (half open pick up truck) to Umphang together with the locals. It is very beautiful and around a 4 hours ride through the mountains – and 1.219 curves! (if you suffer from motion sickness this would be a good time to take some medication to avoid feeling nauseous). Accommodation for the night will be in Mr. T’s traditional house on stilts. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Mist sea, rafting and Theelorlay waterfall
Before sunrise you will drive to Doi Hua Mot, the highest mountains in the area, where you can see the mist lying as a sea around the mountains. After enjoying the view, you will drive to the Karen village of Palatha, where your luggage and the food will be packed onto elephants, who will transport it to the camp. Before noon, the raft in rubber boat will begin southward on the Mae Klong River. The first part of the river from Palatha is floating relatively quietly, but on the second part of the river there are some rapids, where you can get the feeling of white water rafting. We recommend that you keep your camera in a watertight bag and bring along sun tan lotion, swimming suit, towel and sandals. The raft takes about four-five hours depending on the current. During the raft there will be a break at the riverbank, where you will get lunch and you can take a swim in the river. Later in the afternoon you will arrive at the campground, where the guide will put op the tents. The waterfall Theelorlay lies about two kilometers from the camp, and after you have been relaxing a little you will raft down the waterfall in a rubber boat. Here you can enjoy the scenery, stand on the stones and take a bath in the waterfall, and you can climb the cliffs and take a look at the beautiful limestone formations formed by the waterfall. Before sunset you will go up the river Back to the camp. This part of the raft is very hard for the rowers, because they have to go against the current, though only during the first part. The last part the guides will pull the boat and you can walk on the riverbanks. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Trekking
After breakfast the rubber boat, tents and luggage are placed on the elephants that will bring it back to Palatha. You will be walking through the mountains, a lot up and down, but not so hard because you do not have to carry your entire luggage. The trek takes about seven hours and you will eat lunch in the jungle during the trek. The locals only use the path, so often you will not meet any other trekkers. Part of the trekking takes place alongside a smaller river where there are many small waterfalls on a five-kilometer long distance. Here you can enjoy the sound of the water running over the stones and the birds in the thick undergrowth. After arrival in Palatha you can relax and take a walk around the village with the guides, visit a Karen family and have a look at their houses and lives. You will spend the night in a bamboo hut in Palatha House. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Palatha – Umphang – Mae sot – Bangkok/Chiang Mai
After Breakfast you will ride in a songthaew through the mountains, back to Umphang. In Umphang you can take a walk around town with the guides and have a look at town life, and you may for example visit the forest temple or a rice farmer on the paddy fields. After lunch at the trekker Hill you will drive back to Maesot in a songthaew (about four hours). Here you will end the trip, or you can take the night bus back to Bangkok. If you wish to go up North to Chiang Mai, the bus will depart the following morning on day 6. You can also take the public songthaew to Mae Sariang (six-seven hours) on the morning of day 6, and explore even more of northern Thailand on your own. (B, L, D)

General word explanation: B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner

We reserve the rights to make changes without prior notice.

If there less than 2 customers for this trip we reserve the right to cancel without prior notice.