Authentic Thailand Hill Tribe Tour – Best Thing to do in Chiang Mai

What to Expect from an Authentic Thailand Hill Tribe Tour

Unfortunately, it’s likely that all of your preconceived notions of what a Thailand Hill Tribe looks like is wrong. You won’t see any long necked woman or tribal dances in an authentic hill tribe village. No. Instead, you can expect to see a real, working family who speaks their own tribe language, uses unique cooking techniques and warmly invites you into their home to share a meal. Trust me, no fake long-neck display could top the cultural experience you’re about to have with an authentic hill tribe tour!

The Karen Hill Tribe – Cooking Authentic Thai Food

For many travelers (raising my hand) food is a major part of experiencing a new culture. We arrived at a family home in the Karen Hill Tribe and had the amazing honor of cooking an authentic meal with them. The house we cooked in was an original Karen style house, handmade with an indoor kitchen in one room, and a sitting area in the other room. We got to sample sticky rice cooked in bamboo (so good!), a mix of curries, and even frog soup! Yes, you heard that right, frog soup.

Being able to cook and enjoy a meal with a culture so different from our own was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Surrounded by nature, the colorful clothing worn by the tribeswomen, and the animals roaming the estate… it’s safe to say we had the perfect atmosphere to enjoy our meal!

The Hmong Hill Tribe – Farming & Local Children

Descendants of Mongolia, the Hmong Hill Tribe is half the population of The Karen. However, the Hmong farming techniques make them one of the most successful hill tribes in the world. We went to the top of Doi Suthep National Park to see, first hand, a flower farm that supplies flowers for many local markets throughout Chiang Mai Thailand.

Next was a walk throughout the remote village to interact with local children (so cute) and farmers going about their business. We were lucky enough to stumble upon a Hmong Tribe bell pepper farm that supplies gorgeous peppers all over Thailand! They had a huge shipment going out that was being sent to Bangkok to be sold at a premium price. The Hmong Village was definitely more concentrated than the Karen Hill Tribe, which made it even more interesting to see the difference.