My friend and I did a two-day, one-night tour of Mae Sariang and the Karen and Lawa hilltribe villages and, wow, what an amazing and truly enlightening experience. Our tour guide, 'A', was cheerful, helpful, extremely knowledgeable and informative, and so very accommodating to all our needs. He went out of his way to find restaurants and accommodation to suit our very specific requirements, and did it all with a big smile.
We were shown around the area of Mae Sariang: its temples, the local market, the noodle factory etc and introduced to new foods, all of which were great. Afterwards, we were taken up into the hills.
I cannot begin to express just how breathtakingly beautiful the views are up there. Lush and green as far as the eye can see, with endless paddy fields and palm trees stretched across huge mountain ranges... We got some great photos but they can't begin to do justice to the real beauty of the place.
Visiting the Karen village where 'A's wife's family live was so interesting. To witness a way of life so vastly different to my own in the UK was fascinating and extremely humbling. The people were all so very friendly and welcoming and 'A's friendships with the local people put us at ease.
By far my favourite part of the trip was meeting the Lawa family. One of the young girls in the family showed my friend and I around her village and was so very friendly and chatty, with a wonderful tendency to burst into fits of giggles which was very amusing! Meeting her and chatting with her was the most humbling experience I've had yet, and it is also an experience I will treasure forever. It was such a pleasure.
Unfortunately, our plans to stay overnight at the Lawa family's house fell through due to unforeseen circumstances, of which the fault was completely our own, but 'A' was fantastic and drove us all the way back down the mountain to the town at very short notice, and came up with a completely new plan for our second day to reflect our change in location. He took us on a bike ride which we both really enjoyed, then we went trekking to a waterfall which was absolutely beautiful.
All in all, a fantastic trip. Couldn't have asked for a better tour guide, 'A' was brilliant. Melissa was a fabulous help as well. She responded to all my emails promptly and with all the information I asked for.
Thank you 'Hilltribe Holidays!' I loved our trip!

My partner and I did the five day Mae Hong Son loop in February with Pat and Winai. We were looking for something that was ‘off the beaten track’ compared to what most tour companies offer. After a bit of research we decided that Hilltribe Holidays was what we were after and we weren’t disappointed. The first day took us to the cool airs of Doi Inthanon amongst the stunning forests full of birdlife and flowering Rhododendrons. It was a long day on the road but the impression left by Doi Inthanon is enduring. It also provided the launching pad to explore the hilltribe regions around Mae Hong Son. The next couple of days provided us with incredible experiences in visiting and interacting with the various ethnic hilltribes of the region. Our guide, Pat, has an excellent rapport with the various tribes that we visited which opened up opportunities that we could never have imagined. Highlights, of which there were plenty, included being a part of the festivities at an opening of a new stupa with locals and pilgrims resplendent in traditional garb, attending a wedding party in Mae Aw amongst the celebrating locals, and sitting around the fire at the homestay watching our hosts cook up a feast. We left with lots of memories of the beautiful landscapes, villages and people. Thanks heaps to Mel, Pat and Winai for a well-organised and fun experience. Highly recommended. (from Adrian and Bec).