Trekking Collective Co - Private Day Tours
Trekking Collective Co - Private Day Tours
Trekking Collective Co - Private Day Tours
4.5
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Trekking Collective Co - Private Day Tours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
64 reviews
Excellent
54
Very good
4
Average
3
Poor
1
Terrible
2
olenders
London, UK100 contributions
Sept 2022 • Solo
After the trials and tribulations of Covid-19, it has been absolutely fantastic to return to Chiang Mai again after several years away. Several weeks before I left I received an an extremely well timed email from Trekking Collective, with whom I've been trekking before, to tell me that they have now reopened as things return more to normal.
I booked immediately and was once more delighted with my trekking experience. I did a single day excursion with the very experienced Chang, while Caroline organised things superbly.
After a punctual 8am pick up from my hotel, we drove north from Chiang Mai, stopping at Mae Malai market to buy lunch, before heading into the mountains to start our walk. After a great walk up through the forest we reached our lunch spot in a village high in the hills, stopping at a traditional house with the most fantastic panoramic views. Stormy skies greeted our afternoon walk (still the rainy season!) but Chang provided much more effective ponchos than my own waterproofs. As on previous trips to Chiang Mai, I returned to the city happily tired after an excellent adventure with Trekking Collective.
In summary, as the shadow of Covid hopefully recedes, it's great to know that Trekking Collective are back and I'd highly recommend them. All trek lengths (including multi-day) and itineraries are catered for.
I booked immediately and was once more delighted with my trekking experience. I did a single day excursion with the very experienced Chang, while Caroline organised things superbly.
After a punctual 8am pick up from my hotel, we drove north from Chiang Mai, stopping at Mae Malai market to buy lunch, before heading into the mountains to start our walk. After a great walk up through the forest we reached our lunch spot in a village high in the hills, stopping at a traditional house with the most fantastic panoramic views. Stormy skies greeted our afternoon walk (still the rainy season!) but Chang provided much more effective ponchos than my own waterproofs. As on previous trips to Chiang Mai, I returned to the city happily tired after an excellent adventure with Trekking Collective.
In summary, as the shadow of Covid hopefully recedes, it's great to know that Trekking Collective are back and I'd highly recommend them. All trek lengths (including multi-day) and itineraries are catered for.
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sylvain
Paris, France25 contributions
Nov 2022 • Solo
Thanks to Trekking Collective, the few days I spent in November 2018 in the hilly jungles with the super sweet guides Ter and Suthep have remained one of the best highlights of all my travels in Asia. Caroline has been super helpful in arranging my trek and it was a delight to hike through these remote and peaceful jungles, reaching charming Karen and Lahu villages at night, eating amazing local food and sometimes participating in cooking. I was warmly welcomed there and it never felt like I was intruding. This made for a very authentic and immersive experience.
I'm glad things are now getting back to normal for them and will gladly stop by again at some point as I miss my time in the hills !
I'm glad things are now getting back to normal for them and will gladly stop by again at some point as I miss my time in the hills !
Written 3 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anne
1 contribution
Dec 2019
We did a trek with Mr. Suthep in December 2019, during 4 days. It was a wonderful experience!! Mr. Suthep is professional and very kind. We met the Karen and the Lahu tribes in different villages, we did some bamboo rafting, we ate some very good food, we saw some wonderful landscapes...
We were not looking for something touristic like most of the treks that we can find in Chiang Mai. This one was outside the box, and that’s what we liked. Very authentic! I highly recommend.
We were not looking for something touristic like most of the treks that we can find in Chiang Mai. This one was outside the box, and that’s what we liked. Very authentic! I highly recommend.
Written 9 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
olderndog
Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
Dec 2013 • Couples
Keep in mind we did this tour in February 2013 but I'm writing this in November 2014. (Forgot to review this tour after we got back home). I think this review is more a reflection on delusional Tripadvisors reviewers than Trekking Collective.
Trekking Collective had extremely high marks from Tripadvisor so we booked a 4 day tour. We had our own guide whose name escapes me and another helper Uncle Neelan. I liked them both and the guide was an absolutely incredible cook at the villages using basic facilities.
In sum, you walk from village to village and sleep there the night. That's it, there is nothing else to see or do. Don't get me wrong, we are proud independent travelers who don't need to be constantly entertained. We are also used to sleeping rough, so we're not complaining about the basic accommodation. It's just that going from the Tripadvisor reviews and the relatively high cost, we were expecting much more. There is very little information given during the trip, there is next to no interaction with the local tribe, you don't learn much about their history or customs. You are taken to a village each day by mid afternoon and left alone until dinner, then after dinner nothing happens so you might was well go to bed.
One tribe was aggressive in trying to sell trinkets. If I'm paying a premium price for a tour, and the tour company is giving a portion of my fee to the village then I don't think I should be subjected having goods shoved in my face.
The highlight of the trip was several hours drifting down a river on a bamboo raft. Watching the jungle from this perspective was very special.
The trip itself was well organised, and with a good welcome and very courteous help from all staff. We had a flight to catch on the afternoon of the last day and they gave us a lift to the airport on time which we appreciated.
I am struggling to see how Tripadvisor reviewers could be giving this 5 stars. Maybe it's the soft bigotry of low expectations.
Trekking Collective had extremely high marks from Tripadvisor so we booked a 4 day tour. We had our own guide whose name escapes me and another helper Uncle Neelan. I liked them both and the guide was an absolutely incredible cook at the villages using basic facilities.
In sum, you walk from village to village and sleep there the night. That's it, there is nothing else to see or do. Don't get me wrong, we are proud independent travelers who don't need to be constantly entertained. We are also used to sleeping rough, so we're not complaining about the basic accommodation. It's just that going from the Tripadvisor reviews and the relatively high cost, we were expecting much more. There is very little information given during the trip, there is next to no interaction with the local tribe, you don't learn much about their history or customs. You are taken to a village each day by mid afternoon and left alone until dinner, then after dinner nothing happens so you might was well go to bed.
One tribe was aggressive in trying to sell trinkets. If I'm paying a premium price for a tour, and the tour company is giving a portion of my fee to the village then I don't think I should be subjected having goods shoved in my face.
The highlight of the trip was several hours drifting down a river on a bamboo raft. Watching the jungle from this perspective was very special.
The trip itself was well organised, and with a good welcome and very courteous help from all staff. We had a flight to catch on the afternoon of the last day and they gave us a lift to the airport on time which we appreciated.
I am struggling to see how Tripadvisor reviewers could be giving this 5 stars. Maybe it's the soft bigotry of low expectations.
Written 14 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
José Fantinato
57 contributions
That's a good way to feel how they live there, you can sleep in a Bambu house at the mountains, have a typical diner cooked on a wood bonfire and watch a marvelous sunset with the native children's that are always around!
The trekking is tough!! If you don't want to go through 5 hours walking in the forest climbing a mountain 600m high, you can ask for a bike ride, there were some bikers picking some trekkers during the way.
This trekking was one of the best moments I had in my trip around SE Asia.
The trekking is tough!! If you don't want to go through 5 hours walking in the forest climbing a mountain 600m high, you can ask for a bike ride, there were some bikers picking some trekkers during the way.
This trekking was one of the best moments I had in my trip around SE Asia.
Written 18 December 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jonnykharvey
Toronto, Canada15 contributions
Nov 2014 • Couples
We walked in about a week before our trek and arranged a there day and two nights trek through the mountains. We were informed that all treks were private an therefore ran about 4000THB per person, per day. The price was fairly steep but was well worth it. Our guide cooked us vegetarian meals (by far some of the best food we have had in Thailand), the equipment was included, and a portion of the fees supports the villages we visited. We stayed with two tribes (a Lisu family the first night and a Lahu family the second), whom our guide had known for 30 years. Our itinerary was based on our personal interests and not an alacarte tour. The families who hostednus were congenial and simply lovely. There was not pageantry or imported "handicrafts". A fantastic and educational experience.
Written 29 November 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz L
Melbourne, Australia2 contributions
Feb 2013 • Couples
The good things about this tour are: good drivers, bambo rafting and the food. Overall, I found the 4 day jungle trek to be disappointing. Our guide, Suthep, was a good cook and provided some interesting information along the way. But to be frank, there is nothing of interest to see. You will have hours to kill when you reach the village where you will be staying. But there is nothing to do. The locals are only interested in selling you cheap items and once they take your money they will not interact with you. So take a deck of cards and a good book because you will need it. If you have back, neck, or shoulder problems give this tour a miss: the bedding is agony! Take a high powered flashlight as you will need this at night. Remember, these villages are an occupational health and safety nightmare so don't get up during the night to use the toilet! This company will also reduce the length of your tour if you are flying out before 2pm on the last day. So you pay for 4 days but only get 3. Based on previous reviews on this website, I expected a magical experience. Unfortunately, I did not get one.
Written 23 February 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JamesGolder
San Francisco, CA19 contributions
Sept 2014 • Solo
The trekking collective is truly a socially responsible organization that gives most of the proceeds to the local village. It organizes unique experience tailored to you. It is not 5 star deluxe, ritz-camping. It is true local village experience. You will be sleeping on the floor and eating whatever is in season. It also is more expensive then all the other generic-cater-to-I-want-elephant-ride-back-packer-tourists. The main reason is that 1/2 the money goes to local needs - like schools. However, they will tailor your adventure.
The organization is run by a British woman and local Thai man who have a family in the area. They get it. So if you are serious about trekking and want to get true local flavor, this is the place. Like anything in life the more you invest in it, the more you get out of it. You will get the most out of experiencing the north of Thailand if you are willing to dive into it and go with the Trekking Collective.
My adventure was a 3 night trek between 3 villages. However we left it open ended to see how each day would unfold. The highlights for me were
1) A morning of picking fruit on the hillside. This really gave a me feel for the work they do every day. They had never seen a foreigner do this and boy did they get a laugh.
2) In an amazing village in the heart of the rain forest we went to collect elephants in the morning. They let their elephants out at night to roam the forrest. We had to get them back and that was fun and eye opening. Collecting elephants in rain forest is not as I would assume as simple as in the open African plain.
3) wading down the river between villages.
Of course our guides were great and we laughed a lot.
If you time and a bit more money to spend, this is the company you want to organize your trip. The rest of them pale in comparison. If you want McDonalds of tours go to millions of other operators, but if you want a gourmet experience - a great local adventure, away from the generic elephant treks and away from jaded villages who cater to bus loads of 20-year-olds... you found the place.
The organization is run by a British woman and local Thai man who have a family in the area. They get it. So if you are serious about trekking and want to get true local flavor, this is the place. Like anything in life the more you invest in it, the more you get out of it. You will get the most out of experiencing the north of Thailand if you are willing to dive into it and go with the Trekking Collective.
My adventure was a 3 night trek between 3 villages. However we left it open ended to see how each day would unfold. The highlights for me were
1) A morning of picking fruit on the hillside. This really gave a me feel for the work they do every day. They had never seen a foreigner do this and boy did they get a laugh.
2) In an amazing village in the heart of the rain forest we went to collect elephants in the morning. They let their elephants out at night to roam the forrest. We had to get them back and that was fun and eye opening. Collecting elephants in rain forest is not as I would assume as simple as in the open African plain.
3) wading down the river between villages.
Of course our guides were great and we laughed a lot.
If you time and a bit more money to spend, this is the company you want to organize your trip. The rest of them pale in comparison. If you want McDonalds of tours go to millions of other operators, but if you want a gourmet experience - a great local adventure, away from the generic elephant treks and away from jaded villages who cater to bus loads of 20-year-olds... you found the place.
Written 25 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
redhawkryan8
Charlotte, NC4 contributions
Jul 2013 • Friends
My buddy and I went on a 1 day trek pretty last minute. We worked with Caroline who was very understanding of our needs as well as our interests in what we wanted to see during the trek. We had read great things about Chang and he lived up to the call. To say that Chang is well known along the hiking trails would be to say that Ron Burgundy was a mediocre anchorman. Chang is a legend - we had people stopping along the hike and in the villages to come up and say hi to us and interact, which made the tour that much more special. Our trek was full of adventure and took us through two villages and two waterfalls. We had a specially prepared meal by Chang himself that was delightful and then put on our 4-wheel drive (aka Chang put on shoes with some spikes) and took to the tougher portions of our trek. Service was top notch the whole way and Caroline even gave us some help finding something to do in Chiang Mai during the remaining hours before our flight. After our interactions with others who felt like they were on a tourist trap to buy things in the villages they were taken into, we were even that much more pleased with our choice. Overall, a great experience, that even with paying a little premium , we would still highly recommend.
Written 4 August 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
olenders
London, UK100 contributions
Sept 2013 • Friends
I first came across Trekking Collective a few years ago when I was looking for a company which did private treks involving lots of walking through unspoiled jungle, but without having to do things like elephant rides and bamboo rafting which so often form a major part of the group "treks" offered by many tour companies. What a great chance find they were. I cannot recommend them enough and have recently returned from my fifth trek with Trekking Collective in so many years!
Each time Chang has arrived punctually to take us on a different trail, and on each occasion the jungle and mountain scenery in the Chiang Dao area has been spectacular. I also can't remember having ever seen another tourist on any of the trips we've done, two of which were two day treks involving an overnight jungle stay. Most recently we stayed at the home of the village chief in a very remote tribal village, where we ate a freshly cooked dinner by candlelight surrounded by the sounds of the jungle by night! Over the years, Chang's knowledge of the area, its people, wildlife, plants, and trees have never failed to impress.
Chang and Caroline are a great and very friendly team, and carefully tailor trips to suit their customers' needs and wishes (and the website does mention elephants and rafting if you want to do that!). I always look forward to getting in touch to book another trip, knowing that it will bring new experiences and adventures. Roll on next time!
Each time Chang has arrived punctually to take us on a different trail, and on each occasion the jungle and mountain scenery in the Chiang Dao area has been spectacular. I also can't remember having ever seen another tourist on any of the trips we've done, two of which were two day treks involving an overnight jungle stay. Most recently we stayed at the home of the village chief in a very remote tribal village, where we ate a freshly cooked dinner by candlelight surrounded by the sounds of the jungle by night! Over the years, Chang's knowledge of the area, its people, wildlife, plants, and trees have never failed to impress.
Chang and Caroline are a great and very friendly team, and carefully tailor trips to suit their customers' needs and wishes (and the website does mention elephants and rafting if you want to do that!). I always look forward to getting in touch to book another trip, knowing that it will bring new experiences and adventures. Roll on next time!
Written 21 October 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Do you have Sky and will you have the Wiggins hour cycle record attempt showing on Sunday? I am guess Jason's black Landrover will be following Wiggins with Jason trying to run him over.
Written 16 August 2015
Hi, how can i book a trek with you?
Written 15 February 2015
Hi, how can i book a trek with you?
Written 15 February 2015
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.