First day hike on slippery trail in the tall grass and bushes surrounded by hill evergreen forest plants. Mountains around are all shrouded by mist and clouds. Chiang Dao is quite popular and on long holidays such as newyear days there could be as many as 100 people climbing.
From the trail we saw Ban Narong (Na Lao) Lisu village at a distance. The village could be reached by dirt road. From the Lisu village people could walk to a Karen village called Ban Mae Klong Sai for a home stay. Right: Doi Sam Pi Naung (three sibling hills). On the upper elevations the plant type is close to semi-alpine which is very rare in Thailand. Mountain peaks do not hold any large plants.
The limestone hills you see on the left or to the south-east of you while walking the trail to Doi Luang Chiang Dao. Underneath these mountains maybe the famous Chiang Dao cave complex which is accessable from the Tham Chiang Dao village. At this point we arrived at the first camp called Par Mai Hok, pitched the tents and prepared to cook meal. In the free afternoon we walked around looking for flowers.
Right: Sam Pi Naung peaks still at a distance in the next morning walk. We were walking up and up to the grassy slope of these hills before entering the Chiang Dao valley surrounded by peaks.
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