24 March
IF you have plans to travel to Upper Myanmar and enjoy scenic landscapes with a bit of excitement, the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek is certainly a not-to-bemissed. With the wet season slowly approaching, it is best to take advantage of the current March cool to enjoy the countryside of Myanmar.
Getting to Kalaw
There are several ways to get to Kalaw. There are several buses that goes from Yangon or Mandalay and a few departing from Bagan. The ride takes around 8-9 hours and costs less than $20 one way. There is also the option of flying into Heho airport with a following car-ride will take you to the beautiful town at 1,320 above sea level. The flight usually costs around $180 round trip during off-season. For locals, prices are much cheaper with MMK 15,000 for a one-way bus ticket and around MMK 120,000 for roundtrip flights. The bus and flight tickets can be arranged easily at local supermarkets and travel agents.
The Trek
The trail connects Kalaw to Inle and one can pick either direction. It is also one of the very few treks where foreigners can enjoy the trails without permission. It is highly recommended to go through an existing tour companies which can be found in downtown Kalaw or a simple search on Facebook. The packages usually range from one night, two days to two night, three days with the nights spending in local village homestay. The journeys costs anywhere between MMK 35,000 to MMK 150,000 per person depending on the size of the group and length of the trek and include everything from pick up from the hotel to meals during the trek (not including extra drinks and water). For reference, it is around MMK 35,000 – 40,000 per person to do the one-night, two-day Kalaw to Inle route. The price includes all the meals (drinks are separate) and the boat ride to Inle.
It is recommended to do the one night two days trek if you’re new to this level of physical activity and/or you’re tight on time. But if you are up for the challenge and have a lot of time in Myanmar to see other attractions, the two-night three-day trek is perfect to enjoy scenic upper Myanmar while getting a first-hand experience of local life in the countryside. Sam’s Family Trekking is suggested as it provides wonderful services and speaks great English with friendly guides.
The one-night, two-day trek starts early in the morning at 8 am. The group meets at the tour place where they are introduced to their guide or two if the group is bigger depending on your tour service operator. For the one night two days package, there is usually a one-hour ride before the start of the trek. The first part of the trek takes you through your first village lined up with bamboo huts and brick houses with the harvest outside certain ones waiting to dry. Kids run around the streets chasing each other with their faces painted golden with thanaka- a yellow paste grinded from the barks of the thanaka tree. The chili drying creates a canvas of flaming red reflecting its fiery glory in the sun. A tea break follows before lunch towards the end of the village with local snacks served as an elderly lady demonstrates the art of traditional weaving. Depending on your group and guide, the guide will either eat with you or with the host family. The group then continues through landscapes, wild avocado trees and fields tended by local people before arriving at the lunch spot.
The lunch spread is the perfect fusion of east and west. There are fresh fruits and vegetables with some traditional dish (friend vermicelli or rice) and homemade guacamole (if you go in season). The journey then continues through other scattered villages, rice fields and wild sunflower farms. After a slightly steep climb to a village up, the group can enjoy the sunset view from the top of the mountain. Later, the guide will direct the group to the homestay (or a local monastery) where dinner is served. Dinner is also a fusion with either Shan noodles or rice with stir-fry vegetables. Occasionally, depending on the host and the guide’s preference, there may be French fries. The sleeping arrangement is pretty basic and sometimes, the whole group gets put in the room. The bathroom is a squat-type toilet and is usually an out-house. Make sure you bring your power banks as there is very little electricity to charge everybody’s phone’s and power banks. Most of the village run on solar which is great for environmental sustainability.
The next day starts pretty early with breakfast served around 7:30 and the group ready to go around 8:00 am. The breakfast is simple with instant coffee and French toast or Burmese pancakes. The trail follows the pattern of the previous hikes up and down mountains (this time less steep), weaving through scattered villages and passing lots and lots more fields. Whether you’re taking a two day or three-day trek, you’ll have lunch before taking the boat to Inle. After lunch, you board a longboat through a stilted village with hydroponic tomato farms and commuting villagers. Don’t forget to wave at other tourist boats that pass by as well! The boat ride takes around an hour with a stop at a blacksmith shop before reaching the final destination of Inle. Then it’s time to relax at your hotel in Inle and reminisce about the beautiful landscapes of Shan State OR plan your next trip to Bagan or Maymyo.
By Myat Thu
