Kalaw’s prominence on the tourist circuit is due mainly to the fact that its scenic environs are among the few rural parts of Myanmar you don’t need a permit to trek through. Several well-trodden routes wind between the vegetable fields, orange groves, pine woods and stands of giant bamboo separating the town from the eastern shores of Inle Lake, passing a succession of picturesque minority villages inhabited by Danu and Pa-O people.

Overnight accommodation is in basic village houses or monasteries, giving you an opportunity to experience rural life at close quarters. The routes we favour are all highly varied, and our guides the most experienced in the area. Baggage is transferred by road, so you only need to carry the bare essentials.