A typical tour involves a group of six to ten trekkers, a guide and a cook. There will be overnight stays in hilltribe villages, and a hike of four, five, or even ten days. Treks are designed to expose visitors to a variety of hilltribes who typicallay live at various mountain elevations. The Tribal Research Institute in Chiang Mai recognises ten different hilltribes in Thailand, estimating their population at around 550,000. The Professional Guide Association of Chiang Mai meets monthly to issue regular reports to the Tourism Authority of Thailand about individual treks, their problems and successes.
Members also cooperate in setting trek prices.
In the south, sea canoeing and kayaking are drawing more and more visitors equally eager to explore the marvels of the Andaman and to see that they are preserved for future generations.