kalaw trek

Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek: Your Trekking Kalaw Guide

Kalaw is a small, hill town located in the Shan State. It’s more popularly known as the jumping off point for the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek in Myanmar.

After completing the 3-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake, we created a complete guide that breaks down any questions you have to make sure you are prepared and prepped for the trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake!  

3 Day Trek From Kalaw to Inle Lake

Jump Ahead To:

Getting To Kalaw

Like we said above, Kalaw is a small hilltop town located in Northern Myanmar. Regardless where you are coming from in Myanmar, a bus or a flight will get you to Kalaw.

• Bagan to Kalaw : Bus, Flight ( check prices and timetables)
• Yangon to Kalaw : Overnight bus, Flight ( check prices and timetables )
• Mandalay to Kalaw : Bus, Flight ( check prices and timetables )

It’s also important to arrive into Kalaw the day before your hike. Make sure you get a good night sleep too! You have a lot of walking coming your way.

| Reserve Your Stay in Kalaw at Thitaw II now |

How To Book Your Trek?

You can book your trek directly with a trekking agency once you get into the town of Kalaw. Or, if you are nervous on getting the days you want, reach out to the trekking agency and book ahead of time via phone or email.

You should make a reservation a few days a head of time to ensure you lock in the dates you need. 

Kalaw To Inle Lake Trekking Guide

We decided to book our trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake with  A1 Trekking . 

A1 Trekking was fantastic! Our guide was knowledgeable giving us insight about the villages in the Shan State as well as the flora and fauna of rural Myanmar.

Also, our chef for the trek was amazing! Tasty meals served three times a day. We really were taken care of and the kindness they showed us was typical Myanmar hospitality.

NOTE: After your trek, please tip your guide and chef. Tipping is always appreciated and a welcome financial aid to Myanmar families.

Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek Distance

You have two options when booking your Kalaw treck.

• Option 1 : A 1 night / 2 day trek
• Option 2 :   A 2 night / 3 day trek

For this post, we are talking about the 2 night / 3 day trek as that is what we did 🙂

After the 2 night / 3 day trek is all said and done, you can expect to hike a total of  38 miles (61 kms) from start to finish. Start meaning in Kalaw and finish meaning Nyaungshwe, the township of Inle Lake.

Give or take, you can anticipate to hike on average about 14 miles (22kms) on the first day, 14 miles (23 kms) on the second day and about 10 miles (16 kms) on the third day. 

Kalaw To Inle Lake Trekking Map

Depending on which trekking guide you book with, each trekking company may stop and stay at different villages, but the overall route will be the same.

For us, ours looked a little something like this…

• Day 1 : Kalaw – Ywa Pu Village (22 km / 14 mi)
• Day 2 : Ywa Pu Village – Pattu pauk Village (24kms / 15mi)
• Day 3 : Pattu Pauk Village – Inle Lake Boat Ride – Nyaungshwe (16 km / 10 mi)

Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek Cost

If you are thinking this trek is expensive, you are WRONG. The trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake was actually one of our least expensive days in Myanmar.

The cost per person is $55 USD total  making it average out at about  $18 USD a day.

Please note, that the price could go up or down depending on how many people are in your group. For us, we saved about $5 per person (normal price is $60) for our group of 4. 

What’s Included in The Trekking Kalaw Price?

The $55 a person covers the following in the trekking price:

• All our meals (3 days of meals)
• Two nights of accommodation
• Drinking Water
• Luggage transport from Kalaw to Inle Lake 

What is not included are any additional soft drinks like beer and soda and the boat ride to your accommodation in Nyaungshwe. 

What To Pack For The Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek?

You don’t need to pack a lot and what you pack should be light. The two of us got by just fine with an 18 liter flash pack each.  

Items to pack are as follows:

• 1 pair of hiking pants / hiking shorts
• Fresh change of clothes for sleeping
• 2 moisture wicking shirts
• Trail running shoes
• 2 pairs of socks
• 2 pairs of underwear
• Tooth brush
• Dry-quick towel (to dry your face and hands after a wash)
• Jacket (depending when you trek, it can get pretty cold at night)
• Battery pack (to keep your gadgets charged) 
• First Aid Kit
• Mosquito repellent

Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek Difficulty

This trek can be done by pretty much anyone in decent shape . No steep, constant inclines just gentle hills and majority flat land.

However, the days are long. If you have hip or knee issues , please know you will be on your feet for 7+ hours a day. If you are concerned, we suggest investing in hiking poles to help alleviate the stress from your joints.

About The Trek From Kalaw To Inle Lake

The trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake is a great way to get out into the hilly countryside of the Shan State of Myanmar. You’ll be away from the bustling cities and surrounded by nature. A welcome break after spending several days in Yangon and Mandalay .

Overall, you can expect to see beautiful scenery and kind, smiley villagers. You’ll pass through lush jungles, over rolling hills, ridge lines and farm lands. The landscape is so diverse and what you see over three days is just a treat for your eyes.

Day 1: Kalaw – Ywa Pu Village (22 km / 14 mi)

Rise and shine, it’s trekking time! We met our guide at the A1 Trekking Office and we we’re off hiking at 8:30am . There were 5 in our group – 4 hikers and 1 guide.

We started hiking through lush forests and mountain villages where we were greeted by children rushing from their houses. Friendly smiles and hellos and a bit of curiosity all rolled into one fantastic greeting! 

Before we knew it, it was time to stop for lunch. A beautiful pit stop overlooking hillsides as we ate noodle soup.

After an hour or so of rest, we were back hiking down hillsides, over railroad tracks until we reached Myin Daik Train Station . Another resting point where we sipped some tea and watched trains come and go and local vendors selling their days harvest.

After our rest at Myin Daik Train Station, we carried on to reach out resting place for the night, Ywa Pu Village. We ate our first dinner and settled into our bamboo hut for a much needed nights rest.

Day 2: Ywa Pu Village – Pattu Pauk Village (24kms / 15mi)

You’ll be woken around sunrise to the the sound of the village coming alive. From roosters to friendly neighbors banter, there is no sleeping in on this trek.

Your second day of trekking is filled with the sight of local people tending their crops, herding livestock and preparing goods to be sold such as scarfs, dried spicy peppers and coffee beans.

You’ll pass water buffalo and cows and the occasion rickety truck steaming down an unpaved, bumpy road before reaching Pattu Pauk Village , where you’ll rest for the night.

You’ll in a families bamboo huts where you’ll sleep on mats, use outdoor toilets and if you so wish to shower, grab yourself a bucket and get refreshed with cold bucket showers!

Day 3: Pattu Pauk Village – Nyaungshwe

Your last and final day, the push to Inle Lake. Your 3rd trekking day is the shortest day (whew!).

Just like yesterday morning, you’ll wake and have breakfast before setting off on your hike. You’ll hike for a few hours until you reach the Inle Lake Zone where a payment is required to access the area further.

TIP: The Inle Lake entrance fee cost $10 USD. Make sure you have USD on you not Myanmar Kyatt.

After you pay your entrance fee, off you head towards Tone Le Village. It is here where you’ll break for lunch and say your final goodbyes.

After lunch, and at the end of your 38 mile trek , you’ll arrive on the banks of Inle Lake. Your guide will flag a boat down and have that boat take you to your accommodation, which more than likely will be on the northern side of Inle Lake – where Nyaungshwe is located.

Again, the boat ride is not included in your trekking fee so expect to pay the driver before you board.

Arriving in Nyaungshwe

Cruising on Inle Lake to your accommodation is a spectacular way to end the trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake! You get to sit back and rest those feet as the teak boat powers you through the freshwater of Inle Lake.

You’ll see fisherman catching fish and be amazed and the tall lake grass that sparkles among the days sun. The lake is surrounded by hills that perfectly cup the magnificent Inle Lake.

After about a 30-45 minute ride, you’ll arrive in Nyaungshwe where your next adventure begins, exploring Inle Lake !

Long story short, the three days you’ll spend trekking in Myanmar will be something you soon wont regret. Enjoy!

Where To Stay In Kalaw Before Your Trek

• For The Budget Conscious:  Golden Lily Guest House is a rustic hill town accommodation in Kalaw. The breakfast is good and each rooms has a balcony that give you some pretty views. Perfect for a one night stay before your trek. 
• For The Luxury Inclined:  If you are looking for a colonial home with amazing views, clean and friendly staff and an amazing environment, look no further that Hillock Villa . 
• For Something In Between: Thitaw II has a way of making you feel like you stayed in a gem location without paying for the gem location price. It’s quaint, cozy and run by a staff who is an absolute pleasure.

Where To Stay in Inle Lake After Your Trek

For The Budget Conscious:  The Exotic Inn  is a quaint family-run inn that offers free bike rentals and complimentary breakfast for its guests. To it’s clean rooms and comfy beds, you really can’t find a better bang for your buck at Inle Lake.

For The Luxury Inclined:   ViewPoint Ecolodge  is a the true definition of a spectacular hotel. A water-front oasis, this ecolodge comes equipped with exceptional service, a pool and private balconies. Truly a luxury stay on Inle Lake.

For Something In Between:  The name says it all,  Hotel Amazing Nyaung Shwe  is just that, amazing! Boasting a beautiful terrace and gardens, Hotel Amazing Nyaung Shwe is a great pick for your Inle Lake holiday.

WANT MORE INFORMATION ON MYANMAR?!

5 Great Things To Do In Inle Lake

9 Things You Must See & Do In Yangon, Myanmar

6 Things To Experience and Do In Mandalay, Myanmar

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For more travel tips, guides and awesome travel shots, be sure to poke around our site, follow us on Instagram  @wanderingstus ,  Pinterest  and on  Facebook . Oh, and if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section. We’re happy to answer. Or, just leave us a positive note!

Happy Travels,

– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stüs)

We're Lauren & Jesse, the creators behind Wandering Stus! We've been traveling for decades, exploring and experiencing the very best this world has to offer. Whether we're roadtripping the U.S. in our camper, hiking through National Parks, or jet-setting to different countries around the globe, we write detailed travel guides to help you plan one amazing (and unforgettable) adventure!

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Trekking in Kalaw - Trekking Itineraries

Why kalaw for me.

• 1-day trekking option
• 2-day trekking option
• More than 2-day trekking option

When to Trek in Kalaw and How to Prepare

Be prepared both mentally and physically, have an open mind and respect the local culture.

If you are already at the stage of planning a trekking trip in Myanmar, "trekking in Kalaw" is a phrase that might keep popping up on your search results. At 1,320 meters above sea level, Kalaw was the hill station where the British fled to escape the hot plains of Myanmar. Will it be part of your Myanmar trip and if so, what should you expect? This article should help you plan a well-rounded trekking trip in Kalaw.

Mild climate, colorful landscapes, interesting local lifestyles and the chance to meet local minority people going about their daily lives; if all these are things that interest you, Kalaw is definitely going to be a candidate for your itinerary.

Kalaw is within easy reach of Inle Lake, only an hour's drive from the starting point. Kalaw is known as one of the few places you can trek without permission and is also one with a wide diversity of experiences, given its different footpaths.

Travelers often add a trekking trip of 1 or 2 days to their stay at Inle Lake, hoping to enrich their Myanmar travel experience. Such a trek takes you around some small villages and mountains. For experienced trekkers, less than 3 days may just seem too insipid. Overnighting at a local home or monastery, setting off early in the morning and trekking for 6 hours nonstop are all optional features of a trek.

You don't have to be immensely fit to trek as long as you choose the right route. Below is a taste of what we can offer.

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1-day trekking option: good for travelers in general

Morning pick-up at your hotel in Kalaw and trek along the 9 km road to a village named Taryaw, home to the Palaung people. The Palaung are good at building long houses, where up to 8 generations live together under one roof.

After exploring the village and a simple lunch, take a different road back to Kalaw. On the way, travelers can have a dip in the cool water of a stream in the jungle. Be back to the hotel before evening. Add another hour if you start from a hotel at Inle Lake.

2-day trekking option: good for travelers with more than 10 days in Myanmar

A 2-day option can also start with either Kalaw or Inle Lake. Get up early on the first day to visit a local market near Kalaw. This on-land market might not the focus of as much hubbub as the floating ones in Inle Lake, but it may be a good start to ease you into local life.

Start a 20-km trek to the Danu and Pa O communities, which will probably take 6 hours. Lunch will be some basic local cuisine, such as noodle soup and Burmese pancakes prepared in a local dinette. Stay overnight in a village home in Pa O village, after a homemade dinner. Sleeping arrangements are just basic – a bed, a pillow and mosquito net – but that's enough for a good night's sleep.

We advise you to turn in early, as the next day will involve another adventurous trekking journey in the Shan mountains; about 10 km long, and taking 4 to 5 hours depending on your physical condition. It ends at a jetty, where you hop on a boat back to Inle Lake.

More than 2-day trekking option: good for travelers who are up for the challenge

Trekking trips of more than 2 days always start in Kalaw. A textbook outline for a multi-day trek is described below. The first day starts with an easy trek of 2 hours to Lupyin village, a peaceful home to the Pa O people. A short visit in Lupyin is followed by another 1-hour trek to Sharpin village, where you have lunch in a monastery with local monks.

The trekking pace slows down in the afternoon, and it might take you 3 hours to reach your night-base, a monastery in Nanthalathe village. Your trekking guide will take you to a hilltop to observe the sunset before your host monk calls you back for dinner.

Wake up on the second day to the monks' early-morning chanting in the monastery. Bawhinnkone village 8 km away, awaits your visit. It is a big village with over 300 houses and you will talk to one of the Pa O elders to learn about the daily lives of the people.

Compared to Bawhinnkone, the neighboring Konehla village is quieter, a nice place for your lunch and a nap. Afterwards, carry on to Htethein village, passing through bamboo forest and a Danu village called Pat Hto Puk. Have dinner and spend the night at a local home.

The trek becomes more varied on the third day, as you are already used to the mountain trails. Spend 2 hours on the rugged road to Kyauksu village, where you meet some shy but friendly dwellers. The trek ends after a simple lunch in the village and you will then be taken to Indien village by Inle Lake. A boat trip to visit the famous pagoda complex in Indien may be possible, if time allows.

Luckily Inle Lake is a mecca for leisure vacationers. After 3 days of trekking, you won't need to feel guilty adding at least one extra day doing nothing, apart from sitting in the porch of your riverfront cottage.

Kalaw enjoys a relatively cool climate compared with other places in Myanmar and it is possible to trek there all year round. That said, the dry season from October to April is the most pleasant time to organize your trekking trip in Kalaw. Below are some specific tips for trekking in Kalaw.

Don't expect too much luxury. Village homes are only endowed with simple bedding and food, the bathroom is clean but in Asian style, with squat-type toilets and only rarely a tap-water shower. To allow yourself time to recover from the walking, add some extra days afterwards at Inle Lake or at a beach resort.

Choose your route smartly

Evaluate your physical condition carefully before you set your mind on a trekking tour. It's wise not to be too ambitious as a first-timer. We always suggest a 1-day trek if you are new to the country. You might like to talk to our travel advisors, to discover your best option.

Explore similar itineraries: 9-Day Myanmar Highlights Tour 14-Day Myanmar and Thailand Essence Tour

There will be times when you need to turn to the locals for help; whether it's your trekking guide or your home-stay host. Traveling on the less-beaten tracks of Kalaw exposes you to some utterly different lifestyles and cultures.

When entering a religious site, take off your footwear and wear a longyi (a skirt-like stole). At meals in local homes, wait for the elders to start. It helps to be open-minded. After all, you are looking for special experiences in a different culture in the first place, aren't you?

Want to add a trekking trip in Kalaw to your Myanmar holiday? Check out our sample tour 16-Day Myanmar Tour in Depth

Visit Myanmar with Asia Highlights

We provide tailor-made tours to Myanmar. Tours typically start or end in Yangon or Mandalay and last approximately 9 days; visiting Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake.

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Trekking From Kalaw To Inle Lake In Myanmar

• Last Updated: November 12, 2016

Everything you need to know about the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek in Myanmar.

As the convoy of buffalo quietly approached, I was forced to shuffle my way off the compressed soil trail to avoid a collision. Only metres from the path the earth dropped steeply, rocks tumbling their way to the valley floor. I kept one eye on the nearing cattle and the other on the land’s edge.

Rising up in the distance were rounded peaks from mountains and flowing hills, casting vast shadows across the farmland. The ethnic Shan lady guiding the buffalo smiled and nodded her appreciation for my necessary movement allowing her to pass. I smiled back and drew a deep breath of the unpolluted rural air.

In a nation that has been oppressed for decades, the stretch of land from Kalaw to Inle Lake still seems like an old-world paradise, free from the political turmoils and frustrations found elsewhere in Myanmar. I hope the smiling Burmese lady feels the same.

The unassuming country town of Kalaw has rapidly become a tourist hotspot in the developing Buddhist nation of Myanmar. Only 60km from the town’s heart lies the immensely popular Inle Lake, where images conjure of solitary fisherman balancing on one leg as they cast nets across the water, wrapping their other leg around an oar to propel themselves forward.

As Myanmar quickly opens up to tourism and the number of foreigners visiting exponentially increases every month, the trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake is growing in popularity.

Beginning your trek from the centre of town, you slowly gain altitude as you work your way up towards the elevated plains above Kalaw. Mountains and valleys stretch their way across the landscape. A slight haze softens the view from the dust kicked up by centuries of unaltered agricultural industry.

As you trek through indigenous Shan villages bemused children run out from behind bamboo houses to prod and gaze at the foreign human traffic making their way from Kalaw to Inle Lake. Nights are spent on thin, yet comfortable, mattresses in the stilted homes of village elders.

The food is meticulously prepared to be nourishing, traditional and surprisingly delectable. Noodles, fried vegetables, fresh fish and chicken make up the staple diet and the local chefs are always excited to allow tourists to experience the best Shan fare on offer.

Rest periods between hiking are spent playing games with the local children, using whatever improvised toys are available. A humble sandal can provide hours of entertainment for the kids who have never had access to the internet, television or video games. Life is much simpler up in the mountains between Kalaw and Inle Lake. It is a beautiful thing to observe.

As you approach the final destination of Inle Lake, the descent is rapid and excitement levels peak. Your first glance of the immense lake is unforgettable as it protrudes between thinly-leafed trees like a shimmering mirror haphazardly placed on the bucolic terrain.

Finally launching off on a narrow, timber boat, aimed for the far end of Inle Lake is a glorious feeling. Putting in the physical effort to reach the picturesque reservoir is a rewarding experience, especially as you reflect on the bewitching scenery you passed through to get there. Trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake is one of the most memorable adventures you can undertake in Myanmar , and indeed in all of Southeast Asia.

Our Three Day, Two Night Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek

After our epic trek in Hsipaw , we had a strong thirst for more adventure. Taking on the three day, two night trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake was next up on our ideal unplanned itinerary for Myanmar, and we were going to make sure we didn’t miss out!

After we checked into our accommodation in Kalaw , we went looking for the best trekking companies in town. We had heard a lot about Sam’s Family Restaurant and his high-quality trekking tours, so we dropped in to talk to Uncle Sam himself. He instilled a lot of confidence in us about his operation and we left feeling good about trekking with him.

Naturally we then checked with a few other companies in town, but didn’t have the same positive relationship that we had developed with Uncle Sam. We decided it would be his company we would trust to take us to Inle Lake.

Check out our article on the money situation in Myanmar.

Our guide, Chosu, was a great young Shan lady who spoke near-perfect English. Our experience with her was that although she was very affable, knowledgeable and caring, she was still just a young girl (maybe 20) who was more concerned with her daily life, constantly on her mobile phone.

Whenever we asked her questions she happily put her phone down and chatted away with great enthusiasm, but always went straight back to her cell phone. Still this didn’t really alter our impression of her. Which 20-year-old girl anywhere in the world wouldn’t be the same?

The food was incredible and we were never short of dishes to eat. In the villages we stayed or ate in we were always welcomed into neighbour’s houses to drink fresh green tea with them. They never asked for money and were always up for a laugh.

Playing games with the children was without a doubt a highlight. Their zest for life, despite living in conditions that Westerners may find below adequate, was inspiring. The local indigenous population always wore a smile and seemed genuinely curious in us.

Our trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake is still to this day one of the main highlights of our trip in Southeast Asia. Definitely put a few days aside in your schedule so you can complete the hike yourself.

Can You Do The Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek Independently?

We met an Argentinian man who did not have much money, and as such couldn’t afford the cost of a guide. With an adventurous spirit, he opted to do the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek independently. He copied down a map of the area he saw in a restaurant from memory, and headed off with just his backpack and some cash on him.

Our friend managed to reach Inle Lake with little problems. Whenever he got lost he would ask a local farmer for directions to the next village, and they happily pointed him in the right direction. At night he simply walked into a town and asked for a place to stay. People would direct him to a registered homestay where he could pay for food and board.

The trails are meandering and confusing, obviously with no signage. Trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake independently is definitely possible, although it would be a difficult undertaking if you have no experience with this kind of thing. Our friend perhaps got lucky with how things worked out for him, so think long and hard before you choose to do this yourself.

Also the option of simply staying in anyone’s house in not possible due to government regulations. Local people can get in A LOT of trouble for housing foreigners illegally. Take this into account before you set off from Kalaw and go knocking on a stranger’s door.

Need accommodation for Inle Lake? Click here to check to book through Agoda.com

[box type=”info” size=”large” style=”rounded” border=”full”] Have you done the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek? Let us know what you thought of it by commenting below. [/box]

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Hey guys, sounds awesome! We’re already booked to go straight to inle lake. Do you know if you can go the other way? (Lake to kalaw?)

Hi Jenny, you probably can. When you get to Inle Lake just ask a tour agent and they may be able to help. Have a great trip.

So between the Hsipaw trek and Kalaw trek, which did you prefer? Thanks!

I think the Kalaw trek. Both were nice but maybe that one more. 🙂

So fantastics pictures, extremely it’s difficult to describ it, yet it’s an excess of brilliant this nature.

Because of offer with your movement enchantment.

Thank you so much.

40k (24 dollars) for 2 nights, 3 days , guide and food? Seems very cheap. Am i missing something? Thanks!

Hi Ticiano, this article was from 2016 and prices may have changed. There was a large group of us also so the price is cheaper then also. If you are only one person, the price will be a lot more expensive.

Thanks for great sharing! I was in Myanmar 4 years ago , about 2014. I had an amazing experience in Golden Rock. I and my husband were transferred by a truck to the top of mountain where the Rock is located! Oh my God, my heart seemed to be jumped out of my chest. There have so many road curves while the driver drove quite fast. I and some girls shout loudly because of frightening and yes, a bit excitement; while men are get extremly excited with the road!!! Anway, we reached the top safely in the end and had an nice day there. Thanks God !!! Have you been Golden Rock? Come and enjoy! :)) Unforgetable experience!!!!

Hi Kara, What an awesome experience. We never got to the Golden Rock. Our visit was expiring and we had to rush back to the Thailand border. We will have to go back to Myanmar and explore it more.

Uncle Sam was great! This was the highlight of our Myanmar trip!

I remember the towns on the way had just gotten electricity when went in late 2014

Hi Adam, I think they did too when we were there. It is a gorgeous place of Myanmar. 🙂

Awesome post!!! My wife and I have just arrived in Myanmar and we are definitely doing this trail in a few days. Cheers!

So awesome Ricardo. We hope you have an amazing time. 🙂

Hello, Thanks so so much for insightful and mesmerizing write-up. While I’m reading it, I feel like I’m with you guys travelling along. I, myself as a Burmese, and I like trekking but I am lost within my own country probably because I’m overseas for a decade. I am so interested to go for this trekking after my “ride behind the Kalaw” (not sure you heard before it is recently gained popularity among local bikers). Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am now decided to also go for trekking from Kalaw to Inle. Btw, where do you guys head to after arrived at Inle?

Thank you so much for the compliment. We loved this area of Myanmar. After Inle Lake we headed to Bagan. We really enjoyed the hike. All the best and have fun on the hike when you do it. 🙂

I walked Kalaw-Inle lake, on my own, without a guide in February 2017. I downloaded the track from wikiloc to my GPS, and had no problems whatsoever. Without a GPS it would be more difficult (though not impossible), and you would be forced to walk on the gravel road. With GPS you just follow the track you have downloaded, and thus I walked on trails similar to those on guided tours, except I chose to walk the entire trail in two instead of three days.

That’s awesome. Thank you for sharing.

May I ask where you stopped and stayed during the night?

Sorry Robert, it was so long ago and we can’t remember the exact names. Our guide picked them out one a night. We stayed in local houses.

Hi, when did you do the Trek? and how where the temperatures?

We did this trek back in 2014. Sorry I can’t remember the month. The temperatures were not too bad maybe on the warm side during the days. We slept in homestays along the way and were warm at night.

So bummed we didn’t do this on our Myanmar trip…

Next time…… ; ) Hope you guys had a blast in Myanmar.

Hello, We are planning a trip to Myanmar and your posts are very helpful. Regarding the trek, do you know if there are also options for a one-day or two-day trek? How does that work? Where do you start? Do you still do the last part down to Inle Lake? OR do you strongly recommend the three-day trek? Thanks, Josh

You can do shorter tours or longer ones if you are interested. Chat to the people at the tour companies to organise it and work out routes. Sorry we can’t help you more Josh.

While doing the trek, do you bring all your stuff with you? Hoping someone takes care of it, because I’d love to do this but I have mild scoliosis.

Hi, Erica. You stay in local guesthouses so all you need is your clothing snd toiletries. The guesthouse provide all the blankets for sleeping and your food. It was a great hike.

Hey guys. Love the blog! Currently in Bagan and considering trekking from Kalaw to Inle. We have pretty hefty rucksacks with us though. Is there any way around this? Perhaps to take our day bags and have our main bags brought to Inle?

Pretty sure Uncle Sam can get your bags delivered Heather 🙂

We are going to Myanmar at the end of September. Do you know how hot it will be and how strenuous the trekking is? We will do 10 miles 2 days and 6 the last.

Not too sure on the weather Karen. Maybe check Google. The trekking wasn’t too strenuous.

HI guys! Thanks for the easy link to all your Myanmar posts, these are great! One question, we would love to do the Kalaw to Inle Lake Hike – – we just have a tonne of gear and pretty big packs for a 3 day hike! – Did you carry it all with you? or were there options to transport some of it with the Uncle Sam’s trekking? THANKS!

Hey Dorene and Troy. Uncle Sam’s will transport your luggage for you (for a fee, I think).

Nice post! I think trekking with local guides is a great way to contribute to the community. Bookmarking this for when I’m in Myanmar 🙂

Thanks Natasha! Definitely something you should not miss out when you get to Myanmar. You will love it there! 😀

Great post! We did the trek with Eversmile in late 2013 and LOVED it. It was one of our favourite travel experiences to date and quite frankly life-changing. The local kids were so amazing!

Awesome to hear you had a great experience with Eversmile. We have had heard good things about them since we left Myanmar. I agree that it definitely a life-changing experience. Travelling to Myanmar in itself is incredible! Thanks for reading, Petra. Happy travels! 😀

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Epicure & Culture

Food, wine & culture for the ethical traveler

Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake: A Beautiful & Culturally Immersive Adventure

By Ryan Chan. This guide to hiking to Inle Lake from Kalaw contains affiliate links to trusted partners!

Interested in trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake ? Then you’re in the right place!

Myanmar, also known as Burma, is a culturally rich country located in South East Asia.

Beyond the ancient city of Bagan, renowned for its immense archeological site filled with thousands of well-preserved pagodas and temples, the other most traveled area is Inle Lake.

However, instead of simply taking a bus straight there, you can discover the local villages and tribes through a 3-day trek.

This hike from Kalaw to Inle Lake brings you through the local tribes and their farmlands where you will sleep amongst the local homes.

Having done this Myanmar trek myself with my partner Nan, I wanted to share how we did it as well as the incredible experiences we had along the way.

Lace up your hiking boots, and let’s dive into our guide to hiking in Myanmar!

Table of Contents

Why The Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek Is Special

Kalaw to Inle Lake is one of the most famous hikes in the Shan State region. If you’re interested in Burma trekking, it should definitely be on your list.

What makes it so unique is that you get to see the authentic Myanmar that most others do not see.

Since Myanmar is quite impoverished, there is little tourism infrastructure in this area.

Instead though, through community initiatives and cooperation with local farmers, you have the opportunity through this hike to visit these villages that would otherwise be impossible to visit.

For example, Bagan has become a central point of tourism so the opportunity to see the true local life there is significantly reduced.

Beyond the scenery and culture, you will also experience the true local cuisine. Myanmar is incredibly diverse in agriculture and grows some of the freshest fruits. These include avocados, dragon fruits, pears, watermelons, and much more – making the Kalaw Inle Lake trek not only a cultural adventure but also a culinary journey!

Where To Stay When Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake

The trek starts from the town of Kalaw, located high up in the mountains of Central Myanmar.

Kalaw has many basic accommodations ranging from hotels to guesthouses. Everything here is within walking distance. Here are a couple of great options:

• 🛏️ Hillock Villa
• 🏨 Hinode Hotel
• 🛎️ Full Moon Guesthouse

➡️ You can click here to view local Kalaw hotels and homestays .

Or you can view this Kalaw accommodation map :

Kalaw is a fairly small town and most of it can be walked.

Tour companies are also located here so you can easily go and visit them in person in order to choose which company to embark with.

In order to get to Kalaw, you can take a bus from Bagan which takes around 6-7 hours. If you are in Yangon, there are also buses that take you to Kalaw in around 5 hours. These bus tickets can be booked with your hotel or local travel agency once you arrive in town.

The accommodation for the rest of the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek will be arranged by your tour guide. You will be staying in local homes so you will not be able to book these lodgings yourself.

Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek Logistics

Now let’s go over some important things to know when you trek Kalaw to Inle Lake.

Best time to do the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek

The best time to do the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek is during their dry season, which runs from November to February. This is the time after their monsoon season of June to October so your chance of getting rained on is minimal.

After the month of February, the temperature can get quite hot and the air dusty which would not be ideal for hiking.

We went at the beginning of February and had perfect weather. We did notice though that the grass and landscapes were more dry as the temperatures were rising.

Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek length

The total trek is around 55-60 kilometers (34-37 miles) long depending on the route taken.

This Myanmar trek can be done as a 1, 2, or 3 day hike. We did the 3-day trek and had the chance to sleep 2 nights in a local village and visit Inle Lake.

If you do the 2-day hike, you will take car transport for 40 minutes to reach a further starting point before continuing on the trail to Inle Lake.

If you opt for the 1-day option, then you will be hiking from Kalaw to a village called Ywar Thit to see the Palaung Tribe. After spending lunch there, you will return to Kalaw and not go to Inle Lake.

It’s highly recommended to spend the full 3 days hiking Kalaw to Inle Lake. There is a lot to see and experience each day!

Trekking to Inle Lake difficulty

Although every day of the Kalaw to Inle Lake hike you will be walking a long distance of about 20 kilometers (12 miles), we would consider the trek easy to moderately difficult.

Most of the hike is fairly flat with some hills, and the path itself does not have too many obstacles.

You will also be taking several breaks and the highly nutritious meals will provide you with a lot of energy.

If you are fairly active and can walk around a city for an entire day, then this hike should not be too difficult for you.

How to choose a tour company for your trek

There are several tour companies that offer the Kalaw to Inle Lake hike. It is recommended to at least start communicating with them prior to your arrival so you can learn about what they offer and they can be aware that you may potentially join them.

Overall the pricing of each agency is not significantly different. The cost of a 3-day tour all-inclusive is around $60 USD per person, which is very affordable. If you are a larger group, then the price may go even lower.

To choose your tour company, I recommend first messaging them and seeing how much information they provide you. The ones that you have a good feeling about, go in person to meet with them. Preferably select a company with not too many people.

The agency we went with, Ko Min Trekking , was a maximum of 10 people; however, we joined their Kalaw trek to Inle Lake with another couple we met on the bus, and we asked if we could be our own group of 4.

The owner agreed and we felt this helped improve our experience. We had a lot more time with the guide and as a smaller group, felt we integrated better in the Myanmar villages.

Some tours also offer staying in a monastery. You can decide whether that is of interest to you.

Also, check the reviews of the company and ask what type of food is included. As you can see from our recap, the food we had was both delicious and plentiful.

Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake cost

Each tour company will have their own rates but the prices do not vary significantly. With Ko Min Trekking, they charge $35 USD per person per day if you are a solo traveler with a guide.

However, if you are 2-4, the price drops to $20 USD per person, per day.

For 5-10 people, the price is $15 USD per person, per day.

We were a group of 4 so we paid $60 per person all-inclusive for the 3 days. This is an amazing value as it includes the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek guide, the food, and the lodging.

Things to do in Kalaw

If you have a day or two in Kalaw, there are a couple of activities that we would recommend. The town is fairly small so most of it is accessible on foot.

One of the most memorable experiences we had was visiting a local bar called Hi Snacks & Drinks . That bar is located in a narrow space with a long U-shaped bar table.

This means you will be sitting close to and facing a lot of locals. There was also a local who took out his guitar and got everybody to sing along.

The owner was very kind to us and shared some of the food his wife had prepared for him. The drinks are also good and reasonably priced.

For some spiritual exploration, there are two monasteries in the city. The Thein Taung Monastery and the Shwe Oo Min Monastery . They are a short walk from the center of the town so you can take a quick look.

If you would like to start warming up for the Kalaw to Inle Lake hike, then you can trek up to the Kalaw City view . From there, you get a beautiful view of the entire town of Kalaw as well as the surrounding mountains.

Otherwise, just relax and unwind. Enjoy the mountain views and drink tea! You will be embarking on a tiring 3 days of hiking after!

Where is Inle Lake?

Inle Lake is situated in the Shan State, which is in the eastern part of Myanmar. It is known for its stunning natural beauty, unique stilted villages, and the traditional leg-rowing fishermen who navigate the lake’s waters – a true highlight of the trek!

What is the altitude of Inle Lake?

In terms of the Inle Lake altitude, it sits at about 880 meters (2,900 feet) above sea level.

Inle Lake trekking map

For a visual of the hike, click here for a Kalaw to Inle Lake trekking map that showcases the route and villages along the way.

Keep in mind, if going with a trekking company you won’t necessarily need a map as your guide will handle getting the group safely from Kalaw to Inle Lake.

Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake Day 1

The first day of trekking begins at your hotel in Kalaw . You will be picked up at 8:30 a.m. and begin hiking to the starting spot. Depending on the tour agency you go with, the starting locations and trail may vary.

With Ko Min Trekking, they have access to their own trail which is advertised as “off the beaten track”. We can happily report that during the entire 3-day trek, the only time we encountered another group was during the first afternoon after departing from Kalaw.

Ko Min trekking will bring you along their mapped route so if you book with a different agency, the villages and scenery may vary slightly.

The starting point of the first day is a very old train station. There you can see the railway tracks, the old mechanisms used to signal and direct the trails, as well as the overall structure of the station. After spending 15 minutes there, you depart into the forest.

During your first day, you will hike a total of about 20 kilometers (12 miles) through six local villages.

The trail is mostly flat with some ups and downs so don’t worry too much about the long distance. You will have the opportunity to walk through many of the local villages and agriculture fields where they grow most of the fruits and vegetables of Myanmar.

We had several opportunities to interact and converse with the locals and learn about their lives there. Most locals do not speak English so we were very glad to have our guide as a translator.

After trekking through the forest portion, you will end up in an expanse of hilly agricultural lands.

The first stop will be at Myinmahti Village for lunch. This was our first highlight of the trek. Although the restaurant itself was more of a roadside mom-and-pop tent with a kitchen, the food was absolutely delightful.

They brought us plate after plate of fresh fruits as well as a bowl of noodles with stir-fried chicken and peanuts.

Our table was covered with plates of dragon fruit, fresh and perfectly ripe avocados, and oranges. Honestly, we have never had fruit as good as there!

After making a short stop at a cave with shrines and pagodas, we proceeded through a few more villages towards our destination, Khonehla Village . There stood a thatched house where we would be spending the night.

Trekking here is a true cultural immersion, and your accommodations also reflect this. You sleep where the locals sleep, in the same type of bed and lodging.

There was a small mattress on the ground with a bug net covering it. The bathroom was located outside in a small shed. And by a bathroom, it’s more like a hole in the ground. To brush your teeth, you go to the local well to get fresh water.

There was also no electricity so the only thing to light our meal and path was our flashlights. We were truly in the countryside of Myanmar.

Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake Day 2

Waking up early as the sunlight streamed through the bamboo slat walls, we were excited to enjoy another full breakfast.

With a tomato avocado salad, dragon fruits, bananas, watermelons, cucumbers, and grapes, this meal definitely did not disappoint.

On the second day, we hiked through another four villages for a total distance of 20 kilometers (12 miles). The scenery became more mountainous and dry and we got to go closer into the agricultural fields.

There we would frequently see the villagers plowing the land with their buffalos, old grandmothers tending to the gardens with a little baby tightly strapped to their backs, and several children playing about.

At lunch, we stopped by one of the villages and all the villagers gathered to see us. We learned about their life and customs and even had the opportunity to try on their local wedding dress.

Since the town is quite poor, each villager contributes to the attire of the marriage. The headpiece comes from one person, the dress from another, the accessory from another, the shoes from another.

They pool all their resources together and share in order to host a wedding. It was heartwarming to be so openly welcomed into their home.

We ended our second day at Ngoat Village to sleep at a local’s home. After dark, we hiked slightly outside of the village to gaze at the endless sky of stars. There, without any light pollution, it was absolutely spectacular seeing the millions of twinkly stars.

Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake Day 3

On your last day of the trek, you will need to hike a shorter distance of 17 kilometers (10.6 miles).

Along the way, you will have the chance to visit a local sugar cane farm and see how they process it.

It was incredible to see how as they cooked the sugar cane, and the amount of sweet smoke that rose into the air.

By lunch, you will arrive at Pwasargone Village , which is the final stop.

Here you will enjoy one final delicious meal before embarking on the one-hour boat ride into Inle Lake. There you will get to see the impressive floating villages of Myanmar.

Inle Lake is comprised of several communities that established their villages on top of the water. Their houses are built on stilts to raise them above the lake and all their transport is by means of canoes and boats along the narrow waterways.

Another characteristic of this area is how the fishermen steer their boats with one leg wrapped around one oar while their other arm throws the fishing net – which is incredible to be able to witness firsthand!

Kalaw To Inle Lake Trekking Tips

Now that you know what the Inle Lake trekking experience is like, let’s go over some important tips to keep in mind:

1. Book your Kalaw to Inle trek once you arrive in Kalaw. The agencies there have multiple guides and are always ready to create a new trekking tour group. Also, we met a few people along the bus ride to Kalaw and decided to join the tour together.

2. The pricing of the hike changes depending on how many people you are. At the time of our hike, 1 person costs $35 USD per person per day. If we are 2-4 people, then the price goes down to $20 USD per person per day. If you are 5-10 people, then it goes down to $15 USD per person per day.

As you can see, the price changes quite drastically as you add on more people so try to join in with at least one other couple.

3. We recommend going with a small group. When we went, it was only us two with another couple and we had a wonderful experience.

Since trekking and accommodation are so local, being in a larger group can detract from the cultural experience. We spoke with another group who were 12-15 people and it sounded like a disaster.

4. We highly recommend doing the full 3-day hike to Inle Lake. Staying the night at the local houses was one of the most immersive cultural experiences and allowed us to really see how life is there.

5. Realize that you will not have the usual accommodation comforts. This means that the bathroom, brushing your teeth, dinner table, and bed are likely different than what you are accustomed to. Keep an open mind and you will love the experience!

What To Pack When Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek

1. Toilet paper. It will usually not be provided to you so bring some along or make sure to ask the trekking company if they provide it.

2. Headlamp . The Kalaw to Inle Lake hike brings you to the local villages where they mostly do not have electricity. For that reason, it is important to bring a headlamp and/or flashlight. There are times at night when you need to brush your teeth, go to the bathroom, or just find your room, so it is key to have a battery-powered light source.

3. Bug spray . You are in the farming fields so there are oftentimes mosquitoes. This is particularly true if you are walking around the village at night like we did to see the stars.

4. Rain jacket . Although it is the dry season, it is always better to be prepared.

5. Insulated jacket . You will be in the mountains and in the villages where there is no source of heat. I brought a North Face puffer jacket and actually used it quite often in the evenings.

6. Hiking shoes or hiking boots . Although the trail itself is not too challenging, you will be walking A LOT so make sure you have a comfortable pair of hiking shoes/boots. Also, make sure that you have broken them in already as you definitely do not want to get blisters along the way.

7. Trekking poles . Our tour company supplied them to us but we needed to ask them. Although not mandatory, having hiking poles helps to relieve pressure from your knees and back.

Myanmar Travel Insurance

Before visiting Myanmar, it’s important to get travel insurance. Of course, you never think something will go wrong, but it always can – especially when you’re being active.

One top provider recommendation is  SafetyWing  as they’ve got a large network and offer both short-term and long-term coverage — including coverage if you’re traveling for months as well as limited coverage in your home country.

Additionally, SafetyWing is budget-friendly and offers $250,000 worth of coverage with just one low overall deductible of $250.

Click here to price out travel insurance for your trip in just a few clicks .

Final Thoughts On Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek

Our Kalaw to Inle Lake trek was one of the highlights of our trip to Myanmar. After having explored the innumerable pagodas and temples of Bagan, it was a very nice change to discover the local countryside.

Not only is this trek affordable, but you will also learn so much about Myanmar culture and get to experience their amazing food.

Getting to speak with the local tribes and even try on their unique wedding attire is something that we will always remember.

We hope that this Kalaw to Inle Lake trekking guide was helpful and that it may inspire you to embark on this hike one day!

Bonus Myanmar Travel Resources

Opening Ocean Doors Through Travel: Surf Tourism In Myanmar

The Plight Of Burmese Women Refugees (And How You Can Help)

Myanmar Travel: Local Finds In Urban Yangon

Meeting The Monks Of Myanmar

14 Best Spiritual Yoga Retreats To Strengthen Your Body, Mind & Soul

What tips would you add to this guide to trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake?

About The Author

Ryan & Nan are two curious travel storytellers and adventure photographers who started WaylessTravelers to share their passion for travel with the world. Having explored over 23 countries across the globe, they seek to share their passion for travel planning and photography to help others organize their next adventure. Ryan & Nan seek authentic culture, adventure, hiking, and venturing off-the-beaten paths to uncover the true marvels of the world. Click here to check out their Instagram !

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Not just my story.

3-Day Trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake

July 1, 2019 michaela comments 4 comments.

Trekking to Inle Lake is one of must-do activities in Myanmar. I actually didn’t know this before coming to Myanmar and only heard about it from a fellow traveller once I was in the country – and I’m really glad I decided to do this trek because it ended up being one of my best experiences in Asia ! Here’s all about my 3-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake.

Why do people trek to Inle Lake?

If this is the first time you are hearing about this trek, let me just briefly explain. Inle Lake is one of the most popular and also most beautiful tourist destinations in Myanmar . Of course you can simply take a bus there if you like, but getting there on foot after three days of walking just makes arriving at the lake more special. Not to mention the landscapes on the way are stunning! It’s also a fun way to meet new people and learn more about this amazing country.

Basic Information About This Trek

Trekking to Inle Lake starts in Kalaw , a small town at 1300 metres above sea level. You can easily get here by bus from Mandalay, Bagan and other places.

This is an organised trek with an English-speaking guide (although I have heard of a few adventurous souls attempting to trek independently) and you can either choose a group tour or a private tour . Private tours will obviously be more expensive.

There are many companies offering to take you on this trek and you will find their offices in Kalaw. I’ve heard people mostly recommending Ever Smile and Jungle King but there are plenty of other options and quite frankly, most of them probably offer the same things. I did the trek with Jungle King and they are a good option (our guide wasn’t actually the best but from what I’ve heard it was an exception).

The price I paid for this three-day trek was 35,000 MMK – approximately $23. Considering this includes accommodation for two nights, meals for three days and a boat ride across Inle Lake, it’s pretty damn cheap. Note that prices may be higher during tourist season.

The total distance of the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek is about 57 kilometres . It’s typically done in three days but there is also a two-day option where you skip the first part and just join the trek for the last two days. The trek is relatively easy and most people should be able to finish it.

You don’t have to carry all of your stuff on the trek. Simply pack your necessities in a small backpack, while your big backpack or luggage will be sent by the trekking company to your chosen hotel at Inle Lake.

You will be sleeping in a homestay at one of the local villages and/or in a monastery . Nothing fancy of course, but that’s to be expected. You will experience hygiene in a true local style: squat toilets and cold bucket showers.

All meals are provided during the trek but it’s a good idea to pack some energy bars or other snacks in case you get hungry while trekking. 

You can usually buy water every few hours on the trek – your guide will always tell you how long your water supplies will have to last. There is nowhere to refill safe water. I’m not a fan of buying plastic bottles which is why I always carry my water bottle with filter. Thanks to the filter I was able to refill my bottle on the trek several times but still ended up buying bottled water on two occasions when my 0,6L bottle  on its own wasn’t going to be enough.

Once you enter the Inle Lake area, you have to pay a fee of 13,500 kyats for five days (as of 2018). Make sure you have this cash with you on the trek.

The best part about trekking to Inle Lake? After you have walked all 57 kilometres to the lake, you will finish the trek with a boat ride across the lake. The finish point is Nyaungshwe, a town next to Inle Lake where all the hostels and hotels are based.

And this is what my experience of the 3-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake with Jungle King was like:

Day 1 (21 km).

At 8.30am on the first day we were all picked up at our Kalaw accommodation by a truck which took us to the Jungle King office. We left our big backpacks there to be taken to Inle Lake. Because it had been raining the previous two days, there were quite a lot of people starting the trek on this day and we had to be split into two trekking groups (each with their own guide, of course). We were a group of nine and everyone got on really well. 🙂

We started trekking from the Kalaw train station and were soon surrounded by amazing views, rice fields and pine forests. The path got pretty muddy in some places but it wasn’t a major obstacle.

After about three hours of walking we arrived at the Shar Pin village where we ate lunch prepared by the locals. We had some watermelon, vegetarian noodles with a fried egg and a small soup.

In the afternoon we continued trekking across the green hills and saw some of the most beautiful views ever! Our guide was also showing us how the locals grow fresh ginger, peanuts, chilli, etc. We also met a lot of buffalos along the way and almost had to run away from an upset buffalo mum once… 😀

At 4.30pm we already arrived at the Kyauk Su village, the place of our homestay for the night. We all slept on mattresses on the floor in one big room and there was a bucket shower outside (which was kinda open so we just washed ourselves in our underwear 😀 ).

We spent the rest of the day relaxing and playing cards before sitting down for our delicious dinner. It consisted of many different dishes, which we all shared – curries, salads, rice, lentil soup. After dinner we all sat together drinking tea and chatting and had some really good laughs. It was such a lovely evening with everyone’s phones switched off – something that feels quite rare these days.

Day 2 (22 km)

The second day began with another delicious meal: pumpkin curry with something like naan, and fresh fruits.

Then we kept walking along more fields – and also through corn fields – with a short stop in the Nantaing village and a lunch break in Yekaung To. Our lunch was similar to the first day: noodles, soup, fruits.

We actually got a bit annoyed with our guide after lunch because we were ready to go for about 1,5 hours and he was nowhere to be seen… until we found him playing with his phone somewhere.

In the afternoon we had to deal with a lot of mud even though the weather was nice and sunny. Towards the end of the day there were some really nice rice fields and we even climbed a little viewpoint to see them from above 🙂

At dusk we finally reached the monastery where we were going to sleep and had to wash ourselves pretty much in the dark – which obviously didn’t have to happen if we hadn’t wasted so much time at lunch. Oh well.

Our dinner was once again incredible. Rice, pumpkin curry, vegetables and salads (including our favourite tomato salad), soup, green tea and peanut sweets. By the way, someone in our group was vegan and they were able to eat almost everything on the trek so if you don’t eat meat or dairy, you will still be well fed. 😉

Spending the night at a monastery may sound idyllic but I didn’t get almost any sleep. It was so noisy! We slept in a big open room with the other trekking group but despite everyone going to bed early, the monastery was really loud. It felt like people were coming and going all night, the floor was always creaking and there were some stray dogs barking outside, who even got in at one point. Creepy.

Day 3 (14 km)

After eating some pancakes and fruit for breakfast we were ready to start our last and shortest day of the trek. First we had to walk up the hill from the monastery and soon came across a booth where we paid the Inle Lake entrance fee. From then on, it was pretty much just descending down to the lake all morning.

We ended the trek with our last lunch in a cute village by the lake, surrounded by beautiful rice fields. (Lunch was curry, rice, tea leaf salad and vegetables in case you were wondering. 😀 )

Our reward for all the walking was an hour-long boat ride across the lake to our final destination: Nyaungshwe. Chilling on a boat and taking in all the stunning views was the best ending to our journey! (Put on some sunscreen before you get on the boat – we all got sunburnt…)

We got super lucky with the weather during our trek. Even though it was September and hence rainy season it didn’t rain once. Funnily enough, it started pouring down about half an hour after we checked in to our hostel at Nyaungshwe.

I would absolutely recommend doing this trek to anyone visiting Myanmar ! Despite some minor issues we all had a great experience hiking from Kalaw to Inle Lake.

And the best part was spending three days completely offline! You can get some service and even access the Internet if you have a local SIM card but I just deliberately left my phone in flight mode for the whole duration of the trek – and it felt great. 🙂

Have you done the trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake yourself? What was your experience like?

Don’t forget to also read these things you should know before visiting Myanmar if you are travelling to this unique Southeast Asian country!

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4 thoughts on “ 3-Day Trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake ”

Hi. Thank your for your post! I am going to take this trek next Jan and I just wonder how to keep valuable things safe (for example, when you go take a shower). Do you bring everything with you all the time?

Hi Kim! You can have a lock on your backpack if you’re worried. But there’s usually only a small group of people on the trek and you’ll all become friends quickly so no need to worry that someone’s going to steal your stuff 😉

Hi, I plan to run from kalaw to Inle on the 57km route on 13/2 and would need a guide to support during my run. Please advise on the requirements and best time to start.

I don’t know what to advise. Never heard of anyone running this trek.

Let me know what you think :) Cancel reply

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Trekking in Myanmar: 3 wonderful days from Kalaw to Lake Inle

3-day trek to Inle Lake from Kalaw village in eastern Myanmar! A magnificent trek as close as possible to the local population

Last Update: 16/01/2024 7 COMMENTS

Second stop on our trip in Myanmar , this time we have an appointment with the sublime Inle Lake ! We had heard a lot of good from other travellers about the 3-day trek to Inle Lake from Kalaw village . As we like hiking and since after climbing Mount Zwegabin we still wanted to stretch our legs a little bit more, we decided to go to Kalaw to do this small trek!

Getting to Kalaw: Bus from Hpa An

From Hpa An it is very easy to reach Kalaw! Recently, there has been a direct night bus that connects the 2 cities in just under 12 hours drive. Don’t be surprised if you don’t find any traces of this bus online, I promise it exists!)

At the beginning we planned to go on a trek directly after getting off the bus…. I mean we got pretty used to sleeping on buses and we usually sleep like babies! But as we told you at the end of our last article, our stay in Myanmar was a bit disturbed by intestinal problems…

When we arrived in Kalaw I hadn’t eaten anything for more than 48 hours and my energy level must have been at the same level as that of a narcoleptic turtle and as a bonus it was Benoit’s turn to feel bad! We thus decided to play the safety card and postponed our trek by 24 hours and took a room in the first guesthouse we saw when getting off the bus. We then spent the day doing nothing but going back and forth to the bathroom… pfiou….The beginning of this trip in Myanmar is not glamorous glamorous I can tell you! 🙂

• Bus from Hpa An to Kalaw: departure every day at 7pm from Hpa An, arrival around 6am-6.30am
• Price: we paid 23’000 Kyaths per person for the trip
• Hotel in Kalaw: The Richard’s Inn. A good address with clean rooms and a good breakfast. Price of the double room with private bathroom: 25’000 Kyaths / night. A little something extra: They left us the room at 6am, so we were able to take a nap when we arrived without having to pay for an extra night.

Good to know: The Inn’s often rent rooms by the hour too… So if your bus arrives in the middle of the night it can be interesting to rent a room for a few hours to take a nap and shower before going on a trek. Information about the trek and how to contact our guide: See at the end of the article

Day 1: Kalaw to La Mine

8:30 am our guide is waiting for us at of our guesthouse! When we meet, both Ben and I look like crap… I haven’t been able to swallow anything for nearly 72 hours and Benoit spent the day before eliminating what little food he had left in his body….

It is thus quite quietly that we begin this trek, the steps are difficult and the first small slopes when leaving the village already make us wonder if we have done well to embark on this adventure in our condition.

Fortunately for us, our stomach plays the game relatively well and the beautiful landscapes make us forget our condition a little.

After crossing the train tracks we pass through a first village called Lu Pyin.  This village is home of the Dahu ethnic group. At lunch, we took a break in another village called Shar Pin and which is home to the Pao ethnic group.

For this first meal we were welcomed by a family and as soon as we arrived in the village we saw an old man walking bent in two and following us.

A surprise guest at the meal

Barely settled in our host family’s little bamboo house for lunch, this old gentleman comes through the door and sits down with us and starts the conversation in English.

Then our guide will explain that this gentleman, who must be slowly but surely approaching 80 years old, originally comes from a whole different region of Myanmar. No one really knows how or why he ended up in this village about 40 years ago, but in any case he stayed there, married a woman from the village and never returned home.

No one really knows where he got his English from either… When we asked him he just smiled and said “school”, but that’s probably not the whole story 😉

But apparently this charming gentleman likes to practice Shakespeare’s language and almost systematically joins hikers to talk a little bit about Europe but also to tell about his travels in Myanmar in his early years! Because certainly this gentleman has not left this small village very often in the last few decades, but according to his stories, he seems to have travelled well in the past….

Afternoon in the chilli fields – Kalaw Trekking

Around 2pm we set off again through the fields of chilli, ginger and avocado. During this afternoon we did not meet any other group of hikers, our only meetings were the villagers who were busy in the fields harvesting chilis but also working the land with buffaloes.

With our relatively slow pace, it was exactly at sunset that we finally reached our village, La Mine , for the night.

Here we are welcomed in a beautiful solid house with of course a small toilet located in the garden and a concrete basin outside that acts as a water tank for the shower, a sink for washing dishes but also as a drinking place for the oxen 😉

After a delicious meal we didn’t last long… It must have been barely 8:30 p.m. when we literally collapsed on our little foam mattresses placed on the floor… The moment of the long-awaited rest was finally here!

Day 2: From The Mine to Pak Tue Puak

There’s nothing like 11 hours of sleep to get you back on your feet! That morning we are in much better shape! Our appetite is still not there despite the absolutely incredible dishes served by our chef Jo. But let’s just say that we are starting to regain some kind of energy!

This second morning will probably have been my favorite part of this trek! We are making good progress in this beautiful hilly landscape by alternating between the chili fields that have not yet been harvested and the areas where the harvest has already been made and where the chilis are placed on the ground to be dried in the sun!

That morning we had been gone for 24 hours and we were already thinking that this trek was not so touristy in the end! Well yes, except for 3 other hikers we met in the village where we spent the first night we hadn’t crossed paths with other tourists yet!

So the explanation simply lies in the fact that the further away from Inle Lake you are, the more possibilities there are for variations in the routes… And our guide had planned a route that was cleary out of the “classic path”.

Back on the so-called classic trekking trail

however, from the lunch break on we were back on the path used by the majority of hikers, and indeed this changes the game!

Gone are the days of feeling alone in the Burmese countryside, we are now in the company of 5-6 other groups with whom we continue to overtake each other.

Our guide is adorable and tries to take breaks when he sees that groups are at a standstill further away or to accelerate the pace when he feels that those behind us are catching up, but well it’s not quite the same anymore…

But fortunately the landscapes are still as sublime as ever and we enjoy taking pictures in this postcard-like setting!

In the late afternoon we reach the village where most hikers spend their last night before the lake. There are easily a hundred of us in the village, I would say!

A tourist village certainly, but really authentic

However, what we have really appreciated is that for the moment this enthusiasm of foreigners for the area does not yet seem to have disrupted the daily lives of the villagers. Despite the fairly large number of travellers, there is no souvenir shop in this village, only a bar that serves cold beer and much too expensive coke, but that’s all! No scarves and magnets vendors, the villagers continue to work their land and take care of their animals as if we were not there! And that’s good to see! We still remember our trek in the Sapa region of Vietnam , where tourism has totally transformed the habits of the locals and we sometimes had the impression of being at Disneyland.

Before the meal Mr Aung, our guide, invites us to take us to a small sunset spot located about fifteen minutes walk from our house… With Benoit we look at each other and hesitate briefly. We’re both totally exhausted! But we didn’t hesitate too long because after all, we won’t be around again any time soon!

In short, after a 15-minute climb, we reach the top of the small hill that dominates the village and enjoy the last rays of the sun on the rice fields.

Day 3: Heading for Inle Lake!

In order to avoid walking with all the other travellers who spent the night in the same village as us, our guide suggested that we set the alarm clock early (understand 6am) in order to set off for 7am sharp! I think this proposal was the best idea of the century!

Already the day started well when we were spoiled with pancakes for breakfast (yes yes, It doesn’t take a lot to make me happy). Then, I started to understant better why some people enjoy waking up super early every morning (this is by far not my case usually)… The sun was rising while we were walking in the fields.

As we moved forward in the fields, the mist gradually dissipated…. Honestly, it was just a sublime atmosphere! Needless to say, at this time of day we were the only ones on the trails… In a good hour of gentle climbing we finally reached the checkpoint where we were asked to pay an entrance fee of 13,500 Kyaths per person to the Inlé Lake area!

Yes yes, the lake area is indeed subject to a fee taken by the Burmese government… well, $10 is not that much, although I must admit that I would have preferred to know that this money goes to the locals instead of the government…

Descent towards Inle Lake

The rest of the morning I found it damn less exciting. We started by following a dirt road for a few kilometers before starting our descent towards the lake. Here the landscapes were clearly suffering from drought! The ground was all cracked and vegetation was becoming increasingly rare except for a few cacti. Gone are the beautiful plantations and orchards as far as the eye can see, here the crops give way to absolute drought!

After 2h30 of descent we finally reached the small village of Ton Le from where we took a boat to Nyaung Shwe .

A first contact with Lake Inle all in splendour! Our “captain” of the day was awesome! Our guide had told him that we were not particularly interested inseeing giraffe women or fake fishermen from Inle Lake who pretend to fish in front of the crowds for a few dollars.

Inle Lake Fishermen

As a result, he took us to the middle of the lake, a place where “real” fishermen are still at work. So certainly their outfit is not as photogenic as those of the fishermen who pose. They mostly don’t have this huge basket that is often seen as typical of Inle Lake, but on the other hand they didn’t give a damn whether we were there or not. They were doing their job and at the same time giving us a chance to take a closer look at their really impressive fishing techniques (we will come back to this in a future article).

A short hour by boat later we arrived at Nyaung Shwe! Covered in dust, out of strength and in search of a guesthouse….

• Duration of the Kalaw Inle Trek : Typically this trek is done in 3 days and 2 nights (there is however a shortened version of the itinerary which is done in 2 days / 1 night)
• Price : Depends on the size of the group, more details on this subject below in the article
• Distance : In all the trek is about 65km long.
• Difficulty : In itself nothing very difficult, you just need to be able to walk 6-7 hours a day. The elevation changes are small so no problem at this level. We walked roughly 24km on days 1 and 2, then 18km on the last day.

Assessment of the Kalaw-Inle trek, so we recommend it?

For us the results of the trekking are really positive, we really appreciated the landscapes and the encounters made on the way as well as the great contact we had with our guide! Moreover, if you want to organize your trek with him, all the information is at the end of the article!

Then we don’t hide from you that this trek is very touristic and that it is better to be aware of a few things before leaving. Here is our little assessment:

The positive points of the trek:

• The first day and a half we felt like we were alone in the world with our guide!
• We cross absolutely sublime landscapes and we have the chance to see how people work in the fields and live in the villages.
• It’s certainly touristic, but we really appreciated not meeting dozens of souvenir sellers on the way! Even in the last village where we slept there was not a single souvenir stand,  we are far from the feeling of being seen as ATM machines as it was the case during the Sapa trek.
• The meals during the trek were absolutely delicious! Our completely messed-up stomachs did not allow us to properly honor the dishes prepared by our cook, but during the whole trek we were really spoiled with what we got on our table!
• We were lucky to have a great guide who knew Myanmar, its ethnic groups and cultures like the back of his hand! Thanks to Mr. Aung, we have learned a lot!
• Ending the trek with a boat trip across the lake is a great way to get to this incredible place! We really enjoyed this boat ride!

The points that we see as rather negative:

• The trek is very touristic…. Tell yourself that in high season there are between 150 and 200 people leaving every day! So even if agencies promise to take an “alternative” route, make sure you know that you will inevitably meet other groups of trekkers!

• The locals see a lot of people marching past their doors every day. Even if we had some nice encounters we also often had the impression that people were a little fed up that trekkers passing through took pictures of their daily lives (which is quite understandable!)

Organize your trek between Kalaw and Inle

Budget: how much does the kalaw trek cost at inle lake.

I guess you can imagine, there are almost as many prices as trekking agencies, but roughly speaking, there are still some reference figures we can rely on:

40’000-45’000 Kyaths per person or roughly 32€, this is the minimum price for the 3-day and 2-night trek from Kalaw to Inle. This price is the one offered by many of the agencies in Kalaw and you will have no trouble booking this trek at this price at the last minute when you arrive.

This price includes: the guide, all meals, accommodation with a local family for 2 nights as well as the boat to cross the lake at the end of the trek.

The price does not include: water (count less than one euro per day when buying your bottles in the villages) as well as the entrance to the territory of Lake Inle. This entry costs US$10 (or 13,500 Kyaths at the current exchange rate) and is a tax levied by the government.

Attention: At this price you will do the trek in a group. The size of the groups varies but it is generally between 6 and 8 people.

Private trek between Kalaw and Inle, why?

For our part, we have chosen to pay 100,000 Kyaths per person for the above-mentioned services. Not that it is our practice to pay more than twice as much, but we thought about it and chose this option for several reasons:

• We have already done some group treks. Sometimes the groups were great as during our trek in Sapa, but sometimes… well it’s 72 hours in the company of grumblers, bad walkers or simply people with whom you don’t get along very well..
• During this trip to Myanmar we try to spend our money as much as possible in a “responsible” way, understand that we try as much as possible to avoid big agencies, tour operators and try to favour local businesses where we have the impression that the money goes directly to the locals and not to the government…

• Because 100’000 Kyaths is more than double the “regular price” but it remains less than 70€ for 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 nights, a boat trip of more than an hour, and 3 days with a private guide…

What to bring on the trek?

As little as possible 😉 haha This trek is really well organized and you won’t need much… Here is a short list of what we still recommend you bring with you:

• A down jacket or a jacket: in the evening and early morning it gets cold!!!!! So plan to have something to put on your back once you get to the villages!
• A headlamp: The toilets are always located in the garden and if you have a strong urge in the middle of the night you will be happy to have some light 😉
• 1 T-shirt, socks and spare underwear

• 1 litre of water per person at the start. Water is easily available in the villages we pass through, so there is no need to take more than that in the beginning!
• A cap or hat and sunscreen are essential! The sun is really strong on this trek! Don’t worry if you don’t have any… we bought our beautiful hats at the Kalaw market for just 1€, it did the job very well;)
• Good shoes! No need to bring mountain boots, but comfortable sneakers seem to us to be a minimum… We saw people in flip-flops, but personally I wouldn’t have found it fun to do 65km wearing these!

Now, this time you know everything about this magnificent trek! In the next article we will meet you at Inle Lake for an incredible bike ride along the lake and be careful… a tasting of Burmese wine! hahahaha

About Fabienne

I'm the female part of the pair. A little stubborn, spontaneous and passionate about the digital world and the tourism industry, I am also the one addicted to numbers and practical information in our couple. I carefully keep all our travel budgets . Then we are reassured, sometimes I drop my Excels sheets for a nice hike! With the well-deserved artesanal beer at the end... of course!

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Reader Interactions

4 years ago

Hi! I loved your post! I’m thinking to do this trekking to. I have one doubt. Did you take all your luggage to the trekking? Or managed to leave it somewhere during the trekking?

Hi Miguel, Thanks for your message! No we only took 2 small day packs on the trek, the rest of our stuff we gave it to our guide we did the trekking with. They brought us our big bags on the last day in Inle. Most trekking agencies there provide similar services.

Enjoy this beautiful hike!

Thanks a lot for sharing!! I just contacted your guide, heading there in 10 days and would love to do the same 🙂

Hope you’ll like it and say hello to Mr. Aung for us! Cheers and have a nice trip 😉

Thanks! do you have another way of contacting him? he hasn’t replied to my email yet…

Hmmm, maybe he is trekking right now, network coverage is not great in some parts of this trek. We have him as a friend on Facebook as well, maybe you can try there: https://www.facebook.com/aung.bonebone

Perfect, thanks a lot I just added him

If you guys ever happen to be in Hong Kong let me know! I can also share some cool spots 😉

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The World on my Necklace

A Travel Blog by Katie Chavez

Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake: One of the Best Treks I Have Ever Done

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Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake is one of the best treks I have ever done – pretty big call huh? I can be prone to exaggeration but I promise you: this statement is not an exaggeration.

The three days spent trekking in Myanmar between the small mountain town of Kalaw to Inle Lake was one of the best treks I have ever done.

And it only cost me $36.

Walking through the quiet mountains, past small indigenous villages, and surrounded by stunning scenery, I knew that I had made the right decision to do some Myanmar trekking.

Unlike neighboring Thailand, where I had heard stories of treks between overly commercialized villages along with hundreds of other tourists, Myanmar offered a more authentic trekking experience, and I had heard a lot of great things about trekking from Kalaw to Inle Lake.

But I could never have imagined how amazing this experience would actually turn out to be.

After reading an article on Travelfish about the trek, I opted to book with Golden Lily Guesthouse. The author had a great experience booking through them and I liked the sound of trekking an alternative route that most of the other trekking companies don’t offer.

I chose the three-day Kalaw to Inle Lake trek option and paid my $36 which would include the guide, food, and accommodation for three days. It even included the boat trip from where the trek ended on Inle Lake , over to the main tourist village of Nyaung Shwe.

Only $36, a mere $12 per day. I paid $600 for the four-day trek to Machu Picchu in Peru and I didn’t even enjoy it. Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake was a bargain! 

After an afternoon and evening spent exploring sleepy Kalaw, I met my guide, Sonny, at the Golden Lily Guesthouse bright and early.

Myanmar Trekking: Trekking From Kalaw to Inle Lake

Trekking kalaw to inle lake – day one.

Sonny is 23 years old and of Nepalese descent but grew up in one of the small villages nestled in the mountains that surround Kalaw. Also in my trekking group were a young Israeli couple and a Catalan couple from Barcelona.

On the way out of town, we picked up three more people from the Jungle King Trekking office – three guys: two Germans and a Colombian. And with that, our little group was complete.

As we headed out of the village and further into the mountains, everyone got to know each other better. Juan, the Colombian, was studying in Melbourne and had been a Financial Lawyer in New York in another life.

Manu is German and was living in California for over twenty years, but had recently left everything behind to pursue a life on the road.

Sebastian, also German and living in Berlin, was traveling in Myanmar and Thailand on a holiday from work.

Naama and Matan, the young Israeli couple, were traveling through Asia after finishing their military duty back home.

The Catalan couple, Ivan and Adriana, spoke little English but were friendly and always smiling.

This group of people would become my family for the next three days on our trek to Inle Lake.

The sun beat down on us as we followed a ridgeline, surrounded by pine trees on the slopes above us and in the valley below. Sonny stopped to point out things of interest along the way. We tried gooseberries off a bush beside the path. They were very tart and firm but after drinking water, tasted sweeter.

The path turned and we were walking past rickety fences containing bright fields of canola flowers. Long grass grew unkempt against the weathered fence posts, reaching for the sky. Clouds of dust arose from the sun-baked trail. Wildflowers dotted the landscape.

We reached the first village, a small settlement with sturdy cement and woven bamboo houses along a dusty road. I was surprised to see that a lot of the houses had satellite dishes.

Just out of town, we stopped for lunch at a small shack. Lunch was served to us at a large wooden table in the shade of a giant tree; a salad of avocado, tomato, and cucumber in a chili sauce, a vegetable and noodle dish, and refreshing ginger soup. It was the first of many nutritious and wildly delicious meals we would be served over the next few days.

Our private chef Don followed us by motorbike from place to place, serving us incredible meals, a lot of the time cooked simply over an open fire. Every meal was different and involved at least two or three dishes, mostly vegetarian.

We had fresh salads, noodle dishes, curries, homemade chapatis, fried rice, and pancakes – and it was all so good. I began to look forward to mealtimes most of all.

After lunch and a nap on the hillside, the trek continued further uphill to the village where we would be spending our first night. We passed fields of luminous sunflowers and delicate red chili plants.

A muddy lake sat amongst patchwork fields, a jigsaw puzzle of browns and greens. We stopped to catch our breath at a beautiful viewpoint over the countryside.

Sonny showed us how to blow bubbles by breaking the middle stalk of a native plant, creating a gap which the gooey sap could be blown through. He always had something cool to show us.

Entering the village, life became busy again. Local villagers were everywhere. A group of kids played a ball game over a net that looked like a cross between hacky sack and volleyball and played with a light bamboo ball.

Local farmers plowed their fields with water buffalo. Groups of villagers stopped to talk and laugh on the street.

We had hiked 19km, much further than I had hiked in a long time. It felt good to be exhausted; my head ached from the heat and my joints were stiff and sore. But I felt great.

After a delicious meal by candlelight in the kitchen house of our homestay, we retired to bed early. Thin mattresses with scratchy woolen blankets that smelt of lanolin were lined up next to each other against the wall, upstairs in our homestay. I slept like the dead.

Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake – Day Two

The next morning we arose early to begin another full day of hiking.

Following the dirt road, we traveled through undulating countryside and quiet villages, some only comprising a handful of houses. In one of the villages where the locals dress head to toe in black, red chilies dried in the sun, laid out on large sheets of plastic.

A local woman swept dust out of her house, pausing to look up at us as we passed.

Along a long straight stretch of road, a group of adorably cute puppies ran out to greet us and I couldn’t resist picking one up for a cuddle. Our guide made us keep walking, trying in vain to hold the puppies back who were eagerly trying to follow us.

Stopping for a break at a small store and restaurant, we drank local tea and ate a type of Burmese donut, one that I found all over the country and ate more of than I can remember.

The shopkeeper demonstrated how she made the sweet version of the very popular Kwun-ya, betel leaf spread with a wood paste, then wrapped around betel nut, coconut, and jube sweets.

Chewing betel leaf is a long tradition in Myanmar, and it is used as a stimulant. I was the first to try it, chewing it into a pulp and then spitting out the red liquid as I chewed. It was unusual, with so many textures and flavors, both sweet and minty at the same time: I rather liked it.

Chewing it on a regular basis can cause gum damage, tooth decay, and even oral cancer so it isn’t something I would want to do often.

It was at this point, after one and a half days of trekking, that we finally encountered the first other Western tourists: a family group from the UK.

We saw them again a couple of hours later after hiking through the quiet countryside to a large village where we stopped for lunch. Eating in a local’s house where Don had laid out another appealing spread for lunch, they were sitting at a table next to us. They wouldn’t be the last Westerners we would see on the trek.

The time of having the Myanmar countryside and its people to ourselves was over.

Sonny had a surprise for us before we continued on. One of his friends was getting married and he asked us all if we would like to attend the wedding, which was happening just down the road from where we were. A traditional wedding of a minority ethnic group in a remote village that is not on the tourist trail – obviously we said yes.

Attending the wedding was an absolute highlight of our three days of hiking in Myanmar. Arriving at the two-story house, we took off our shoes and made our way upstairs where we were told to sit down on the colorful mats covering the floor.

The room was decorated with paper streamers and balloons. Nearly all of the guests were wearing brightly colored beach towels or tea towel turbans on their heads, arranged in different styles. Yes – beach towels. They made them look quite stylish. The bride and groom were wearing suits of dark denim.

In front of us were small bowls containing chips, cake, biscuits, and nuts along with pots of tea. Speeches had just begun when we arrived and one sassy lady, perhaps the MC or a family member, was speaking animatedly, punctuating each sentence with loud laughter. I wish I knew what she was saying because she had everyone in stitches.

Guests then went up one by one to give gifts of cash to the newly married couple; we pooled some money to give them a wedding gift also.

Leaving the wedding, we had the option of getting to the monastery we would be staying at via a swimming hole or by a slightly shorter route. Dark clouds had begun to gather and the temperature had dropped markedly so we went with the second option.

Thirty minutes later, the skies opened in a deluge that had us running for shelter. The rain didn’t last long but the dirt path was left sodden and slippery. A bunch of local ladies who were walking back to their village joined us on the muddy path.

They deftly negotiated the steep and slippery rock stairs as we headed down into the valley, while we were taking it slow and still constantly slipping.

The valley was beautiful. We passed fields being worked by local farmers with the help of buffalo and wooden carts, before continuing on to the monastery at the top of a long winding road that led back into the mountains.

A procession of carts pulled by buffalo caused a traffic jam as they slowly worked their way up the road, fully laden with what looked like wheat. This is what constitutes traffic in the mountains of Myanmar.

Finally, after 20km of walking, we arrived at the monastery. The monastery was dilapidated, run-down, and rusted with crumbling pathways and peeling paint. A group of young novice monks, their red and sienna robes tucked up between their legs like diapers, enthusiastically played football in the courtyard out the front.

We were shown where we would be sleeping, a line of thin mattresses against the wall. The sleeping arrangements were much like the night before, only this time it was in the ordination hall of a monastery rather than the upstairs of a family home.

There was a family of tabby cats that lived at the monastery and they came to investigate who had arrived on their turf. A playful kitten danced around the hall and let me pick her up for a cuddle.

Needless to say, the second day of trekking in Myanmar was a good one.

Manu and I were keen to wash up and we were told there were showers. Apparently ‘showers’ is a loose term: it was a semi-private trough of water with a plastic container that you could use to ladle the water over yourself. Not that I was expecting much.

A couple of other groups were also staying there. We ate dinner in the dining room. Once the other groups left, we had an interesting talk with Sonny about politics and religion in Myanmar, something that couldn’t be spoken about in public, or at all really, during the oppressive military regime.

Even now, with the military still in charge before the elected democratic government take over, you have to be careful about what you say and to whom.

I didn’t sleep well. This was mostly because I had the teeniest tiniest kitten I have ever seen curled up beside me and I was afraid I might roll over and crush her in my sleep.

She was so small that her whole body could curl up on my forearm, and I have small arms. I was already awake when monks quietly filed past us in the dark at 4 am for their prayers.

Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake – Day Three

We were roused early, before the sun had risen, to begin our last day of trekking Myanmar. We hoped to beat the other groups and have the trail to ourselves.

The trail left the monastery and rose up above the village along a wide dirt road of red earth, affording excellent views of the valley below.

Entering the forest the trail narrowed and we began to encounter other groups of trekkers. It felt so busy compared to the first day and a half of trekking. At times we were walking in a procession, slowed down by the groups in front of us.

We passed a lot of the groups and were alone again. Gnarled trees fringed the path as it opened up into a vast plain, we followed a river for a couple of kilometers, edging closer to the lake.

Then suddenly we were at the swampy beginning of Inle Lake. The path turned and we followed another river past simple houses. The countryside was lush and green.

Arriving in a picturesque stilt village built on one of the tributaries of the lake, we had finally arrived at the end of our trek. We had walked 17km from where we had started at the monastery that morning.

Our last lunch together was at a local family’s home. We laughed and joked as we ate but it was bittersweet. It was time to farewell Sonny and Don who were heading back by motorbike to Kalaw; a boat was waiting to take us across to Nyaung Shwe.

I was less than halfway through my three-month trip through South East Asia and there were many adventures still to come, but I couldn’t help but feel that the best part of the trip was behind me as we silently cruised the still waters of the lake towards Nyaung Shwe.

Turns out I was right.

I have experienced many incredible things during my nearly 20 years of living abroad and traveling, but my three days of hiking in Myanmar stand out as one of the highlights of all of my travels. 

It is an experience I will treasure forever.

Have you been trekking in Myanmar? Would you do the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek?

Post updated in April 2023, I did the trek in December 2015.

What To Know For Your Kalaw To Inle Lake Trek

How to get to kalaw.

I traveled to Kalaw from Bagan by bus. There are a couple of different bus and van trips per day, and you can book in advance through 12Go . The journey takes between six-eight hours.

You can also travel to Kalaw from Mandalay by bus which takes around seven hours, and from Yangon to Mandalay by night bus which takes around nine hours.

Where To Stay in Kalaw and Inle Lake

Kalaw accommodation.

There aren’t a ton of accommodation options in Kalaw that you can book online but Hillock Villa and Hinode Hotel both have excellent reviews and are centrally located.

I stayed at Honey Pine Hotel but it appears to no longer be open.

Inle Lake Accommodation

There are a lot more accommodation options Inle Lake from budget-friendly to blow-your-budget luxurious.

If you want a friendly budget option, stay at Song of Travel Hostel which has dormitories and private rooms with air-conditioning, as well as free breakfast, snacks, and bikes to borrow.

For hotels, the best-rated budget and mid-ranged hotels are Inle Apex Hotel , Trinity Family Inn , and Inle Cottage Boutique Hotel . And if you really want to splurge for some luxury after your hike, stay at Villa Inle Boutique Resort where you can stay in a private villa overlooking the lake. There is also a spa, pool, and restaurant onsite.

How to Book the Trek to Inle Lake from Kalaw

I just turned up and went to Golden Lily Guesthouse in Kalaw to enquire about trekking through them but I actually trekked with Jungle King so I would go directly to them. If they don’t have availability, there are lots of other trekking companies in Kalaw.

Best Time of Year For Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake

Treks are run year-round but the best time of year to trek is from October to January. This is the beginning of the dry season so everything is green but you hopefully won’t get rained on. I did the trek in December and had near-perfect weather. 

Cost of Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake

The cost of the three-day trek to Inle Lake from Kalaw when I did it at the end of 2015 was US$36 including meals, accommodation for two nights, our guide, and the boat across Inle Lake. From the research I have done, the price is still about the same. Please let me know if this is not the case.

This is the price if you join others that have signed up to do the trek to Inle Lake, if you want a private guide, the cost would increase by at least 50%.

What to Pack for Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake

I highly recommend the  Osprey Fairview  or Farpoint 40L packs – they are the perfect size for a multi-day hiking trip, are comfortable and durable, and have lots of pockets to organize your gear. Use  packing cubes  for further organization.

Consider taking some trekking poles to help with the downhill – your knees will thank you! – and hiking boots rather than regular trainers.

Pack the  GRAYL Geopress Water Purifier to filter water from streams and taps at your accommodation, this saves you having to carry lots of water and is better for the environment. Also, pack a CamelBak to make it easier to hydrate while you are hiking and to store more water if needed.

It can get cold at night so make sure to pack a thermal base layer top , as well as a rain jacket in case it rains.

Bedding is provided so don’t worry about packing a sleeping bag. Make sure to pack mosquito repellent and sunscreen, a power bank if you want to keep your phone charged, some snacks, a head torch , toilet paper, and wet wipes, and some cash to buy snacks and for tips.

A sun hat would also be a good idea.

Trekking Myanmar Tips

• Don’t take photos of villagers unless you ask first, it’s just rude. Be respectful.
• Make sure you get travel and health insurance before your trip. Safety Wing is my go-to and they are cheap and easy to claim with – it also auto-renews every month unless you turn it off so you don’t have to think about it.

The Best Insurance For Your Myanmar Trip

Make sure you get travel and health insurance before your Kalaw to Inle Lake trek, just to be on the safe side.  Safety Wing  is my go-to and they are cheap and easy to claim with.

You can choose a set time period or have it auto-renew every month for longer trips. You can also sign up when you are already traveling, unlike a lot of other travel insurance providers.

If you enjoyed this post, check out my other multi-day hiking posts:

• Super Detailed Annapurna Circuit Trek Guide: Everything You Need To Know
• Hike From Aspen to Crested Butte: The Best Hike in Colorado
• Hiking the Tongariro Northern Circuit: One of New Zealand’s Great Walks
• Pushing Myself to the Limit on the Kepler Track
• The Best Easy Hikes in Kauai
• Hiking to Abbot Pass Hut in the Canadian Rockies
• Hiking the Hillary Trail on Auckland’s Wild West Coast
• Hiking Between the Pueblos Mancomunados Villages in Mexico
• Dealing with Altitude Sickness on the World Famous Inca Trail in Peru

31 Comments on Trekking Kalaw To Inle Lake: One of the Best Treks I Have Ever Done

This trek looks awesome! To be honest, I’ve never gone to another country and gone trekking before! Your post was such an amazing read and I loved all of the photos!

You should do it Jasmine! It’s great going with a guide because it’s safer and you are supporting the local community.

Hiking is my absolute favourite thing to do when I travel and Myanmar has been on my list for so long. This is totally something I’d love to do. 100% pinning this so I can come back to it later 🙂

Thanks, I hope you make it there once we are all able to travel again 🙂

Your pictures are amazing! I’ve never been trekking before because I wasn’t sure of what to expect, but it looks like an absolute blast! Thanks for sharing this.

Thank you! If you are interested in trekking then something like the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek where you don’t have to carry much gear and have places to sleep is a good place to start

We were supposed to go to Myanmar earlier this year but had to postpone it. This is a great post…there’s even more to do there than I originally thought!

I hope you make it there after we are all able to travel again, I would love to go back one day.

Myanmar looks absolutely amazing! I would love to visit! Also how adorable is the puppy?!!!

I know, so cute!

Oh, that looks wonderful! I’ve never done a several-days-trek. I bet you wanted to take that puppy home! 😉

If you are interested in doing a multi-day trek, this is a great one because you don’t have to carry much gear. Yes, I wish I could have kept the puppy, and the tiny kitten that slept with me in the Monastry

Hey, this looks awesome (and cheap haha), thanks for sharing such an informative and useful post. I hope I cna finaly get there once we´re allowed to travel again 🙂

So cheap, and awesome! I hope you make it there in the future

This trek looks so amazing! We wanted to do this while we were in Myanmar but didn’t have the time! Might just have to go back in the future to do it!

Hi Marisa, I definitely think it is worth going back for – there are meant to be some great treks in Hpa-An too so I want to go back to trek there

What a unique trek! I also can’t believe that you did all of that for $36. Love your photos too. It’s also crazy that you got a long bus ride for that price.

I still can’t believe how cheap it was, and when I checked to see if the price has gone up since I did it in 2015 – it hadn’t. Such good value for money

Just WOW – what an amazing blog from a very talented writer. I was on that trek all the way. Beautiful writing telling exactly how it is.

Keep it up Katie

Thanks Mum 🙂

Hi! Love all of the information. I want to book with Lily’s Guesthouse ahead of time, but I can’t seem to find any information on how to book online. Did you book ahead of time, and how do I go about doing this? Thanks!

Hi Amy, I didn’t book in advance, I showed up the afternoon before I wanted to do my trek and went to Golden Lily to sign up with them then. I’m not sure if you can book online – they are a pretty basic operation so I don’t think they would do online bookings. Good luck!

I find myself unable to leave your blog! I can’t stop reading it! I must say you have a very unique voice in writing, which I personally appreciate. Thanks again Katie!

Where did you stay in kalaw?

Hi Ashley, I think it was called Honey Pine Hotel

I’m hoping to do a similar trek this November. Which company did you book this through, and how far in advance do you need to book it? Looks incredible!

Hi Kiara, I turned up the day before I wanted to trek at the Golden Lily Guesthouse and booked there. I think the actual name of the trekking company is Jungle King Trekking. I did the trek in December last year and there was no need to book further in advance than the day before but I’m not sure if that has changed. I recommend doing the three day alternative route, so amazing!

I can’t believe that you can get all that for $36!! That’s just insane!

I know – I agree! I couldn’t believe it when I heard how cheap it is

This trek looks amazing! I can’t believe how cheap it was

I know! I couldn’t believe it either. It probably won’t stay that cheap, the more tourists that come the price will surely go up

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3 Day Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek: What to Know

September 16, 2017.

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission – at no extra cost for you.

When I began planning my trip to Myanmar , one of the pieces of advice that I kept hearing time and again was to book a mountain village trek. There are a few different options to choose from, however I ultimately decided to do the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek over the course of three days! It was truly one of the highlights of my trip to Myanmar, an already amazing adventure in itself! Follow along below for tips for planning your own village mountain trek experience!

A Guide to a 3 Day Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek

The basics for the kalaw to inle lake trek.

Route : Kalaw to Inle Lake (Nyaung Shwe) Cost : 40,000 Kyat ($31 USD) Length : 63 Kilometers (39 miles) over 2 nights, 3 days What’s Included? Typically the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek tours include 8 meals, snacks/tea breaks throughout, two nights accommodation, one hour boat ride to Inle Lake, and an awesome local guide. What’s NOT Included? Water, beer, additional snacks, 12,000 kyat entrance fee into Inle Lake region, tip for your amazing guide Where to Book? There are plenty of trekking companies that offer the trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake, however I personally recommend booking through Ever Smile . I had both a professional and very pleasant experience booking through this company. Our trekking guide, Mary, was the absolute best. Not to mention, the food that we got served each night at the home stays was the best I had during my two weeks in Myanmar.

While the trek covers a decent number of kilometers (or miles), the terrain itself is relatively flat. During the dry season the trek shouldn’t be too challenging. However, during the rainy season, you will experience very muddy conditions, which makes the journey much more difficult. That being said, it is still important that you pack enough water each day!

What to Pack for the Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek

• Clean, dry clothes for each day of the trek
• Proper hiking boots and socks (this is particularly important during the rainy season where you need more stability in the muddy conditions). I did the entire trek in Nike running shoes. While this is definitely possible, I would recommend proper hiking boots if possible.
• Toilet paper, wipes, hand sanitizer (prepare yourself for some next level squat toilets)
• First Aid Kit (bandaids, disinfectant, mosquito repellent, sunscreen)
• Snacks – despite the large meals I often found myself hungry throughout the trek
• Rain Protection – ponchos, waterproof covers.. make sure you’re prepared so that you don’t ruin your stuff

What to Expect on the Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek

The trek will take you through a ton of diverse areas. You will have the chance to trek through rice and corn fields, jungle and mountainous terrain, and along railroad tracks. Additionally, you will be walking through local villages and communities, a highlight for many. This trek provides an amazing opportunity to see local village life in Myanmar, as well as an opportunity to taste their amazing cuisine. Throughout my time in Myanmar I was constantly amazed by how kind and generous the locals were, and the individuals that we met along this trek were no exception!

In the evenings we stayed in local home stays. While perfectly comfortable, it is important to note that all of the individuals on the trek will be staying on mats in an open room. Each night dinner was cooked by the homestay families and I never ceased to be amazed by how incredible the food was! If anything, do the trek for the food haha!

Overall, the trek is both a challenging and rewarding experience that should not be excluded from your Myanmar itinerary!

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Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek, Unguided!

The most popular trek in Myanmar is from a small mountain town, Kalaw, to Inle Lake. While the vast majority of people trek Kalaw to Inle Lake with a tour, it’s very possible to trek it unguided. 

In February 2019,  Intrepid Road ’s Marty and I trekked from Kalaw to Inle Lake unguided , on a three-day and two-night trek. We wandered without a tour through tiny Myanmar villages, and through agricultural fields and the quiet countryside. Here are the trails that we took and all the information on how we hiked from Kalaw to Inle Lake without a guide !

Before You Hike Kalaw to Inle Lake Without a Guide

Download both maps.me and google maps offline maps on your phone .

Maps.me shows where the several trails are between Kalaw and Inle Lake, and enough trails to piece together a Kalaw trekking map. If you go slightly off the path to explore a village or monastery, it will help you find the trail again without backtracking. Google Maps comes in handy here because with their satellite imagery, you can also see the trails near you. 

I had Myanmar MPT SIM card in my phone, and the great thing is I had at least 3G for the majority of the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek. Although we didn’t need it, the SIM card gave us peace of mind in case of emergencies, since we were hiking unguided. 

Packing List for Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake 

• Bring 2-3 liters of water per person. More water can be purchased at the homestays. 
• Battery Pack(s)  for recharging electronics
• A lungi or sarong for bathing in (“showers” are outside and sometimes in full view of the street)
• Warm clothes for the evenings
• Shorts and t-shirts for trekking (women are recommended to dress modestly)
• Toilet paper
• Soaps and toothbrush/toothpaste
• Snacks for the road
• Rehydration salts/medicines
• 100,000 kyats per person (there are ATMs available in Kalaw, but nowhere else). We spent less than 60,000 kyats per person.

Cost for Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake Unguided

This is a summary of our total cost for the Kalaw to Inle Lake trek, without a tour. This is what we spent on the trek, COMBINED. 

• Accommodation: 30,000 kyats
• Water: 2000 kyats (500 kyats per bottle)
• Accommodation: 25,000 kyats
• Water: 2500 kyats (500 kyats per bottle)
• Inle Zone Entrance Ticket: 15,000 kyats x 2 people = 30,000 kyats 
• Private boat to Nyaung Shwe: 25,000 kyats 

Total: 114,500 kyats, $75 USD ($37.5 USD per person) cost to hike Kalaw to Inle Lake Unguided

Food on the kalaw to inle lake trek.

Despite the bad rap that Myanmar food gets, I really enjoyed the local meals that we were fed while trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake without a tour! The homestay owners served us a wide variety of dishes plus lots of rice. The one homestay where we shared accommodation with guided hikers, we suspected that their meals were even nicer than ours. 

The food was mostly vegetarian salads, soups, curries, or noodles with maybe one dish of chicken served for dinner. We had pancakes for one breakfast, fried rice and eggs for another. And we always had Myanmar tea with a variety of fruits.

Accommodation on the Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek

I loved the homey accommodations that we were given on our trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake without a tour. These are homestays, not guesthouses, so both nights we were sleeping under the same roof as the family who owned the home. The second night we were sleeping above their farm animals too in a bamboo hut!! Had we trekked Kalaw to Inle Lake with a tour, we might have slept in nicer accommodation as recommended by the guide. 

The mattresses were thin as expected, but because of the cold nights we were given at least three blankets each. 

No homestays are marked with signs to let you know you can stay there. You just have to ask every local you see whether they know a place to stay. Sooner or later you’ll find a homestay! 

Starting the Trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake, Unguided

Getting to kalaw from mandalay.

The Kalaw to Inle Lake trek is located in the center of Myanmar , and is accessible from Mandalay via minibus. The minibuses take about 6 hours to reach Kalaw, and depart early in the morning or late at night. Don’t expect a lot of sleep on these rickety mountain roads if you take the overnight minibus!

Kalaw has a large local market where you can shop for fruits, vegetables, souvenirs, clothes, and last-minute trekking gear. You can head up to the monastery located on top of a small hill to get a great view over town. 

If you are trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake with a guide , plenty of trekking agencies sell guided treks in Kalaw! There is  no need to book a guide ahead of time . In Kalaw, shops sell bags of all shapes and sizes, perfect for if you need a day bag to use. Guided trek companies will send your large luggage to your final destination, so you can buy a duffel bag in Kalaw for this purpose too. 

Where to Stay in Kalaw

I highly recommend staying at the Country Inn in Kalaw, which is located a short walk from the city center. 

The family who runs the hotel is extremely friendly, and the room was perfect for one last relaxing sleep before setting out on the trek. Breakfast in the morning of chapati, fruit, eggs, guacamole, and fresh orange juice was incredible!

Kalaw to Inle Lake Trekking Maps

This is a screenshot of the trail that Marty and I took when we hiked Kalaw to Inle Lake unguided, taken on the Maps.me app. The red labels show the towns where we stayed each night. 

 Day 1, we hiked to to “ Lemind “, Day 2 to “ Part tu “, and Day 3 to the ferry terminal at “ In Dein “. 

This Kalaw to Inle Lake hiking map shows exactly how we hiked a total of 44 km. 

Above is a more comprehensive Kalaw to Inle Lake trekking map that we found at our first homestay in La Maing. The homestay owner happened to be a trekking guide. This regional Myanmar hiking map shows a lot of variation in trails on Day 1 from Kalaw, but the trail becomes more streamlined on Days 2 and 3 after La Maing. 

According to this guide’s Kalaw to Inle Lake hiking map, you can trek on Day 1 to “ Pyin Tha ” (the village is not marked on maps.me but a homestay is). Day 2, trek to “ Pat tu bauk ” (aka Part tu) and Day 3 to “ In Dein “. On this map of the trek, Day 1 varies from Marty and I’s trek, Day 2 and 3 are the same.

The different colored squares on this map represent the ethnic groups and hill tribes that live in the villages.

Day 1 - Kalaw to La Maing (Lemind on maps.me)

As you can see on the Kalaw trekking map, a few different roads lead south from Kalaw town. We took the road that seemed to be the main paved one that turned to dirt outside of town. Only the occasional motorbike and locals walking their water buffalo shared our same road.

We walked by the 60 Buddhas temple as well as a few great viewpoints. From the elevation we gained, we could see that there are many trails and roads that wind through this valley. 

The Day 1 variation takes you to the opposite side of the valley, which is where most of the guided treks will go. 

The road turns to the East after about 10 kilometers south of Kalaw, near two unmarked villages. We trekked between some agricultural terraces here, making the trail a little hard to follow. Locals working hard in the fields happily pointed us in the right direction.

After crossing a busy car road, we reached La Maing. We had some difficulty finding a homestay because there is no signage in front of the buildings. We learned later there are only three homestays in the village that take in trekkers. 

Again, the locals were more than happy to point us towards where a homestay was, and eventually a local child was volunteered to show us to the home. 

My advice is to ask EVERY local you see whether they know of a place to stay, and they’ll help you find a place! 

It took us 4 hours to trek 13 km from Kalaw to La Maing on Day 1. 

Day 1 Variation - Kalaw to Pyin Tha/Myindaik

Many guided treks will head West out of Kalaw, towards the opposite side of the valley to where Marty and I trekked. Several viewpoints in this area are marked on maps.me, as well as a trail that you can follow.

You can see on the Kalaw trekking map in maps.me, there are a couple of homestays near Myindaik, and between Myindaik and La Maing. 

We decided to trek South of Kalaw instead of to the West because we were trekking without a tour. 23 km is a long distance to go when there is a chance of getting lost along the way, when it’s very hot for most of the day, and when we were carrying ALL of our belongings.  

Looking back, since the terrain is not difficult at all to trek, we could probably have taken the longer Kalaw trekking route with no issues.

Day 2 - La Maing to Part Tu

The trek from La Maing on Day 2 follows the trails that locals use to get between the villages in the area, and get their animals to their agricultural plots. We passed by dozens of men, women, children, and buffalo, all on their way to work in the fields in the morning. 

You’ll walk through many villages on this day, but there are not a lot of facilities where you can buy food or water. There are some forks in the trails, but they all merge back together and lead to Part tu. 

Sections of the Kalaw to Inle Lake trail are marked with pink arrows like the one below!

Part Tu is filled with homestays, so you’ll have no trouble at all finding a place to stay. Here, we had a local woman call us over and ask if we wanted a place to stay.

We read an account online of people who stayed in Teetain, one village over for Day 2, but we stayed in Part tu at the recommendation of the owner of our first homestay. We saw trekking group after trekking group come to stay there as well, after we had settled into our accommodation.

It took us 5.5 hours (with detours) to trek 14 km from La Maing to Part tu on Day 2. 

Day 3 - Part Tu to In Dein

Day 3 was the most crowded day hiking Kalaw to Inle Lake unguided. We managed to trek Days 1 & 2 while seeing hardly anyone. On Day 3, every group left Part tu between 7am-8am, so we found ourselves rushing to break away from the groups of people. 

We took the trail south of Teetain village, then up to a check point where we had to pay 15,000 kyats ($10) to enter the “Inle Zone” .

At the beginning of Nan Yoke town there is a large restaurant where basically every trekking group stops for a rest and refreshments. This was when we powered ahead of them all!! 

Unfortunately the trail on this day doesn’t stray far from the car road, and it wasn’t very scenic or cultural after Nan Yoke either. There was hardly any shade to take rests in, so we just powered through until In Dein. 

It took us 5 hours to trek 17 km from Part tu to In Dein on Day 3. 

Tip: People who opt for the 2-day trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake will skip the first day of trekking, but I recommend skipping the third day instead! 

Hiring a boat from in dein to inle lake.

When we arrived in In Dein we walked to the center of town, over a large bridge where dozens of longboats were lined up. 

We asked around if we could get a boat to Nyaung Shwe, and some locals offered us a private boat for  25,000 kyats ($16.50 USD) . There was no room for negotiation, and we were told there is no shared boat or ferry to take, so we paid the 25,000 kyats. 

From Nyaung Shwe you can rent a boat to take you around Inle Lake for the whole day for 18,000 kyats ($12), but there are a LOT more boats based there vs In Dein. 

The boat took  one hour to get to Nyaung Shwe from In Dein.  From where we were dropped off, we were about to walk to our accommodation. 

The boat ride was scenic and exciting, as we curved speedily around the waterways and dropped down some dams. When the water opened up, we saw some great sights on Inle Lake too.

Summary: Benefits of Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake Unguided vs Guided

Kalaw to Inle Lake Unguided Benefits

• Have a private experience with more sense of adventure and accomplishment
• Trek, rest, and stay wherever you want to
• Have an authentic experience, eating what the family eats and sleeping where they sleep, instead of having catered food or sleeping in a separate dorm
• Saves money

Kalaw to Inle Lake Guided Benefits

• No worries about finding accommodation, sleep in proper dorm building
• No language barrier with locals in villages
• Have a chance to explore more off-the-beaten-track trails, with no worries about getting lost
• Have your big bag sent to Inn Dein for you

Trekking Kalaw to Inle Lake Without A Tour? Pin this post!

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13 thoughts on “ kalaw to inle lake trek, unguided ”.

Love the picture of Homestay 2, and the story about sleeping with the cows below you.

This sounds like such a beautiful adventure! I think it’s interesting that the homestays are first come first served!

Wow! The Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek in Myanmar looks like an incredible adventure! I tend to prefer unguided trips as well, so this is such a great resource. I loved seeing all of the food photos as well! 🙂

Wow, this is an amazing experience! The food actually looks really tasty, that fresh avocado and the variety of food they served you at the homestays looks great. I had never heard about hiking in Myanmar before but this looks like a great way to experience some of the culture there. I really like your photo of the field of hot peppers, it’s something I’ve never seen before.

Oh my goodness, what an adventure. Your tip to download two versions of a map so you can use them offline is so smart. Wifi isn’t always super reliable, especially when you’re off the beaten path! Also that homestay breakfast looks 100%!

An unguided trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake Trek in Myanmar looks like an amazing experience! Not sure it’s one to do with kids but I love the idea of the independence!

Wow, this all looks fantastic! The walk, the accommodation and those breakfasts all look fantastic! I didn’t know people bitch about food in Myanmar. Everything you have posted looks tasty.

It’s interesting how the countryside looks so green from afar, but when you get close it looks very dusty. I guess it must turn into a muddy mess in the rainy season.

p.s. I use maps me all the time, but i didn’t realize you could use it to plan walks like that! That is so useful!!

Oh, wow, I can’t imagine just asking around town for a family to stay with! I suppose they are used to it though, lol! I think I would do a guided trek – $85 with a private chef doesn’t sound too expensive!

What a unique experience to trek through that area and sleep with local families! I am very jealous of this experience.

I’m definitely going to save this post for later, just because it inspired me to go to Maynnar. I mean I wanted to go before, but this seems like a must.

Amazing trek! Love the fact that traveling by foot in nature you get to share the house with the locals. Thanks for sharing this Kalaw to Inle Lake trek in Myanmar.

Hi Erika what great information, loved Reading your blog. We consider going next year in July, you think it’s possible to do the trek (weather circumstances)? Thanks, Evy

Hi Evy, thanks for stopping by! July in Myanmar is its rainy season, so if you want to trek in July everything will be green and beautiful, but you will get very muddy and wet! I would bring lots of rain gear, but the trek should still be do-able

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Eagle Trekking

2 days and 1 night trek from kalaw to inle lake or you can do a trek around kalaw in one day., we promise you a exciting trek regardless of which option you choose. all treks are filled with discovery because they are based on our local expertise and specialist knowledge. we want you to enjoy the shan state, exploring the little known and unspoilt places that only a local would know exists., tuesday, may 30, 2017, about eagle trekking.

Impotant Information For Your Trekking Trip

Staying healthy, what you need to bring, sunday, february 14, 2016, 2 days 1 night from kalaw to inle lake, 2 days and 1 night trek from kalaw to inle lake, day 1    .

• Starting point:  30 minutes taxi drive from Kalaw to Lamine Village (Toung Yoe Tribe).  
• Followed by a 1 hour walk to Pin Nwe and Paw Ke Village (Pa Oh Ethnic Group) where you will learn about the local trade (weaving). You will also spend some time with a local family and have a cup of green tea.
• Continue trekking for around  1 Hour 30 minutes to Khone Hla Village (Da Nu Tribe). We will stop here for some freshly prepared lunch, which you can enjoy whilst looking across to the mountains at mesmerizing view.
• Continue with the trek passing by some rice field. From here it is a further 2 hours 30 minutes walk to Pe Tu Pork ( Pa Oh Tribe), where we will have dinner and settle into the night for a cosy home stay.

DAY 2  

• After breakfast, we will start the day with a 25 minute trek to Hti Thain (Pa Oh Village), passing by a monastery.
• Continue trekking for a further 45 minutes to Kyut Su (Pa Oh Village) where you can see bamboo baskets being made.
• Another 15 minute walk to Nan Yoke village where you can learn about the local herbs.
• Following on you will trek for 2 hours down to the Boat Station (Jetty), where we will stop off for lunch at a small family run restaurant.
• To finish off the trek, we will take a relaxing Boat trip to Nyaung Shwe City, and should you wish to, you can stop off at some sites along the way. You can then make you way to your hotel or resort.

1 Day trekking around Kalaw

• Start the day by walking to Reservoir forest whilst enjoying the beautiful landscape and scenery.
• We will then climb to the top of Mountain Resting. We will stop for lunch, which you can enjoy whilst looks over to the colourful mountains and field.
• After lunch we will continue to trek down to 2 villages. You will learn all about green tea at the Tar Yew Village (Pa Laung Tribe).
• Following this, we will walk through Ywa Thit Village where you can see the day to day life of Palaung tribe people, as well as the very beautiful landscape full of green tea leaf and orange fields .
• Start the day by trek down to 2 villages. You will learn all about green tea at the Tar Yew Village (Pa Laung Tribe). Following this, is a short trek to Ywa Thit Village where you can see the day to day life of Palaung tribe people, as well as the very beautiful landscape full of green tea leaf and orange fields . 
• We will then climb to the top of Mountain Resting. We will stop for lunch, which you can enjoy whilst looks over to the colourful mountains and fields.
• After lunch we will continue to the trek back to Kalaw, passing by some breath taking views.
• Start the day with a taxi ride to Myint Ka Village (Da Nu Tribe), here you will terrace upon terrace of rice fields or the seasonal crop.
• We will continue to Pin Ne Pin Village (Pa Laung Tribe) where you will learn all about green tea and orange field.
• Following this, we will continue the trek to Union Main Road whilst enjoying the beautiful landscape and scenery.
• We will finish the day by getting a taxi back to Kalaw
• Start the day by trekking to Myint Ma Htit Village (Da Nu Tribe), here you can see tomatoes and carrots fields , as well as other fruit and vegetables. Be prepared to be taken back by the bubbling streams.
• Following this we will take a trek though the 1028ft long Buddist Image Cave.
• Continuing onto Taunggyi Chay Village, where plenty of chilli, ginger and other crops can be found in masses.
• We will then trek up to Lu Pyin, where you can admire the breath taking views of colourful mountains and fields as fa as the eye can see. 
• Finishing the day with a trek back to Kalaw.

Mega Challange

3 day 2 night trekking: kalaw to inle lake.

• Continue trekking for around 45 minutes to Hin Kha Gone, where you will learn all about green tea and orange field.
• Following this, we will continue the trek to Myin Dite, here you can admire the beautiful architecture of local train station.
• Continue with the trek passing by some rice field. From here it is a further 1 hours 30 minutes’ walk to Taung Lar , where we will have dinner and settle into the night for a cosy home stay.
• After breakfast, we will start the day with 2 hour trek to La Mine.
• Followed by a 45minutes walk to Pin Nwe and Paw Ke Village (Pa Oh Ethnic Group) where you will learn about the local trade (weaving). You will also spend some time with a local family and have a cup of green tea.
• Continue trekking for around 1 Hour 30 minutes to Khone Hla Village (Da Nu Tribe). We will stop here for some freshly prepared lunch, which you can enjoy whilst looking across to the mountains at mesmerizing view.
• Continue with the trek passing by some rice field. From here it is a further 2 hours 30 minutes’ walk to Pe Tu Pork (Pa Oh Tribe), where we will have dinner and settle into the night for a cosy home stay
• To finish off the trek, we will take a relaxing boat trip to Nyaung Shwe City, and should you wish to, you can stop off at some sites along the way. You can then make you way to your hotel or resort.

Pindaya Trek – 3 Days

Kalaw to inle lake trekking tour – 3 days, kalaw elephant camp trek – 2 days, trekking & elephant experience – 1 day.

• Kayah State Trekking Adventure – 4 Days
• Kayah State Impressions – 3 Days
• Hsipaw Day Trek
• Hsipaw Trekking to Shan Villages – 2 Days
• Hsipaw Trek – 3 Days
• Kyaukme Day Trek
• Kyaukme Trekking to Palaung Villages – 2 Days
• Kyaukme Trekking – 3 Days
• Upper Chit Kyaung Valley Trek incl. Hunters falls – 4 days
• Chin State Family Trek – 4 Days
• Remote Mindat South-West incl. Hunters falls – 5 Days
• Chin Trek and Mt Victoria – 6 Days
• Chin State and Mt Victoria Trekking – 11 Days
• Tribes and Villages of the Chin Hills 7 Days / 6 Nights
• Kyaing Tong Hill Tribes Trek – 4 Days
• Lashio Trekking & Biking Tour – 4 Days
• Lashio Trekking Adventure- 3 Days

Naga Hills 8 Days / 7 Nights

• Nagaland Impressions Trek – 8 Days
• Nagaland Tribal Trek – 10 Days
• Mount Saramati Summit Trek – 12 Days

Putao Valley Exploration – 5 Days

• Putao Village Trekking – 4 Days

Putao Villages Hiking – 4 Days

Putao valley and shangaung tour – 5 days.

• Putao Himalayan Trails – 6 Days Trek
• Putao Last Village Trek – 7 Days
• White Water Rafting in Putao
• Phongun Razi Trekking Peak 3635m
• Phangran Razi Peak 4330m Expedition
• Phonyin Razi Putao Trekking Peak – 12 Days
• Nomung Trek 8 Days
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Hiking / Trekking in Kalaw and Pindaya

Kalaw, a former colonial summer retreat, is a charming hill town that serves as a starting point for many treks in the Shan hills. Kalaw stands high at an elevation of 1320m, on the western edge of the Shan Plateau, 70 km west of Taunggyi and about halfway along the Thazi-Taunggyi road. Due to the towns elevation, the climate around Kalaw stays fairly temperate all around year. In the town itself, visitors can still admire many of the original colonial era buildings and soak in the beautiful surroundings

Charming nature

The surroundings of Kalaw are perfect for trekking and the landscapes differ from rice paddy fields, pine forests, tea plantations to enchanting bamboo groves with rolling hills as the main feature of the area. There is also a beautiful reservoir lake surrounded by green forests, the perfect spot for a refreshing swim.

Kalaw is a great place for ethnic minority encounters and the surroundings are mainly habituated by Shan, Danu, Palaung and Pa-O people. Inside the town the best place to witness local life is the lively and colourful central market. Villagers come there to trade their produce from the surrounding region. Due to popularity of Kalaw the locals are already used to seeing foreigners, so the atmosphere is relaxed and you are welcome to join the hustle and bustle of the market.

What to do in Kalaw?

Kalaw is the most popular trekking destination in Myanmar and what makes Kalaw great is that you don’t have to have a guide to explore the surrounding areas. There are few places you can rent bikes for self-guided day trips around the beautiful nature. Most popular treks go from Kalaw to Inle Lake with a duration of two to five days depending on the chosen route. There is also a spectacular elephant camp 40 minutes’ drive away from Kalaw. This elephant reservoir was founded in 2011 to protect the ageing working elephants of the area. The camp is a good example of well managed ecotourism and we highly recommend visiting. You can also do a one night trek to the camp with an overnight stay in a local Village.

How to get to Kalaw?

You can reach Kalaw from Bagan with bus leaving at 7.30am and arriving around 3pm. There are also frequent mini-van coaches running from Mandalay 5hrs journey. If you feel extreme you can take 26hrs train journey from Yangon including a 5 hours stop in Thazi in the middle of the night. The stop is for resting because the rides in Myanmar are amazingly bumpy.

Climate in Kalaw follows the same three season pattern that is dominant in all of Myanmar. The biggest difference comes from the higher altitude of the region that keeps the weather nice and temperate all around the year. Average year temperature is 19 degree Celsius. Main tourist season is in the “winter” from November till February with pleasant temperatures, clear skies, warm days and cool nights (bring warm clothes with you). The down side is that it might be bit crowded on the most popular routes. Hot season lasts from March until May and weather gets warmer and occasional showers might occur. Rainy season is from end of May until October and you can expect almost daily showers but the rain fall is much lesser than in Yangon and other coastal parts of Myanmar. Driest month is January with almost no rain and rainiest is August with daily rainfalls.

Pindaya is known for its extensive network of limestone caves, yet the town itself offers a charming stop as well. Sitting over 1,160 meters above sea level, it was developed around the tranquil Boutaloke Lake, surrounded by curved temple spires and regal Banyan trees. Oxcarts are not an uncommon sight and the pace of life is unhurried here. Pindaya is few hours’ drive away from Inle Lake, Kalaw or Taunggyi which make Pindaya a great pit stop when exploring Shan state.

The Nature of Pindaya is quite similar to Kalaw with various farming fields and rolling hills. The distinct difference is the limestone caves and formations that surround the area. The lake in the middle of the town gives a nice calming feature to the atmosphere of Pindaya.

Pindaya Caves

Pindaya Caves winds north to south along a limestone ridge and for centuries has seen a steady stream of devoted pilgrims bringing images of Buddha to be placed in the cave shrines, an awe inspiring testament to the Buddhist faith. The most impressive of the cave shrines is Shwe U Min Paya, accessible through a series of covered staircases.

Once inside, the viewer is greeted by over 8,000 Buddha images of every imaginable size and material— gold to silver, alabaster to teak, marble to brick, lacquerware to cement – each reverently carried by pilgrims from all over Asia and places as far as northern Europe and USA. The pilgrimage continues today. The sight of thousands of Buddha statues in the labyrinth of the cave chambers is spellbinding.

The ethnic encounters and people habituating the surrounding areas are similar to Kalaw. Only difference is that Pindaya does not have market as big and colourful as Kalaw.

Although Pindaya is not as known for trekking as Kalaw you can still find great trekking routes around the area. You can choose short or extended excursions to surrounding Taung-Yo, Danu, Pa-O and Palaung villages. The limestone caves with countless of Buddha images are attraction not to be missed and can be reached by 45 minutes’ walk from the town centre. One quite popular and recommended trek is from Pindaya to Kalaw. This trek takes usually three days and two nights. Local village monasteries welcome foreigners for overnights with simple shared facilities. This trek suits for people with basic physical fitness and covers rolling hills farming land and some lush forest areas.

How to get there?

Pindaya can be reached from Kalaw and Heho airport with 1hr drive and from Inle Lake 1.5hrs.

Discovery DMC Tours in and around Kalaw and Pindaya regions.

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Kalaw is a hill station in Myanmar, constructed by the British in colonial times, at 1,3-0 meters above sea level.

The town still tastes like a high-altitude vacation resort – the air is fantastic, the atmosphere is peaceful, and the tree-lined streets still contain a smatter of colonial-era construction – while the neighboring hills are fine for easy day or overnight treks to Danaw, Danu, Pa-O, Palaung, and Taung Yo villages.

How to reach Kalaw?

If you are traveling from Bagan, you can get on a minibus that leaves at 08:00 Am, arriving in Kalaw around 15:00. Taxis headed towards Taunggyi depart Mandalay at 08:00 Am and arrive in Kalaw around 16:00.

Kalaw Trekking Guide

Kalaw offers a blend of trekking opportunities for the young audience. The town’s countryside is dotted with ethnic minority Hindu villages and agricultural lands growing oranges, ginger, cauliflower, tea, and other produce. Limited uncultivated, wild regions exist in the area surrounding the Kalaw’s water reservoir catchment. Trekking to Inle Lake is especially popular, with 2-day/1-night and 3-day/2-night options commonly available. Loop treks around the Kalaw region of diverse lengths are also possible. If you only have three days, it is a decent idea to go trekking one day about Kalaw and do the 1-night, 2-day trek to Inle Lake as it will give a wider variety of adventures, and you can enjoy the lovely mountain views from the hills around Kalaw.

Many trekking companies, which provide suitable treks through multiple regions with warm English-speaking locals, compete for business in the city. Many are connected with a guesthouse and will gladly visit you at yours to illustrate possible options. Better firms will make flexible itineraries, tailoring your memorable trip based on the level of hassle you can handle and the kinds of sights you’d like to see. Some guides are even able to make adjustments to your route during the trek, depending on conditions. Treks can be organized on-site, for the next day, or the same day easily.

Professionally guided treks in the Kalaw area are of excellent value. Expect to pay around 36,000 kyats for a group of three, 30,000 kyats/day for a group of two, or 40,000 kyats for four, including accommodation, all meals, and endless tea with meals. As most guests to Kalaw plan to trek, it is normally not difficult to meet others to form a group and thus suppress the per-person price.

Forwarding bags to a guesthouse in the Inle lake region should cost around 3,000 kyats per bag. You can reroute your luggage to the jetty at Inle lake, so you will be free to shop around hotels there.

During the high season, more than 150 people trek to Inle Lake daily. Those people will all have to homestay in the small villages. So be understanding when locals don’t want their pictures to be taken. Show them proper respect and dress in a polite way during the trek and in the lovely villages.

It is feasible to trek independently in the region. Most paths are not too challenging to carry a backpack on—natives usually use them to haul large amounts of farming produce on foot! If you own a GPS device, you can follow the trekking trails on one of the many websites and many mobile Apps like OsmAnd, MAPS.ME, etc. Generally, the main route is going south from Kalaw and then turning east slowly, reaching the lake’s southern end. Finding accommodation may be somewhat tricky if trekking independently. English speakers are rather uncommon in the villages surrounding Kalaw, but signaling you may want to sleep should not be too difficult.

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