The small town of Kalaw is the starting point of a mostly downhill, 3 day trek to Inle Lake. The walk offers a unique look into the farming methods and lifestyles of several ethnic groups including Palaung, Danu, Pa-O, and Taung Yoe hill tribes. The often talked about Karen tribe, also known as the "Long Necks" due to the heavy brass rings the women wear, were nowhere to be found along the trail. Unfortunately, many have taken refuge in Thailand to escape persecution or just don't live in this area anymore.

Finding a good tour operator and guide that delivers the promised itinerary is every traveler's biggest obstacle. We poked around town for the good part of a day trying to decide who to go with, but in the end, decided Jungle King offered the best package. We just couldn't verify anything online if they could deliver as promised. We saw several good reviews for some of Jungle King's guides, including a woman that calls herself Cindy, as well as a few other names but it's anyone's guess who will show up on the morning of your departure. So we rolled the dice and signed up.

Day 1
About 18kms (11 miles)
The day started on a very positive note. "Cindy", the highly rated guide on TripAdvisor, was assigned to our group of six. Cindy's real name is Narnu but even the locals call her by her adopted western name. She's a 19 year old kid from a nearby village with excellent English ability, lots of enthusiasm, and more knowledge of the local plant life than a trained botanist. The trek started by leaving Kalaw via the old railroad tracks, another remnant of British colonial rule, until we turned left on a pine forested trail. Following Cindy for about an hour, we took our first break at her family home where her parents served us tea and homemade wine. So technically, we were already drinking by 10:30am.
As the trek continued, the forest eventually turned to farmland. And what catches your attention most, and will be evident in the photos, is that this is red hot chile pepper season.
Lodging for tonight was in a local village where we all piled into a large room and slept on thin mattresses on the floor.

Day 2
About 22kms (13.6 miles)
Our second day on the trail led us past more villages, farmland, and people working the fields of red peppers. Cindy continues to impress us with her knowledge of plants by having us eat various leaves, seeds, and berries. We have no choice but to trust her. The problem is they all pretty much look the same to me so I have no idea which plant does what and I would most likely poison myself if left to my own devices.
There is so much farmland, I have to wonder how much of this area was deforested. While writing this, I read a news article about a local Burmese village that had to build treehouses to live in because elephants were coming in at night and smashing up the town. Rapid deforestation was taking away their habitat and they were running out places to go. I guess this is how elephants protest.
A shower is difficult to come by on this trek but today offered a chance for a refreshing river swim, which we all took advantage of. Daytime temps are quite hot but it cools off in the evening, This is technically the winter dry season and the elevation contributes to the cooler evening temps. Our lodging tonight was a huge monastery where several tour groups convened. It was like sleeping in a big warehouse or army barracks; just one thin mattress laid on the floor next to the other.

Day 3
About 16kms (9.6 miles)
Today we reached Inle Lake around 12:30pm and said goodbye to Cindy and hello to our boat driver. We still have to cross the length of the lake for another hour and half to get to Nyaung Shwe village where all the hotels and restaurants are.
Inle Lake has a completely different culture and way of life. Farming here is done using floating gardens that have an unlimited water supply. The local Intha tribe has a distinct fishing technique where they balance on one leg at the front of their boat while the other is wrapped around an oar for paddling, leaving both hands free to work their nets. It's fascinating to watch but looks extremely difficult, and perhaps uncomfortable. Everyone here lives in large bamboo houses on stilts. It's the Venice of Myanmar; a real lake community where the roads are canals, everyone has a boat, and lives in a summer like beach home. Life looks simple but it appears they have everything they need. Except for jetskis. They need jetskis.