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Popular 'Jungle Treks', lasting from 2 to 7 days, take visitors through forested mountains and high valleys and meadows, and include visits to remoter high-altitude hilltribe settlements for overnight stays. The best guides are hilltribe youths who customarily speak English, Thai and at least three tribal dialects.

Treks commonly feature travel by foot, sometimes by boat, elephant-back, horseback or jeep, frequently a combination of two or three modes of transportation.

Prospective trekkers are advised to shop around companies offering such tours for the best conditions. All treks must be registered with the Tourist Police. This is done for trekkers' protection.

Avoid companies that do not abide by this law. Visitors are welcome to enquire from the Tourism Police to confirm which tour companies have negative or bad reputations. Also, avoid narcotics, essentially everything from 'soft drugs' such as marijuana to 'hard drugs' such as opium and heroin, both during travel and at hilltribe villages. There are severe penalties for such usage. Valuables, such as passport, jewellery and money, should be deposited in the safe of your hotel or guest house while you are trekking upcountry wear sensible clothing to protect your limbs and sleep under a mosquito net at night. Malaria is a real threat, and sensible precautions should be taken to avoid it.