From Kalaw there are many possibilities to travel to Inle Lake; many people join a trekking which is a multi-day tour with a group of people including a local guide. Food is included ( drinks like water have to be arranged by yrself) and the night is spend at a local community or even a monastery.
It's an active and environmental friendly way to explore the surroundings and people who live there but one should be (physically) prepared to walk 10-15 km's per day in all kinds of terrain including hills, slopes and sometimes small waterways.
I contacted Ever Smile Trekking Guide Service in Kalaw and I could join a 2 days-1 night trekking the next day.
I would meet a trekking group who left a day earlier and who was on the way from Kalaw to Inle Lake.
This first day we would walk through the hills, visit some villages and have dinner and sleep at a monastery.
I was dropped of by a motorbike at a village near Kalaw and during the wait for the group I could explore the surroundings, see a video of this below.
The weather was perfect for a walk, a bit cloudy but dry and we were very lucky (and happy) this remained for the rest of the trekking.
See an impression of the surroundings and the group walking through the hills in the video below.
The area was agricultural and sometimes we passed a site where people were busy with their daily work, see the video below.
Below are pics made on this 1st day
** Sunrise in Kalaw - lot's of activity so early ! **
** Dropped of by a motorbike in a village nearby **
** Views of the area around the village **
** Meeting some local kids on the way **
** Walking along the train tracks for a while **
** It was school holiday so many kids in the village ! **
** Walking makes thirsty, so tea time in a village ! **
** Meeting locals at work or on the road **
** Trekking at the tracks the locals use **
** Work is though in the fields but gives great pictures ! **
** Almost at the monastery for dinner and sleep **
