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This paper explores various interpretations of authenticity as they are described by the actors involved in hill-tribe trekking tourism in northern Thailand. By considering the ways that tourists interpret authenticity through their own experiences, it may be possible to gain a deeper understanding about the curious motivations for participation in the lives of Others. This research has shown that how tourists interpret an ‘authentic’ experience is highly correlated with their ability to procure an intimate encounter with the toured Karen people. Ultimately, the intimate experience supersedes the desire for object authenticity, which may be perceived as superficial or secondary to the more humanist desire for reciprocal interaction.