North Thailand Highlights

Day 1: Chiang Mai’s Old Town with street food experience (-/L/D)

Arrive Chiang Mai and transfer to Banthai Village and check in.

Time to freshen up and after lunch take a walking tour of the old city, visiting: Wat Phra Singh, Wat Chedi Luang, Three Kings Monument, Tha Pae Gate and Warorot Market. Return to the hotel to relax before dinner.
Then in the evening visit the Night Bazaar, explore the market and enjoy a feast of street food.

Day 2: Tuk tuk Adventure (B/L/D)

After breakfast pick from your hotel and transfer to the tuk tuk base around 45-60 minutes south west of the city in the beautiful district of Mae Wang.

On arrival in Mae Wang, you will be introduced to your tuk tuk for the day. All tuk tuks have been specially modified to cope safely with the mountain roads and to give you extra comfort and leg room, and you can even roll back the roof to get the most out of your day. 

You will then head off through the Mae Wang valley. Passing by small farming villages and along winding roads, your first stop is the remote and rarely visited temple of Wat Doi Sapanyoo. Huge Buddha statues and stunning 360-degree views await you.

Then it’s back into the tuk tuks and continue through scattered communities and head north up the valley towards Mae Sapok, a valley of rice terraces, water buffalo and often elephants seen by a stream. Take a short walk through the forest to a waterfall and then explore a local hilltribe village.  Arrive at the elephant home for lunch. Learn about Thai elephants and how people are working to create better futures for them. Help the mahouts feed them and then walk through the local countryside to the river and help bathe the elephants. 

Next it is time to enjoy some water activities of a different kind as you float lazily along the local river on a traditional bamboo raft. Don’t worry, there are no rapids along the way, rather this is a great opportunity to see the local surroundings from a different angle and have a huge amount of fun negotiating the twists and turns of the river. After the bamboo rafting, head back to Mae Wang along small back roads to explore fascinating rural communities and visit a lovely temple where you can learn about the importance of temples and monks in these small communities. Around 18.00 arrive at a lovely small family-run restaurant where you will experience truly authentic country cooking. After a relaxing dinner transfer back to your hotel in Chiang Mai, arriving at around 20.00.

Day 3: Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai (-/L/D)

After breakfast, depart from your hotel in Chiang Mai and head towards Chiang Rai. Stop at Mae Khachan Hot Springs where you can boil some eggs while you bathe your feet. The next stop will be the famous Wat Rong Khun, or White Temple. Arrive in Chiang Rai town mid-afternoon and check in to the Laluna Hotel.Time to relax and freshen up  before heading out into town to explore the night market and enjoy some fabulous street food.

Day 4: Chiang Rai – mountains and hilltribes (B/L/D)

After an early breakfast set off on a day exploring the highlights of Chiang Rai. Head up into the mountain running along the border with Myanmar with the opportunity to explore fascinating Akha villages. The first stop is the very famous Doi Tung, with fantastic views, gardens and the summer palace of the late Queen Mother. Then head along a small mountain road running along the border to the Akha community of Baan Pha Mee. Here you will learn about the Akha way of life, the history of the Royal Project here which helped the community move away from growing opium to the coffee for which they are now famous. Lunch will be a traditional Akha meal. Return to Chiang Rai late afternoon with a stop at Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple on the way. In the evening head out into the markets again to enjoy yet more fantastic Northern street food.

Day 5: Departure (B/-/-)

After breakfast set off for your next destination.

Services included:

•             Private air-conditioned transport and transfers

•             Hotels as mentioned in the programme

•             Local English-speaking guide

•             Meals as mentioned in the programme

•             Local community and cultural activities, cave tours

•             All entrance fees for visits mentioned in the programme

Services not included:

•             Additional soft drinks/alcohol

•             Personal expenses

•             Tips for guide and driver

•             Domestic and international flights

Please be advised:

In some villages you may not be allowed take pictures of people and some places may be out of bounds to visitors. If you wish to take photographs or are unsure whether an action is appropriate, please ask your local guide for advice.

Responsible mind:

The villagers’ income from tourists is to help support the community and preserve its way of life. We have designed our tours to provide them with job opportunities and a sustainable way of maintaining their cultural heritage and to offer an alternative to illegal activities like mineral exploration, deforestation and hunting wildlife.

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