Thailand Adventure

Arrive Bangkok and check into hotel. This afternoon is left free for you to get to know this fascinating city at your own pace. Being a city of rivers and canals, Bangkok is best explored from the water and so you may wish to take an optional longtail boat excursion along busy ‘klongs’.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)

Our sightseeing tour this morning is on foot and includes the Grand Palace with its stunning Emerald Buddha and Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). The afternoon is left free, then in the evening we board the overnight train for Den Chai in northern Thailand.

Overnight Train (U) Included meals: Breakfast

This morning we alight at Den Chai and head up to Nan by bus, passing rolling hills and fields of cotton, tea and teak. Nan is pleasantly situated on the Nan river, near the Lao borders to the East and North. Cut off for many years due to the Communist insurgencies in the 70’s, the area has been undergoing slow development since the amnesty in 1982 and still retains much of its unhurried feel. We will visit some of the interesting wats and museums around the town. The National Museum is a nice introduction to Nan’s history and people, and hosts a strange piece of black ivory. This afternoon we take to bicycles to explore deeper into the surrounding countryside and villages.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+)

This morning we plan to walk in the hills around Nan. Driving a short way into the countryside, we set off on foot passing some Hmong and Yao villages set amongst bamboo, ginger and corn fields. Each minority has their own language and customs though today most follow the Thai way of life. We walk through the forest and along hilltops, admiring the scenic views in this quiet northern area, before heading back to Nan, (walk approx 4-5 hours). Later in the afternoon we transfer to our homestay villages and are accommodated in local Thai houses with our host families. This project has been running for nearly three years and all families are volunteer participants. You will be contributing directly to the household and to a village development fund. Normally our group is split into two or three people per household, but because houses and villages change in order to spread the economic benefit, we will not know exactly where we are staying until we arrive. Conditions are the same as for the family, nothing more, nothing less.

Overnight Homestay (H) Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

We spend a full day with our host families. The emphasis is to fully integrate into the family’s daily routine and to participate in whatever needs doing; whether that be cooking, planting rice, fishing etc. You will probably speak as much Thai as your hosts speak English and communication will be left to you to improvise as best you can. Nothing is ‘specially’ laid on; the idea is that you see it for what it really is. At certain times of the year the family may be busy with harvesting, planting, fruit picking etc. and you are encouraged to help. At other times of the year the village may be quiet and there is not a lot to do except relax around the village. You will not have to participate in the family’s activities and there are other small excursions that the family can take you to see or teach you to do, (pottery, basket weaving, walks etc). A lot will depend upon your input. This is a great opportunity to live a typical day and for the family and yourself to experience something a little different.

Overnight Homestay (H) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Saying goodbye to our hosts, we leave the hills and head down to Lampang by local bus (about 4-5 hours). The afternoon has been left free to wander along the Wang River and around the town and markets. You may like to take an optional trip to Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, one of the architectural jewels of northern Thailand, built in beautiful Lanna style and an important pilgrimage site for locals. Alternatively you may like to visit the Elephant Conservation Centre not far from the city (optional).

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

We continue by local bus to Mae Sot (4-5 hours). In Mae Sot we transfer to a different bus and travel along the ‘Skyway’ road, one of the most stunning drives in Thailand, (about 4 hours) then to the small isolated outpost of Umphang. A few hundred wooden houses are set by the Umphang and Mae Klong Rivers , and they are surrounded by mountains. Tonight we meet our local guide and prepare for our 5 day jungle adventure.

Overnight Basic Hotel (H) Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast we embark on the first leg of our wilderness journey, taking rafts along the Mae Klong River. Drifting slowly along, (about 3-4 hours), we pass small waterfalls running down in to the river, cliffs looming up on each side and a small hot spring. We then leave the rafts and walk through the jungle to our first camping location, (about 3 hours). Our exact camping locations may change over the next few days due to local conditions, but tonight we plan to overnight at the forestry camp set by a peaceful river.

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we set on foot to the Thi Lor Su Waterfall, the largest and most impressive waterfall in Thailand and possibly South East Asia (about 1 hour). 7 tiers of falls flow all year round from high limestone cliffs and it is a truly rewarding sight after the trek through the jungle. We then walk back to our campsite for lunch (approx 1 hour) before trekking to the minority Karen village at Kotha (about 3 hours), for our overnight stay. The nearby Kotha waterfall is another stunning sight and wonderful for a swim.

Overnight Village House (H) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following the river and passing dozens of small falls and pools, we travel on elephant back to Palatha village, (about 3 hours). From here we take to rafts again for our white water adventure, heading south and passing several sets of rapids (about 3-4 hours, grade 3-4). At certain times of the year, it will be necessary to walk around some of the rapids. Life jackets, helmets and instruction will be given by our local guides. You will probably get wet so don’t forget to bring waterproof bags for cameras etc. In the late afternoon we wild camp by the river.

Overnight Basic Camping (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We make an easy return trip along the river to see Thi Lor Lay Waterfall. A magical sight as the water cascades down a high limestone clifface and into the middle of the river. We return to camp for lunch before continuing through the jungle. There are no roads in this area and all supplies are carried either on foot or by elephant – we will not have to carry the rafts back as they are loaded on elephants! We walk for about 4-5 hours before making a wild camp deep in the jungle.

Overnight Wild Camp (C) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our final trek brings us to Sepala village, (about 3 hours), from where we head back to Umphang, before returning back along the ‘Skyway’ to Mae Sot, a sleepy town only 6km from the Burmese border. Hmong, Karen, Thai and Burmese live in these areas and the cross border trade provides a way of living for a large proportion of the population. Many old wooden houses and Burmese style temples lie around the town.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today travel to Phitsanlok airport before we fly the short distance back to the Thai capital. Sightseeing in Mae Sot and Bangkok will depend on flight times.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast