Thailand Explorer - 12 Days
This trip to Thailand - the land of tuk-tuks, elephants and Buddhas - is essentially about trekking to meet it's tribal people and sample their cultures while exploring its famous rugged hillsides with their spectacular views. Firstly, there's a few days of traditional tourism in the bustling capital Bangkok, such as exploring the Grand Palace, plus the river market canals and a visit to the famous Bridge over The River Kwai with it's relics of the second world war. Then it's an overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai, Thailand's jewel of the north, for our trekking. Over 3 days we will travel on foot, bicycle - as well as a spot of white water rafting plus swimming in a waterfall - as we visit the villages of Akah and Hmong Pha Mieng to meet it's tribes. Cultural highlights will be the holy Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep temple, 3,520 feet above sea level, and visited by Buddhist pilgrims all year round, and night shopping in a bazaar. And after the rigours of the day we return each evening to our comfortable lodges in the valleys. Finally we return to Bangkok on the overnight sleeper train.
Days 1, 2
Travel to Thailand
Day 3
Bangkok. Nine million people live here and the streets are always buzzing. Once you are through the initial culture shock you will discover Bangkok’s many and varied charms - the exciting markets, the peaceful temples, the noisy nightclubs and the grand historic buildings. Our biggest challenge this evening is to decide where to eat, as there are hundreds of restaurants all serving delicious food!
Day 4
Bangkok. Today we start with a long-tail boat ride on the Chao Phraya river, which has been the lifeline of Thailand’s ancient kingdoms and agricultural sustainability. We see traditional houses still perched at the edge of the river and its’ canals and pass the Royal Barge Museum. We then visit one of Thailand’s greatest visual wonders, the Wat Phra Kaeo, the Grand Palace. This is Thailand’s holiest Buddhist Temple and because of that you must make sure you wear ankle length trousers or a long skirt, a top fully covering the shoulders and proper sandals or shoes (no flip-flops/thongs). The Wat Phra Kaeo Royal Chapel houses the Emerald Buddha, actually made of jade. The Thais believe that as long as they remain keepers of the Emerald Buddha, their country will be safe. A local guide will be with us to show us this and many other stunning buildings in the 61-acre site. Afterwards we visit Wat Pho - the oldest temple in Bangkok, older than the city itself where Buddhist monks live. Wat Pho houses the incredible reclining gilt Buddha, which is nearly 50 feet high and 151 feet long with ornately inlayed mother-of-pearl feet. And here’s a bonus: the compound houses the Traditional Massage School offering Thai Massage and Foot Reflexology –a good way to end the day. For lunch we head to the Khao San Road, also known as backpacker central in Bangkok and afterwards you are free to shop and explore the area.
Day 5
The Bridge Over The River Kwai. We start today with a trip round the Floating Markets. It is best to get there first thing so breakfast is early. On the way, we stop at a coconut sugar maker and a teak woodcarving factory. Shopping on water is a novel experience. Our long tail boat will take us through a network of canals, which is crowded with small paddleboats crammed to overflowing with exotic fruit and vegetables, such as coconuts and pomelos, and arts and crafts. Local housewives paddle through the throng of boats, stopping to bargain for their shopping. Here’s a chance for you to make some purchases in traditional Thai style.
After a morning in the hurly burly of the floating markets we take off for Kanchanaburi and a visit to the world famous Bridge over the River Kwai. Kanchanaburi is a provincial capital city set in a lush landscape framed with limestone hills set on the banks of this river, which is so rich in 20th century history. During the Second World War Kanchanaburi was the site of a massive prison camp, run by the Japanese. Allied prisoners were forced to build a railway over the River Kwai and into Burma. The story is told in one of cinema’s great classics. After a late lunch, we will visit the Jeath Museum, which is housed in bamboo huts like the ones where the prisoners lived. The museum holds unique documents, pictures and other material telling the story of the prisoner’s lives. From the museum we go to the War Cemetery where there are nearly seven thousand Prisoner of War graves - the last resting place of troops who died building the bridge and the railway. After this long day of touring, our comfortable hotel in Kanchanaburi is a welcome respite.
Day 6
Kanchanaburi to Ayuttaya / Night Train To Chiang Mai. This morning after breakfast we transfer to Hellfire Pass. Upon arrival we take a walk down the trail to the actual pass, and then return to the museum. The museum explains to visitors the story of why and how the railway was built and attempts to convey the hardships and suffering endured by so many who were forced to work in extremely harsh conditions.
After a visit to the museum, we transfer to Ayutthaya, where we embark on a bike tour of the old town and ruins of Ayutthaya. After the bike tour there is time for a shower before dinner on the Rice Barge cruise.
Our day concludes with a transfer to the train station for the overnight train to Chiang Mai. The trains we use in Thailand are Second Class Air-conditioned sleeper (No meals included), so you should arrive relaxed and refreshed in Northern Thailand.
Day 7
Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is the capital of Northern Thailand and we arrive here in the early morning. We will take the local taxi transport, a songthaew, to our Guest House for our first night’s stay. In recent years Chiang Mai has grown, although with a population of 200,000 it is still a comfortable size and you will find that people here are relaxed and easy going. After lunch we take a road trip up the mountains to the Doi Suthep temple, a pilgrimage sight in Northern Thailand. From here you will see spectacular views down the mountain to Chiang Mai.
For dinner, we include a traditional Thai dinner, combined with a classical dance performance.
Day 8
Hiking In The Hills. Today we start the second phase of our trip. After the buzz of city life we are going to taste the peace of the country with a hike through the mountains around Chiang Mai offering us an opportunity to meet some of the different tribes who have migrated into Thailand from Southwest China and Burma.
After choosing between a 3½ or 5 hour moderate/strenuous hike, we start with a truck journey up to Pha Mieng and from there we use the local footpaths through orchards and up and over mountains. Our first stop is the remote village of Hmong Pha Mieng where we will have a picnic lunch and the chance to meet the local people who have Tibetan ancestry. Afterwards, we continue on for an hour and a half walk to the next town called Pha Dean, stopping for tea, and then follow the mountain ridge to the Lahu village with its spectacular views over the valley below just in time for sunset. The Lahu tribe numbers 82,000 and is the third largest tribe in Thailand.
Our base for the night is a traditional Lahu house on stilts and with bamboo walls and floors and dinner will be cooked for you after your day’s exertions.
Please Note: This hiking trip can be quite strenuous at times. A lot of the hiking is uphill, and in warm weather. Also, during this 2-day hike, you will not have access to your main luggage. Your main luggage will be securely stored in Chiang Mai.
Day 9
Hiking To Lisu Lodge. Get ready for a full-body workout today! After breakfast, we set out on a 3-hour downhill hike to Huay Sadhan Waterfall. We have a picnic lunch and then travel down river by white water rafting in what is one of the most idyllic settings for this sort of journey - you will get wet, you may get soaked!
Upon finishing our 45-minute trip, the truck meets us and takes us to a nearby Akha village. The Akha tribe’s people numbering 50,000 came from Tibet originally and, like other hill tribes, predominantly practice animism worshiping their ancestors and the spirits that live in natural objects. The elaborate head wear that married Akha women wear makes this hill tribe unique.
After exploring the village and seeing handicrafts at their best, we take mountain bikes for a 20-minute ride to the Lisu Lodge where we stay tonight, set in lush terrain with papaya and banana trees. Rooms in the lodge have en-suite showers and toilets so you can freshen up in comfort before dinner and a display of music and dancing by people from the Lisu tribe.
Day 10
Back To Chiang Mai And Bangkok. Before the trip back to town we will be given a guided tour around Lisu Village with our local guide stopping at the shaman’s house for tea, the monk’s herbal garden, and getting a chance to see local silverwork and woodwork. The Lisu tribe numbers around 25,000 and originally came from southern China. This is the most widely dispersed tribe around the hills of Northern Thailand. Before lunch at the Lodge, we use yet another form of transport - an ox cart to travel through farmland and forest to the village of Baan Pang Mai Daeng. From there the truck takes us back to Lisu Lodge to collect our luggage. We are then transported back to Chiang Mai, stopping on the way at the Orchid Farm and arriving in time to catch the overnight train back to Bangkok.
Day 11
Bangkok. Arriving back into Bangkok this tour will finish.
Day 12
Travel home from Bangkok.
ACCOMMODATION & TRANSPORT
Hotel
3 Nights
Lodge
2 Nights
Guest House
1 Night
Overnight Sleeper Train
2 Nights
Minibus
4wd Jeep
Train
Boat
On foot
HIGHLIGHTS
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS MARKED *
Thailand
Bangkok, Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Floating Market, Bridge over The River Kwai, Jeath Museum, Chiang Mai, Trekking, White Water Rafting, Cycling, Flora and Fauna, Night Bazaar, Water Falls, Akha Tribes
Information given is given in good fath by the company, and is based on the latest information available at the date of publication. The company reserves the right to change any of the facilities or vehicles described in the itinerary without becoming liable for compensation or refund.
