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One Week in Thailand: Kayaking and Hilltribes

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Operated by Intrepid Travel
Tripcode: TTYN
Overview
Destination:
Thailand
Start:Bangkok, Thailand
Finish:Bangkok, Thailand
Duration:8 days
Type:Group tour (max 16)
Style:
18 to 35s,
Travel Period
March 2025 - December 2027
Head into the hills and get sky-high on this eight-day northern Thailand adventure. Pass through the bustling hub of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, and take the time to check out the night markets and bars well worth hopping. Trek the hillside villages outside of Chiang Mai, before exploring the city and its colourful nightlife. Find waterfalls, elephants and your new fave activity (kayaking, anyone?) and soak in some gorgeous natural scenery that you’d only see from local hilltribes. This journey will take you through temples, jungles, markets and mountains, sure to get your heart pumping and your tastebuds singing.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 2 (Overnight sleeper train), Days 4 & 5 (Hilltribe Village), and Day 7 (Overnight sleeper train) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Some room configurations have two single beds, although a double bed will always be requested. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. We advise booking your onward flight after 3pm on the final day to allow time for potential train delay, transfer to the airport and the time required at the airport for checking in etc.

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Standard inclusions
  • Meals: Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners.
  • Transport: Overnight sleeper train, Songthaew, Tuk-tuk.
  • Accommodation: Hotel (3 nights), Overnight sleeper train (2 nights), Hilltribe Village House (multi-share) (2 nights).
  • Bangkok - Orientation Walk.
  • Chiang Mai - Night Bazaar & Anusarn Market.
  • Chiang Mai - Orientation Walk.
  • Huey Nam Dang - Hilltribe Trek – 2 Days.
  • Hilltribe Trek - Mae Malai Market Visit.
  • Hilltribe Village - Home-cooked Dinner.
  • Hilltribe Trek – Mok Fah Waterfall.
  • Huey Nam Dang - Hilltribe Trek – 2 Days.
  • Sop Kai Village - River Kayaking.
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Itinerary
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Day 1: Bangkok
Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Bangkok, Thailand. Your adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, there's plenty to keep you occupied – maybe take a walk around Chinatown and explore the vibrant streets or head to the magnificent Grand Palace. Tonight, it’s time to dig into some traditional tastes of Thailand. Bangkok is known for its street food, so maybe head out with your leader and check out some roadside stalls around the Sukhumvit area. Later, maybe discover Bangkok’s nightlife and head out to one (or more) of the best local bars. Ask your guide for directions or grab your new travel mates and attempt to navigate the BTS skytrain and MRT subway.
Day 2: Bangkok - Overnight Train
This morning, you have a free day in Bangkok before your overnight train this morning. Maybe start off with a relaxing Thai massage – the perfect way to limber up and start your day. Then, maybe check out Talad Noi by bike, take on the Bangkok Temples or book yourself on the River of Kings Urban Adventure (just see urbanadventures.com). After your day exploring, hop on an overnight train up to Chiang Mai.
Day 3: Chiang Mai
Arrive in Chiang Mai in the morning and transfer to your guesthouse. Then, you’ll head out on an orientation walk to get your bearings. Chiang Mai is the perfect entrance to the Thai highlands, with misty mountains and colourful hillside villages waiting to be explored. This will be your base for the next few days, as you’ll return here after your hillside trek. Today, you’re free to relax or explore the city. Maybe get active and go ziplining or cycle around the city. Take on a cooking class to learn some local flavours (and pick up some mad skills to take home) or just wander around on foot and visit Doi Sethep Temple and a couple of the cool cafes around the area. Tonight, why not get your group together to go bar hopping or explore the night markets in the happening Nimman area?
Day 4: Chiang Mai - Hilltribe Trek
This morning at around 8 am, leave Chiang Mai and head to Mae Malai Market to stock up on some delicious fresh snacks for your trek. Then, visit Mok Fah Waterfall for a cheeky dose of natural beauty. Sit down for some lunch to refuel with your group at a local restaurant, then continue to the starting point of today’s hike. Your destination for this evening is the Mae Ma Nai Hilltribe Village. Walk along the mountain ridge and take in the views of the natural forest and remote scenery. When you arrive, enjoy a local home-cooked dinner by the campfire to celebrate a successful day. Later, take a walk around the village and chat with the locals. This is a really special opportunity to experience rural Thai life first-hand!
Day 5: Hilltribe Trek
The best thing about being deep in the jungle in the morning is waking up to the natural sounds of wildlife calls. After breakfast, begin today’s trek through the storybook landscape of farmland and jungle, exploring other hilltribe villages and seeing how life differs between them. Your whole trek is the perfect nature photo op, so make sure you’ve got your camera handy! Enjoy lunch along the way and reach Pong Ngan Lahu Village this afternoon. After two long days of hiking, relax your legs and soak in some natural scenery before an included home-cooked dinner tonight.
Day 6: Chiang Mai
The Mae Taeng River awaits you this morning, as you head off on a kayaking adventure towards Sop Kai Village. Paddle downstream as you're immersed by gorgeous surroundings for 2 to 3 hours, taking in the lush green scenery. From here, you can choose to head back to Chiang Mai via private transfer and enjoy a leisurely evening or opt to take to the rapids for some whitewater rafting. Paddle further down the river and get the adrenaline pumping before you head back to Chiang Mai for the night. When you arrive, maybe refresh and recharge or head out to explore the Wat Prasingh and Wat Chedi Luang temples in your free time. Tonight, ask your leader for the best spots for a pad thai or a khao soi.
Day 7: Chiang Mai - Overnight sleeper train
Today is a free day to explore Chiang Mai and you’re spoilt for options. Maybe take the chance to learn one of the world’s legendary martial arts, Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) this morning. Spend 1.5 hours learning the basics of Muay Thai with the pros, plus how to adapt yourselves to be the weapons and the guard. You could also visit the Chiang Chill Elephant Sanctuary and witness these majestic animals roaming the valley and chilling in nature. Or maybe stop by Chuan Chom Vocational Training Center for lunch or a massage. Here, you'll learn about the work that they do to train the women from the correctional institution with skills to go back to society. Later, board an overnight train for Bangkok.
Day 8: Bangkok
Your train is scheduled to arrive in Bangkok early this morning. When you arrive at the station, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to stay in Thailand for longer, and we wouldn’t blame you, just speak to your booking agent.
Departure dates

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Travellers

Operator
Intrepid Travel

Intrepid is a small group tour travel company with humble beginnings that now sends over 100,000 travellers a year on grassroots and responsible travel tours.

Important Information
*Terms and conditions
Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice. For more information, please see Terms of Use
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per person
7 nights
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