Description
Starts: Bangkok, Thailand
Ends: Bangkok, Thailand
Starting in Thailand’s infamous capital, Bangkok, you’ll travel to the ancient capital of Ayutthaya before continuing to the mountainous northern provinces. Discover ancient temples and experience living amongst remote hill tribes where you can choose to either volunteer with the local community or trek up into the lush jungle.
Travel Highlights
Every day is packed with awesomeness, but some of our highlights are:
- River of Kings tour of Bangkok
- Visiting the ancient temples of Ayuddhaya
- Party on the infamous Khao San Road
- Getting down and dirty on several volunteering projects
- Discovering the mystical hill tribes
- Getting up close and personal with Chiang Mai’s awesome elephants
- Embracing a beautiful culture
- Bamboo rafting through the most incredible scenery
Accommodation and Meals:
Bangkok: Twin share bed & breakfast accommodation in a guest house on the Khao San Road. Includes a/c, TV, hot water and western bathroom.
Other Accommodation: All accommodation includes breakfast and some other meals are included. Each location has comfortable guest houses with hot showers, western bathrooms, aircon with twin to quad share rooms.
Volunteering Accommodation: typical homestay in the hill tribes and wooden bungalows at the elephant sanctuary where ALL MEALS are included!
Khao Sok: Floating bungalows on the lake!
Koh Phangan: Beach bungalows baby!
Food: Loads of breakfasts are included throughout plus a traditional welcome meal in Bangkok. Plus all your meals when at your volunteering locations.
Internet: WiFi is available in all guesthouses.
Laundry: You can use the local laundry services that are quick and cheap, and good!
Inclusions
- All Accommodation
- All In-Country Transport
- 24/7 support from our Guides
- All tour activities
- Heaps of meals!
- EXCLUSIVE Discover Thailand T-Shirt (Bamboo Beach Bum Bolt-On Only)
- Project donation and supplies
Itinerary
DAY ONE:
Arrival in to Bangkok. This is it then, the starting point! We know that you’ll be excited, nervous, apprehensive or all three so to help ease you in to life here in Bangkok, our team will collect you at the airport and transfer you to our guesthouse to being your epic adventure in The Land of Smiles. As we’ll have travellers arriving throughout the day you can choose to either rest up or explore locally as we met all new arrivals and have a huge group hug! In the early evening, for those who are lucky enough to have already arrived, there’ll be an informal get-together and a great way to get to know your fellow give-back-packers!
DAY TWO:
A morning welcome meeting and tour briefing will end with a guided tour of the ‘City That Never Sleeps’, it’s Bangkok Baby! This city has to be explored to be believed. Temples, tuk tuks, markets and mayhem await those cool enough to try it on for size. This evening we’ll treat you to a traditional Thai welcome meal at a popular restaurant before officially introducing you to the infamous Khao San Road and the Thai Bucket!
DAY THREE:
After what will undoubtedly be a pretty epic first night, we’ll give you a lie in to recover. Early birds can get out and explore, chug a cup of coffee in one of the many cafe’s or simply relax. Around lunchtime, once we’re ready, we’ll set off to the ancient Thai capital of Ayutthaya. 1,000 year old temples await!
DAY FOUR:
Ayutthaya has history, culture and customs in spades. In the morning we’ll give you a brief introduction to this great city before setting off to show you the sights. The very best way to explore this stunning city is by bike. So we’re off to do just that! Don’t worry, this city is as flat as pancake so it’s really easy to do – just don’t forget your camera!!
You’ll have plenty of room to snooze your way to our next destination as this evening we’ll take a very comfortable and safe overnight VIP coach from Ayutthaya to the magical city of Chiang Rai in the north.
DAY FIVE:
Once we’ve arrived in Chiang Rai we’ll head straight to the next guesthouse located in the centre of the city. You’ll have plenty of time to rest up and refresh as today is a free day for you to explore locally. Our team will be on hand to offer advice and help you to book any excursions that you may be interested in joining.
DAY SIX:
The morning begins with a guided tour of Chiang Rai. The ‘must-see’ White Temple is the highlight of the morning. After lunch we transfer you to the hill tribe village where you’ll become a part of these truly incredible people. On arrival we’ll go through the plan for next couple of days. You can choose to either help out with local volunteering projects in the community or choose an adventurous overnight trek through the surrounding jungle. Please inform our team by email of your desired option. Whichever you choose, it’s going to be one of the highlights of this unforgettable trip!
DAY SEVEN:
The trekkers will leave us today and those choosing to help the community will begin the hard-stuff after breakfast. There will be a whole load of projects that we’ll be taking on so the work that you’ll be doing will be explained to you before we begin. Any of you with a particular skill please let us know as we may be able to put you to special use. But this volunteering is open to anybody and everybody, no experience or skills are required.
DAY EIGHT:
The work, or the trek, continue today as we all knuckle down to get our small project completed. Our award-winning team will be with you from the very beginning to make sure that you and the community get the very best from this experience. Trekkers will return in the afternoon; muddy and exhausted, so after dinner we can all sit around the campfire and swap stories!
DAY NINE:
After saying goodbye to the village, and getting those last few selfies with the kids who will all leave a permanent mark on you, we’ll transfer by VIP coach to the incredible city of Chiang Mai. This place is like no other in Thailand and we’ve organized a very special time for you here. After checking in to our guesthouse – that has a swimming pool! – we’ll head out to the Chiang Mai night market for a real welcome.
DAY TEN: After breakfast, and maybe an early morning swim, we’ll head over to a very special elephant sanctuary located just an hour from Chiang Mai city. On arrival you’ll be introduced to the Mahouts (those plucky souls who dedicate their lives to caring for rescued elephants) and get your first up close and personal experience with these majestic creatures.
DAY ELEVEN:
Your day today will be a combination of local work at the project, feeding, walking and washing the elephants, learning about Thailand’s elephants and getting submerged in Thai elephant-ism! Get ready to get wet, dirty and smelly but trust us when we tell you that you’ll love every second of it!
DAY TWELVE:
This morning we’ll be either ATV-ing or bamboo rafting on the river (weather permitting). Once we’re back to camp we’ll have our final goodbyes to the elephants – who will now be your new BFF’s – and get those group shots – before heading back to the Chiang Mai guesthouse. It’s time to chill-out, have a swim, organize your laundry before we head out for a congratulations dinner in the city.
DAY THIRTEEN:
After breakfast we need to leave Chiang Mai and make our way back to Bangkok, back to where it all began, onboard a luxury VIP coach. We should have you back at the guesthouse by 8pm, in plenty of time to shower and freshen up before we head off for a final night dinner at a local restaurant, the perfect ending to the perfect trip.
DAY FOURTEEN:
We’ll arrive back in Bangkok around 8am and then it’s a quick transfer back to the guesthouse where it all began! For those of you awesome enough to have signed up to the Bamboo Beach Bolt-on, you’ll be able to check-in to your room and have some free time to rest up. This evening we’ll have a BeachBum night out on Khao San to celebrate the end of the trip!
Those of you who’ve only had the time to experience 14 days of amazing, it’s time to say bye bye. Our team will help you to arrange any transport you might need, be it back to the airport or wherever you’re heading. One final group photo? Oh go on then!
