Trekking Northern Thailand - elephant trek

Culture and elephants of the north

On this 2-day soft trek adventure, you'll go trekking in Northern Thailand through the mountainous area north of Chiang Mai. This area is famous for its colourful hill tribes who live in remote villages.

You'll leave Chiang Mai in a săwngthăew (converted pickup truck taxi), with fellow travellers, and travel into jungle. You'll take a short hike to an forestry elephant training camp where you'll see how these huge animals learn to work in the forest, hauling massive tree trunks. From here you'll walk to a village where you'll stay overnight, hosted by the traditional Palong tribe. Your accommodation is in one of the basic wooden huts, a simple mat with mosquito net on the floor. The following morning you'll trek through the jungle on the back of an elephant. Later in the day, you'll drift downstream on a bamboo raft, back towards Chiang Mai. Our trekking in Northern Thailand tour is suitable for anyone who is reasonably fit - there is some walking involved, but it's not arduous hiking and it's a great adventure.

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Duration	Two days / One night Departs Monday, Wednesday and Saturday	Accommodation	Very simple accommodation with the hilltribes Comfort level 1 (see accommodation).
Price	£77 per person - based on two people sharing	Includes	Accommodation with breakfast and guide Lunch and dinner Day 1, breakfast and lunch Day 2
Transport	Minibus, săwngthăew (converted pickup truck taxi), elephant and bamboo raft.	Excludes	Drinks and other meals, excursions and entrance fees not listed in the daily itinerary Sleeping bag hire (approx £2) paid locally.

Day 1: Chiang Mai - Mountain village

At around 8am you'll be collected from your hotel in Chiang Mai to begin your trekking in Northern Thailand adventure. You'll travel by săwngthăew (converted pickup truck taxi) to the forestry elephant training camp to the north of Chiang Mai, where these magnificent beasts are taught to become proficient, trustworthy forestry workers. From the elephant training camp you'll drive for another 30 minutes to a small restaurant for lunch. Next, you'll travel further into the hills and jungle by săwngthăew (converted pickup truck taxi). Your afternoon is a little more active, and you'll begin trekking in Northern Thailand with a hike of between 2-3 hours to a village of the Palong people, where your guide will prepare a wonderful local meal for you. Your accommodation is simple - a small wooden hut, just like the villagers, with a mattress on the bamboo floor. A mosquito net is also provided.

Trekking Northern Thailand - Children of the Palong hill tribe

Day 2: Mountain Village - Elephant trip and rafting

With a bit of luck the chickens scratching around the village will have laid some eggs for your breakfast! Afterwards you'll climb on your elephant for a journey through thick jungle, valleys and river crossings. Step by step, the elephants will negotiate their way on difficult paths. High on the back of your elephant, you'll have a great view of the countryside, but keep an eye out for stray branches … you don’t want a slap in the face!

The elephants will bring you to a riverside camp where a bamboo raft is prepared for you. You'll take your place on the raft and the helmsman, armed with a long pole, will float you peacefully down the Ping river. On the way back to Chiang Mai you'll stop to visit an orchid farm, arriving back into Chiang Mai at around 4pm.

Your arrival time back to Chiang Mai cannot be guaranteed, so we don't recommend that you attempt to continue your journey immediately by overnight sleeper train or by flight. It's much better to spend the night in Chiang Mai, where you can enjoy a hot shower and a soft bed after trekking in Northern Thailand. This can be arranged for you, just let us know on the quote request form.

What to take:
• Boots and a sleeping bag (you can hire a sleeping bag locally for approx £2).
• Daypack/rucksack, torch and water bottle.
• Shorts and long trousers, short and long sleeved top, rain jacket and socks.
• A hat or cap, sun block cream and insect repellent with DEET (diethyl-meta-toluamide).
• Comfortable shoes (hiking boots not essential, but not sandals).

Click here for information about trekking from Chiang Mai in Thailand.

If you plan to stay longer in Northern Thailand, a good module to travel onto is our Golden Triangle Thailand self-drive, or if you'd prefer something a little different try our Thailand hill tribe tour. Should you wish to head for the beaches, then check out our Southern Thailand tours.

A peek at your accommodation

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