Two week Thailand itinerary - Elephant excursions

Thailand in Two Weeks

During our two week Thailand itinerary, you'll explore the bright lights and floating markets of Bangkok, sleep in a floating hut on the River Kwai, take a elephant trek in the jungles of the north and end your trip on fantastic palm lined beaches.

After beginning your two week Thailand itinerary in the busy capital of Bangkok, you'll travel to the River Kwai, where you'll sleep in floating cabins on a quiet jungle river. Next, you'll head for the mysterious temples in Ayutthaya, and then take an overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai. From here you'll set off on an two-day trek through the jungle, riding on the back of an elephant, drifting downstream on a bamboo raft and staying overnight in a hill tribe village.

Next, you'll fly to the beautiful white beaches on Ko Samui where you'll wrap up your two week Thailand itinerary in a comfortable hotel with a swimming pool and a tropical beach on your doorstep.

Duration	14 days / 13 nights Starts from Bangkok every Saturday	Accommodation	11 nights in double room in characteristic hotels, 2 nights in couchettes on a sleepertrain, 1 night in simple accommodation with the hill tribe. Comfort levels 1, 2 & 3 (See accommodation)
Price	£675 per person - based on 2 people	Includes	Transport, accommodation with breakfast, excursions as described daily itinerary
Transport	Train, bus, boat and 2 internal flights	Excludes	International flights, drinks, extra meals, excursions not listed and entrance fees

Day 1: Arrival in Bangkok

On your arrival into Bangkok for our two week Thailand itinerary, you'll be collected at the airport by our agent and transferred directly to your hotel. You'll stay in a hotel with a swimming pool, where you'll have a spacious room with air conditioning. The hotel is in the heart of Bangkok and about 10 minutes' walk from Khao San Road (or 5 minutes by tuk-tuk). Time for a refreshing shower and to gently acclimatise. Try some of the wonderful Thai cuisine, take a quick look around the city and recharge your batteries.

Two week Thailand itinerary - traditional statues

Day 2: Bangkok

Today you'll discover Bangkok, the 'City of Angels', with its temples, pagodas and street stalls. Plan your own day, but don't miss the Royal Palace, the residence of the reigning King Bhumibol. You can get there by (water) taxi, tuk-tuk or on foot if you fancy stretching your legs.

The Buddhist temple at Wat Arun on the river, and the narrow, intriguing and lively streets of Chinatown are two things we think are not to be missed during your two week Thailand itinerary. Try a serving of Pad Thai, the world famous street food. You can shop till you drop in Bangkok, and you'll find everything from rickety street stalls to giant department stores. You could save your shopping until you get to Chiang Mai, where the night market offers exceptional choice. Our advice is - if you see something you like, buy it, you might not find it again.

Day 3: Bangkok – River Kwai

This morning, you'll be collected early by an air-conditioned minibus with an english-speaking guide and head off for the River Kwai. You'll stop for an hour at the famous floating market and then travel onwards to a train station. Here you'll board a train and ride along a stretch of the infamous Burma Death Railway built by thousands of POW's and the famous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’.

On your arrival at a small train station, your lunch will served (included) and afterwards you'll have your first experience of Asia's famous longtail boats. Your 40-minute boat ride will take you along the River Kwai into the jungle. Soon, you'll arrive at your accommodation - quirky floating bamboo bungalows on the river. You'll have your own private room with a swimming ladder that leads into the river and hammocks on the veranda. There's no electricity in the bungalows and you'll enjoy a cosy dinner by the light of flickering oil lamps, a real highlight of our two week Thailand itinerary. A hearty evening dinner, shared with the other guests seated at long tables, is included.

Two week Thailand itinerary - floating markets

Two week Thailand itinerary - Erawan waterfalls

Day 4: River Kwai - Kanchanaburi

After a night in the jungle, your two week Thailand itinerary will take you along the river by boat for the hour long ride to the Erawan Waterfalls (400 Baht, approx £8 entrance fee paid locally). The waterfall has seven different levels, with a total height difference of 1500m. Depending on your walking speed, you can reach the top in about 1½ hours. Your efforts are well rewarded by this enchanting location. Sparkling idyllic waters lie in light blue basins with a backdrop of smooth limestone rocks. You'll have around three hours of free time by the waterfall, don't forget your swimmers.

The guide will leave you at your hotel in Kanchanburi. From here it's only a short walk to the JEATH War Museum, and also by the river the Memorial Cemetery to victims of the infamous Burma Death Railway.

Day 5: Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya

After breakfast we'll arrange a minibus to collect you from your hotel and transfer you to Ayutthaya. The transfer takes about 3 hours, and your friendly driver will drop you at your hotel. The centre of town is only a short walk or tuk tuk ride away, and the afternoon is free to do with as you wish.

This evening, we'll arrange a sunset tuk-tuk tour, which will take you around the city where you'll see the wonderful Khmer Temples illuminated by the setting sun - a really memorable part of your two week Thailand itinerary. There is no guide on this trip, so take a map and guide book if you want more information about the various sites.

Two week Thailand itinerary - Ayutthaya temples

Two week Thailand itinerary - Ayutthaya accommodation

Day 6: Ayutthaya - Chiang Mai

Ayutthaya is a UNESCO world heritage site and in the 12th century it was one of the most important kingdoms in Southeast Asia, full of elaborate palaces and temples. It was visited by traders from every corner of the world. Eventually the city lost its power, and in the 18th century the city and a lot of its temples were ransacked by the Burmese, after a 2 year siege. Today, your two week Thailand itinerary will take you the remains of the mystical Khmer temple complexes. Wat Phra Si Samphet, Wat Mahatat and Wat Mongkol Bophit are the most famous, but you can wonder amongst other old statues and pagodas where you won't see other tourists. Wat Chai Wattanaram is perhaps the most beautiful. It's one of the more remote temples, but it's easily reached by bike or river taxi. At the end of the day, you'll collect your bags from the hotel, and make your way to the railway station. We'll reserve a couchette on the overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai, which is comfortable and air conditioned. There is also a good restaurant car serving meals, drinks and snacks.

Day 7: Arrival Chiang Mai

The next morning you arrive in Chiang Mai, the cultural capital of Northern Thailand and a great place to explore during your two week Thailand itinerary. You'll stay in a hotel with a swimming pool that's close to the city gates. We recommend a trip to Doi Suthep, a Buddhist temple 15 km outside the city. It sits at the top of a 1600m-high mountain, from where you have a fantastic panorama view of Chiang Mai and the surrounding mountains. This old temple is a pilgrimage site, and once inside the walls the complex is nice and cool.

In the evening you can take a walk to the night market, full of street food stalls serving amazing food and market traders - haggle hard. You'll also find Thai massage salons, restaurants and karaoke bars - a bit of something for everyone!

Two week Thailand itinerary - meet the locals

Two week Thailand itinerary - elephant trekking

Day 8: Hiking and hill tribe village

Today, you'll start a two-day trek into the mountains. During the trek your main meals and english-speaking guide are included. As you'll return to the same hotel in Chiang Mai at the end of the trek, you can leave most of your baggage at the hotel, and take just a small day pack with you into the jungle.

You'll be picked up at your hotel by săwngthăew (a converted pick-up truck taxi) and taken to a forestry elephant training camp. Here you'll see the elephants trained to be professional working animals. After an hour or so, you'll start trekking through the forest to an Akha village. It's not a difficult trek as you'll mainly be walking over level forest trails. The Akha live according to their old traditions, and many still wear their traditional dress. After lunch, you'll travel by pick-up truck further into the hills and forests through amazing scenery to another remote hilltribe village. Here you stay overnight as a guest, sleeping on mats on a bamboo floor in a very simple wooden hut, although a mosquito net is provided. This will give you a real glimpse of local lifestyle on this two week Thailand itinerary.

Day 9: Elephant trekking and bamboo rafting

This morning after breakfast, the elephants will arrive to take you through the jungle. High on the back of these majestic animals, you have a fantastic view of the surrounding scenery - a real highlight of your two week Thailand itinerary.

The elephants will bring you to a riverside camp where you'll say goodbye. At the camp you'll board bamboo rafts, where you'll gently meander downstream. Lunch is served on the riverbank and included. Your raft will bring you to the collection point for your return journey to Chiang Mai, stopping along the way at an orchid farm. Back in Chiang Mai you'll be dropped off at the same hotel where you left your luggage. Here, you can enjoy a hot shower and a soft bed.

Two week Thailand Itinerary - bamboo rafting

Two week Thailand itinerary - sleeper train

Day 10: Chiang Mai - Bangkok - Surat Thani

Today, you're free to explore Chiang Mai, relax by the swimming pool or haggle over last minute purchases at the markets. Later in the day, you'll take a flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok to continue with your two week Thailand itinerary. We'll arrange the flight tickets - all you have to do is get to the airport.

When you arrive at Bangkok Airport, you'll catch a taxi to Hualomphong Railway Station, and we'll arrange your tickets and reservation on the overnight sleeper train to Surat Thani in Southern Thailand. We advise that you allow plenty of time as traffic in Bangkok can be heavy. You're couchette on the train is comfortable, it's air conditioned and the train has a good restaurant car serving meals, drinks and snacks. When the train arrives in Surat Thani, our agent will take you to the ferry port for the crossing to Ko Samui, a beautiful island in the Gulf of Thailand.

Day 11: Surat Thani - Ko Samui

Warm seas and palm trees greet you as you arrive on Ko Samui, the final stop on your two week Thailand itinerary. You'll stay on a beach close to the popular Lamai Beach with its own swimming pool. We have selected a hotel which is charming and comfy but not overdone. If you prefer a hotel with more facilities (room service, hairdryer, bathtub etc.), just let us know and we can arrange a more luxurious hotel for you. You can start to unwind, put your feet up and soak up the sun. Here, you'll spend the last days of your two week Thailand itinerary. Don't forget to take your camera to the beach for the wonderful sunets over the Gulf of Thailand.

Two week Thailand itinerary - lanterns on Ko Samui

Days 12 and 13: Ko Samui

The last few days of your two week Thailand itinerary are about total relaxation, spend your time lazing by the pool, or on the beach. There are plenty of local traders selling exotic fresh fruit for a cheap and wonderful lunch, prepared on the spot! If you're looking for something more active there are plenty of excursions available. You can hire a moped and visit some other beaches on the island, or try canoeing or snorkelling. There are also plenty of diving opportunities on the island, and there are sometimes whale sharks in this area. Ko Samui has a great variety of restaurants and it goes without saying that there is an amazing selection of seafood available. After dinner, you might well see people making fire lanterns on the beach, and it's beautiful to watch them float off into the night sky.

Day 14: Samui - Bangkok - UK

It's time to say goodbye to your island paradise today and start the journey back home after your two week Thailand itinerary. You'll arrange you're own transport to Ko Samui Airport, but we'll arrange your flight back to Bangkok, so you can connect straight onto your flight home to the UK.

When to go ?
You can do our two week Thailand itinerary all year round. December to the end of April is the warmest and driest time to travel, and also the most popular period. May to August is the build up to the monsoon time, which means that it will probably rain from time to time, but it's still great and it's a little quieter. The monsoon season begins in September and lasts until the end of November. This is when it rains the most.

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