All in the Family: Hill tribes and Elephants

Price per person in THB
2 persons3 persons4 persons5 persons6 persons7 persons8 persons
7,9006,7005,7005,2004,8004,5004,300

This is a private tour. You will experience elephants up close and explore the jungle of Northern Thailand. We have included lots of fun educational activities on this trip. They will help cook, get their hands dirty working in the fields, and meet the mountain people of Thailand. Your visit to the elephants will contribute to their welfare. Your overnight in the Karen village will benefit the local people. If you have children under 8 years of age, please contact us for a special rate: info@green-trails.com

Total driving time:
Day one: two hours
Day two: two hours

Highlights:

Comfortable and safe private transportation

Great elephant Experience

Waterfall

Karen Tribal Culture

Overnight in a Karen homestay

Great food!

Royal Project

Gentle trekking

Safe bamboo rafting on the Wang River

From: 7,900.00 ฿

Map of Mae Wang district with attractions
All in the family: hill tribes and elephants

Day 1: Chiang Mai – Karen Village

Meet the Elephants

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800 for your two-day “All in the Family: Hill Tribes and Elephants” tour. Your transportation will be an airconditioned minivan with safety belts. The minivan will be on standby during your trip and will transfer your luggage to the village, where you will spend the night. During the trekking, you will only have to carry your camera, raincoat, and drinking water.

Our first stop will be at a typical local Northern Thai market where your guide will do his shopping for the coming days and explain some of the local specialties for sale here. Drive to Mae Wang and then to Mae Sapok, our first destination today. This trip takes place in the Mae Wang area.
Here we will visit an elephant camp which we carefully selected. You will join a half-day elephant activity; others will join you. Your activity today includes preparing a treat for these majestic animals, and you will also feed them a self-made delicacy. Change into a typical Thai farmer’s dress over your swimming gear and join them in their favorite activity: playing in the water. Tip: put your swimming gear under your clothes before departure from Chiang Mai. There are plenty of photo opportunities. You will learn about the Asian elephant, which is, unfortunately, threatened with extinction. We will enjoy lunch at the camp.

Nice waterfall in the Mae Wang area
Mae Wang Waterfall

A Gentle Trek to the Karen Village

After lunch, it is a short drive to the starting point of the trek. Here you can find more about the history and background of hill tribe trekking in Chiang Mai. This afternoon we will walk mostly uphill. We will follow a high mountain trail along a sparkling stream with crystal clear water until we reach a camp beside a waterfall. Here we will stay for a while, enjoying a swim in the cold pool. After this, we will trek further up the mountain to the first Karen village. Here we will stop for a chat and say hello to the many pigs. Then we are set for the final stage to the Karen village, where we will spend the night.
After arrival in the Karen village where we will spend the night, your guide will introduce you to your host for tonight. You can explore the village while he prepares dinner, and you are welcome to help him with cooking. We also encourage you to practice some Karen language with your host after dinner while your guide.
Overnight will be in a local homestay. For more information on our homestays, please have a look here.

Day 2: Karen Village – Chiang Mai

Trekking and Royal Project

Rise with the roosters. Your guide will prepare a hearty breakfast. After breakfast, we will start our descent back to civilization, the second and last day of your hill tribe trekking. We will first visit the Royal Project of the village. Your guide will explain this exciting agricultural project. The late King Bhumibol initiated the Royal Projects to improve the life of the tribal people of Thailand. The kids will learn about local agriculture and get their hands dirty, helping the local people for half an hour.
Then we will descend from the mountains to the lowlands. We pass rice fields and trek through a beautiful dipterocarp forest before we reach a pretty waterfall, where we will spend some time relaxing, swimming, and enjoying nature. After a short walk, we will see our minivan parked along the road. Drive to the private house where we will have lunch.

Bamboo rafting on the Wang River

After lunch, we will drive to a small rafting camp. Our bamboo rafts will be waiting for us. Enjoy a relaxing and, at times, exciting bamboo raft trip for about 45 minutes on the Wang River. The Wang River streams into the Ping River. Rivers were a primary means of transportation when the roads were of poor quality. Local people used bamboo rafts to transfer people and goods this way. There are some small rapids in the rainy season, but nothing to be worried about. The river is not deep, and it is safe for children and a lot of fun. We will provide life jackets, so please wear them. Look here for our bamboo rafting policy.

After this, we board our van for the drive back to Chiang Mai. It is the end of your “All in the Family: Hill Tribes and Elephants” tour.

Highlights

Comfortable and safe private transportation

Great elephant Experience

Waterfall

Karen Tribal Culture

Overnight in a Karen homestay

Great food!

Royal Project

Gentle trekking

Safe bamboo rafting on the Wang River

Inclusions

What is included?

English speaking guide
Transportation by AC minibus
Two lunches, one dinner, and one breakfast
Drinking water during meals
Coffee and tea
Limited medical insurance
Bamboo rafting (about 45 mins)
Use of sheet bag or sleeping bag
Use of Mosquito net
Use of Backpack (on request)
Toilet paper & Soap
Towel
A flashlight is provided in the village

What is not included?

Other drinks except for water during meals
Personal expenses
Tips

Timeline

Day 1
08.00 – Departure from hotel
09.00 – Short stop at a local market
09.30 – Arrival at the elephant camp
09.45 – Start elephant care and activities
12.00 – Lunch at the camp
12.45 – Drive to the starting point of the trek
13.00 – Start hiking about three hours
14.30 – Stop and relax at the waterfall
15.00 – Continue hiking
15.30 – Short visit at a Karen village and local school
16.30 – Arrive at a Karen village where we stay overnight
17.00 – Help your guide cook dinner
18.00 – Dinner at the village before free as leisure

Day 2
09.00 – Visit and walk around the village
10.00 – Start hiking for about two to three hours
10.00 – Stop and relax at the waterfall
12.00 – End of the trekking and meet the driver
12.30 – Lunch at a local restaurant
13.30 – Start bamboo rafting
14.15 – End of the rafting trip and relax
14.30 – Drive back to Chiang Mai
16.00 – Drop off at the hotel

What to bring

Short sleeve shirts for the daytime (bring a spare one, just in case)
Long sleeves for the evening (especially in the winter Nov – Feb, it can be a bit cold)
Shoes with good grip (especially in the rainy season from May-Sep)
Swimwear
A hat or cap
Sunscreen
Flip flops
Sunglasses
Your toiletries
Personal medication
Fully charged batteries or even an extra battery for your
camera.
Some money for souvenirs, drinks, and tips: 1000-1500 Thai Baht per person in small (not bigger than 500 Thai Baht and plenty of 100 Thai Baht notes).