Thailand tours, discovery

country:	Thailand
location:	Golden Triangle, Northern Thailand, Central Thailand
departures:	2008: 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 6 Dec, 27 Dec
price:	From £1450 (16 days) excluding flights. Maximum group size is 15 people. We can arrange flights from the UK.

Thailand holidays

Culture tours

the amazing things you'll be doing

This comprehensive Thailand journey has been a favourite with travellers for years. From bustling Bangkok to the beautiful River Kwai region, from the impressive ruins of Sukhothai, to the mountains, rivers and fascinating hill tribes of Chiang Mai, the Thailand Discovery is an intriguing exploration of the culture, landscapes and history of Thailand.

Highlights include:

Bicycle ride through the ancient capital of Sukhothai

Elephant trek

Hilltribe Lisu Lodge

Thai cooking class and cyclo tour in Chiang Mai

One of Bangkok’s smartest and best located boutique hotels

Thai-style Tamarind Village in the heart of Chiang Mai.

Accommodation is in hotels, 'floatel', hilltribe lodge and Thai-style village. Travel is by modern air-conditioned vehicles, rail, longtail boat, elephant trek, gentle river rafting, bullock cart ride and optional cycling.

Our price includes breakfast daily, 1 lunch & 2 dinners, a tour leader and local English speaking guides, but not entrance fees (US$34 will be collected at the beginning of the trip).

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1-2:	Bangkok. Arrive in Bangkok and absorb the energy of the megalopolis as you explore the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the Chao Phraya River and have free time to enjoy Asia’s best spas and restaurants. Hotel: Bel-Aire Princess
Day 3-4:	River Kwai & Kanchanaburi. The beautiful wilderness area surrounding Kanchanaburi is where you will discover ethnic minority groups and a fascinating recent history at Hellfire Pass and Museum. En route visit a traditional Thai house and take in the world-famous floating markets. Hotels: Floatel, Felix River Kwai Resort
Day 5-6:	Ayuthaya & Sukhothai. In Ayuthaya you will see some of the country’s most impressive monuments before you continue to Sukhothai to cycle amongst temple ruins. Visit the country towns of Lopburi and Phitsanulock along the way for the chance to see a temple taken over by monkeys and a fascinating folk museum amassed by a private collector. Hotels: Krungsri River Hotel, Ananda Museum Gallery Hotel
Day 7-8:	Chiang Rai & Golden Triangle. From Chiang Rai you will explore the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) meet, and visit Asia’s most fascinating interactive museum. Chiang Rai has an eclectic night market and entertainment quarter where you can sample tasty regional specialties and check out the local handicrafts. Hotel: Wiang Inn
Day 9-10:	Hilltribe Adventure. Stop at the Chiang Dao Caves for a peak into these natural wonders. Then, deep in the countryside, you can ride elephants on a jungle trek, take a gentle rafting journey and overnight with the Lisu hilltribe at their award-winning ecolodge. Visit the local shaman, take some free time to absorb the countryside and enjoy some delectable dishes. Hotel: Lisu Lodge
Day 11-12:	Chiang Mai. Discover Northern Thai culture by visiting Chiang Mai’s beautiful temples. A samlor tour will help you get acquainted with the ancient walled city, as will a visit to stunning Doi Suthep Temple, taking pride of place on a hill just outside of town. Take some time to explore the famous night bazaar. Depart on day 12. Hotel: Karinthip Village
Day 13-16:	Mae Hong Son & Pai . Mae Hong Son is home to the Paduang long-neck tribe and beautiful Burmese temple relics; go caving here before arriving in artistic Pai. Explore the lush green valleys and scenic waterfalls before returning to Chiang Mai. Depart on day 16. Hotels: Fern Resort, Baan Krating, Karinthip Village

small group adventure holiday

These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.

how this holiday makes a difference

We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Thailand’s beautiful natural environment. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel.

We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.

Travelling by road, rail, longtail boat and elephant – our most comprehensive Thailand journey is an intriguing exploration of the culture, landscapes and history of the Land of Smiles. A stay at the award-winning locally run Lisu ecolodge near Chiang Mai is a key feature of this journey.

The Lisu people are one of the many hill tribe ethnic groups living in the north of Thailand who migrated from Tibet in the 1920s. The Lodge has won several awards for its wonderful mountain atmosphere, and its employment of local people as managers, cooks, and hosts. During our stay here we have tea with a village shaman (witch doctor) – with your guide acting as a translator you will learn a little more about the life of the fascinating Lisu people.

In Chiang Mai you will also have the opportunity to learn something of the wonders of Thai cuisine in a local market visit to buy fresh Asian vegetables and in a cooking class run by a friendly Thai family set in a Thai style house. This journey also includes a visit to Baan Lorca village, a community-run tourism project with entrance fees going directly to the village. During this journey we actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in Thailand including Cabbages and Condoms in Bangkok (a restaurant which helps fund Thai family planning projects).

On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different provinces in Thailand. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.