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There is a lot more to Thailand than beach resorts and bustling cities. This trip, with its focus on local 'industry' gives travellers the opportunity to enjoy a close-up encounter with this beautiful country. Participants are encouraged to buy locally-made handicrafts, enjoy a traditional massage – or learn how to cook "Thai style" with a local family.
The trip stays in family-run hotels and your visit to the hilltribe villages directly helps the Karen Hilltribes Trust, which we support. In addition, your tour leader is Thai, ensuring the financial benefits go back into the community. The trip begins in Bangkok before travelling west to Kanchanaburi, on the infamous River Kwai. A local bus takes you to the UNESCO-listed temple complex at Ayuthaya, where all proceeds go to the upkeep of this important site. The final leg brings you into Chiang Mai where you embark on your hilltribe trek before returning to Bangkok.
This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people.
In 2009, we aim to neutralise all major emissions created by our trips, so that they can be offered as the best green alternative available. This means all greenhouse gases emitted by transport and accommodation during all of our trips will be balanced by an Australian-based ‘profit for purpose’ company that invests all funds into renewable energy and will invest in projects aimed at ‘neutralising’ your contribution to greenhouse gases.
The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group.
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
