Beautiful Northern Thailand

15 days
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Small Group Tour
There’s a reason this trip was the one that started it all, and still remains one of the most popular. On this 15-day adventure, you'll discover Northern Thailand, experience the chaotic metropolis of bustling Bangkok, trek among the hillside villages near Chiang Rai, drift down the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi and see the historic temples of the Siam Kingdom. ...
26%
$2,230
From$1,652
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • This is one of the original Intrepid journeys that started it all. Discover why Northern Thailand was chosen all those years back as an ideal destination to launch a world of travel experiences.
    • Experience rural Thai life with multi-day trek through scenic hilltribe villages in the remote Thai countryside, meeting welcoming locals and sharing laughs along the way.
    • Visit the home of the infamous ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’, learning about its dark history and the construction of the railway during the war.
    • Even the transport on this trip is an adventure – discover the joys of travelling on overnight sleeper trains, longtail boats, songthaew and rafthouses.
    • Indulge in an organic farm to plate cooking demonstration and take the chance to learn a few cooking tips from the village chef in the Akha Hilltribe, for an unforgettable meal full of heat, spice and fresh food. You won’t go hungry!
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, EcoThailand Foundation. Donations help educate school children on important environmental issues like climate change, nature appreciation, conservation and sustainability.

What's this trip about?

    There’s a reason this trip was the one that started it all, and still remains one of the most popular. On this 15-day adventure, you'll discover Northern Thailand, experience the chaotic metropolis of bustling Bangkok, trek among the hillside villages near Chiang Rai, drift down the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi and see the historic temples of the Siam Kingdom. With welcoming hospitality, local experiences, mouth-watering cooking classes and plenty of free time to travel at your own pace, come along and see why this trip was, and still is, a benchmark for all our adventures.

Details

Itinerary focusActive and Outdoor Sports
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityBangkok
End CityBangkok

Travel Themes

  • Cultural
  • High Adventure
  • Local Immersion & Homestays

Destinations

  • Asia
  • Thailand

Attractions

  • Ayutthaya
  • Bangkok
  • Chiang Mai
  • Chiang Rai

Activities

  • Culture
  • Historic sightseeing

Trip includes

    • Bangkok - Khlong boat canal tour
    • Bangkok - Wat Pho
    • Kanchanaburi - Erawan National Park Visit
    • Kanchanaburi - Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
    • Rafthouse - Wat Baan Tham cave temple
    • Kanchanaburi - Rafthouse experience
    • Rafthouse - Wat Tham Suea temple
    • Rafthouse - Wat Tham Khao Noi
    • Ayutthaya - Temple Ruins entrance & guided tour
    • Chiang Mai - Night Market
    • Do Mae Salong - Local market
    • Organic Farm - Farm To Plate Demonstration & Lunch
    • Chiang Rai - 3 day Hilltribe villages trek
    • Hill Tribe Trek - Lunch
    • Ar Pha Pattana Village - Community Dinner
    • Hill Tribe Trek - Lunch
    • Baan Yafu Lahu Village - Community Dinner
    • Hill Tribe Trek - Lunch
    • Chiang Rai - Wat Rong Kun (White Temple)

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Bangkok

Sa-wat dee! Welcome to Thailand. Thailand's bustling capital, Bangkok is famous for its tuk tuks, khlong boats and street vendors serving up delicious Thai food. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. Bangkok has so much to offer those with time...

Day 2 Bangkok - Kanchanaburi

Start the day with a one-hour river cruise down the Chao Phraya River to explore the famous ‘khlongs’, or canals. Life along these canals seems a world away from the chaotic streets of the capital. Pay a visit to Wat Pho, one of the ‘trinity’ of Bangkok temples, with ...

Day 3 River Kwai - Erawan NP - Kanchanaburi

This morning you’ll get an insight into the darker side of Kanchanaburi’s history with a visit to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetary (POW Cemetary) which was one of the first museums to attempt to educate the public and keep alive the memory of the Asian and POW workers wh...

Day 4 Rafthouse

Be ready for a cruisy day as you’ll spend today and tonight floating down the Mae Glong River in a raft house. The rafthouse is towed by a boat and is an ideal and relaxing way to travel down the river – definitely setting the scene for pure relaxation. Spend the afte...

Day 5 Ayutthaya - Overnight train

After your river adventure, disembark and travel by private minivan to Ayutthaya, via Suphanburi (approximately 4 hours). You’ll have access to a day room, so you can freshen up before your overnight train later tonight. Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam after ...

Day 6 Chiang Mai

The most vibrant city in northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has is most renowned for its temples and an interesting old city area. Renowned for dazzling beauty and extremely welcoming locals, the ‘Rose of the North’ will leave you spellbound – chances are, you may not want...

Day 7 Chiang Mai

Today is another free day for you to spend how you wish. While Chiang Mai's markets, temples and cooking schools offer more than enough to keep visitors busy, there's also the option of a very special outing to Chang Chill Elephant sanctuary. In a country where the cr...

Day 8 Doi Mae Salong

Set off by road and travel by public bus from Chiang Mai to Mae Chan (approximately 4 hours), then transfer to a private minivan to continue onto Doi Mae Salong (approximately 1 hour). The atmosphere in the charming town of Doi Mae Salong is reminiscent of a small sou...

Day 9 Chiang Rai

Jump in a private vehicle and drive for about 1 hour into the Mae Chan District to reach the Ahsa farm stay. Here, take part in a farm to table cooking experience, where you’ll wander the property in search for organic eggs, fruits and vegetables. Then, continue back ...

Day 10 Hilltribe Villages Trek

Head out for today's trek this morning, stopping at a shop along the way to pick up some fresh food for breakfast. From the starting point at Doi Bor Village, you'll take a dirt road through rice fields and pineapple plantations. Walk through the bamboo forest, then s...

Day 11 Hilltribe Villages Trek

After a basic breakfast prepared by your guide, you'll start today's walk from Arpha Pattana Village to Huai Mae Sai waterfall, walking up and down hilly trails through bamboo forests. When you reach the waterfall, you'll have the chance to swim and relax by the pond ...

Day 12 Hilltribe Villages trek - Chiang Rai

Wake up in the quiet of the rural village this morning. Enjoy a basic breakfast prepared by your guide, then start today's walk. This will be the last day of your trek. Starting from Yafu Lahu Village, you'll walk to Ruammit Village, where your trek comes to an end. Then, take a songthaew (traditional passenger vehicle) back to Chiang Rai, where you'll spend the night.

Day 13 Chiang Rai - Chiang Mai - Overnight Train

In the morning visit privately owned Wat Rong Khun, more commonly known as the White Temple – a must visit in Chiang Rai. This contemporary temple is constantly being updated, and its strange design features references to Buddhist mythology, human sin and pop culture ...

Day 14 Bangkok

Arrive back in Bangkok and spend your day shopping or sightseeing before meeting up with your group for dinner. Being a weekend, this is a great opportunity to visit the weekend market at Chatuchak – one of the biggest and busiest markets you will ever see. Your leade...

Day 15 Bangkok

With no activities planned for today, you are free to depart the accommodation at any time. That doesn’t mean that your adventure has to come to an end! Feel free to continue to soak up Thai culture and cuisine with an extra couple of days in its capital, if you’d like. If you wish to spend more time in Bangkok, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,652
Price per day$110
Last Updated: 6/4/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
20 Oct 2024
03 Nov 2024
$1,716
03 Nov 2024
17 Nov 2024
$1,934
10 Nov 2024
24 Nov 2024
$1,896
17 Nov 2024
01 Dec 2024
$1,896
01 Dec 2024
15 Dec 2024
$1,896
08 Dec 2024
22 Dec 2024
$1,896
15 Dec 2024
29 Dec 2024
$2,118
22 Dec 2024
05 Jan 2025
$2,230
05 Jan 2025
19 Jan 2025
$2,275
19 Jan 2025
02 Feb 2025
$2,275

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Intrepid Travel Reviews & Ratings

4.5/5  Excellent
Excellent
3,342
Great
666
Average
149
Disappointing
81
Terrible
215
A

Alex

Sep 2015

Written on

Really had a positive experience. Rong had

Really had a positive experience. Rong had a very p...

B

Benjamin

Sep 2015

Written on

The small group with an amazing guide

The small group with an amazing guide made for a great trip.

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Michele Twigden

Aug 2024

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Completed 3 trips with Intrepid this year. A prior last year. The Leaders are well organized, informative and fun. Travelling inland in Greece and the Greek Island...

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jasonemeraldrealestate.com.au

Aug 2024

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The intrepid group were excellent to…

The intrepid group were excellent to work with and were very helpful at all times and made organising the trip a breeze. This was an excellent trip, and was enjoyed ...

M

Michael Campbell

Aug 2024

Written on

Awful waste of time and money.

I’m aware that Intrepid responds to reviews, so here’s my updated take. I paid approximately $1,800 USD for a 9-day trip to Costa Rica. However, between the arrival...

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Guesthouse (5 nights),Hilltribe village (2 nights),Hotel (4 nights),Overnight sleeper train (2 nights),Rafthouse (1 night),

Transportation & Flights

Private minvan,Public bus,Overnight sleeper train,Songthaew,Taxi,Longtail Boat,

Transportation & flights

Private minvan,Public bus,Overnight sleeper train,Songthaew,Taxi,Longtail Boat
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. TRAFFIC AND DRIVING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD: Depending on where you come from please note that drivers in this part of the world may drive on the opposite side of the road from what you are used to. Look both ways before crossing any road. Traffic can be a little more chaotic than you might be used to at home. Be aware! PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. SEAT BELTS: Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Nouvo City Hotel (Canal Wing)
  • 2 Samsen 2, Samsen Road, Pranakorn
  • Banglumphu
  • Bangkok
  • 10200
  • THAILAND
  • Phone: +66 22827500
Trip ID
intrepid-TTSN

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