Day 1 |
Chiang Mai – Thaton (-/L/-) |
08h00 |
Leave from Chiangmai after breakfast by 4x4 WD to the North. |
08h30 |
Stop at the beautiful Orchid Nursery and Butterfly Farm on the way. |
09h00 |
Continue driving to Mae Tang district for Mae Taman Elephant Camp; seeing the |
|
Elephant shows by bathing, responding to the commands of the mahouts, a |
|
demonstration of dragging and pushing logs. In Thailand’s history, the Elephants |
|
have been revered for many centuries. Famous as the strongest beasts of burden, |
|
they were also important in battle, with kings mounted on Elephants fighting the |
|
Burmese to defend Thailand on many occasions. They have also been noted for |
|
their intelligence, memory and pleasant nature. A Thai legend has it that a |
|
marriage is like an Elephant-- the husband is the front legs, that choose the |
|
direction, the wife the back legs, providing the power. |
10h45 |
Experience an Elephant ride through the jungle for 30-40 minutes, then the Ox-Cart |
|
ride for 15 minutes back to the camp. |
12h15 |
Lunch at the camp. |
13h00 |
Exhilarate a Bamboo rafting along Mae Tang River for an hour seeing lush and |
|
green plantations of Lychee and Longan fruits. |
14h00 |
Further to Chiang Dao area. |
15h00 |
Explore Tam Chiang Dao, the biggest cave in Chiang Mai, very well-known for its |
|
beautiful Myanmese Style Buddha Images as well as wonderful stalactites & |
|
stalagmites inside the cave. |
16h00 |
Continue driving heading to Thaton via Fang. On route, break up the journey at |
|
the Rice Mill or local Market. |
18h00 |
Arrive Thaton and transfer to the hotel on your reservation. |
Day 2 |
Thaton – Hill Tribe Villages – Chiang Rai (-L/-) |
07h00 |
Breakfast at the hotel enjoying a scenic Mae Kok River. |
08h00 |
Drive via Mae Chan along a mountainous road then a bumpy to a primitive Lisu hill |
|
tribe village at Baan Hego. Villages of this colorful ethnic group are found in the |
|
mountains of China, Myanmar (Burma) and northern Thailand. There are |
|
approximately 21000 Lisus living in Thailands; Northern provinces of Chiang Mai, |
|
Mae Hong Sorn and Chiang Rai. They originate in eastern Tibet. A few Lisu people |
|
have been converted to Christianity by western missionaries. They are among the |
|
least bashful of these ethnic groups and in general adjusting well to the changes |
|
taking place in their society. |
10h00 |
Drive from the village back to the main road and continue to visit a primitive Akha |
|
Tribe at Baan Loh Yo. Explore around the village seeing their unique costume, |
|
traditional bamboo housed and a simple way of living. |
11h30 |
Proceed up to the summit of Doi Mae Salong, one of those places where the |
|
journey is more beautiful and worthwhile than the place itself. Don't miss this trip, |
|
as it leads on a very good road through beautiful mountains. The splendid views on |
|
the way alone are worth driving to Mae Salong. The little town was founded in the |
|
1960s by former Kuomintang (Anti-Communist) soldiers who had been expelled |
|
from Burma (Myanmar) and settled on the lovely mountain, unfortunately only in |
|
order to compete with the local drug barons for a sizable share in the opium and |
|
heroin trade. Enjoy shopping at the hill tribe market also exploring around the |
|
Chinese Settlement (use to be the Chinese refugee camp or 93rd division of Chiang |
|
Kai Chek). |
12h30 |
Lunch at Salima Chinese restaurant (Taste Chinese Food). |
13h30 |
Continue driving along the wildly and bumpy road to visit the Yunnan village at |
|
Bann Klang where the Clay Houses in Chinese Style are seen then Bann Thai |
|
(Lisu), Baan Arsae (Akha), Baan Arle (Akha) and Baan Lao Sib (Yao). |
16h30 |
Drive to the main road and continue downhill to Mae Chan and Chiang Rai. |
17h30 |
Arrive Chiang Rai and transfer to the hotel in on your reservation. |