Itinerary
Day 1-4: Cooking Class and Cultural Immersion in Chiang Mai
Once Thailand’s capital and home to the Lan Na kingdom, adventurers flock to Chiang Mai for its colorful markets 🛍️, hill tribe villages 🏞️, and delicious food 🍲. Our first day, we’ll embark on an Amazing Race–style activity in Chiang Mai Old City, a famous square once enclosed by walls and moats for protection from enemies. We’ll sample famous local dishes like khao soi (thick northern Thai noodles) and green curry 🌶️, a local delight. Next is a cooking class on a farm, run by a local family who’s been teaching organic farming to the community for many decades 🌱. We’ll quite literally eat farm-to-table: We’ll gather our ingredients from the land in the morning and then make a delicious Thai meal that afternoon. A hike in the Mae On district will lead us to breathtaking views 🌄 overlooking Chiang Mai; we’ll celebrate afterward with a soak in natural hot springs ♨️. A day with some hill tribe villagers will teach us basket-weaving, and we’ll explore the area’s famous rice fields!
Accommodation: Eco-resort 🏡
Day 5-6: Rock Climb at Crazy Horse
Crazy Horse Buttress is known the world over for its soaring, black-streaked limestone cliffs 🧗♂️, and so named for a large, equine-shaped feature 🐎. Our climbing instructors will teach us the ins and outs of knot-tying, belaying, and even the Tyrolean traverse, which will help us escape the heat ☀️ as we explore the surrounding caves 🏞️.
Accommodation: Guesthouse 🏡
Day 7-8: Visit Sri Sangwan Falls, an Elephant Sanctuary, and a Hidden Temple
The clear, mineral-spring waters of Sri Sangwan Waterfalls are surrounded by lush forest 🌳, and will be a cool respite from the summer heat ☀️. We’ll cool off in the pools at the base of the falls and keep our eyes peeled for colorful butterflies 🦋. The next day will be spent at the Elephant Nature Park 🐘, a rehabilitation center that’s home to elephants, dogs, cats, and even buffalo. We’ll get to feed and bathe elephants, and even help care for their habitats. This is one of the most exciting days of the trip! On our last day in Chiang Mai, we’ll take a morning hike to Wat Palad, a beautiful temple tucked away (i.e., hidden) in the forest 🌲. Stone carvings, small bridges, natural waterfalls 💧, and statued monks can all be found around this peaceful, uncrowded Buddhist temple.
Accommodation: Guesthouse 🏡
Day 9-11: Cultural Immersion & Homestay
We will get a feel for Thai village life in Huei Hin Lad Nai Village, where our homestays will begin 🏡. Begin your cultural immersion with a warm welcome from the village chief, who’ll share fascinating stories about the community’s rich heritage 📜. Learn the intricate art of bamboo weaving from local artisans and discover traditional natural tie-dyeing techniques passed down through generations 🎨.
A highlight of the stay is a hands-on tea workshop 🍵, where we’ll learn about the region’s tea cultivation and preparation methods. Throughout our homestay experience, we’ll share daily life moments that provide authentic insights into rural Thai culture 🌾.
This unforgettable village experience concludes as we bid farewell to our gracious hosts and continue our journey south to Surat Thani, where new adventures await 🌍.
Accommodation: Homestay
Day 12-13: Floating Huts on Khao Sok
After getting our rural mountain adventure, we travel north to Khao Sok National Park 🏞️. This lake is famous for its majestic karst mountains that jut out of the water as you travel past by boat 🚤. Making our way across the lake in a long tail boat, we stop at our floating huts on the water to get settled for the evening 🛶. We will spend the rest of our afternoon swimming in the lake 🌊, jumping off our bedroom decks straight into the water, and exploring the vast fingers of the lake in kayaks 🚣♂️.
The next morning will begin with a dawn boat ride 🌅, where misty tendrils dance across the emerald waters. We watch as the morning sun illuminates towering limestone cliffs and enjoy the sounds of the jungle waking around us 🌿. The group will stretch their legs with a hike to the remarkable Coral Cave, with its stunning limestone formations 🏔️!
Day 14-17: Climbing, Homestays, & Mangrove Restoration
The adventure continues in Krabi, where we get to practice our newfound climbing skills with another exhilarating day of climbing and rappelling 🧗♂️.
Next, we will journey to a unique Muslim minority village in Trang province, where homestay families welcome students with traditional southern Thai hospitality 🏡. Our time here connects to vital environmental conservation efforts as we join local experts in protecting precious seagrass beds and restoring essential mangrove ecosystems 🌱 – activities that sustain both marine life and the village’s traditional way of life 🌊.
The journey culminates in the cultural capital of Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai 🇹🇭. We will reflect on our transformative experiences with thoughtful group discussions and a meaningful closing ceremony that celebrates our growth and newfound connections to Thailand and our new Bold Earth friends 🤝!
Accommodation: Homestay 🏠
*Listed above is Bold Earth’s intended itinerary for this trip. All itineraries are subject to change in order to provide the best possible program quality.
