1 Day Tuk Tuk Tour of Northern Thailand
The Valley Of Mae Wang
Tuk Tuks, elephants, bamboo rafting, mountains and amazing rural communities The very best 1 Day Adventure in Chiang Mai
1 Day Tuk Tuk Adventure in Chiang mai
Just an hour outside of the ancient city walls of Chiang Mai, you’ll visit rural communities and temples to get a glimpse of true Northern Thailand. You’ll learn about the future of Thailand’s elephants at a fantastic small elephant home, float gently downriver on a bamboo raft and explore stunning remote country roads in your very own bright orange Tuk Tuk. So if you’re looking for to get out of the city and off the beaten track… look no further.
What do you get?
- Chiang Mai city pick up and drop off at the start and end of the day
- A fantastic specially built Tuk Tuk, perfect for the remote country roads
- Drive along beautiful rural backroads through picturesque villages and countryside
- Explore a remote mountain Temple
- Learn about, help feed and watch as beautiful elephants bathe
- Bamboo rafting along the local river
- A simple but tasty Thai lunch
- Drinking water throughout the day
- An superb, professional English (and Thai!) speaking local tour guide and driver
Available Dates
Our 1 Day Adventure runs every day of the year but spaces fill up quickly so make sure you don’t miss out by booking now
2024 - £117 Per Person (18+)
£76 Per Person (ages 5-17)
2025 - £135 Per Person (18+)
£87 Per Person (ages 5-17)
Where you'll go
Mae Wang
The Mae Wang valley is just 60 minutes from Chiang Mai city but feels like a world away. With mountains, forests, rice fields and picturesque rural villages Mae Wang is one of the prettiest parts of Chiang Mai province and the base for our 1 Day Adventure making sure you get to experience the very best of this wonderful part of the world.
Temples and Villages
Our first stop is the imposing and very remote Temple of Wat Doi Sapanyoo. With a truly stunning pagoda on the top of a hill (giving incredible 360 degree views) and a towering Buddha, this is an incredible place to visit that few foreign travellers ever get to see. And if local legends are to be believed, it contains holy relics from Buddha himself. We then pass through numerous small farming communities as we wind our way through the fields. Well and truly off the tourist trail, these are villages going about their business as they have for generations and giving you a glimpse into how life is for regular rural folk in Northern Thailand. One thing you’ll notice is that they are hugely welcoming, and they don’t get to see to many foreign travellers around these parts, so don’t be surprised to see whole families rushing out to say hello and talk about the convoy of bright orange Tuk Tuks passing through – it’s the kind of experience that put Thailand on the travel map all those years ago.
Mae Sapok
Located in a stunning small valley with rice terraces, palm trees, water buffalo… this is a classic South East Asian ‘paradise’. We hike for around 10 minutes through the forest to a beautiful waterfall (bring your swimmers because this is a great opportunity to cool down) and then head back along the valley stopping to meet the Karen community of Mae Sapok Nua. This small community offer you a chance too get a genuinely unique insight into real life in the mountains and a rare opportunity to see how Karen communities live.
Elephants
A real favourite with our travellers, this small elephant home has led the way in taking their elephants out of the riding industry and instead provides a relaxed and comfortable life where they’re treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. You’ll learn about the history of the home and their elephants, help the mahouts feed them and then head out on a walk through the countryside together. The end of the walk is at the local river where you’ll help the mahouts bathe them, and watch them play around in the water. It’s a great experience that’s helping to ensure a sustainable future for the elephants, and the community who have lived with them for generations.
Rafting
Climb aboard a bamboo raft and enjoy the local scenery from a different perspective. Expertly steered by the guys from a nearby village, all you need to do is sit back, relax and watch the world go by as the river winds it’s way through the local countryside. You will get wet (but don’t worry - there are no huge rapids!) but it’s a lovely way of keeping cool in the heat of the afternoon.
Itinerary
As seen in.....
