5 Day Tuk Tuk Tour of Northern Thailand
Trip Commences and finishes: Chiang Mai, Thailand | 5 day itinerary | From £575pp
Five days on roads unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. You’ll take in stunning mountain passes, tranquil country roads, and lanes and byways so far off the beaten track that some of the locals don’t know they’re there! And it’s much more than just driving a Tuk Tuk though. You’ll explore remote mountain Temples and receive a blessing for your adventure, stay in the secluded Mae Wang valley, visit fascinating Hill Tribe communities, help bathe elephants and spend a days exploring the untouched jungles and pristine waterfalls of the Doi Inthanon National Park.
View the itinerary below or visit our visit the Tuk Tuk Club for full details, inclusions and travel dates.
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Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Tuk Tuk Driver Training, Tiny Roads And A Temple Blessing
You’ll be picked up at 10:00am by our team in Chiang Mai city and then transfer to our Tuk Tuk training base in Mae Wang, around an hour from the city, to get the adventure started. When you arrive you’ll get checked in to the charming small rural resort and get to meet your Tuk Tuk before you have a fantastic rural Thai feast for lunch. Then it’s time to start your driver training, expertly led by your guide and support crew. Tuk Tuk’s aren’t hard to drive but your guide will take everything nice and slowly to make sure you get up to ‘speed’ and feel comfortable behind the wheel. It’s then time to head out in convoy along tiny rural backroads and through picturesque villages to a remote mountain Temple where you’ll receive a blessing for the adventure ahead. In the evening it’s time to relax and enjoy another delicious Thai meal at one of the best local restaurants in the area. A great atmosphere, fantastic food and a wonderful end to your first day of adventure.
What’s included?:
- Transfer from the Chiang Mai Gate Hotel to our ‘base camp’
- Detailed, professional Tuk Tuk orientation and training
- Specially built Tuk Tuks perfect for the mountain roads
- A blessing for the adventure ahead at a local Temple
- Lunch and Dinner
- Superb guide and support team
- Twin / double share accommodation in a lovely small resort in Mae Wang – air-conditioning, en-suite rooms, wi-fi etc (single rooms can be requested with a surcharge)
Day 2: Tuk Tuks, Tiny Villages, Elephants And Bamboo Rafting
After breakfast there’s time for more driver training and you’ll head more quiet backroads with incredible views and fascinating small villages. You always drive in convoy, your guide will lead the way and you take things nice and slowly. Indeed, the maximum speed we ever travel is 50kmh, but usually considerably slower meaning you can soak up the great atmosphere and views everywhere we go. By lunchtime you’ll arrive at a small, private elephant home where you’ll first enjoy a tasty local lunch, right next to the elephants, and then get to meet and learn about these wonderful animals. The mahouts will let you help feed the elephants and then it’s time to walk with them down to the local river where the elephants enjoy their daily bath. Next you’ll hop onto some bamboo rafts and enjoy a gentle float through the valley before then a final spot of driving back to your hotel, in time to freshen up and enjoy another great local Thai feast this evening.
What’s included?:
- More Tuk Tuk training and driving along wonderful country lanes
- Specially built Tuk Tuks perfect for the mountain roads
- Time with a small group of wonderful elephants
- Bamboo rafting
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Superb guide and support team
- Twin / double share accommodation in a lovely small resort in Mae Wang – air-conditioning, en-suite rooms, wi-fi etc (single rooms can be requested with a surcharge)
Day 3: The Road To Doi Inthanon
After breakfast you’re heading high up into the mountains and along some of the most beautiful roads anywhere in Thailand. As always you’ll be in convoy with a support truck following carrying your luggage, water and all sorts of goodies meaning you can focus on the simply incredible scenery and villages we pass through. With switchback bends, spectacular views, tiny Hill Tribe settlements and deep forest today’s drive is truly memorable and there will be plenty of stops along the way to take everything in, enjoy a mountain coffee and just go ‘wow’! But that’s not all. You’ll arrive in the village of Mae Khlang Luang by early afternoon, enjoy a spot of lunch and then head (by mountain taxi rather than Tuk Tuk) to explore the highest point of Thailand at over 2,500 metres! And in the evening it’s time for a traditional Thai BBQ overlooking the rice fields. What a spectacular day!
What’s included?:
- Tuk Tuks and support vehicle
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Visit to Doi Inthanon including entry fees
- Superb guide and support team
- Twin / double shared accommodation in Doi Inthanon – this is the most basic of the accommodation but intentionally so to ensure you’re located in the most stunning area and perfectly located for the trek tomorrow. Whilst ‘simple’ the rooms are clean, have en-suite facilities and each has a lovely terrace overlooking the rice fields
Day 4: Hiking and Waterfalls
You’re Tuk Tuk gets a well deserved rest today as you head out on foot, with a local trekking expert, to explore the forest, rice terraces and waterfalls around the village. Don’t worry, this hike is suitable for all at around 6km long and the majority is either flat or slightly downhill and you take it at a gentle pace so you can enjoy the wonderful surroundings. Lunch is a picnic in a clearing in the forest and, when you back into the village there’s time to experience a traditional mountain coffee, direct from the forest all around. You’ll arrive back at ‘base’ by mid afternoon giving you time to relax and soak up the atmosphere before yet another Northern Thailand mountain feast in the village this evening.
What’s included?:
- A trek through the forest to incredible waterfalls with a local expert
- A stop at a traditional mountain coffee house
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Superb guide and support team
- Twin / double shared accommodation in Doi Inthanon – this is the most basic of the accommodation but intentionally so to ensure you’re located in the most stunning area and perfectly located for the trek tomorrow. Whilst ‘simple’ the rooms are clean, have en-suite facilities and each has a lovely terrace overlooking the rice fields
Day 5: Farewell
Your Tuk Tuk Adventure comes to an end today when you transfer back to Chiang Mai city by private minivan after breakfast. You’ll arrive back in the city by around 11:30 now a fully fledged member of The Tuk Tuk Club!
What’s included?:
- Breakfast
- Transfer back to The Chiang Mai Gate Hotel in Chiang Mai city
What’s Included:
- One of our amazing customised Tuk Tuks and all the fuel
- Detailed, professional Tuk Tuk driver training
- The very best local guides and support team with you every step of the way
- Fantastic, double or twin-share accommodation throughout the trip
- Pick up and drop off in Chiang Mai City
- A Temple blessing, meeting beautiful elephants, bamboo rafting, hiking in the forest an much much more
- All meals – 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
- A support vehicle to carry your luggage so you don’t need to worry about it
- The best 5 Day Adventure anywhere in Northern Thailand!
This 5 day itinerary starts at £575 per person.
We’ve teamed up with the Tuk Tuk Club to bring you this unique experience, follow the link below for more info and to check travel dates.