Magical Thailand

Day 1: Bangkok 
Upon arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, your guide will be waiting for you in the guide pick-up area located at the arrival gate B on your left-hand side as you walk out of the arrival hall. You will be transferred to Riva Surya for free time at leisure.

Day 2: Bangkok 
After breakfast, you will be picked up by your guide and driver for a full day in Bangkok. You will explore the city's highlights and hidden treasures! Your excursion begins with a visit to Wat Pho, one of Bangkok’s oldest and largest temples – famous for the 43 meters long reclining Buddha. From there, continue on to the famous Grand Palace. Marvel at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Pra Kaew), the most revered shrine in the Kingdom.  Lunch will be served at a lovely local restaurant, before boarding a longtail boat to explore the klongs. Floating along Bangkok’s maze of canals and waterways, you will have the chance to observe aspects of traditional Thai life, which have disappeared from most of Bangkok. Your tour will finish off with a visit to admire Wat Arun, the stunning Temple of Dawn before you are transferred back to Riva Surya in the late afternoon.

Day 3: Bangkok – Ayutthaya
After breakfast, you will be picked up by our representative and you will be heading north out of Bangkok to Bang Pa-in Royal Palace in Ayutthaya Province; the former summer residence of King Rama IV. All the buildings you see date back to an architectural restoration by the king in the mid-19th century. Afterward, you will hop on a longtail boat and cruise to Ayutthaya city. Founded after the fall of the Sukhothai Kingdom in the 15th century, Ayutthaya flourished as the capital of the Thai Kingdom for 400 years until it was invaded and raised to the ground by the Burmese in 1767. We explore the ruins and temples of this UNESCO World Heritage Site with your guide, including Wat Phanachoeng, Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, and Wat Mahathat. After the tour of Ayutthaya, you will be transferred to Nonthaburi to board the Grand Pearl Cruise back to Bangkok, with a buffet lunch provided on board. Upon arrival back in Bangkok, you will return to Riva Surya for the rest of the evening at leisure.

Day 4: Bangkok - Chiang Mai 
This morning, you will meet the driver with a guide to transferring to Bangkok airport for your flight to Chiang Mai, the flight is not included in the price but can be booked for you by us direct. Upon arrival in Chiang Mai, your guide will welcome you to the pickup area at the airport. You will transfer to Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai and the rest of the day is free at leisure.

Day 5: Chiang Mai
In the morning you will meet your guide at your hotel and drive to the riverfront Warorot Market, Chiang Mai’s bustling ‘Chinatown’ quarter extending on both sides of Chang Mai Road. Be prepared for an assault on your senses as you encounter unfamiliar sights, smells, and bustling crowds. Nearby is the Hmong hill tribe market while facing the Ping River is the photogenic flower market. From here you will head to Thapae Gate, one of the four original city gates, where we continue by samlor, or rickshaw to a number of temples, including Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, and Wat Chedi Luang. You will also have the chance to meet with an English-speaking monk, who will answer your questions and offer some insight into Chiang Mai’s past. After this, we have lunch at a nice restaurant, before driving up into the hills to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a sacred temple named after Doi Suthep Mountain with impressive views looking down on Chain Mai. After participating in a blessing ceremony and admiring the view we drive back to Tamarind Village for the rest of the evening at leisure.

Day 6: Chiang Mai
In the morning you will head out and you will visit the teak wooden home of the Raunkaew -Yanon family, who arrived in the region almost 150 years ago. They are a Lanna family, continuing the traditions of many generations and maintaining the natural surroundings in a way now rarely seen. You will also learn about their culture, way of living, and traditional Thai architecture. You will cook some authentic northern Thai flavor traditional dishes together with the family. The highlight of the day is that you will have the opportunity to get to know a real Thai family; be their house guest for the day, and enjoy a delicious home-cooked lunch. In the afternoon you will return to Tamarind Village for leisure.

Day 7: Chiang Mai
At 08:00 am, you will be picked up from your hotel and transfer to ChangChill. Around 10:30, you will start with an elephant walk and follow your guide into the forest to observe the elephants grazing, socializing, while observing from a safe distance. You will learn more about ChangChill's six resident elephants and learn some new facts about Asian elephants. While in the elephant area, you will be able to ask questions and guides will deliver a “live lecture” about elephant conservation, elephant behavior, and interesting facts about elephants like how much they eat, sleep, etc.
Around 11:30 am you will arrive at a rest station for a traditional Thai refreshment, this will be near a mud pit where elephants love to bathe and play together. Around noon you will move down to the riverside where you will learn a bit about enrichment and help fill feeding tubes with corn, sugar cane, grass, bananas, and any other supplementary food on hand. During and after lunch, enjoy the view of the elephants eating through the treats that were stashed in the fencing from the elephant observation deck. You will enjoy a Thai vegetarian lunch and learn about the community's history and the traditional method of weaving clothing and bags at the Karen Culture Centre. You can participate in the weaving with the guidance of local community members and purchase items that were made by hand in the village. In the early afternoon, you will head back to Tamarind Village for the rest of the day at your leisure.

Day 8: Chiang Mai
Today, it is time to say goodbye to Thailand.  Three hours prior to your flight from Chiang Mai Airport, you will be picked by our representative from the hotel and transfer to the airport for your return flight.