Day 1  Chiang Mai – Countryside (B,L,D)

08.00    Pick up at Chiang Mai Airport or a hotel in Chiang Mai, travel by an air-cond. van to the countryside of Mae Taeng (about 1 ½ hrs. Drive), full of vivid green rice fields, orchards, buffalos and small Thai villages. Upon arrival, meet the community host at “Three Generations Village”.

This community is unique as it aims to strengthen and celebrate community life through an initiative called “ 3 Generations Thai” which actively encourages intergenerational activities such as home work programs, agricultural skills, Bamboo basket weaving, cooking and music which aim to pass down traditional skills and knowledge. Your host, along with your local guide will take you on a walking tour of the agricultural lands where rice, fruit and grains are grown.   

Here you will learn the difference between wet rice and dry rice, seasonal crops and gain insight into life as a Thai farmer. Your host will then lead you walking around their community so that you can experience firsthand what a real Thai village looks and feels like. This village is a typical, eclectic modern day village where concrete homes stand next to wooden ones on stilts, photos of Thai King share the same wall as those of the other king-Elvis, and where sacred Buddhists shrines sit above a television in the family living room. This is the real Thailand, quirky and colorful, modern and traditional.

From here we say goodbye to the hosts and continue to Mae Ngad Dam for a lunch. Then visit a pretty waterfall “Buatong”, lime stone waterfall in Sri Lanna National Park. Take leisure in the greenery surrounding.

Late afternoon, transfer back to Chiang Mai City.

Cooking class @ Ban Thai (4 dishes food plus 1 sweet) in the Evening (16.00 – 21.00),

Overnight at the Empress Hotel

Day 2   Chiang Mai – Biking Sankampaeng (joint tour) (B,L)

Am Breakfast.  Then transfer to have a great time by biking along the route Lanna Countryside.

Just a short hop east of Chiang Mai we head away from the tourist trail and into fertile valleys that offer inspiring views and mountainous horizons not seen from the city. After a short drive from the city we start our bicycle exploration of Sankampaeng and the beautiful, peaceful Lanna countryside.  This one day 40 km ride takes us out to tranquil places where the water buffalo and ox are the tools of choice to plow the rice fields and transport the harvest. We see that family, friends transport the harvest. We see that family, friends and the Buddhist faith are what is important to Thai people and that a good crop and healthy lifestyle are what puts a broad smile on people’s faces. 

We visit the Sankampaeng markets where the fresh produce is artfully displayed. Sampling the fruits in season will make sure you will not run out of energy throughout our picturesque day. We’ll pass by temples where we can stop and make an offering. Our ride will take us through open plains and for some variety we’ll take short cuts through lush green rice paddies as we head towards the forests and mountains that surround this area.   Quiet country roads at the base of a mountain range will bring us to the Sankampaeng Hot Springs where, if you can stand the heat, we can have a dip in the natural mineral springs that are said to be curative and rejuvenating.

We’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant, perhaps sampling the famous northern Thai noodle dish kao soy, a chicken curry dish made with yellow noodles. This is a real original Thai experience that you won’t find on other itineraries.  An enjoyable ride that finishes with somewhere to soothe those muscles and leave you in no doubt that you certainly are on holidays!

This trip is suitable for all levels of riders and is an excellent trip for families.

Overnight at the Empress Hotel

Biking: distance 40 kms. Grade: easy

Day 3  Chiang Mai – Whitewater Rafting Mae Taeng (B, L)

Am   After breakfast, travel to the whitewater rafting station and enjoy whitewater rafting (grade 3-5 up to the level of the river) for averagely 2 hrs. Then lunch.

Pm  Enjoy ATV drive (1-2 person/car up to guest) for about 2 hrs.  After that visit to the Long-Neck Karen village nearby before returning to the township of Chiang Mai. End of service.

(the program might switch between whitewater rafting and ATV up to the weather).

Whitewater Rafting: distance 10 kms. average time 1- 2 hrs. up to the level of the river

ATV: distance 30 kms. average 2 hrs.

B=Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner