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Holidays

Family Thailand Adventure

Thailand
1 review
Available Departures: Apr, Jul, Aug

13 days from

US$2,290

Adult

US$2,100

Child
without flights
Multi Activity
Family
LEISURELY LEISURELY

Enjoy our Northern Thailand mini trek adventure, Elephant Sanctuary visit, cycle rides, and the beaches of Koh Samet.

Trip Code: FTA
Minimum child age: 9
Child discount up to and including age: 11
Holiday Grades
          

Our Holiday Grades Explained

To show the relative difficulty of our holidays, each trip is graded on a scale of 1 to 12, with 12 being the most challenging. Although we have tried to make our grading system as clear as possible, it cannot take into account your personal interests, abilities or experience. If you have any questions about the nature of a particular trip or its suitability for you, please read the 'Is this holiday for you?' section or contact us.

 1 - 3 LEISURELY
1 - 3 LEISURELY

Suitable for most people in good health, holidays at this grade include only limited amounts of activity.

View leisurely holidays
4 - 6 MODERATE
4 - 6 MODERATE

Suitable for reasonably fit individuals, such as weekend walkers and cyclists. There can be the occasional more difficult day.

View moderate holidays
7 - 9 CHALLENGING
7 - 9 CHALLENGING

Physically challenging holidays, where you need to be prepared before you go.

View challenging holidays
10 - 12 TOUGH
10 - 12 TOUGH

Our toughest holidays, involving many long days, often in isolated areas. A high level of fitness and previous wilderness and mountain experience is essential.

View Tough holidays

Family Thailand Adventure

9+

Age

Animals And Wildlife

Cooking

Swimming

Family Bike Rides

Highlights
  • Stunning 3 day family friendly trek in Northern Thailand meeting the Karen hilltribe people
  • Visit the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary to see conservation in action
  • See golden temples and enjoy cycle rides around the Buddha temples in Ayutthaya and quiet streets of Bangkok
  • Soak up the sun, sea and blue skies of the tropical paradise island of Koh Samet

At a Glance
  • Group Size 4 to 15
  • 3 day mini-trek
  • 2 easy morning cycle rides
  • interactive sightseeing
  • cooking
  • silver workshop
  • overnight train
  • 3 days beach
  • Join In Chiang Mai / Ends Bangkok

Accommodation & Meals
  • 12 Breakfasts
  • 3 Lunches
  • 2 Dinners
  • 7 nights Hotel with swimming pool
  • 2 nights Homestay
  • 2 nights Hotel
  • 1 nights Sleeper Train
Overview

Our Family Thailand adventure holiday is a true insight into this beautiful country with lush rice terraces and forest; its charming, colourful, smiling people; cultural Buddha marvels covered in gold, and paradise island beaches. Our diverse itinerary includes activities to keep all family members entertained – it is brilliant! We fly directly into Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand and start with a Thai cooking session, laying a foundation to the delicious foods of Thailand. The Silver Temple and making our own plate is next before we head into the rural countryside near the Doi Inthanon National Park for a 3 day trek through remote villages, meeting the Karen hilltribe people and overnighting in their welcoming homestays. Before taking the overnight train we learn the art of Thai kick-boxing and visit an elephant sanctuary to learn how conservation team care for these majestic animals. Bike rides in historic Ayutthaya and then through the alleyways of Bangkok allow us to explore these cities, temples, markets and street life in interesting ways. The finale to this adventure is three nights on the tropical paradise island of Koh Samet, to soak in the sun and sea under clear blue skies. This varied holiday for the family truly touches on all aspects of Thailand and your lives will be enriched for this time spent in this unique country – The Land Of Smiles.

Is this holiday for you?

Much of this holiday is interactive sightseeing, for example the silver workshop and the cooking session. There are two days when we have sightseeing cycle rides (2-3 hours with stops). The rides are on road with little traffic, through hidden alleyways in Bangkok and in the historic park in Ayuttaya. The 3 day trek in Northern Thailand is 4-5 hours on two days, and up to 6 hours on one day. Th …

Much of this holiday is interactive sightseeing, for example the silver workshop and the cooking session. There are two days when we have sightseeing cycle rides (2-3 hours with stops). The rides are on road with little traffic, through hidden alleyways in Bangkok and in the historic park in Ayuttaya. The 3 day trek in Northern Thailand is 4-5 hours on two days, and up to 6 hours on one day. The pace is not fast and many stops will be made along the way to meet the people, see the wildlife and rest and take a dip in waterfalls. There are some sections of ascent. It is a great adventure to walk to these remote villages and then overnight at homestays. The homestays are simple, with basic toilet facilities and a bucket of water for washing instead of showers. You will be looked after very well as Thai hospitality is second to none. The end of the holiday is designed to wind down from the travelling adventure, at the paradise beach island of Koh Samet. This is a great itinerary.

Why KE?

Our trek in Northern Thailand is special. We stay with Karen Hill tribe people and truly see rural life. We explore the temples of Ayutthaya on our bicycles. Just one overnight train is required as we arrive by flying internationally into Chiang Mai (a similar price to Bangkok flights), meaning we don’t retrace our steps like many other Northern Thailand itineraries do.

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Itinerary

Our holiday starts at the group hotel in Chiang Mai. A single timed group transfer from Chiang Mai Airport is provided. We have some time to freshen up and rest at the hotel before this brilliant holiday kicks off with a Thai cooking session. We begin with a tour of the local food, spice, vegetable and fruit market. Our guide will explain many of the foods on offer, how they taste and if they are spicy or flavoursome. We then return to the cooking school and set about making a few dishes of our own. Maybe we fancy some spring rolls, a stir fry, soup or a curry. There is a variety of options to suit all palates. This is a great introduction for children and adults to the absolutely delicious food of this fantastic country.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

After breakfast we make our way to the fascinating 500 year old silver temple of Wat Srisuphan. We meet with the monks and look at the unique, intricate and impressive engravings made into this temple of silver, nickel and aluminium. Some of the panels have Marvel characters (yes, as in superheros) and alien families engraved - good ones to search for with the children. Unfortunately women are not allowed inside the temple, but the outside is just as interesting. The silver workshop is next door, as craftspeople are continuously refreshing the temple. It is here that we are shown what making these panels and decorations entails and then we have a little turn of our own on a small silver plate. This is a prefect keep-sake from this fun temple visit. This afternoon we head to explore the old and modern Chiang Mai, seeking out the most sacred Buddhist monuments. We drive out of town to visit the golden temple at Doi Suthep Mountain. We climb the staircase looking at the naga (the mythical beautifully adorned serpent found in this part of Asia) carvings. When we reach the top, we will be dazzled by the golden pagoda. This is such a special part of the world. It's great to see the views below of Chiang Mai. Our last visit of the day is the Wat Suan Dok, 48m golden Buddhist Stupa or Chedi.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B

Today we head out of town into the green and verdant countryside for the next few days. Our walk starts at the small village of Huay Teun, south-west of Chiang Mai. The drive is around 2 hours and we stop along the way at a market to pick up provisions for the next few days. Outside of the city, the air is clean and we start seeing the rural way of life. Our luggage for the next 2 nights is packed on a motorbike to join us later, and we are ready. We walk alongside a stream which comes from Doi Lor Mountain and enjoy our picnic lunch before continuing upwards on an ascending trail used by the local community. We rest at a hidden waterfall in the forest before completing our walk into the village of Khun Na Sa where we overnight in our homestay. The charming people here will make everyone feel very welcome, and our guides will help with the cooking and ensure we are comfortable for the night. The group will be in a large room altogether with mattresses on the floor, covered with hanging mosquito nets. Facilities are simple with a bucket of water for washing and clean local toilets. This is the perfect way to discover the true nature of the Thai people and how the rural community lives.

Accommodation

Homestay

Meals

B L D

Time

4 - 5 hours walking

After our breakfast we pack our little bags and set off on our second days' walk and adventure. We take the quiet forest trail, which gives us plenty of opportunity to look out for some of the wildlife including lots of bird species. We have a jungle style picnic along the route. This afternoon we arrive into Ban Khun Puay, which is a Karen hilltribe village of around 70 families. We get acquainted with the people in the village and learn about their lifestyles. We have some music or story-telling and dinner, before going to sleep in our homestay for the night.

Accommodation

Homestay

Meals

B L D

Time

4 - 5 hours walking

We leave early for our trek out of the area. We are close to the Doi Inthanon National Park here. There are some beautiful rice terraces in this area. Traditional wooden houses on stilts are dotted throughout the lush, green, verdant terraces which are built on the undulating hills of this area. The majority of our walk today is spent going downhill. We stop at a waterfall for a refreshing dip or just to relax in this pretty spot. At the roadhead we say our farewells to our crew and return in the vehicle to Chiang Mai. We arrive mid-afternoon and have a little time before the exciting 2 hour Muay Thai or Thai boxing introduction. It is the national sport and a cultural martial art of Thailand, and is a form of kickboxing. We learn the background and some basic techniques. For many this is a highlight of the holiday.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B L

Time

5 - 6 hours walking

Elephants are one of the most magnificent animals in this world. We visit the Kanta Elephant Sanctuary. Here the elephants roam free in the tranquil sanctuary. All elephants are rescued from tourism entertainment or logging. They are allowed to be social and bathe in the fresh water lagoons. On our full day visit, we join a group, and set about learning about these wonderful animals whilst feeding them, walking with them and helping them bathe in the river. It's an inspiring day, perfect for nature lovers. If we didn't love elephants before, we will now. We say goodbye to the elephants and return to Chiang Mai to prepare for our exciting overnight on the train to Ayutthaya. The overnight train is an air conditioned 2nd class carriage. Most of the trains have berths each side of the aisle. These are bunks, with the bottom bunk forming 2 seats, and the top bunk folding down. Some trains are configured differently with 4-person berths. The train carriage attendant makes the beds for you with proper bedding including pillow, sheets and blanket. There is a restaurant/dining carriage, or you can eat at your seats, as the steward comes to take your order. You are well looked after, and sleeping on a train through the night is a fabulous adventure for children and adults alike.

Accommodation

Sleeper Train

Meals

B

We wake on the train as the sun comes up, and we disembark in the town of Ayutthaya. We have breakfast at the morning market or a local restaurant and can watch the saffron-clad monks emerge from their monasteries for the daily alms collections from the local Buddhist residents. The laid back atmosphere is a pleasant stopping point before busy Bangkok. We pop to visit the local Wat Yai Chaimongkol temple, which has an impressive collection of seated stone Buddha's all adorned with the saffron robes. We check into the hotel at lunchtime, and then we have the afternoon on a cycling excursion of Ayutthaya Historic Park. This island is surrounded by three rivers and is where the old capital used to be. The ruins are impressive temples and palaces which were built between 1351 and 1767. We have fun on the bikes as we travel between the specific sites of interest. There are very few cars in this area. This is a great way to get around, and makes it more interesting for the children. We return to the hotel were we can have a swim in the pool before we head out for some dinner.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B

Time

2 hours easy cycling

We transfer this morning by vehicle to Bangkok, which takes 1-2 hrs depending on the traffic. After arriving at our hotel we take our bikes and have a tour of some interesting sights of the exciting modern capital of Thailand. Our route takes us through alleyways and pathways that are best accessed on two wheels, and away from the busy roads. We pass markets, local Buddhist temples and a vast array of unique street life. The ferry takes us over the Chao Phraya River and we continue our tour in Thonburi past its temples, museums and urban life. We finish our loop through the flower market and back to the start. The cycling is designed for families and every consideration for different abilities is taken into account. We return to the hotel and have some time to freshen up before dinner.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B

Time

2 - 3 hours easy cycling

We begin our day with a tour of the Jim Thompson House, named after a silk merchant who built this beautiful teak mansion in the 1960's. Whilst Jim Thompson was alive he was adamant that the silk production for his company should be done as a cottage industry, from home, with the females becoming the family breadwinner, bringing hundreds of people out of poverty. We visit the nextdoor workshop to see how silk is hand woven to produce high-quality silk fabrics. This afternoon we have free time. You can choose to take an optional long-boat ride along the waterways, visit the food market, or go to Wat Saket/The Golden Mount for a close up view of this golden stupa, or of course there is always the option to see the massive golden Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho. There is so much to see and do, and your guide will advise you the best places and routes for your family.

Accommodation

Hotel

Meals

B

We transfer by road for around 3 hours to Rayong Pier. Here we take the short ferry ride across to the paradise island of Koh Samet. Here we check into our coastal hotel. Koh Samet is a paradise island known for its white sandy beaches, blue skies and warm turquoise seas full of beautiful fish. We stay at a family friendly hotel with a swimming pool and nestled next to idyllic beaches. We can relax and unwind, and enjoy a good book whilst the children swim, snorkel and play in this safe environment.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B

Today we can do as we please. The small island is a national park and has a selection of fine beaches. We can stay at our hotel and beach, or we can take an optional trip to some of the other hidden bays. There are a plenty of watersport options along the beach.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B

A second full day on the island to ensure that adults and children alike are fully soaked in the relaxed atmosphere and way of life in this tropical paradise.

Accommodation

Hotel with swimming pool

Meals

B

Our holiday ends after breakfast at the hotel on Koh Samet. We then say goodbye to the blue skies, seas and sun and take single timed transfer back to Bangkok Airport. We will be at Bangkok Airport in time for flights departing in the evening.

Meals

B
Download Trip Notes
The Route
Airport Airport
Point Point
Direction Direction
Trek
Transfer
Train
Boat

Essential Information

We've compiled some of our Frequently Asked Questions to help you learn more about this amazing trip.

  • A professional and qualified tour leader (from Day 1 to Day 10)
  • Single timed airport transfers
  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as described in the Meal Plan
  • All land transport as required by the itinerary
  • Second class overnight sleeper train
  • All activities/excursions/entrance fees mentioned except where specified as 'optional'

  • Travel insurance
  • Visas (if applicable)
  • Some meals as described in the Meal Plan
  • Any additional activities/excursions indicated as optional
  • Tips
  • Miscellaneous personal expenditure - drinks and souvenirs etc

The group will meet at the hotel in Chiang Mai.

A single timed transfer from Chiang Mai Airport to the group hotel is provided in the afternoon of Day 1 of the Land Only itinerary.

On the last day of the Land Only itinerary, there will be a single transfer back to Bangkok Airport timed for the check in for the evening flight to London.

Anyone may join the group transfers by prior arrangement. Travelling as a group or on public transport saves energy. If this is not practical, we can provide private transfers and extra nights in Bangkok or Chiang Mai at an additional cost.

Hotel contact details and an emergency number will be provided with your booking confirmation.

All breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners are included in the holiday price. Where there is a wide range of dining options such as in Bangkok and Chiang Mai we have left the choice of type of experience and budget to you. Street food and meals in local restaurants are safe, tasty and inexpensive. It is possible to have a great meal for less than £1 per person (50 Thai Baht). It is also possible to pay up to £20 per person in a high end tourist restaurant, or a simple burger and chips will cost approximately £3.

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. If you are on a trekking or cycling holiday, water is supplied to fill up your individual bottles. This will be boiled, filtered or provided in large jerry cans or 5 litre bottles. Additionally you should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water when in towns or where water is not supplied. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

In Thailand eating is an essential part of the experience. Thai food is justifiably famous and some would say the best cuisine in the world. Though some dishes are very spicy (such as the fiery and quintessentially Thai, Tom Yam soup) it is a mistake to think that all Thai food is hot, and there is a tremendous subtlety of flavours. Your guide will give you hints and tips on how to discover what suits you best from a typical Thai menu. And of course the Thai cookery course in Chiang Mai will give everyone a better appreciation of the ingredients and techniques involved in creating delicious Thai dishes. In Bangkok and Chiang Mai there are also many restaurants and cafes serving international dishes and all the familiar fast food outlets are also represented.

The group will spend 3 nights at a centrally-located hotel with air conditioning and a small swimming pool in Chiang Mai.
During the jungle trek north of Chiang Mai, we stay for 2 nights in village houses/homestays. The group will be in a large room altogether with mattresses on the floor, covered with hanging mosquito nets. Our guides will cook and ensure we are comfortable for the night. Facilities are simple with a bucket of water for washing (no shower) and clean local toilets.

The overnight train is an air conditioned 2nd class carriage. Most of the trains have berths each side of the aisle. These are bunks, with the bottom bunk forming 2 seats, and the top bunk folding down. Some trains are configured differently with 4-person berths. The train carriage attendant makes the beds for you with proper bedding including pillow, sheets and blanket. There is a restaurant/dining carriage, or you can eat at your seats, as the steward comes to take your order.

In Ayutthaya we stay in a tourist class hotel on the banks of the Pasak River. The hotel has air conditioned rooms, a restaurant, bar and small pool. There is also access to the river where there is a seating area.

We have 2 nights in Bangkok we stay in a centrally located hotel with air conditioned rooms, restaurant and bar.

The hotel that we use in Koh Samed is normally the Sai Kaew Beach Resort. This is a family friendly hotel with a swimming pool and nestled next to two idyllic beaches. We can relax, unwind and enjoy a good book whilst the children swim, snorkel and play in this safe environment. There are also watersports available locally on the beach.

In the hotel accommodation (not the village house or the train) children under the age of 12yrs will usually share rooms with their grownups. This might be a twin, triple or quad room, a double with an extra bed, or multiple rooms depending on the number of family members. If you are travelling with children over the age of 12yrs, you will be in separate rooms or sharing twin/multi-bed rooms. Please talk to us about your requirements and we will do everything to ensure that you are happy with your rooming allocation.


All accommodation is subject to availability and change.

Approximately £150-200 per person (or equivalent in US dollars or Euros) should be allowed for tips, soft drinks, snacks, non-included meals and miscellaneous expenses. Alcoholic drinks, souvenirs and optional activities are additional so you may wish to budget for these.

You can choose to take your money in pounds sterling, dollars or euros. There will be the opportunity to change money into local currency on arrival at the airport and your local leader will advise the best places to change money en-route. Additionally, you will be able to get currency from bank ATMs in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, and other towns that you visit. Credit cards are useful and it is a good idea to carry one in case of emergency.

Tipping is the accepted way of saying ‘thank you’ to your leader and local team. Tipping is entirely voluntary and should be dependent on good service. We recommend that you decide levels of tipping and give any tips as a group rather than from individual group members.

For this holiday you should take one piece of luggage and a daypack. Luggage with wheels is useful for this holiday. During the 3 day/2 night excursion in the jungle with the hill tribes, you will take only what you need for the three days and the rest of your things can be left at the hotel in Chiang Mai. This luggage will be transferred by motorcyle during the walk. We suggest you bring a second, foldaway bag for this purpose, or pool your luggage with family members. For international flights please check your baggage allowance with your airline.

For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in ‘Dates and Prices’ table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements.

The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required, and you should have at least 2 blank pages for each country that you visit.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Please ensure that you check for the latest advice before travel. For the most up to date information on entry requirements, please visit the UK Government website.

Visa Thailand

UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa for short stays.

If you have a severe allergy please inform the KE office before you travel. We will do all we can to help, but we cannot guarantee an allergy free environment on KE trips. You will need to carry your own treatment for the allergy with you, as 'adrenaline auto-injectors' are not carried as standard by KE leaders and staff. You should inform your leader on arrival of your allergy, and let them know where you keep your adrenaline pen.

VACCINATIONS

You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you specific require any vaccinations or other preventive measures. You should be up to date with routine courses and boosters as recommended in the UK e.g. diphtheria-tetanus-polio and measles-mumps-rubella), along with hepatitis A and typhoid. A certificate of yellow fever vaccination is required if travelling from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and for travellers having transitted for more than 12 hrs through an airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On holidays to more remote areas you should also have a dentist check up. A good online resource is Travel Health Pro.

The unit of currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht.

There are 3 main seasons in Thailand. From November to March the climate is relatively cool and dry. In April and May the heat and humidity increase. The rainy season brings some welcome cooler weather and lasts from June to October. The rainy season does not mean rain all the time, far from it. The climate is very tropical with cloud building quite quickly leading to a short lived afternoon or evening downpour before the skies clear again. Typical daytime temperatures in Bangkok at this time are around 32 - 35°C and in Chiang Mai it will be around 28 - 30°C. Winter temperatures (Christmas and Easter school holidays) will be cooler and this is a great time to visit with virtually no rainfall.

As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's ‘Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCDO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: www.travel.state.gov for essential travel advice and tips.

KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe.  Should the FCDO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation.  We receive regular updates direct from the FCDO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground.  If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office.

KE do not encourage the use of single use plastic items. We are ensuring that our agents all over the world are working together to reduce the problem and educate those around them. We are leading by example in our KE office by reducing our plastic use.

We welcome all family dynamics and we will try to accommodate you in the roomings of your choice. The only stipulation for joining a family group holiday is that 1 party member is 17yrs or under, and they are accompanied by an adult. An average group size is around 10 members in total. Further general information and FAQ's are available here: KE Family Adventure Holidays general information.

It is an essential condition of joining a holiday with KE Adventure Travel that you have a valid travel insurance policy to cover the cost of medical treatment and to protect the value of your holiday in the event of cancellation.  When taking out insurance please ensure the policy you choose covers you for the activities and altitude included in your itinerary.

For appropriate insurance cover we recommend Campbell Irvine Direct.  Please go to our Travel Insurance page for further information and to get a quote.

Please try to keep the weight of your baggage to a minimum. See the ‘baggage allowance’ section for further details.

You should bring the following items:

  • Light hiking shoes or boots
  • Sandals (teva type are good as can double up as watershoes for swimming in waterfalls etc)
  • Trekking trousers
  • Shorts (for Thai boxing lesson)
  • Socks and underwear
  • T-shirts and/or casual shirts
  • At least 1 long sleeved shirts (for sun protection)
  • Warm jacket (fleece) - particularly for Christmas departure
  • Lightweight waterproof jacket
  • Lightweight waterproof overtrousers
  • Sunhat
  • Warm hat (December departure)
  • Sunglasses
  • Swimwear
  • Small towel/trek towel (for homestay days)
  • Sleeping bag liner
  • Daypack 30 litres (depending on how much of the family’s water bottles etc you will be carrying)
  • Torch and spare batteries
  • Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc)
  • Water bottles 2 Litre (we encourage re-filling water bottles rather than single use plastic)
  • Water purification tablets
  • Washbag and toiletries, and biodegradable soap for homestays
  • Antibacterial handwash
  • Basic First Aid Kit - consisting of the following: Antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters, blister treatment, Insect repellent, antihistamine cream and tablets, and re-hydration salts (Dioralite). Glucose tablets and multi-vitamin tablets are a good idea.

The following items are optional:

  • Trainers
  • Trekking poles
  • Foldaway bag* (see note below)
  • Pen-knife (note: always pack sharp objects in hold baggage)
  • Repair kit – (eg. needle, thread, duct tape)
  • Camera
  • Toys / games / books etc
  • Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)

Notes:

* Sheets and blankets are provided on the train and at the homestays, however we advise you to bring your own sheet sleeping bag liner for personal use.

Cycling helmets are provided.

It can get cold on the air conditioned train, so please have your fleece/warm clothes to hand.

A foldaway bag may be useful when on the 3 day short trek from Chiang Mai. You will be asked only to take what is required for these 3 days and leave the rest of your belongings in Chiang Mai. You should look to pool your luggage with other members of your family and only take one or two bags per family for these 3 days. You will not be required to carry this bag, this will be transported each day for you by motorbike to the next accommodation.

Cotswold Outdoor Red PantonMany of the Equipment items listed above are available from Cotswold Outdoor - our 'Official Recommended Outdoor Retailer'. When you book a holiday with KE you will receive 12.5% discount voucher from Cotswold Outdoor and other retailers.
>> Find out more

Reviews

5 out of 5 from 1 review

Family joy in the land of smiles.... ★★★★★

We were looking for an action packed family holiday to engage our three teenagers and provide an introduction to South East Asia. This holiday delivered so much more, KE really cram a lot into two short weeks. On our first afternoon we had a cookery course, spending a couple of hours in the market before we travelled to the cookery school, in a 200 year old teak building in the leafy surrounds it was a lot to process after our flight, but it was stunning and the food was magic. Thai temples are breath-taking on our first full day saw three amazing sites. Our guide 'Oat' who was a constant source of fun, support and inspiration was knowledgeable and passionate, it was a privilege to be in his presence these sites were special to him, we spent the day in awe. Back to the Jira hotel the kids used the pool, the staff the hotel were top class, and the cafe was great. That night Oat recommended the best night market eats - they didn't disappoint, live music, every food you could think of and some very cool vibes. The next day Oat took us for breakfast, these breakfasts were real highlights the most amazing of cafes off the beaten track real locals, real thai food some some very interesting décor - one was full of old TVs.... Day 2 - 5 we spent on the mini trek with our second guide Montray as well as Oat, what an adventure, something we will never forget. Oat and Montray had worked together before and were clearly friends, after an amazing lunch up in the mountains we headed up to start our trek. The walk was stunning, Montrays knowledge of the Karen people, the animals and flora of this part of the world was staggering, we ate so much just on the walk. It was amazing to see some villages, the scenery was immense and the kids loved it. When we arrived at the home stay we were amazed to find we were staying in a hut, one side was open to a river gorge, it was jaw dropping, the kids next door in a similar set up. We swam in the waterfall by the accommodation, had a game of football and enjoyed a feast cooked by Montray - 5/6 dishes all cooked fresh on a table by the river. After our food to spent sometime with our host family, played with their kittens and cats, got so see the pet rabbit. Montray and Oat then tried to out do each other with some amazing card tricks..... The next day we had two options the highroad or the low road, we went big. We got up to 1700m on a crystal clear day, trekking through jungles following water courses, a real test but worth all the effort and more. We saw one guy all morning and pretty much all day, a famer in a remote rice paddy, we asked him to lunch and he came along! Lunch was truly memorable, staggering views, noodles cooked in leaves over an open fire, fresh fruit. What an experience.... The afternoon was brilliant; a long ridge walk before dropping down to an elephant sanctuary, where we saw several elephants and took a shower in another waterfall. By around 18:00 we made it to the next homestay, amazing accommodation and a great welcome . Unfortunately the water supply to the village went off, so whilst Montray was cooking up another masterpiece Oat took us to bathe in the local river. The locals came out to see us and wave, we seemed to cause a lot of amusement. An amazing meal followed by a couple of local drinks and some cards saw us off we were exhausted. The next day was another stunning route, waterfalls, gorges and an elephant with no handler (dealt with by Montray). Exhausted but grinning we travelled back to Chaing Mai forgoing the evening activity of kickboxing. We had a chill out did some swimming and running round the local park before heading out to our favourite night market. The next day started early with a visit to a local elephant sanctuary, well run, well managed and elephant centric there was the chance to feed and bathe the elephants, nothing prepares you for the size and power of these creatures. Oat, always on the case, had told us the sanctuary was owned by a Karen family, and I was able to impress the guide with my very limited Karen leant the days before. The kids were in absolute awe thoughout. Back to the hotel where our friends there provided us a suite (no charge) to use even after we'd checked out so the kids were able to fit in one last swim. Then to the train station via the supermarket next for the night train to Ayutthaya former capital of Thailand and home to a staggering array of temples and ruins. The night train was a lot of fun, Oat had brought a number of games and we ate our dinner and played for a while before crashing out. The train was super clean, we felt very safe and most importantly had a good nights sleep. We arrived before 6, went straight to a local market, and made some offerings to the monks, who we almost missed having to give chase. Offerings made, we made another amazing breakfast. After a couple of hours at the hotel it was off for a cycling tour of the ancient city. Oat joined us and we had an amazing afternoon joined by 'Omlet' from the cycle tour company. We crashed that evening eating in the hotel, for tomorrow Bangkok awaited us. Stopping on route for beverages iced coffee, tea, smoothies we arrived in the city late morning. This was the kids fist real megacity, traveling in you get a sense of the scale of the place.... Our second cycle tour was mind blowing, tiny alleys, local communities a real sense of this crazy vibrant city. You need your wits about you on this one, packed markets, traffic and people everywhere meant that this was a good challenge. The kids lapped it up high fiving the locals and soaking up the sights. Dinner that evening near the hotel was a real high point - beautiful restaurant and again amazing people. We said goodbye to Oat that night sad to see him go but forever grateful for our time together. The next day was a trip to the Jim Thompson house, a founding father of the global trade in Thai silk it was an amazing oasis of calm. Beautiful and a great sort to pick up some gifts for the grandparents. We had the afternoon to ourselves so we booked a long boat tour (think James Bond, and a long narrow boat with a car engine strapped to the back) more temples and a lot of high speed canal action we got as close as you'd ever want to get to a monitor lizard, of which there is a prolific number... The next day we were off the Island retreat of Koh Samet, long white sandy beaches and a beautiful hotel, amazing food and stunning garden bungalow accommodation we needed to catch our breath. Once we'd done that we booked a speed boat trip to the some smaller islands, swam in the sea and enjoyed a massage. We reflected on the trip of a lifetime, and recounted stories from the trip, most of which involved Oat. Oat was the most amazing guide, he was a huge part of the holiday for us, his joy for life was infectious we were lucky to have met him and to have spent so long in his company. All in all an amazing holiday, beautiful country, beautiful people, beautiful memories.
By Thomas from Yarm | 20 August 2023

Traveller Reviews
5 out of 5 from 1 review

Family joy in the land of smiles....
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
We were looking for an action packed family holiday to engage our three teenagers and provide an introduction to South East Asia. This holiday delivered so much more, KE really cram a lot into two short weeks. On our first afternoon we had a cookery course, spending a couple of hours in the market before we travelled to the cookery school, in a 200 year old teak building in the leafy surrounds it was a lot to process after our flight, but it was stunning and the food was magic. Thai temples are breath-taking on our first full day saw three amazing sites. Our guide 'Oat' who was a constant source of fun, support and inspiration was knowledgeable and passionate, it was a privilege to be in his presence these sites were special to him, we spent the day in awe. Back to the Jira hotel the kids used the pool, the staff the hotel were top class, and the cafe was great. That night Oat recommended the best night market eats - they didn't disappoint, live music, every food you could think of and some very cool vibes. The next day Oat took us for breakfast, these breakfasts were real highlights the most amazing of cafes off the beaten track real locals, real thai food some some very interesting décor - one was full of old TVs.... Day 2 - 5 we spent on the mini trek with our second guide Montray as well as Oat, what an adventure, something we will never forget. Oat and Montray had worked together before and were clearly friends, after an amazing lunch up in the mountains we headed up to start our trek. The walk was stunning, Montrays knowledge of the Karen people, the animals and flora of this part of the world was staggering, we ate so much just on the walk. It was amazing to see some villages, the scenery was immense and the kids loved it. When we arrived at the home stay we were amazed to find we were staying in a hut, one side was open to a river gorge, it was jaw dropping, the kids next door in a similar set up. We swam in the waterfall by the accommodation, had a game of football and enjoyed a feast cooked by Montray - 5/6 dishes all cooked fresh on a table by the river. After our food to spent sometime with our host family, played with their kittens and cats, got so see the pet rabbit. Montray and Oat then tried to out do each other with some amazing card tricks..... The next day we had two options the highroad or the low road, we went big. We got up to 1700m on a crystal clear day, trekking through jungles following water courses, a real test but worth all the effort and more. We saw one guy all morning and pretty much all day, a famer in a remote rice paddy, we asked him to lunch and he came along! Lunch was truly memorable, staggering views, noodles cooked in leaves over an open fire, fresh fruit. What an experience.... The afternoon was brilliant; a long ridge walk before dropping down to an elephant sanctuary, where we saw several elephants and took a shower in another waterfall. By around 18:00 we made it to the next homestay, amazing accommodation and a great welcome . Unfortunately the water supply to the village went off, so whilst Montray was cooking up another masterpiece Oat took us to bathe in the local river. The locals came out to see us and wave, we seemed to cause a lot of amusement. An amazing meal followed by a couple of local drinks and some cards saw us off we were exhausted. The next day was another stunning route, waterfalls, gorges and an elephant with no handler (dealt with by Montray). Exhausted but grinning we travelled back to Chaing Mai forgoing the evening activity of kickboxing. We had a chill out did some swimming and running round the local park before heading out to our favourite night market. The next day started early with a visit to a local elephant sanctuary, well run, well managed and elephant centric there was the chance to feed and bathe the elephants, nothing prepares you for the size and power of these creatures. Oat, always on the case, had told us the sanctuary was owned by a Karen family, and I was able to impress the guide with my very limited Karen leant the days before. The kids were in absolute awe thoughout. Back to the hotel where our friends there provided us a suite (no charge) to use even after we'd checked out so the kids were able to fit in one last swim. Then to the train station via the supermarket next for the night train to Ayutthaya former capital of Thailand and home to a staggering array of temples and ruins. The night train was a lot of fun, Oat had brought a number of games and we ate our dinner and played for a while before crashing out. The train was super clean, we felt very safe and most importantly had a good nights sleep. We arrived before 6, went straight to a local market, and made some offerings to the monks, who we almost missed having to give chase. Offerings made, we made another amazing breakfast. After a couple of hours at the hotel it was off for a cycling tour of the ancient city. Oat joined us and we had an amazing afternoon joined by 'Omlet' from the cycle tour company. We crashed that evening eating in the hotel, for tomorrow Bangkok awaited us. Stopping on route for beverages iced coffee, tea, smoothies we arrived in the city late morning. This was the kids fist real megacity, traveling in you get a sense of the scale of the place.... Our second cycle tour was mind blowing, tiny alleys, local communities a real sense of this crazy vibrant city. You need your wits about you on this one, packed markets, traffic and people everywhere meant that this was a good challenge. The kids lapped it up high fiving the locals and soaking up the sights. Dinner that evening near the hotel was a real high point - beautiful restaurant and again amazing people. We said goodbye to Oat that night sad to see him go but forever grateful for our time together. The next day was a trip to the Jim Thompson house, a founding father of the global trade in Thai silk it was an amazing oasis of calm. Beautiful and a great sort to pick up some gifts for the grandparents. We had the afternoon to ourselves so we booked a long boat tour (think James Bond, and a long narrow boat with a car engine strapped to the back) more temples and a lot of high speed canal action we got as close as you'd ever want to get to a monitor lizard, of which there is a prolific number... The next day we were off the Island retreat of Koh Samet, long white sandy beaches and a beautiful hotel, amazing food and stunning garden bungalow accommodation we needed to catch our breath. Once we'd done that we booked a speed boat trip to the some smaller islands, swam in the sea and enjoyed a massage. We reflected on the trip of a lifetime, and recounted stories from the trip, most of which involved Oat. Oat was the most amazing guide, he was a huge part of the holiday for us, his joy for life was infectious we were lucky to have met him and to have spent so long in his company. All in all an amazing holiday, beautiful country, beautiful people, beautiful memories.
By Thomas from Yarm | 20 August 2023

DATES & PRICES

Private Departure?

Gather a few friends, family or club and take over your own departure.

2025

Dates

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Status

More Information

  • Family Thailand Adventure
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: FTA /01/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 6 Apr and ends on Fri 18 Apr
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$425
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Family Thailand Adventure
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: FTA /02/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 27 Jul and ends on Fri 8 Aug
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$425
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Family Thailand Adventure
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: FTA /03/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 10 Aug and ends on Fri 22 Aug
  • This departure is guaranteed. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$425
  • Download Trip Notes

More Information

  • Family Thailand Adventure
    Without Flights
  • Departure Reference: FTA /04/25/
  • This trip begins on Sun 21 Dec and ends on Fri 2 Jan
  • This departure is available to book. Secure your place today with a deposit of US$425
  • Download Trip Notes

Land Only Information

The LAND ONLY dates and prices are for the itinerary, joining at the hotel in Chiang Mai (return from Bangkok). A single timed transfer is included from Chiang Mia Airport and on the return to Bangkok Airport.

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Private Family Groups

If you've found the perfect adventure for your family but want to travel on dates that suit you, then please contact our friendly Family Adventure Team who will be happy to discuss the possibility of arranging a private departure for you and your family.

BOOK WITH KE CONFIDENCE - No surcharge guarantee

The price of our holidays can change depending on a variety of factors but unlike some other tour operators, KE have undertaken to guarantee the Land Only price of your holiday will not change after you have booked. The price when you book is the price you will pay, whether you are booking for this year or the next. Book early to avoid any tour price increases, get the best flight prices and take advantage of our 'No Surcharge Guarantee'.

KE Adventure is a fully bonded tour operator. We hold an ATOL license (No: 2808) and are bonded with ABTA (Membership No: W4341)


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