Chiang Mai Drive Your Own Tuk-Tuk

Day 1: Chiang Mai to Mae Wang and Back
You will be picked up from your accommodation in the morning and we will travel by van to our base in Mae Wang, arriving around 9.30. At our Mae Wang basecamp, our team will introduce you to your tuk-tuk and begin your driving training. If you do not want to drive a tuk-tuk do not worry and just enjoy nature’s air-conditioning from the breeze in the backseat. The tuk-tuks are easy to master, and once everyone is comfortable behind the wheel, we will head through tiny rural roads, snaking through farming villages and past rural temples. One of our guides will always drive the lead tuk-tuk, making sure that you do not lose your way, and no one is tempted to go too fast!

You will make frequent stops to explore and, more importantly, ensure everyone can drive. You will get great insight into rural life in northern Thailand; something that is not as easy to come across as you would think. By late morning, we will arrive at the elephant home where you will not only learn about the past, present and future of the Thai Elephant, but also have the opportunity to interact with them. Once you are introduced to the elephants – who have been taken out of a life of trekking and can now relax and enjoy their time more naturally – you will help the mahouts feed the majestic beasts.

After you have fed the elephants, it is time to sit down to a feast of traditional Thai food right next to the elephants. You can continue watching them and seeing how they interact with each other. Once you have finished lunch, you will walk with the mahouts and their elephants through the local countryside and to the river where you will help the mahouts bathe the elephants – a fantastic experience for both you and the elephants! We will enjoy some water activities of a different kind as you lazily float along the local river on a traditional bamboo raft. Do not worry, there are no rapids along the way, so this is a fantastic opportunity to see the local surroundings from a different angle and have a huge amount of fun negotiating the twists and turns of the river.

At around 16.00, you will jump back into your tuk-tuk and wind your way back down the valley, enjoying your last moment behind the wheel of a real Thai ‘Icon’. The road curves, sweeps gently down the valley and be sure to have your camera out to catch the surprise of the local community when they see you driving your very own tuk-tuk! Upon reaching basecamp, you will be transferred back by minivan and arrive at your hotel around 18.00 pm, which will give you plenty of time to relax and maybe enjoy a beer!

Meals: Lunch
Transportation: Chiang Mai City Center Hotel to Mae Wang Basecamp by Van, Mae Wang Basecamp to Chiang Mai City Center Hotel by Van