One Week in Thailand: Kayaking and Hilltribes – Self-Launched

Touch down in Bangkok and make your way to your hostel or budget hotel in the Sukhumvit or Silom area. The BTS Skytrain and MRT subway are cheap and easy — a single journey costs around £0.50–1. Spend the afternoon wandering Chinatown (Yaowarat Road) and soak up the atmosphere. In the evening, head to the street food stalls around Sukhumvit Soi 38 or Yaowarat for a classic Thai feed — pad thai, mango sticky rice, grilled skewers. Bangkok's nightlife is all around you; no guide needed.

🚌From Suvarnabhumi Airport: take the Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai station (~£1.50, 30 min). Use BTS/MRT for city travel (~£0.50–1 per ride).

🛏Hostel dorm or budget guesthouse in Sukhumvit/Silom (e.g. Lub d Bangkok Silom, Nap Hostel) — ~£10–15/night

• →Explore Chinatown (Yaowarat Road) on foot — free
• →Street food crawl around Sukhumvit or Yaowarat — budget ~£5–8
• →Optional: Grand Palace entrance — THB500 (~£11), book via direct arrival
• →Optional: Thai massage in Sukhumvit — THB300 (~£7)
• →Optional: Tuk-tuk ride around the old city — negotiate directly, ~THB200–300

A free morning to explore at your own pace. Rent a bicycle to explore Talad Noi's street art and riverside warehouses, or visit the Grand Palace if you skipped it yesterday. In the afternoon, head to Hua Lamphong Station (or Bang Sue Grand Station for newer services) to board the overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai. Book train tickets in advance at 12go.asia or the State Railway of Thailand website. Opt for 2nd class air-conditioned sleeper — comfortable bunks with bedding, a food service on board, and a genuine local experience.

🚌Overnight sleeper train Bangkok to Chiang Mai (Trains #9 or #13, depart ~18:00–19:00). Book 2nd class air-con sleeper via 12go.asia or railway.co.th — ~£15–20 per person. Journey time ~12–13 hours.

🛏Overnight sleeper train (2nd class A/C bunk) — included in transport cost

• →Optional: Grand Palace — THB500 (~£11)
• →Optional: Talad Noi neighbourhood bike ride — rent a bike for ~THB100/day (~£2)
• →Optional: Wat Pho temple (near Grand Palace) — THB200 (~£4.50)
• →Board overnight sleeper train from Hua Lamphong/Bang Sue to Chiang Mai

Arrive into Chiang Mai station early morning. A red songthaew (shared pickup truck taxi) to the old city costs around £0.80–1.20 — just flag one down outside the station heading into the old city. Check in to your guesthouse and freshen up. Spend the day exploring at your own pace: the Old City moat area, Wat Chedi Luang (THB40), Wat Phra Singh (THB40), and the cool cafes and boutiques of the Nimman neighbourhood. In the evening, head to the Night Bazaar or Anusarn Market for bargain shopping, street food and local nightlife.

🚌Red songthaew from Chiang Mai train station to Old City — ~£1. Songthaews around the city ~£0.80–1.50 per ride. Rent a bicycle for the day ~THB80 (~£1.80).

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Chiang Mai Old City (e.g. Spicy Thai Backpackers, Stamp Chiang Mai) — ~£10–15/night

• →Arrive Chiang Mai, check in, orientation walk — free
• →Wat Chedi Luang Temple — THB40 (~£0.90)
• →Wat Phra Singh Temple — THB40 (~£0.90)
• →Nimman neighbourhood cafes and shopping — free to browse
• →Night Bazaar & Anusarn Market — free entry, food/shopping to budget
• →Optional: Doi Suthep Temple (songthaew from city, ~£2 each way) — THB50 (~£1.20) entry
• →Optional: Cooking class at Cooking at Home Cookery School — THB1,400 (~£31), book direct

This is the highlight of the trip. Book a 2-day hilltribe trek directly with a local trekking agency in Chiang Mai — dozens of reputable operators line Tha Phae Road and the Nimman area. Recommended agencies include Eagle House, Chiang Mai Rock Climbing Adventures, or similar. A 2-day/1-night hilltribe trek including transport, guide, meals and village homestay typically costs THB1,800–2,500 (~£40–55) booked locally — significantly cheaper than the group tour markup. Your guide will take you via Mae Malai fresh market in the morning, on to Mok Fah Waterfall, then trekking ~8km along mountain ridges to your hilltribe village for the night. Dinner is home-cooked by the village family — an incredible experience.

🚌Morning pickup from your Chiang Mai guesthouse by minivan — included in trek package. Book 2-day trek directly at a Chiang Mai trekking agency on Day 3 (THB1,800–2,500 / ~£40–55 total for days 4–5).

🛏Hilltribe village house (multi-share, roll mats/wooden huts) — included in trek package

• →Mae Malai Market visit — free to browse, buy snacks
• →Mok Fah Waterfall stop — free or small local fee
• →~4 hour / 8km mountain ridge trek to Mae Ma Nai Hilltribe Village
• →Home-cooked dinner with village family — included in trek package
• →Evening walk around the village and chat with locals

Wake up to birdsong and jungle sounds deep in the Thai highlands. After a homestay breakfast, begin today's longer trek (~10km, ~5 hours) through farmland and jungle, passing through different hilltribe villages and comparing their distinct cultures and lifestyles. Your guide will explain the differences between the Karen, Akha, Lahu and Hmong communities you encounter. Reach Pong Ngan Lahu Village in the afternoon. Rest your legs, enjoy the scenery, and sit down to another home-cooked village dinner. All meals today are included in your trek package.

🚌On foot (trekking). Return transport to Chiang Mai arranged by your trekking agency on Day 6 morning — included in package.

🛏Hilltribe village house (multi-share) — included in trek package

• →~5 hour / 10km jungle and farmland trek
• →Visit multiple hilltribe villages along the route
• →Lunch on the trail — included in trek package
• →Arrive Pong Ngan Lahu Village, rest and explore
• →Home-cooked village dinner — included in trek package

Your trekking agency will return you to Chiang Mai in the morning. Book a separate Mae Taeng River kayaking day trip for this afternoon, or book it as an add-on through your original trekking agency. Many Chiang Mai operators offer this as a standalone half-day trip for THB900–1,200 (~£20–27), bookable via GetYourGuide, Klook, or directly. Paddle 2–3 hours downstream through lush green scenery to Sop Kai Village — one of the most beautiful stretches of river in northern Thailand. Optional whitewater rafting extension available for ~THB1,800 (~£40). Return to Chiang Mai by afternoon. Spend the evening exploring Wat Phra Singh and Wat Chedi Luang, or seek out a bowl of khao soi (northern Thai coconut curry noodles) — the best in the world is here.

🚌Return minivan from trek village to Chiang Mai — included in trek package. Kayaking trip includes pickup/dropoff from your guesthouse. Red songthaews for evening temple visits — ~£0.80–1.20.

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Chiang Mai Old City — ~£10–15/night

• →Mae Taeng River kayaking (2–3 hours, to Sop Kai Village) — book via GetYourGuide/Klook or direct, ~£20–27
• →Optional: Whitewater rafting extension — ~THB1,800 (~£40)
• →Evening: Wat Phra Singh or Wat Chedi Luang temples — THB40 each (~£0.90)
• →Dinner: Khao soi at a local restaurant (e.g. Khao Soi Khun Yai) — ~£2–4

A full free day in Chiang Mai before your overnight train back to Bangkok. This is the best day to visit the ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary — a highly ethical sanctuary where elephants roam freely. Book directly via changchill.com (THB1,900 / ~£42) or via GetYourGuide. Alternatively, take a Muay Thai class at a local gym (THB460 / ~£10), get a massage at the Chuan Chom Vocational Training Centre (THB250 / ~£6) which supports women from correctional institutions, or explore Doi Inthanon National Park (Thailand's highest peak) via shared minivan tour bookable on Klook (~£25–35). In the evening, board the overnight sleeper train back to Bangkok.

🚌Songthaews and tuk-tuks for daytime activities — ~£1–2 per ride. Overnight sleeper train Chiang Mai to Bangkok — book via 12go.asia or railway.co.th, ~£15–20. Take a red songthaew or tuk-tuk to Chiang Mai train station — ~£1–2.

🛏Overnight sleeper train (2nd class A/C bunk) — included in transport cost

• →Optional: ChangChill Elephant Sanctuary — THB1,900 (~£42), book direct at changchill.com or GetYourGuide
• →Optional: Muay Thai class — THB460 (~£10), book at local gyms on Tha Phae Road
• →Optional: Chuan Chom Vocational Training Centre massage — from THB250 (~£6)
• →Optional: Doi Inthanon National Park day trip — ~£25–35 via Klook
• →Optional: Cooking at Home Cookery School — THB1,400 (~£31)
• →Board overnight sleeper train Chiang Mai to Bangkok (~18:00–19:00 departure)

Your overnight train arrives into Bangkok (Hua Lamphong or Bang Sue) at around 6–7am. Note that Thai overnight trains can run 1–2 hours late, so factor this in if you have onward flights. If you have time before your departure, stash your luggage at the station (left luggage lockers available) and grab a final Thai breakfast at a nearby street stall — jok (rice porridge) or pa thong ko (Thai doughnuts) with coffee are the perfect send-off. Take the Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi Airport (~£1.50, 30 min). Safe travels!

🚌Overnight train arrives Bangkok. Airport Rail Link from Phaya Thai to Suvarnabhumi Airport — ~£1.50, 30 min.

🛏N/A – trip ends on arrival

• →Arrive Bangkok early morning
• →Optional: Luggage storage at Bangkok station — ~THB50–100
• →Optional: Final street breakfast near station — ~£2–3
• →Airport Rail Link to Suvarnabhumi — ~£1.50