On arrival in Suvarnabhumi Airport or Don Mueang International Airport, you will be met by an English-speaking representative and transfer approximately 1 hour to your hotel. Please note: Early check in is not included. If your flight arrives in the morning and you wish to arrange this, please speak to your reservations consultant. An informal Welcome Dinner will be held on Day 1. If you miss this due to your arrival time, all information will be provided to you at breakfast the following morning. Additional night's before and after your tour can be arranged.

Bangkok’s dazzling neon signs, charming architecture, Thai cuisine and lively markets make for an exciting introduction to this fascinating country. Enjoy a Bangkok city tour. Tour the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Chinatown before cruising down Chao Phraya River on a longboat to Pak Khlong Talaat Flower Market, whilst enjoying an alternative view of the city. Sightseeing involves around 5 hours on foot today and involves hopping on and off the boats, often on unsteady and sometimes slippery surfaces, without handrails or assistance.

Rise early this morning to visit the Maeklong Railway Market in Samut Songkram, where vendors quickly pack up their stalls as trains pass directly through the market. Continue to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, where you will travel on small boats through the canals. Continue to Kanchanaburi, made famous by ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’. During the Japanese occupation of Thailand in WWII, tens of thousands of Allied POWs and Southeast Asian indentured labourers were forced to build the Thai-Burma Railway, often called the Death Railway; many of the prisoners died under the brutal conditions. Learn about their tragic story at the Thai-Burma Railway Museum, then pay respects to the victims at the Allied War Cemetery before checking in at your hotel.

Visit Hellfire Pass, a dramatic part of the railway that literally cuts through mountain. Begin at the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, which tells the stories of human suffering at the hands of this engineering feat, before a 3 kilometre walk through the pass. Finally, take a short train journey on the Death Railway and see more of this beautiful valley before driving back to Bangkok. Please note the 3km walk will be on uneven ground, involves some steep steps and it is likely to be humid; bring mosquito repellent. If you do not wish to take part, you will still be able to see the pass from around 15 minutes’ walk from the museum, and you may remain in the museum area independently.

Drive 90 minutes east out of Bangkok to discover the historic ruins of Ayutthaya, the historic capital of Siam from 1350 until its destruction by Burmese invaders in 1767. Begin at the restored Bang Pa-In Summer Palace, with its vast gardens, throne room, gilded pavilions and brightly-painted lookout tower. Continue to Wat Phra Sri Sanphet, with its three distinctive stupas, each of which hold the ashes of a king. Admire Wat Chaiwattanaram, built in 1630 to honour the king’s mother. It was designed in the Khmer style and resembles a smaller Angkor. Sightseeing around Ayutthaya will involve around 3 hours on foot. Enjoy lunch at the local restaurant and take the road trip back to Bangkok. Transfer to the airport for your 80-minute flight to Chiang Rai.

This morning, head out to see the area known as the ‘Golden Triangle’; the point where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet. This area was once a hub of opium production, but since the 1970s, Thailand has been promoting local initiatives to enable locals to switch to other sources of income, such as tea, coffee and tourism. Continue to Mae Sai, the northernmost point of Thailand and an important trading town on the Myanmar border. Return to Chiang Rai for dinner; afterwards, you may wish to explore the colourful night market in Chiang Rai.

Drive 90 minutes through rolling countryside to Mae Salong Mountain, renowned for its hill tribes and tea plantations. From the base of the mountain, travel by truck to a plantation, where you will have an opportunity to sample the local tea. Enjoy lunch at a mountaintop restaurant before an excursion to Mae Salong, visiting a tea plantation, a Yao Tribe and an Akha village known as Ban Lorcha. Sightseeing today will include approximately 3 hours on foot.

Depart Chiang Rai and take a short 30-minute drive to explore Wat Rong Khun, ‘the White Temple’. Stop at a local market before lunch. This afternoon is spent crossing the countryside, passing forests, farms and villages to reach the Hmong Hilltribe Lodge, where you will be guests of the Hmong community. The Hmong Hilltribe Lodge is made up of ten individual houses, each comprising of four separate rooms with private bathrooms, arranged around a central communal area. This evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner accompanied by a Hmong cultural show.

Depart the lodge and visit the archaeological site of Wiang Kum Kam, a 'lost city' outside Chiang Mai. The local king, Mangrai, chose this as his capital (replacing Chiang Rai) before destructive river floods forced him to instead build Chiang Mai in 1296. Visit two of Chiang Mai's temples (Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh) before time at leisure in Chiang Mai. Sightseeing will be approximately 2 hours on foot today.

Visit the Thai Elephant Care Centre in Mae Rim this morning. The centre is located in the beautiful Mesa valley and offers a peaceful retirement home for elephants rescued from illegal logging camps and elephant shows. Meet one of their caretakers, who will guide you through the centre, explaining about the centre and its inhabitants. Have lunch and continue to Mae Taeng to enjoy a rafting trip on the river. After the rafting, return to Chiang Mai. Please note that in the rainy season, between June and August, or after other periods of unexpectedly heavy rains, bamboo rafting may not be possible for safety reasons.

Enjoy a cooking class, learning to cook traditional Thai cuisine and enjoy your creations for lunch. Later, drive 1 hour to Wat Doi Suthep where you will have the option of climbing the Naga staircase 300 steps to the top, or catch the cable car to visit the exquisite golden pagoda. This evening, we enjoy a typical Thai (Khantoke) dinner while watching a performance of traditional song and dance from Northern Thailand by various hill tribes.

Any time before your flight is at leisure and breakfast will be included. You will be transferred from your hotel to Chiang Mai International Airport, according to the departure time of your international flight. Late check-out is not included. Additional night's before and after your tour can be arranged.