ONE DAY SELF-DRIVE TUK TUK ADVENTURE IN CHIANG MAI, THAILAND

Description

The perfect one day adventure from Chiang Mai, the heart of Northern Thailand. Combining driving your very own Tuk Tuk, yes that’s right, driving your very own Tuk Tuk!, experiencing real rural life, visiting remote hillside Temples, spending time with elephants and then floating gently downstream on bamboo rafts. What more could you want from a day?

DETAILED ITINERARY

07:45

You can either meet the group at the Chiang Mai Gate Hotel at 07:45, or we will pick you up from your hotel between 08:00 and 08:30, (note – pick up’s can only be provided for hotels inside the Chiang Mai ‘middle ring road’) and then transfer by minivan to The Tuk Tuk Club’s base nestled in the Mae Wang valley around 45-60 minutes from the city.

09:30 (APPROX)

On arrival in Mae Wang our team will introduce you to your Tuk Tuks and begin your driver training. If you don’t want to drive a Tuk Tuk, don’t worry, you will still have a superb day and you can enjoy the joys of nature’s air-conditioning from the breeze in in the very comfortable back seats.

NOTE: all drivers must be aged 18 or over and hold a valid manual driving license.

10:30AM (APPROX)

The Tuk Tuks are pretty easy to get to trips with and once everyone is feeling comfortable behind the wheel (and has passed the driving test) we’ll head through tiny rural roads, snaking through farming villages and past rural Temples. One of our guides always drives the lead Tuk Tuk making sure that you don’t lose your way and no-one is tempted to go too fast!

 With frequent stops to explore and, importantly, to make sure everyone has a good opportunity to drive, you’ll get a great insight into authentic, real, rural life in Northern Thailand.

11:30AM / 12:00 (APPROX)

By late morning we’ll arrive at the elephant home where you’ll not only learn about the past, present and future of the Thai Elephant but also have the opportunity to interact with these wonderful animals.

NOTE: The elephant home we visit is a very small operation with 9 elephants all of whom have been successfully taken out of the trekking industry and now have a far more relaxing life. The experience at the home is far more personal that at other famous elephant homes (which often have queues and queues of minivans waiting to get in) and all the better for it. The staff are very friendly and incredibly passionate about the elephants in their care.

Once you’ve been introduced to the elephants you’ll be able to help the mahouts feed them. Elephants eat around 15% of their body weight every day so this is a non-stop operation!

Next it’s time for you to enjoy some food yourself and have a hearty and filling Thai lunch sitting right next to the elephants giving you the opportunity to continue watching the elephants and seeing how they interact.

1:00PM (APPROX)

After lunch you’ll walk with the mahouts and their elephants (NOTE: No elephant riding is allowed) through the local countryside to the river where you’ll help the mahouts wash the elephants and keep cool. Watching the elephants enjoy the river and play as a family is a wonderful experience.

3:00PM (APPROX)

Now it’s time to enjoy travel of a slightly different kind as you float lazily along the local river on a traditional bamboo raft. Don’t worry, there are no big rapids along the way! Rather this is a great way to see the local surroundings from a different angle and have a huge amount of fun negotiating the twists and turns of the river as your expert rafter guides you downstream. 

4:OOPM (APPROX)

It’s time to jump back into your Tuk Tuk and wind your way back down the valley enjoying your last moments behind the wheel of a real Thailand ‘icon’. The road curves and sweeps gently down the valley and through some great scenery and small villages – don’t forget your camera!

4:45PM (APPROX)

On arriving back at base you’ll transfer back into a minivan and we’ll take you back to your hotel, arriving around 6:00PM giving you plenty of time in the evening to reflect on the incredible day you’ve had and the fact that you’re now a member of The Tuk Tuk Club!

6:00pm (APPROX)

Arrive back in Chiang Mai city

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ARRIVAL TIME BACK TO YOUR HOTEL IS AN ESTIMATE AND THE EXACT TIME VARIES FROM DAY TO DAY DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC, HOW LONG THE ELEPHANTS PLAY IN THE RIVER ETC. HOWEVER, IT’S VERY RATE THAT WE ARRIVE BACK TO THE CITY LATER THAN 6/6:15PM.

NOTE: The minimum age for travellers on this  one day adventure is 5 years old.

Video

Additional Information

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

What driving experience do I need?

·         All travellers who wish to drive a Tuk Tuk MUST have a driving license from their own country (manual gear) and ideally an International License (particularly for those whose Driving License is not in English)

·         No previous Tuk Tuk driving experience is necessary!

Can I book on my own / can I take a whole Tuk Tuk?

·         Each Tuk Tuk is shared by up to 3 people who will then share the driving meaning that you get the best of both worlds – time behind the wheel and also time to take in the stunning surrounding and enjoy the breezes in the back seat.

·         We actively encourage solo travellers to book this trip – what better way to meet and make friends than sharing time behind the wheel of one of Thailand’s most famous icons

Group size

·         The maximum group size for each trip is 15 – 3 adventurers per Tuk Tuk.

·         Each trip will consist of up to 6 Tuk Tuks  - the lead vehicle driven by one of our professional guiding team

The Tuk Tuk’s

·         All the Tuk Tuk’s are original, classic ‘Bangkok style’ Tuk Tuk’s but with a twist – they are slightly longer (to give more leg room), slightly higher (to allow better views from the rear) and also have rear seat belts, ice boxes (keeping your water cool) and a sunroof!

·         Whilst Tuk Tuk’s are relatively simple to drive, training and experience is provided in the driver training session on arrival in Mae Wang

·         All fuel is provided as part of the adventure

·         No-one is forced to drive! There is space for 2 people comfortably on the back seats

·         All travellers must ensure that they conform to local traffic laws and agree to abide by the driving rules of The Tuk Tuk Club – this is for everyone’s safety.

What do I need to bring?

The most important thing to bring with you is a sense of adventure! After all you’re going to be driving your very own Tuk Tuk and exploring the rural roads and lanes of Northern Thailand.

Clothing:

·         We recommend lightweight cool clothes (shorts and t-shirts are perfect) for the trip. You may also like to bring an extra pair of shorts / t-shirt to change into after you’ve been bathing the elephants and rafting. Please wear trainers / sneakers for the driving experience rather than flip flops!.

·         Please note that we do visit two Temples and whilst they are not as strict as Temples in cities, it’s recommended that you cover your shoulders and legs (when entering the Temple.

Money :

·         Water and food is provided throughout the trip but you may wish to buy a snack / ice-cream on the trip or even a photo of your time rafting. 300THB per person is more than enough for several ice-creams and snacks!

Inclusions

·        Transfers from and to Chiang Mai city – pick up either from our meeting point at The Chiang Mai Gate Hotel at 07:45 or from any hotel in the city (pick up time will be confirmed once we know where you are staying)

·         Specially built Tuk Tuks – note, each Tuk Tuk is shared with up to three travellers

·         Tuk Tuk drivier training

·         A real rural Thailand experience as you drive your Tuk Tuk through farming villages and hamlets

·         A visit to a local elephant home where you’ll learn about, feed and walk with the elephants and then help their mahouts bathe them in the local river. NOTE: No riding is allowed at this home

·         A filling and tasty lunch at the elephant home

·         Bamboo rafting along the local river

·         Re-useable Tuk Tuk Club water bottle (to keep!) and fresh water throughout the day

·         Passionate and professional tour guides looking after you every step of the way

Exclusions

• The adventure doesn't include any snacks or drinks (except water which is of course provided) throughout the day
• Gratuities for the guide team are also not included

Cancellation Policy

Meeting Point: Chiangmai Gate Hotel " Wuai-Lai Wailing Street "

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