Elephant Hills Nature Safari

This morning, transfer to Elephant Hills Camp, catching glimpses of tropical rural life along the way. Upon arrival at the camp, enjoy a delicious Thai buffet lunch. After lunch, relax on a jungle river canoe trip down the Sok River, passing limestone mountains and cliffs covered with exotic tropical vegetation. Sometimes hornbill birds can be seen flying high overhead, as well as reptiles basking in the sun on the riverbanks. Continue to the elephant sanctuary, where you can see, touch and learn about the life of Thai elephants and about the Elephant Hills elephant conservation project. You will prepare and feed them one of their daily meals, including their dietary supplements that help with their digestion and overall well-being, then watch them bathe. Afterwards, enjoy some time at leisure in your luxury tent. Optional evening entertainment includes a movie presentation, a traditional Thai dance performance from local school children and a cooking demonstration. At 8:00pm, dinner will be served amidst the sights and sounds of the surrounding rainforest.

Wake up to the sounds of nature and birds calling from the bushes next to the tent. Tea and coffee-making facilities are available in your tent for early risers; breakfast is at your leisure. Later this morning, transfer to the west coast and board a speedboat near Takua Pa to explore a mysterious maze of channels inside a mangrove forest - it really feels like a primeval swamp. Your guide will keep a well-trained eye out for wildlife that might be spotted along the way, like mangrove cat snakes, reticulated pythons and red-tailed racers. Cruise through the channels and eventually meet up with a classical Burmese junk boat; climb aboard, then continue to explore the nearby mangrove creek in a self-paddled canoe. This silent journey into a dense, green world allows you to fully unplug and recharge. Panoramic views of distant mangroves and banyan trees stretch to the horizon. Lunch will be served on board the junk, and on your return trip back to Elephant Hills you will stop at a local market.

Wake up to the sounds of nature and birds calling from the bushes next to the tent. Tea and coffee-making facilities are available in your tent for early risers; breakfast is at your leisure. Later this morning, explore Cheow Lan Lake by local long-tail boat. Surrounded by Limestone Mountains, the lake has more than a hundred small islands, and the scenery has been compared to Guilin in China and Halong Bay in Vietnam. In the 1970s, the area was a hide-out for communists and students opposing the military dictatorship. Bring your swimwear; towels are provided at the local raft house, where you will stop over for lunch and relaxation. In the late afternoon return to Elephant Hills for dinner and overnight in your luxury tent.

Start the day with a wholesome breakfast before setting out to explore the jungle on foot. This is an opportunity to explore the ecology of one of the world's oldest rainforests, including hardwood trees with huge roots, orchids, palms, ferns, bamboo and mosses. Gibbons can often be heard calling to their mates, you might spot macaque or leaf monkeys swinging through the branches, and beautiful butterflies abound. You will have the chance to walk slowly and really listen, to discover the secrets of the rainforest. Lunch will be served in the rainforest (weather-dependent), cooked in bamboo - an old tradition of jungle explorers from past centuries. Return to your tent for a refreshing shower, then transfer onward to your next destination.