Itinerary
Day 1 (Tuesday):
Relax and prepare for a world-class trip on Singapore Airlines. Prior to your departure, you will have received your pre-departure packet, which will include your Rustic T-shirts, airline tickets, and important contact information.
Once you arrive at your international departure city, our Flight Liaison will help you get checked in to your international flight. Working with our Flight Liaison will be your Flight Leader, who will escort you all the way to Thailand! Our Flight Leaders are most often school teachers or good friends of our organization who happily fill this role for us each year. Once you’re checked in, feel free to relax and get acquainted with your new friends before boarding your flight to Thailand!
Day 2 (Wednesday):
Today is lost as you cross the international dateline. Fear not – you will get this time back on your way home.
Day 3 (Thursday):
Sawat dee, and welcome to Thailand! Upon your arrival into one of the world’s most modern airports, you will immediately get the feeling that you have arrived in a place that is far different from the United States. Thailand is known as one of the most welcoming countries in the world and is affectionately nicknamed the ‘Land of Smiles.’
As you exit the arrival hall with your friendly Flight Leader, you will meet our team of staff. They have been anxiously awaiting your arrival and will lead you up to the fourth floor of the airport, where you’ll have a relatively quiet place to unwind and meet new friends who have arrived on different flights or are connecting from different programs.
We’ll have ample space for you to relax, as well as a nice assortment of food and refreshments for you to enjoy. This may be your first chance to have truly authentic pad Thai (you’ll like it, trust us), or one of the other traditional dishes (including vegetarian options) we have to offer. You can also expect to try a few delicious Thai fruits that you’ve probably never seen before but that you may quickly grow to love.
In the mid-afternoon, you’ll hop on a quick one-hour flight up to Chiang Mai, where you’ll stay tonight. Relax, get a foot massage, and enjoy a nice dinner before retiring for the night at our Chiang Mai Base House.
Day 4 (Friday):
In the morning you will check out some of the charms of Chiang Mai. Wander through hidden temples and bustling markets as you acquaint yourself with your new surroundings. In the afternoon you will head to the airport and catch a flight over the mountains and into Laos.
You will arrive in the World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, where you can explore streets lined with crumbling French colonial buildings, poke around antique shops, and soak up the easy-going way of life known in Lao as sebai sebai. After walking around the peninsula that is created by the town’s two rivers, the Mekong and the Mae Kham, you will climb up to the mountaintop temple in the center of town to watch as the setting sun bathes the town and the rivers in light.
For dinner you will sample some of the delectable flavors of Laos, including sticky rice and laap. After dinner you will head out to the lively night market, where people from the region’s many Hill Tribe groups come to sell textiles, jewelry, clothing, and anything else you can imagine.
Day 5 (Saturday):
Today you will board a private boat that will take you through the verdant mountains and limestone cliffs that surround Luang Prabang. Life in Laos takes place along the river, and this ride will offer a great chance to see it first hand. You will stop at small villages, wave at adorable children as they swim in the river, explore caves filled with ancient Buddha statues, and wonder at elephants grazing on the riverbanks.
The boat trip will end at the amazing Kuang Si Waterfall, where blue water begs swimmers to jump in and splash around. Once everyone has cooled off at the waterfall, you will return to Luang Prabang by way of the giant local market, where you can see how the locals do their shopping. Another delicious meal will cap off this most memorable day.
Day 6 (Sunday):
In the morning you will wake up early to watch the monks gather alms. This is one of the most honored traditions in Southeast Asia and will give you an idea of the respected position monks occupy in Buddhist society. Then enjoy one last delicious cup of Lao coffee before heading across the Mekong to explore remote villages, ancient temples, and a yawning cavern filled with glittering stalagmites!
In the afternoon, you will pack your bags and head to the airport for the flight back to Chiang Mai. From Chiang Mai, you will hop in our VIP van for the trip to the border town of Mae Sai, just north of Chiang Rai. Along the way you will stop to visit the beautiful white temple of Wat Rong Khun, a perfect example of how contemporary artists draw inspiration from the traditional architecture of Buddhism. Once in Mae Sai you will get acquainted with Burmese culture in preparation for your trip across the border tomorrow.
Day 7 (Monday):
Wake up early, jump into our VIP van, and cross the border into Burma! You will sense the change in culture and lifestyle as soon as you cross into the bustling border town of Tacheleik. From here you will travel through rolling hills and endless rice fields to the town of Keng Tung.
After you have had a bowl of Shan noodles and checked into the hotel, you will head out to visit the vibrant market and historic temples and colonial buildings of this fascinating town. In the evening watch as the local monks and villagers bring their day to a close and head home down quiet streets. Then watch the sun set over the central lake as you eat your first Burmese curry. Your day will come to a close back at the comfortable hotel.
Day 8 (Tuesday):
Wake up early and head to the local market to pick up food for the day’s trek! Today you will walk through the jungle and local farms to visit a variety of remote Hill Tribe communities. You will meet Akha, Eng and Shan people along the way and learn about their fascinating customs and way of life.
The hike will follow an easy trail and allow you to meander through terraced rice fields rich with shades of green and explore Burma’s famous teak forests. Along the way you will meet local farmers who may even let you jump on their water buffalo for a quick ride! You are sure to be tired after a day full of exploration and adventure, so after a quick but delicious meal, you will turn in to bed early.
Day 9 (Wednesday):
In the morning you will head out to the water buffalo market, which is situated on the top of a hill next to an Akha village. Here you will witness how these giant animals are bought and sold by the local villagers. After leaving the market you will take a walk through the village and say good-bye to the Hill Tribe way of life.
On the way back to Thailand, you will stop in small villages and at ancient temples, making sure to drink plenty of Burmese sweet tea along the way. As the sun begins to set, you will bid adieu to Burma and cross the border back into Thailand for one last taste of Thai culture and food. It will be a wonderful evening of recounting the past week of adventure in three countries with all of your new friends!
Day 10 (Thursday):
Today you will catch a flight back to Bangkok. If you are heading back to the United States today, you will catch the escorted group flight. If you are connecting to another Rustic Pathways adventure, you will meet up with your new staff members and students today. Wherever you are headed, we wish you happy travels!
An Important Note about Schedule Changes:
Rustic Pathways reserves the right to change, alter, or amend the daily itinerary for this trip at any time. Changes can be made for various reasons including changes in flight or program schedules, changes in the schedules of various external tours incorporated in our trips, the addition of new activities into a trip, or the substitution of an old activity for a new activity. The itinerary shown here provides a good outline of the anticipated daily schedule for this program. As with any travel program, some changes may occur.
Head out of the ordinary and into the exotic during this journey
through the magical borderlands of three diverse countries.
From the oxcarts and teashops of Burma to the dazzling rice
After one of the most beautiful drives in the world surrounded by rivers, mountains, and vibrant rice fields, you will arrive in the heart of the Shan State. Kentung is a melting pot of peoples and cultures, and the sights you see here will showcase Burma’s diversity and beauty. Step into Chinese mud brick houses, marvel at the British architecture of the churches and administration buildings, and get acquainted with Buddhism at Shan and Thai temples. Here you can delve into the bustle of the central bazaar, bid on water buffalos at the livestock market, trek into untouched Akha and Eng Hill Tribe villages, learn about Buddhism in centuries-old temples, and bathe in the soothing waters of the area’s hot springs. If you have never before ventured into the seldom-seen land of Burma, this trip will provide a great introduction to its rich cultures and welcoming people.
aptivate your imagination. Here you will feast on fresh
baguettes and rich coffee – the delicious remnants of the city’s
French colonial past – explore centuries-old temples, and
marvel at the charm of this lovely town. As the early morning
mist rises off the jagged limestone mountains, you will take part
in one of the most honored traditions in Southeast Asia and
give alms to the local monks. Then observe river life along the