Elephant Steps Highly-rated elephants holiday in Thailand. We are not aware of any other holiday available like this. It is a 17-day tour of Thailand, but just within 2 weeks (Friday night to a Sunday night 2 weeks later, unless joining in Bangkok on Day 2, Saturday). This is a very special trip which only takes place once a year.
Day 1: Fly out of London Heathrow on Friday night with Eva Air or Thai Airways (it is possible to connect to the flight from regional airports via an add-on with BMI). You can also join the tour in Bangkok on Day 2 if you are from another country (we will pick you up from the airport, just let us know your flight details). Day 2: The group will arrive at Bangkok airport mid afternoon. You will be met and driven in a private minibus to your centrally-located boutique inn. You will have time to settle in. Evening stroll through the local area and welcome dinner at the world-famous 'Blue Elephant' restaurant. Day 3: Morning at leisure, have a lie in or a dip in the pool. Then one of our guides will take you sightseeing in Bangkok, including the Grand Palace and Wat Arun (the 'temple of dawn'), you'll cross the Chao Praya river on a boat. Then time to get ready before an evening out on the town, you'll have a wander around a bustling night bazaar and have drinks at a rooftop bar with views over Bangkok. Day 4: Time for some elephant madness! An early start for a 1.5 hour drive to the Elephant Stay conservation centre in Ayutthaya. Drop your bag in your chalet and have your first day learning how to be an elephant mahout. Day 5: Day with elephants. Day 6: Day with elephants. At the end of the day, you'll pack up and be taken in your private minibus on a 2 hour drive east to an eco lodge near the vast Khao Yai National Park. Day 7: Relax by the pool this morning and early afternoon. Then a guide will take you to see over 2 million bats swarming out of a cave for their nightly feeding. Day 8: Guided day in Khao Yai National Park, home to elephants, clouded leopard, monkeys and tropical birds. You'll have a walk through the jungle, swim in waterfalls and drive to the summit of this big mountain. Day 9: Day visit to Surin Elephant Festival where you will have VIP seats. Day 10: Transfer to Bangkok airport and a flight to Chiang Mai in the north where you will be picked up at the airport and taken to boutique hotel. Time to relax then you will go for a walk in town around the Sunday market and the famous night bazaar. You can have dinner at a riverside restaurant. Day 11: Early morning drive to Elephant Nature Park, a conservation centre and sanctuary for elephants, many of whom have previously been ill-treated, but now have a home here, some are on permanent holiday. Drop your bag in your chalet and first day at Elephant Nature Park. Evening welcome ceremony and dinner. Days 12-14: Elephant Nature Park. Day 15: Day at Elephant Nature Park. In the evening, you will be taken to a beautiful home in the countryside outside Chiang Mai, you will have your own room with private bathroom. Welcome dinner. Day 16: Free morning to enjoy the swimming pool and a traditional Thai massage in the garden. After a delicious homecooked lunch, you will take for a walk around the local area and village. In the evening, the group will have a special farewell dinner. Day 17: Morning transfer in private minibus to Chiang Mai airport where you will take a short internal flight to Bangkok and connect to your international flight. You'll arrive back in the UK at approx 7pm (same day, Sunday), although if you need to get back earlier, we can arrange for you to fly back separately from the group overnight arriving back approx 7am instead. This trip including direct flights from the UK* with Thai Airways or Eva Air, accommodation, elephant conservation, other activities and excursions, private transfers and most meals costs £2,100. There is NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT, although you will get your own room with ensuite facilities most of the time. We recommend £200 spending money for any exclusions and some shopping. *If you are in the US, ask us for a quote as it will depend on where you live. If you are from another country or just want to make your own arrangements, it is also possible to book this trip without flights and join the tour in Bangkok, this costs £1,500. Download the full 6-page itinerary in PDF format.
Dates: 9-25 November 2012 Deposit is 20% with the balance due in September 2012. 2 places left. 8-24 November 2013 Early bookers offer, book with a 10% deposit (and guranteed on current price). No surcharges guarantee (even if the price of the trip increases). Balance due in September 2013. Telephone us with any questions and to check current availability on our freephone UK 0800 011 2571 or US 1 866 211 5972 (from other countries + 44 207 060 4571).
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