Take a walk on the wild side on this custom tailored tour through the historic cities and remarkable natural landscapes of Thailand. Whether trekking through stunning scenery within the Khao Yai National Park to witness wild elephants or cycling along the open fields outside of the old capital of the empire of Siam, you will find natural beauty in the countryside and celebrated ancient stones, tremendous temples and magnificent waterfalls. Within the heart of the wild you will find wonder.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Bangkok – The Urban Wild
Arrive in magnificent Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, a city that always seems to be filled with energy, from the temples to the river, the food to the people. You are met at the airport by a private transfer and taken to your accommodation at the heart of the city. You can feel the palpable buzz of the neighborhoods as you walk through the streets. There is a lingering scent of coconut oil and fresh noodles. Temple spires mark the sky beneath the towering stretch of skyscrapers. The city’s bustle can be almost overwhelming at first; within the expanse of the modern world, Bangkok’s culture and history continue to thrive within the hidden neighborhoods and beautiful greenery that gives peace and calm along the Chao Phraya River. Enjoy a sweet taste of Thailand at Khin Lom Chom Saphan, an open-air restaurant with three pavilions and a lotus pond situated with a charming view of the celebrated Ramah VIII Bridge.
What's Included:
Day 2
Bangkok – The Wonderful Wilds of Royalty
Day 3
Bangkok – In the Dawn
Day 4
Kanchanaburi – Along the River Kwai
Day 5 - 6
Ayutthaya – Lavish Waterfalls
Day 7
Phak Hai – The Open Country
Day 8
Ayutthaya – Continuous Landscapes
Day 9
Khao Yai National Park – Into the Thai Wilds
Day 10
Khao Yai National Park – Wildlife and Waterfalls
Day 11
Bangkok – Returning to Urban Expanses
Day 12
Bangkok – Indelible Wild Memories
Trip Highlights
- Explore the lavish history of Thailand’s royal family with a tour of the Grand Palace and the surrounding opulent temples
- Visit one of Bangkok’s famous floating markets where the vendors are as effervescent as their goods
- Discover the contemporary history of World War II within the JEATH Museum in Kanchanaburi
- Experience the natural wonder, from wildlife to landscape, in Khao Yai National Park
- Enjoy the unique experience of an elephant ride through the jungle
- Revel in a bike tour along the ancient city of Siam, touring through the charming countryside
Detailed Description
Experience the wilds on this 12-day tour of Thailand through the historic royal palace in Bangkok and the natural charm of the Khao Yai National Park. Whether for explorers and archeologists, active cyclists or happy hikers, this tour will take you along the lush countryside outside of Ayutthaya to the celebrated floating markets bordering the nation’s capital. Whether inside historic cities or out in nature watching elephants bathe in the rustic earth, from gibbons to bats, temples to waterfalls, there is an endless world to discover within the wilds of Thailand.
Your eager adventure begins with your arrival in Bangkok, Thailand. The vast city opens up to you with the vibrant urbanity for which the city is known, all wrapping over the serenity of its hidden neighborhoods. Tour through the city on the Chao Phraya River to find the opulence of the Grand Palace; it has stood along the riverbanks since the 18th century. The palace grounds also house some of the most iconic Buddha images in Thailand, including the revered Emerald Buddha. The following morning you will venture to one of the celebrated Floating Markets, known for its fresh produce and vivacious merchants, where the colors of the landscape come to life through the flavors of the food and the inherent brimming culture. With many markets set within the flowing river, one less seen by visitors is the market of Bang Khu Wiang, giving you the rest of the day at your leisure to discover the hidden neighborhoods of Bangkok.
Kanchanaburi is filled with sensational contemporary history and delightful landscapes. Your transfer from Bangkok will have you exploring Kanchanaburi’s part in World War II within various museums, along with visiting the famous bridge that stands over the River Kwai. The following day you will journey through the countryside on the back of an elephant before arriving at the vibrant rush of the Sai Yok Yai Waterfall.
Once in the capital of old Siam you will join a two-day bicycle tour to explore the ancient ruins and surrounding scenery that has kept many people in awe over the centuries. After your bike tour has finished you will arrive at Khao Yai National Park where a three-day tour within the diverse landscape, filled with mountains and waterfalls, jungle and plains, will take you through the wild and wildlife of Thailand. Gibbons and elephants roam the scenery, and recently tigers were found to call the national park home as well. You will find local markets, and ancient cave drawings decorating limestone walls. On your final day you will arrive back in Bangkok before continuing onward toward home.
Starting Price
$4,300 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.86 stars based on 738 reviews.
A huge shout-out to Zicasso's trip coordinator, who orchestrated this incredible trip for us. Each outing was better than the previous one; our guides were awesome, both fun and informative; the hotel selections were just what we wanted, intimate and special. And everything was scheduled like clockwork.
Despite epic rainfall (which led to flash flooding in areas of Chiang Rai and, in fact, prevented normal access to the Black House Museum), they carried on, delivering every bit of our planned itinerary on time and to a tee. This type A control freak (me) never felt the need to “manage” a thing, which speaks volumes about this tour operator's extraordinarily high level of organization, communication, and coordination.
Thank you to everyone involved. It was clearly a team effort. We are most grateful for the magical, once-in-a-lifetime experience you made possible for us.
Reviewed By Julia U.
Zicasso's travel company was amazing! I cannot say enough good words about this company and all the people we worked with!
We planned our honeymoon to Thailand with our travel specialist. He gave us a call shortly after we filled out the contact form. We talked about what we were hoping for on our vacation and what kinds of hotels we like to stay at, etc. Our specialist was very responsive over the whole planning process and would send us sample itineraries until my partner and I were completely happy with the whole trip. His suggestions were thorough and we didn't have to do any research on our own.
We did a trip around the whole country: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, a couple of national parks, and Koh Samui. We had mostly private tours and they were all fantastic! The drivers and tour guides were all friendly and knowledgeable.
Each night, our contact messaged us all the details we needed for the next day. It was super-helpful and allowed us to relax more knowing someone was there for us. We really enjoyed our experience and would be happy to work with this travel company again!
Reviewed By Jessica T.
Our trip was seamless from start to finish. We were thoroughly impressed by the expertise and attentiveness of our local guides—their knowledge, perfectly timed tours, and the thoughtfully planned itinerary by the Zicasso trip planner made for an exceptional experience.
Reviewed By Bernadette B.
Everything was very well arranged by Zicasso's travel specialists. It was a smooth and pleasant experience. The tour guides were always on time. Airport pick-ups and drop-offs were very helpful. The hotels where we stayed were amazing. It was a great experience!
Reviewed By Maitraye S.
We had a great trip to Thailand with our Zicasso trip planner. They set us up with a very helpful guide in Bangkok, who made it easy from the time we stepped off the plane, through all the temples, activities, night markets, tuk-tuks, and boats.
Our hotel in Bangkok was great, with nice views and a nice breakfast buffet. We took the free hotel ferry to the shopping mall and it was a lot of fun.
Our resort in Koh Samui was incredible. It had a great beach and pool. The elephant sanctuary and the cooking class were highlights. We would probably pass on Pig Island next time as it was very dirty and we saw pigs getting attacked.
Overall, we had a great time and the tour guide took care of us completely, from start to finish.
Reviewed By Miles K.
We had an amazing, nearly three-week trip throughout Southeast Asia. Zicasso's tour operators did an incredible job planning all of the details of the trip. In general, I am not easily impressed and I tend to be pretty upfront with my criticism. In this case, I was truly impressed. I really don't have any criticism about the whole experience.
This was a very complicated trip, with eight cities/locations and six internal flights. We had great communication in the months and weeks leading up to the trip. They were receptive to all of our requests and they gave very good advice when we had questions.
All of the guides were great. The hotels were amazing and all of the details of the activities, transfers, and internal flights were well thought out and well coordinated. I was so impressed by their attention to detail. They were also willing to be flexible and able to make changes, even during the trip. I was able to reach them throughout the trip by WhatsApp and they responded quickly every time. I would recommend them wholeheartedly.
Reviewed By Jeffrey W.