Trekking, waterfalls and wild elephants in the heart of Thailand

The bus drops you off in Mae Sot in the early hours of the morning. Your local guide will be waiting for you at the dock and will take you by songthaew to your hotel for a few hours of well-deserved rest: shower, breakfast, and a moment to collect your thoughts before the rest of your journey.

Because what follows is one of the most spectacular roads in Thailand. The track connecting Mae Sot to Umphang winds for over 160 kilometers through the mountains of Tak province. Locals sometimes call it "the road with 1,219 curves." Hold on tight! Halfway along, a stop at a small, family-run gas station allows you to stretch your legs and enjoy your packed lunch before plunging back into the winding road.

Upon arrival in Umphang, a stop at one of our favorite spots is a must for a local coffee or freshly squeezed juice: the local passion fruit juice is divine. A quick visit to the local shop, and then it's off again for the final stretch to Palatha, the Karen village that will be your home for the next two nights.

The Karen are a mountain people living on both sides of the Thai-Burmese border, with their own distinct culture, language, and traditions. Upon arriving in the village, your host family will give you a warm welcome and prepare a simple yet delicious dinner. One thing to be aware of: the bathrooms are basic. But look out the window... you're sleeping in the heart of a pristine rainforest!

Wake up to the sounds of the forest. Your host family prepares breakfast, and then it's off for the most anticipated day of the stay: the search for wild elephants in Umphang.

Our partner agency has established a partnership with the Mahouts Elephant Foundation, which works to reintegrate elephants into their natural habitat. Here, there are no shows or staged performances. You'll trek with the mahouts, the designated guardians of each elephant, accompanied by national park rangers. Observing these gentle giants roaming freely in their jungle is a privilege few travelers have had the chance to experience.

Lunch is served wherever the elephants have led you. The menu includes rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves, chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and tea or coffee served in bamboo cups carved on the spot by the mahouts. The cups are for you.

Walk back to Palatha (approximately 2 hours), enjoy a well-deserved shower, then head to the craft center for a Karen weaving demonstration. Karen fabric, recognizable by its colorful geometric patterns, is a strong marker of identity passed down through generations. Try it yourself or leave with a piece purchased directly from the village artisans.

Last breakfast at your host family's house. You leave your luggage at the homestay, the guides provide you with a night bag containing the essentials, and you board the songthaew towards the river.

First stop: rafting. Inflatable rafts glide silently across the clear waters of Umphang, between two walls of dense rainforest. No skill required, just the contemplation of absolutely pristine nature. Umphang is one of the most preserved areas in Thailand, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it shows.

In the afternoon, head to Thi Lor Su, the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia. 200 meters wide, 80 meters high, with crystal-clear water. Have lunch there, then spend a few hours swimming in designated areas and, if the water level allows, jump from the top of the waterfall. Remember to pack your swimsuit and towel in your overnight bag.

In the late afternoon, we trek through the forest to the campsite, set up by the Ko Tha waterfall. The guides pitch the tents and prepare dinner over the campfire. The toilets are located at the nearby waterfall. And the ceiling is a starry sky, free from light pollution for miles around.

Wake up to the sounds of the forest. Enjoy breakfast at the campsite, feet in the grass, before packing up the tents and setting off again through the dense forest towards Palatha. A few hours of trekking to complete the loop and meet up with your host family for a shower, a quick lunch, and to collect your luggage.

Then it was back on the road with its 1,219 curves, this time in the opposite direction. The journey to Mae Sot was long and winding, but the landscape of forested mountains passing by the songthaew window was a sight to behold. Mae Sot, a crossroads town between Thailand and Myanmar, is known for its fusion cuisine and lively night market. Dinner at a local restaurant that evening was a reward in itself after four days in the wilderness.

Back to our charming hotel for one last dinner together and a well-deserved night's sleep. Early wake-up call tomorrow, the final leg of the journey!

Early start, songthaew to the bus station, and then on to Chiang Mai. Breakfast isn't included this morning, so we recommend stopping by one of the shops around the station before departure to pick up some snacks for the journey.

The journey to Chiang Mai follows the Burmese border before heading north through the country's mountains. Expect to arrive in the late afternoon in the capital of northern Thailand, a city of temples, night markets, and specialty coffee.

Six days after leaving Bangkok, you arrive in Chiang Mai with miles of jungle under your legs, a night under the stars, wild elephants in your eyes, and stories to tell!