Directory of Soft Adventure Tour Activity Symbols

Elephant Safaris - On the route from Chiang Mai to Ban Thaton we use two elephant camps: The Mae Tamman Camp and the Young Elephant Training Centre at Chiang Dao. Both camps put on an “elephant at work” show and provide elephant safaris of 1 to 2 hour duration along trails through surrounding jungle and along small streams.

Both camps offer basic bamboo rafting although the experience is limited to a short trip on a makeshift float of bamboo poles without sun shade or proper seating.

On river trips between Ban Thaton and Chiang Rai we use the Karen Ruam Mit elephant camp on the banks of the Kok river. Once again, standard 1-, 1.5- and 2-hour elephant ride options are available through surrounding jungle.

Note - Given prior notice we can arrange for elephants from the Karen Ruam Mit camp to travel upriver to our river base camp to provide a 2- to 3-hour safari along our own specially selected trails.....pricing on request.

Oxcart Rides - The Maetamman elephant camp provides a short oxcart ride as an extension to their elephant safaris. Two oxen in tandem draw a traditional oxcart carrying 4 - 6 passengers for a 20- to 30-minute trip along rural back roads. Whilst this is not an adventure activity per se, it is a novelty worthwhile enjoying in conjunction with an elephant safari.

Caving (or spelunking as it is known to the aficionados). We incorporate two different cave systems both situated along the route from Chiang Mai to Ban Thaton: Chiang Dao caves some 80 kms north of Chiang Mai, and those at the forest temple of Wat Tum Tubtao some 40 kms further out along the same route.

Both cave systems are easily accessed and filled with Buddhist artefacts and relics. The caves at Wat Tum Tubtao are at least 3 levels deep, with levels 2 and 3 as yet unexplored as breathing apparatus would be required for such an exploration.

Bamboo Rafting - 2- to 3-day bamboo raft trips down the Kok river have been available for more than a decade. Standards of operation and overall safety have however left much to be desired. A further negative aspect is that the traditional Kok River bamboo rafts use some 400 - 500 lengths of bamboo in their construction, the bamboo being sold on arrival in Chiang Rai. The wholesale cutting of river line bamboo for raft construction has proven detrimental to the river’s eco-system.

In 1996, Track of the Tiger introduced a new ‘eco-friendly’ style of raft in an attempt to upgrade overall standards. Our unique design conceals a layer of inflated tractor tyre inner tubes as flotation sandwiched between two layers of bamboo (total 60 lengths) secured to a strong pipe framework. Rafts are disassembled after each trip and returned to the Lodge by road, where they are reassembled for further use.

The rafting programme upgrade includes the services of an English-speaking tour guide, full safety equipment, a better meal plan, a shortened programme of 2 days and 1 night (overnight in our comfortable river base camp as opposed to overnight on the raft itself ), a 4WD visit to hill tribe villages, a mini trek, and the addition of inflatable canoes for guest use on short excursions from the raft. More recently, 1-day and half-day rafting programme options have been added to our range of tours.

Bamboo rafts (floats) - Most of the bamboo raft trips run in conjunction with elephant rides from camps in the Chiang Mai use floats as opposed to rafts. A float can be described as a single layer of bamboo poles secured together fore and aft. Seating is on low stools and floats are without roof covers (rather like our icon!).

River Barge Tours - We use custom-designed ‘motorised barges’ on some of our river tours so that we may limit the time spent on ‘rafting phases’ to the more scenic parts of the river, and employ motor power to navigate some of the more difficult sections. This also allows us to allocate more time to the ‘adventure activities’ that are included in the tour programme.

These steel-hulled, bamboo-decked, flat-bottomed craft carry 8 passengers in comfort and safety. They are fitted with sunroofs and equipped with life jackets and ice boxes.

The use of river barges allows us more flexibility in designing tailor-made programmes to meet the needs of clients, tour operators, film camera teams, etc.

The river barges can be employed all year round, whereas the use of bamboo rafts is limited to periods when the river water level is high.

Trekking - The area within a radius of 50 km of Ban Thaton is more densely populated by a wide variety of hill tribe groups than any other area in Thailand. Whilst many villages on the main road are well visited by tourists, the more remote villages are not used to seeing more than 4 - 6 foreigners a year, (missionaries, NGO workers, anthropologists, etc.

Trekking options range from a full day of easy walking, returning to the Lodge at nightfall, to 4 or 5 days of hard walking through remote jungle and border mountains. Programmes can be, and often are, custom- designed for tour operators or individuals, and overnight stops can be in hill tribe villages or in our own tented camps.

Most treks are designed so that clients carry only a water bottle and camera, their packs and full meals being delivered to each overnight stop.

Day Walks - We have a number of day walk programmes of half to full-day duration that are easily undertaken by people of all age groups. There are also numerous trails within easy reach of the Lodge that can be followed by guests without the need for guide services.

Our tour staff will happily provide maps and instructions for these routes free of charge to in-house guests.

Canoeing - We use GUMOTEX (Helios & Albatross) 16ft long - two-person - inflatable canoes on our river trips. They are easy to handle, even for novices. All bamboo raft and river barge programmes of longer than one day’s duration have canoes included for guest use in the equipment inventory.

Customised canoe programmes of one or two days duration can be arranged on request. The canoes are also made available to in-house guests on a complimentary basis for use on the river in front of the Lodge.

4WD Tours - Given the nature of our tour programmes, most are undertaken using 4WD vehicles capable of off-road travel to allow access to attractions away from the beaten path. Many tours combine mini-bus transport from Chiang Mai to the Fang area where we change to off-road transport to reach the inland areas not accessible to conventional forms of transport. We also arrange 4WD itineraries, (self-driven or with guide / driver ) to all areas of the north (as requested) to meet the specific requirements of individual clients and tour operators alike. Vehicle options range in carrying capacity from 2 to 8 passengers, depending on client needs.

Mountain Biking - Our tour equipment inventory includes good quality imported CHALLENGER Sierra and Sport Racer II mountain bikes (18 -20 inch frames). In addition to our listed mountain bike programmes that range from a half day to five days (with options to suit all ages and levels of experience), we can design itineraries to suit the  requirements of specific client groups.

Sightseeing & Cultural Tours - Apart from ‘adventure activities’ many of our tour programmes include content such as visits to hill tribe villages, working rice mills, local food markets, scenic attractions and places of cultural interest. Temples of special significance such as forest temples are included in this category.

Boat Rides - Long tailed boats ply the Kok river between Ban Thaton and Chiang Rai and are used on some of our tour programmes. They afford relatively quick ( 2 to 4 hour ) passage down river depending on the start point. On some tour programmes, boat rides on the infamous Mekong river to the common borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos are included,  as are trips between the Golden Triangle and Chiang Khong.

Set Dinner at Maekok River Village Resort - The Resort is well known for its highly regarded 100 plus Thai dish menu. Rather than set the menu choice for our clients, we prefer to provide them with a fixed price dinner coupon that effectively allows them a la carte dining per their personal preference up to the coupon value incorporated in the tour price already. European food items are available to those who want them. The dinner coupon cannot be used to purchase drinks.

Lunch in a local restaurant - Typical menu: (1) Fried chicken with cashew nuts, or, fried sweet & sour chicken or pork. (2) Stir-fried mixed vegetables. (3) Fried beef in oyster sauce. (4) Minced pork and seaweed soup. (5) Steamed rice. (6) Fresh seasonal fruit. (7) Tea or coffee.

Picnic box lunch - bamboo basket service - no polystyrene.

Typical menu -western food option - Chicken or Ham or salad sandwiches, 2 boiled eggs, leg of chicken, seasonal fruit, bottle of water, napkins, salt & pepper, toothpicks.

Typical menu - Thai food option  - Stir-fried rice (chicken or pork), 2 boiled eggs, leg of chicken, seasonal fruit, bottle of water, napkins, salt & pepper, toothpicks. Chili in fish sauce. Note - vegetarian or other special meals available on request.

Meal Allowance option - On some of our tour packages where guests overnight in other hotels, we prefer to provide them with a fixed budget towards their evening meal rather than a set hotel dinner. The budget can then be put towards either an a la carte meal in the hotel, or a meal in an outside restaurant. Again we prefer this system as it allows our clients freedom of choice, yet incorporates the cost in the tour price.

Typical River Base Camp BBQ meal - BBQ sausage, Sai Ua (spicy northern Thai sausage), leg or breast of chicken, pork spare rib, larb Isarn gai (a spicy minced chicken dish from the northeast of Thailand), mixed salad, bread roll, seasonal fruit, tea or coffee.

Tea, Coffee and snack stop - On most of our Trade Route tours, periods of road travel are broken up by the inclusion of a tea or coffee stop, the price of which is included in the tour if so stated in the itinerary.

Thai Dance or Cultural Show - Some of our Trade Routes programmes end with a Khantoke dinner and dance show in Chiang Mai. Other similar cultural dance presentations can be arranged to meet specific requests.