Aled Powell

	Thailand December 2003 Bangkok Around Chiang Mai Trekking Elephant Riding and Bamboo Rafting Akha Tribe and Waterfall Hill Tribes Tham Chiang Dao Koh Pha Ngan Koh Samui Koh Phi Phi Around Krabi Hat Rai Leh and Ao Nang Koh Poda Than Bokkharani National Park

Chiang Mai - Trekking

Most trek packages are either two or three days, with a night or two accomodation and all meals included in the price.

The basic features that they include are elephant riding, bamboo rafting, staying with the hill tribes and seeing a waterfall.

I opted to go for the 3-day, 2-night trek, as it didn't cost much more than the 2-day equivalent.

The adventure begins with a trip into the nearby mountains in a sawngthaew (a pick-up truck with two benches in the back, one of the countries commonest form of public transport).

Aled Powell
December 2003

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Following the leader through the jungle of north-western Thailand.

Left to right: Mike (Scotland), Emma and Niklas (Sweden), Mike and Vicky (England) and Niklas (Sweden).

Fields of banana trees (above), bamboo (left) and rice paddies (below) are passed along the way.

I'm not sure if the animals seen grazing here are banteng, water buffalo or wild buffalo.

This "dormant" termite hill is about seven feet (two metres) high.

These flowers on a bush help colour the beautiful surroundings.

The food we were prepared, traditional cuisine up in these remote parts as well as the rest of the country, was also very colourful.

These photos were taken at the camp where we spent the second night of the trek.

At the dinner table: the two Mikes are on the left, Batsheva and Gilad (Israel) at the far end and Vicky, Emma, Frida and Rikard on the right.

We stopped for our lunch on the first day at this picturesque river.

This rice barn had big banana leaves wrapped around it's "legs" as they are slippery and prevent rats from getting to the harvest.

Many rivers had to be crossed over tree trunks, some fallen accross and others placed for the purpose.

Here's Mike outside the Jungle 7-Eleven (that really was it's name) almost at the end of the trek.

Our leader, despite having plenty of time on our hands, always seemed eager to press-on.

Another group had caught up with us toward the end of the trek and we shared this pick-up truck back to a nearby village for lunch.