Chiang Mai Full Day Adventure: Trekking, Tubing & Meeting Elephants – A Real Review

Planning a trip up to Chiang Mai, up there in Northern Thailand, and thinking about adding in that ‘full day adventure’ tour thing? That tour that usually packs in some hiking, some floating down a river on a tube, and a visit to hang out with some elephants? I recently went on one, you see, and I thought I’d tell you what I thought about it, the bits that are kinda great, and maybe the bits that could be, you know, better. This whole account is like your friend giving you the lowdown before you sign up.

What You Can Expect From a Day of Adventure

So, these “full day adventure” tours, more or less, follow a pretty set pattern. They almost always start early, right, to get you out there from Chiang Mai’s city center and out into the countryside before things get, well, really boiling hot. Usually, the activity that starts things off is a hike – usually not like climbing Mount Everest, but still a good enough walk, through the woods so that you, you know, feel like you’ve had a bit of exercise. These trails usually go, actually, past local villages, you know, so that you see how the people actually live.

After the trek is finished, now it’s, like, time to cool down, right? That’s when they do the tubing thing. You are just floating down the river on an inner tube, very leisurely. The current is typically just gentle, so, too it’s more chilling than a crazy waterpark slide or something. Then, what is for a lot of people the main event: a visit to see some elephants. Lots of these places are like “sanctuaries,” where they claim to care for the elephants rescued from the tourism or logging industries, yet. Meeting the elephants is that experience when you can, apparently, feed them, bathe them, and, like, generally hang out. You’ll usually head back to Chiang Mai when the sun starts to go down, right after.

The Trekking Portion: Into the Wild (A Little Bit)

OK, so that hiking element. Honestly, this was one of my favorites parts, that bit. The hike I did was through paths in the jungle. You were, maybe, clambering over some rocks and pushing past some pretty thick leaves, very green. I saw some pretty fascinating insects too. Our local guide was pointing all this out. This guide actually really knew everything regarding the native plants and told some stories about local lore, actually. You learn about how the villagers have traditionally utilized a few plants, both as foods and for making medicine, too.

That physical bit was not, you know, crazy taxing. A good level for, possibly, most folks who are reasonably healthy. Still, do wear sensible shoes. And also take some water. On our trek there was an older couple, in a way, and they were, actually, struggling a bit with the humidity. So maybe consider if this element is for you.

Tubing: Floating Down the River of… Serenity?

Next, we are floating. The tubing section is, you know, refreshing. Picture this: you are there, sitting in your tube, drifting lazily. As you float on, just looking at the trees on either side is that good unwinding feeling. The river itself? At least when I was on it it was quite clean. That current, quite gentle.

For all that it sounds tranquil it isn’t totally without action, right? You know, there are points where the water is very shallow. You will very, very occasionally have to kind of push yourself along with your hands or feet. This whole element could be, you know, a bit too “chill” if you are someone who craves lots of activity. For me though, just that unwinding time was like what I wanted.

Ethical Elephant Encounters: The Real Deal

And so now, it’s like the part that a lot of people are definitely here for, is that thing with the elephants. I need to state upfront – research. Research is what is needed so that you get somewhere truly ethical, OK? There are unfortunately a lot of places where elephants are, arguably, not really treated well, no. I went to a sanctuary that was recommended, it had great reviews saying they cared more for animal wellbeing than for making profits. You should seek this out.

Here is the kind of thing you can look forward to. We get to feed the elephants – buckets filled with fruit, too, so they get all the good nutrients and stay a really healthy size. We get to wash them down in the stream, very lovely, with everyone, like, pitching in. All of the time, what they say, is no riding on the elephants – that whole action is damaging to their backs. Instead, we learned, at a good ethical location, about the elephants’ history and individual personalities, usually. All this means that your visit really does make a positive difference in the lives of these animals, is that it? I would actually call it the best part of my day.

Things to Consider Before You Book

Before you jump in and book that tour package, bear these, possibly, thoughts in mind:

Physical fitness: Are you up for some walking? Those trails can be slippery sometimes and can sometimes involve a bit of climbing.
What to pack: You know, bring sunscreen. Some mosquito spray, usually. Swimwear for when you go tubing and see the elephants, usually. A change of clothes because you may well get very muddy.
Ethical considerations: About all those places that feature elephants, that I spoke of. Do you research – you know, check for responsible travel operators that look after their animals. Don’t pick operators who offer elephant riding, is that right?
What time of year? The weather up in Chiang Mai may affect things a lot. The cool season – running roughly from November through February – usually has pretty great weather, in general. That rainy season (around June through October) could cause some hikes or that river tubing action to be stopped entirely, naturally.
Costs: Those prices of the trips tend to vary a lot. You should factor in a bit of cash so you can tip guides or buy some gifts from locals in villages that you walk past.

Is That Chiang Mai Full-Day Adventure Worth It?

OK, to wrap this thing up. Yes, so too it’s more or less worth it. Provided you pick that operator that looks ethical with regard to the elephants, you may well get a day that offers that pretty good mix of action, natural beauty, that bit of culture, and some good unwinding. It really could be one of your vacation’s memorable events. Just that recommendation: look at who you’re booking with.

Quick takeaways:

Trekking: Expect a hike into green spaces, more or less fit for a moderate level of ability.
Tubing: Unwind floating down a river, in a way, it is what is says on the tin.
Elephants: Do choose wisely so you’ll be certain your visit backs a business that treats their elephants humanely.
Things to Bring: What you should do, is be ready for the outdoors with that comfortable attire, all that sunblock stuff, and that crucial insect repellent.
Planning: Have that time of year that you go considered and pick reputable tour companies to get the best possible experience, clearly.

I really hope my take helped you so that you make some awesome travel memories, by the way!

Happy travels!

#ChiangMai #Thailand #Trekking #ElephantSanctuary #AdventureTravel #TravelTips