Trip Inspiration

10 Days of Nature & Wildlife in Thailand

Stunning Landscapes + Unique Wildlife

Over the course of these ten days you will fully immerse into Thailand's natural world. Trek through lush jungle and past stunning waterfalls. Spot Asian elephants playing, eating, and bathing in the wild. Learn about the country's rich flora and fauna, and hope to spot elusive cats and fascinating primates. You'll see an entirely new side of Thailand, all while still enjoying its incredible food and fascinating culture.

Trip Highlights

Locations

3 nights in the capital city of Bangkok
1 night in the ancient city of Ayutthaya
2 nights in Khao Yai National Park
3 nights in Hua Hin

Activities

Explore the canals of Bangkok on a traditional longtail boat
Visit the ancient temples at Ayutthaya
Hike through lush jungle to stunning waterfalls
Spot unique wildlife on game drives
Eat your way through Bangkok’s 200-year old Chinatown district on a foodie tour
Learn to prepare two traditional Thai dishes
Walk alongside and bathe rescued elephants
Encounter Asian elephants in the wild

Our travel consultants create a custom itinerary for each client,

offering recommendations for places and experiences that best fit your style. We are sharing this itinerary to inspire and provide an example of what a trip to Thailand might look like. When you are ready to design a trip just for you, please let us know.

Day 1

Arrive Bangkok, Thailand

Welcome to Thailand! Upon arrival in Bangkok, you will be met for your private transfer to Capella Bangkok. Accommodations will be reserved for two nights, including breakfast daily. Relax and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure!

Capella Bangkok Meals: N/A

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Day 2

Bangkok

Spend the day exploring Bangkok’s most important cultural highlights and cruise the khlongs (canals) by longtail boat.

Your first stop will be Wat Pho, one of the city’s oldest temples and home to the largest reclining Buddha in the country (150 ft.). Continuing on, you head to Lak Muang City Pillar by tuk-tuk, a site that represents the foundation of Bangkok. The next destination is the impressive Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Pra Kaew), the most revered shrine in Thailand.

After enjoying a typical family-style local Thai lunch, you will board a longtail boat for a cruise through Bangkok’s maze of ancient canals. Marvel at the waterways lined with floating shopfronts, weathered teak homes and quiet Buddhist temples. Make a stop at the fascinating Artist’s House (Baan Silapin), a centuries-old house that has been turned into a gallery displaying local artwork and photography. Back on the Chao Phraya River, your adventure ends with a visit of Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, the most iconic of the more than 31,000 temples across the country. Ascend the steep and narrow steps of this Khmer-style tower for a panoramic view across the river. You will then be transferred back to your hotel.

Capella Bangkok Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 3

Bangkok to Ayutthaya

Today you will travel to Thailand’s ancient capital and discover a site bursting with stories and awash with history.

Leaving Bangkok, you will travel by car (approx. 50 miles) to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Your local private guide will share insightful stories as you explore the area’s more than 700 years of history. You’ll visit the city’s most striking ruins including Wat Phra Mahathat, known for the Buddha head entwined within the roots of a banyan tree and Wat Phra Si Sanphet, part of the Royal Palace originally built in the 14th century. You will marvel at the giant reclining Buddha statue at Wat Lokayasutharam, spend time at the well-preserved ruins Wat Ratchaburana with its Khmer style stupa, and discover the impressive Wat Yai Chai Mongkol, still a working monastery.

Following a morning filled with incredible temples, you will step on board a traditional teak rice barge and take in the picturesque views of the old capital as you cruise along the Chao Phraya River. Feast on a set menu of Thai dishes prepared to showcase the flavors so central to Thai cuisine. You will then be transferred to Sala Ayutthaya, your home for the evening. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.

Sala Ayutthaya Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

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Day 4

Ayutthaya to Khao Yai National Park

This morning, you will be transferred to Khao Yai National Park. Along the way, you will stop at PB Valley Estate, the largest vineyard in the region. While here, you’ll join the property’s award-winning “Vineyard and Winery Tour,” during which you will gain insight into the various wine and grapes on the estate. The main red varieties are Shiraz, Tempranillo, and Cabernet Sauvignon along with Chenin Blanc and Colombard for white wine. Grown once a year during the cool and dry season, pruning takes place at the end of September beginning of October and the harvest usually runs from the end of January until the middle of March. You’ll enjoy a tasty Thai lunch at the winery before continuing onto the InterContinental Khao Yai Resort, where you will stay for two nights.

Spend some time relaxing and exploring the unique property, where all buildings are built within old train cars. Later in the afternoon, you will meet your local private guide for a tour of the Bat Cave, where you can watch millions of bats fly out to find food. You will then be transferred back to your hotel. The remainder of the evening is yours to enjoy at leisure.

InterContinental Khao Yai Resort Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

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Day 5

Khao Yai National Park

Today you will be heading in the heart of Khao Yai National Park for a day of unforgettable exploration.

You will start the morning with a hike through the lush landscape, learning about the local flora and keeping your eye out for some of the park’s incredible wildlife, including wild elephants. As you make your way, you will notice the landscape and mountain formations changing color as the sun rises higher into the sky. You’ll follow along rivers and pass spectacular waterfalls until you reach the hike’s peak at just over 4,000 feet. Here you’ll have an impressive view of Khao Yai and, depending on the season, blooming trees and wild orchids. Lunch will be enjoyed along the way and you’ll return to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Later in the evening, you will return to Khao Yai National Park for a nocturnal wildlife safari. Many of the park’s numerous but elusive wild cats are active at night including the civet and leopard. You should also keep an eye out for the various species of primates that call the jungle home such as the macaque and the forest gibbon. Khao Yai is also the second best place in Thailand to spot wild elephants. While out on this drive, you will visit the park’s salt licks, where the pachyderms tend to appear after sunset for nutrients.

Following the drive, you will return to your hotel for dinner.

InterContinental Khao Yai Resort Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 6

Khao Yai National Park to Bangkok

Following a morning at leisure, you will be transferred back to Bangkok and 137 Pillars Suites & Residence.

In the late afternoon you will be met by your local private guide for a mouth-watering exploration of the city’s 200-year old Chinatown. Along the way, you will visit and sample the cuisine at a handful of local Chinese-Thai eateries. The establishments range from street vendors with tables on the sidewalk to atmospheric family restaurants, and all offer tasty fare.

The excursion begins with a visit to a local rooftop bar where you can sip your drink while enjoying a magnificent panoramic view of the river. As dusk falls, you will hop in a tuk-tuk and head into the labyrinth of Chinatown’s side streets and alleyways, where the smell of spices hangs permanently in the air. You’ll get to sample local dim sum, dumplings, fresh seafood, fragrant deserts and more. Later in the night, you will return to the meeting point where you can sit back and watch the vibrant nightlife of Chinatown. You will then be transferred back to your hotel.

137 Pillars Suites & Residences Meals: Breakfast / Dinner

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Day 7

Bangkok to Hua Hin

This morning, you will embark on a hands-on cooking experience with Aoy, a food lover and restauranteur known for preparing authentic and beautifully presented Thai dishes. The adventure begins when you board a boat and head to Don Wai, an authentic floating market. Here you and Aoy will select the ingredients for today’s class and learn about the local produce and farming community.

From there, you will continue by boat Aoy’s home, located on the banks of the Tha Chin River. Enjoy a welcome drink in the calm of Aoy’s garden oasis before joining her in the kitchen for your cooking class.

With Aoy’s guidance, you will learn to prepare two of her favorite Thai dishes from scratch. Be prepared to roll up your sleeves and chop vegetables, pound spices, and laugh as you cook alongside your incredibly knowledgeable, charming and fun-loving host!

Afterwards you will drive to Hua Hin and Cape Nidhra, where you will stay for three nights. The rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure.

Cape Nidhra Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

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Day 8

Hua Hin

This morning, you will visit the WFFT (Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand) Wildlife Rescue Centre. Upon arrival, a private guide will give you a personal tour around the facility, during which you will be able to see all of the 350 rescued animals, hear their stories and learn why they are living at the Wildlife Rescue Center. Lunch and refreshments can be enjoyed with the staff and volunteers, giving you an opportunity to meet them and discuss their work at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre and Elephant Refuge and Education Centre.

Following lunch, you will join a few of the volunteers at the Elephant Refuge and Education Centre. Here, you will meet the elephants and learn both about their individual stories and personalities and the conservation issues that elephants face in Thailand. You will accompany an elephant on its daily walk, give her a shower afterwards, and then follow the volunteers as they feed the Centre’s other rescued animals, including bears and monkeys. You will then be transferred back to your hotel. The remainder of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure.

Cape Nidhra Meals: Breakfast / Lunch

Day 9

Hua Hin

Today you will spend the day in Kui Buri National Park looking for, and observing, the largest animals in Thailand’s jungles – the Asian wild elephant!

The first stop this morning is the park’s Ranger Station, where you will get information about the park’s flora & fauna, and possibly spot the Oriental Pied Hornbill, which visits the area. From there, you will head to the edge of the forest to watch wild elephants drinking and playing in a lagoon. There is nothing more magical than witnessing these incredible animals in their natural habitat, especially when it is believed that there are only a few hundred remaining in Thailand. You may also catch a glimpse of other wildlife including the gaur or Indian Bison, barking deer, and a whole range of birds species.

Following your adventure, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

Cape Nidhra Meals: Breakfast / Lunch