Early morning departure from Bangkok, with hotel or Airport pickup. Drive north to Bang Pa-In, a royal summer palace with lovely gardens. Upon arrival, your guide will discuss the combination of Thai and European architecture. Admire the elegant Thai pavilion, which stands in the middle of a lake. Visit Ayutthaya, where ruins of temples and palaces still remain. Walk around and learn about the canal and river network that helped Ayutthaya to flourish. Then, drive through the Thai countryside to Lopburi, see a 13th-century Buddhist temple now inhabited by hundreds of monkeys!  Later, visit the town of Phitsanulok, and see numerous houseboats.

Visit Sukhothai, admire numerous standing Buddha statues as you explore the ruined temples. Then, head to nearby Si Satchanalai, where you’ll have lunch. Later, drive through rural Thailand toward Chiang Rai. En route, stop in Phayao, a small 11th-century town.

Visit several hill tribe villages. Enjoy mountain views, stopping in the Chinese settlement of Doi Mae Salong. Reach the Akha and Yao tribes, where villagers continue to wear traditional garments, learn about the customs of village life. Later, see Mae Sai, Thailand’s northernmost town near the Myanmar border. Drive to the heart of the Golden Triangle where the Ruak and Mekong Rivers meet. Enjoy views of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and the mighty rivers below. Afterward, visit Chiang Saen, where evidence of the original 13th-century city can still be seen.

Depart for Chiang Mai with your guide, stopping first in Mae Ka Chan, famous for its hot spring.  After lunch at a local restaurant, drive through more mountain scenery and tropical jungle to visit the hilltop temple of Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. Climb 290 steps (or ride the cable car) up the hill for outstanding views of Chiang Mai. In the evening, enjoy a kantoke – a ceremonial dinner where traditional northern Thai dishes are served as you watch dancers perform a series of folk stories..

Visit an elephant camp where skilled mahouts (trainers) demonstrate how elephants have worked in the jungles for centuries. Watch in amazement as the elephants reveal their intelligence and strength. After lunch at a local restaurant, see the district of Sankampaeng, where Chiang Mai’s cottage industries flourish. Watch artisans create beautiful crafts.

Your tour ends in Chiang Mai. If you have a flight to catch, your guide will drop you off at the Chiang Mai International Airport.