We will leave the hotel by van and visit the temple of the Emerald Buddha in Chiang Rai city. Afterwards, we will take an hour long boat trip to a Karen village where the largest elephant camp in the province is located.  We will ride elephants for an hour through rice fields, hill areas and jungles, and we will have lunch at a local restaurant. Later, we will travel by car to Yao, Akha and Lahu tribal villages and visit a nearby waterfall before returning to our hotel.

This tour visits some of the more fascinating tribes in the northern area, including the Yao, Lahu, and Akha, as well as the Padong.  The later are known as the “long neck” tribe due to their practice of placing bronze rings around the neck of the women. This practice begins at the age of five, and rings are added every three or four years until their necks are stretched, thus protecting them from tiger attacks.  We will lunch in a Chiang Rai restaurant.  Afterwards, we will drive to the largest elephant camp in the area. These animals were once use exclusively for logging, but now are only for tourism. An hour-long elephant ride across rice fields and mountains,  presents unparalleled views normally not experienced in vehicular travel.