Tuk Tuk Tours
Explore Bangkok by the iconic tuk tuk
This is a special weekend tour tour on in Northern Thailand by Expique and The Tuk Tuk Club
Day 1: Tuk Tuk Driving
We’ll pick you up at 9:00am in Chiang Mai and transfer you to the training base in the lovely Mae Wang valley about an hour outside the city. On arrival, you will meet the rest of the group and we’ll get you acquainted to your Tuk Tuk and get started with some training. This takes place on a dedicated track and will give you plenty of time to get used to your Tuk Tuk. Only when we are comfortable you can drive safely will we set out on our adventure.
We'll start with an easy drive to Wat Tham Nam Hu and the drive on through local villages before stopping for a local lunch.
After lunch we head North up through the valley and within 25 km the road becomes really rural as we head high into the hills. We will stop off in Mae Sapok (a typical classic valley with rice terraces, water buffalo hanging out, and sometimes even elephants by the river) and take an easy hike to the waterfall.
Then back in the tuk tuk and continue along the stunning road with hairpin bends as we climb to around 1500 metres high. After a quick stop at a very unique temple we head along small backroads through small Karen villages and ending up at Mae Khlang Luang. Amazing views as we drive! Mae Khlang Luang is a lovely Karen village where we will stay overnight.
As it is the weekend of Loy Krathong we will have memorable evening. You will enjoy a Moo Gratha dining in the setting of the rice fields. We will also float our own Krathongs.
Day 2: Trekking
After breakfast we will transfer a few km up the road to the start of a great and easy 6km hike that ends up back in the village. As we hike we pass some great waterfalls with pools where you can swim. We will be accompanied by one of the villagers who will explain the use of different plants etc. Enjoy lunch in the forest (wrapped in leaves of course) and mid afternoon arrive back into the village, stopping at a cool Karen coffee house at the end of the trek.
There's time to relax before taking the minivan back to Chiang Mai (dropping off either at the airport, train station or hotel). We will be arriving back by 4:00pm (giving all decent time for flights if needed).
For those staying in Chiang Mai for another night there will be a lot going on for Loy Krathong, and we will update you on any additional ideas nearer the time
Meeting Point: This tour will meet at 9am on Saturday morning at The Chiang Mai Gate Hotel.
Finishing Point: The tour will finish about 4pm on Sunday and we will drop you at your preferred location in Chiang Mai.
It is best to arrive in Chiang Mai the day / night before: The tour starts with us picking you up at 9am in Chiang Mai. While it is possible to fly into Chiang Mai that morning, many guests will prefer to stay in Chiang Mai on Friday night.
Consider also staying in Chiang Mai on the Sunday night: The tour ends about 4pm on Sunday when we drop you back in Chiang Mai. November 1 is the official night of Loy Krathong so we do suggest staying for this night and making the most of what is going on.
This is a join-in group: This is a join-in group with a maximum of 12 guests.
Can anyone drive a tuk tuk? As long as you are at least 18 years old and have a Thai or International Driving License (manual gear) you can drive a tuk tuk. No prior experience of driving a tuk tuk is required as you will be given a training session at the start.
How many people per tuk tuk: We assign 2 or 3 people per tuk tuk. If you book as a group of 2 or 3 you usually will have an individual tuk tuk for your group. If you book as individual we will pair you up. The driving is shared and we will rotate the driver.
What is the accommodation?: In Mae Khlang Luang you will stay in simple but clean accommodation in a picturesque Hill Tribe village. The rooms are big, en-suite with hot showers (it is relatively chilly even now up there), fans rather than air-con (air not needed).
Minimum Numbers: This tour requires 4 people for us to run it. You can book as an individual or couple but we will only be able to confirm it when we have others booked.
Minimum Age: Guests must be 18 years old to drive but children of 5 years old or older are welcome to join. Children between 5-12 get a 25% discount.