Itinerary

Days 1-2 Receive a blessing from the village elders and meet the resident monk Villagers greet you with smiles as you ride into the countryside on hard-packed paths, cutting through rice and garlic fields, and papaya and teak forests Kids join a leader to craft traditional fire balloons made out of natural paper.

Days 3-4 Bike gorgeous backcountry lanes through remote villages, where school kids rush out to greet you Visit an Akha hilltribe village, then delight in a scenic downhill and flat ride to the trading center of Fang The younger set embarks on a scavenger hunt - a wonderful opportunity to interact with the locals and practice the Thai numbers they've learned Savor delicious and distinctive Thai barbecue cuisine Pedal along quiet rural roads with grazing water buffalo as your audience.

Day 5 Jungle trek aboard an elephant - hold on! Greet the sunrise by offering alms to monks on a hilltop beneath the White Buddha Aboard long-tail boats, float down the Maekok River During downtime, take a Thai cooking class, explore local markets, spin through the countryside or treat yourself to a massage Kids learn about team building on a ropes course and prepare their own meal during a jungle cookout.

Days 6-8 A fascinating convergence of Thai, Laotian, Burmese and Chinese cultures Bike alongside the Mekong River on the Laos border, past tobacco fields and rice paddies into the ancient kingdom of Chiang Saen Visit Sop Ruak's market stalls to sample Thai iced tea and shop for local handicrafts  Kids attend a mahout (elephant driver) camp and have fun helping feed and bathe a friendly pachyderm.

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