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Participant, CLF 2022-2023 Director, CLF 2023-2025 Harvard College Class of 2029
June 19, 2025
June 7, 2025
Experience the diversity of Thailand’s geography, wildlife, and culture. Learn how to lead your class on a school group travel program in Thailand today!
Get immersed in the culture and environment in Northern Thailand. Spend a day interacting with Asian elephants and learning about animal conservation. Work on infrastructure projects at a local school and get to know the local community. Explore a sacred cave and enjoy a local waterfall and hot springs. Wrap up our program by going white water rafting and searching for endemic species. This program has a little bit of everything – service, adventure, and nature – in a stunning region of Thailand.
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Meet up with your group at a pre-selected location at your home airport. Once everyone has arrived, check your bags and go through security as a group. From here you will board your flight and depart for your international flight to Thailand. This first day is counted as a full day of travel because the standard travel time to this destination exceeds 12 hours. This may change depending on your departure location.
Flight Details: Rustic Pathways will be happy to book your flight as an add-on service.
If your travel to Thailand crosses the international dateline, you’ll likely lose this day to travel. Not to worry – you’ll get it back on your return!
Sawatdee and welcome to Thailand! Arrive at Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) where your journey in Thailand will begin. From the airport you will get dinner, head to the hotel, and have an orientation with your program leaders to get a better idea of what you will be doing this week.
Overnight: Hotel, Chiang Mai
Load up the vans and drive into the mountains southwest of Chiang Mai for a day at an elephant sanctuary. Meet the staff and hear about their animal conservation goals. Help with daily tasks, including feeding and bathing the elephants. Learn about their behavior and the history of these magnificent animals that have a place of eminence as a symbol of Thailand.
Head up to Chiang Dao – the “City of Stars” that’s an hour and a half north of Chiang Mai. Stop by the Sticky Waterfalls where you can climb the cascading “sticky” limestone walls and swim in refreshing pools of crisp mountain water. Dry off and head to the base of the Chiang Dao Mountain. Grab a lantern and join a local guide to explore the mystic Chiang Dao Cave, an ancient and sacred meditation site. See various Buddhist and animist shrines in the cave as you pass through areas with both large, vacuous caverns and small tunnels that you have to crawl through.
Emerge from the cave and take a swim in natural mineral hot springs. Wrap up the day by heading to a mountain eco resort where you’ll enjoy a traditional Kan Tok dinner.\
Overnight: Treehouse Lodge in Chiang Dao
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the treehouse and then head to a local school to work on an ongoing infrastructure development project. Work side-by-side with staff and local students, getting to know the community members. Depending on the local school calendar, head into the classroom and help students and teachers with English enrichment activities. In the afternoons, play soccer with the local students, practice your new Thai vocabulary, or find a quiet place to write in your journal. After dinner join your group for a post-service debriefing, discussing what you’ve experienced and learned through hands-on work in the community.
After breakfast, say goodbye to Chiang Dao and make your way back to Chiang Mai. Along the way, stop at Mae Taeng River for a white water rafting adventure. On the tranquil parts of the river, search for endemic species of birds, fish and reptiles. In the evening, travel to Chiang Mai’s famous Night Bazaar for a final night extravaganza. Explore the many alleys and side streets of this bustling market – the perfect place to get souvenirs for all of your friends and family back home. Finish the day with a closing discussion and the traditional Rustic Ties ceremony that allows students to reflect on their experiences and discuss how to use the lessons they’ve learned back home.
Overnight: Hotel in Chiang Mai
Pack up your bags to head to the airport and say goodbye to your newfound friends. It’ll be hard to say goodbye, but don’t worry, you can always come back and visit us again in the “Land of Smiles!”