select your preferred tour date
DAY 1 (FRI): Arrival - Chiang Mai
Yeah baby! Let us pick you up from the airport and give you a great big welcome as we whisk you off into the artistic city of Chiang Mai. Today, you are free to explore the mesmerizing city or catch up on your sleep before our incredible journey begins.
DAY 1 (FRI): Arrival - Chiang Mai
Yeah baby! Let us pick you up from the airport and give you a great big welcome as we whisk you off into the artistic city of Chiang Mai. Today, you are free to explore the mesmerizing city or catch up on your sleep before our incredible journey begins.
DAY 2 (SAT): Chiang Mai
You'll receive an in-depth orientation before your free day to explore Chiang Mai or get over the jet lag with some fruity cocktails and delicious Pad Thai. Tonight we will re-group and hit the night market for a traditional welcome meal together. The smells, sights, and drinks are the perfect way to end our first day in this magical city.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 3 - 6 (SUN - WED): Elephant Project
A short jaunt from the city, amid the Thai rainforest, is a sustainable eco-tourism project launched to protect elephant welfare. Here will be our home for the next few days as we help to build a healthy environment for these incredible animals.
As part of your elephant experience, you will also get involved in different aspects of the continual work that goes on here. These include agricultural projects, community development, elephant exercise (walking with them through the jungle), and learning the importance of regular health checks with the resident vet.
On day six, we will give you as much time as possible to say goodbye to your new elephant friends before heading back into Chiang Mai.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner (dinner not included on Day 6)
DAY 7 (THU): Chiang Mai to Bangkok
Today begins with a tour of the Chiang Mai area, known to all as "The Rose of the North." Highlights include Wat Pa DaRapirom, the mountain summit of Mon Chaem, and a stop at an Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park where locals transform elephant dung into paper! After that, it's back to the hotel to give you a chance to freshen up before we depart on the night train towards Thailand's capital city - Bangkok.
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 8 (FRI): Bangkok
Arriving into Bangkok early morning, we will be off the train and onto another amazing city tour. We will whisk you off to a few of the most impressive sites and give some fast facts about all things Bangkok. After a day full exploring, we will gather this evening for some drinks and maybe even sample a few famous Bangkok buckets!
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 9 (SAT): Bangkok to Siem Reap
Enjoy your breakfast before we head to the airport to bid farewell to Thailand and board our plane to The Kingdom of Wonder; Cambodia! On arrival, we will have time to settle into our accommodation before heading out for a group dinner to welcome you to the Angkor city of Siem Reap.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner
DAY 10 (SUN): Siem Reap
It's a super early start today but, trust us, it's going to be worth it! A short drive from the city is the magical World Heritage site of Angkor Wat, where we will be heading before day-break to watch the sunrise over these awe-inspiring temples.
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 11 - 13 (MON - WED): Siem Reap
This week you will have a choice of how you spend your time, either helping out with one of our community development projects or taking part in our cultural activity program (you will need to confirm your choice before arrival).
Our community development projects are based in and around the Cambodian countryside and include installing clean-water systems, building houses or building and installing toilets. This immersive experience will directly contribute to improved sanitation for the more impoverished families in Siem Reap while forming lasting relationships with the local communities.
The cultural activity program choice will see you supporting many NGOs around the city through visiting wildlife conservation sites, floating villages, and cycling tours.
Meals included: Breakfast & Lunch
DAY 14 (THU): Siem Reap
Today is your final day on your chosen project so give your new friends one last big hug, take those last few selfies, and wave goodbye to the people whose lives you would have changed forever.
After you've had a chance to freshen up we will all get together in the evening for a Bamboo send off Siem Reap style - let's make it a night to remember!
Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 15 (FRI): Departure - Siem Reap
Two weeks have gone in the blink of an eye! The tour may have ended, but the stories and accomplishments will last a lifetime. Rather than saying goodbye, we prefer to say, “see you soon”...you’re part of The BamFam now.
Meals included: Breakfast
select your preferred tour date
Accommodation throughout the tour is shared and you will be sharing rooms with other members of the group. If you would like to enquire about upgrading to a private room, please contact us at [email protected] to check availability and costs.
Bangkok: Shared (twin/double or triple rooms) bed and breakfast accommodation in a guesthouse. Air-conditioning, TV, hot water and western bathrooms.
Chiang Mai Elephant Project: Bamboo huts with Thai style mattresses on the floor covered by mosquito nets. Communal bathrooms with western toilets and cold showers. No WIFI available at the project.
Chiang Mai: Bed and breakfast in a nicely appointed twin share rooms guesthouse. Welcome dinner on the evening of day two. All meals included during the time at the elephant project.
Siem Reap: Shared (twin/double or triple) bed and breakfast accommodation in a hotel. Air-conditioning, TV, hot water and western bathrooms.
Meals: Breakfasts are included each day. You will have a traditional welcome meal in Chiang Mai, Thailand and Siem Reap, Cambodia. Lunch and Dinner is provided whilst volunteering in the Elephant Village (except on Day 6). Lunch is also provided whilst volunteering on project in Siem Reap.
Internet: WiFi s available at all locations except the elephant camps where you will be able to receive a 3G connection with a local sim.
Laundry: There will be local laundry services in the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Siem Reap which are reasonably priced. Alternatively, you can purchase detergent and do washing by hand.
In short - anything that’s not on the "What's included?" list in the info pack! The main things you’ll absolutely need to get that aren’t included are:
International flights - we have people join us from all over the world so we leave these flexible so you can choose the departure airport and airline that suits you best.
Travel Insurance - you can choose your own travel insurance, or we can organise this for you. You can find details on the travel insurance here and will be able to add this onto your booking.
Visas – depending on the passport you hold you may need to get a visa before you travel. Please see below for more info on visas.
Arrival
You need to book a flight that lands into Chiang Mai airport (airport CNX) on the Friday that your tour starts, between the hours of 6am and 8pm. Providing you arrive between these hours on this day, one of the team will be there to meet you on arrival and take you back to the hotel in the city. If you arrive later than 8pm on the Friday start date, we will organize for you to spend that first night at the airport hotel then, one of the team will pick you up from the airport hotel the following morning and take you to the hotel in the city to meet the rest of the group and have your orientation.If you arrive before your Friday start date, you will need additional accommodation. We can book this for you and you will just need to make your own way there from the airport and pay on arrival.
Departure
The tour ends two Fridays later in Siem Reap, Cambodia, so you need to make your departure arrangements from there at any time that day. There is an international airport in Siem Reap (airport code REP) so you will be able to book a flight home from there.
Thailand
Passport holders of several countries will get a 30 day ‘visa exempt’ stamp in their passport on arrival into Thailand free of charge. A quick Google search will tell you whether you need a visa or not.
Cambodia
To enter Cambodia on a tourist entry stamp, you will need to complete the secure online e-visa form. We ask you to do this to save yourself and your other travellers time when arriving at Immigration in Cambodia. You can find all the information needed at www.evisa.gov.kh.
Please make sure you have at least one empty passport page and 6 months’ validity on your passport from the date you will be leaving Cambodia. Visas and passports are your own responsibility and we cannot be held liable for any issues or costs incurred relating to these.
When you are ready to secure your spot on a Bamboo tour, you can choose the best payment option to suit you:
1. Pay a deposit today and the remaining balance 120 days before your tour starts (you will also have the option to pay the rest of your balance in instalments).
2. Pay in full to get a discounted price and save money
3. Sign up to monthly instalment payments
If you know you want to travel but just need more time to decide on the destination or date, the best option is to get a Bamboo Travel Voucher. Not only will you be sure of a place on a tour, you'll make a saving as our vouchers match the amount you pay. Get a $50 voucher and we'll take $100 off; get a $250 voucher and we'll take $500 off; get a $500 voucher and we'll take $1000 off!! Vouchers are valid for 3 years so there's plenty of time to decide when and where you want to go. Click here to find out more and get your voucher.
You may also want to consider signing up to our Bamboo+ Membership. For $997, we'll not only reduce your tour balance by $1000 but you'll automatically get a 20% discount on each and every future tour with Bamboo! There's also loads of other benefits - click here to find out more and become a Bamboo+ member.
