If you are arriving on Day 1 of your itinerary, your airport transfer pick-up will be at the Starbucks coffee shop. Starbucks is located near the domestic arrivals in the Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX). Look for your name(s) and “Wild Women Expeditions” on their board. They will bring you to first night’s hotel. Please note transfer times are based on your arrival time you submitted in your Travel Details Form.

If you arrive earlier than Day 1, you will be picked up at the airport based on the information you provided in your travel details form, and your airport transfer pick-up will be at the Starbucks coffee shop (see above for Details). Once you land you will be transferred to your hotel, as long as your pre arrival hotel is within the city, and preferably at the first night’s hotel.

Group Rendezvous Point:

Date: Day 1
Time: 4 p.m.
Location: Hotel lobby, Rachamankha Boutique, Nong Kwai, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230 | Phone Number: +66 (53) 114 006

RECOMMENDED PRE-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

If you will be arriving early we recommend you stay at our arrival hotel in Chiang Mai: Rachamankha Boutique and you can book a room on this website.

DEPARTURES FROM CHIANG MAI

You will be transferred from Rachamankha Boutique Hotel to the Chiang Mai International airport (CNX. ) Please plan to book your departure flight anytime between 8 AM – 4 PM so that transfers to (25 minutes) to Chiang Mai International Airport (CNX) can be accommodated.

Drop-Off Point:

Date: Day 11
Time: In conjunction with your flight
Location: Chiang Mai airport

RECOMMENDED POST-TRIP ACCOMMODATIONS

If you want to stay in Chiang Mai longer we recommend booking at our departure hotel, Rachamankha Boutique and you can book a room on this website. Early or later airport transfers can be booked directly with the hotel.

TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS

You are responsible for booking your own flights or other transport arrangements to the trip start location. These arrangements and any other independent arrangements that you may make are not a part of the trip booked with Wild Women Expeditions and are entirely at your own risk. Wild Women Expeditions accepts no responsibility, directly or indirectly, for any loss, damage or injury to property or person in connection with such arrangements. Should you require assistance with your travel arrangements, please contact:

Megan and Zale | Now Boarding Travel, Travel Specialists

Email: wildwomen@nowboarding.travel

Note: Now Boarding Travel only provides services of 3-star quality or greater. For budget alternatives, please refer to the Lonely Planet guide for your destination.

Important: For international and remote destinations, there is always the risk of flight delays, baggage delays and flight schedule changes which may cause late arrivals, which may, in return, result in you missing the group tour departure. We encourage you to consider arriving one or two days early, which will help you overcome any jet lag from traveling!

PASSPORTS & VISAS

Wild Women Expeditions will assist you in obtaining your visa for Bhutan, but you are fully responsible for providing us with the correct information as soon as possible in order for us to secure for your visa, permits, and certificates for your trip. It is the sole prerogative of each country or region to determine who is allowed to enter. It is your responsibility to check with the country’s Consulate and your country’s travel website such as Canada’s for up-to-date information about traveling internationally.

Passport:

Most countries and airlines recommend passports be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected return to your home country. Before you leave, ask your transportation company about its requirements related to passport validity, which may be more stringent than the country's entry rules.

Visa:

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversees immigration and visa issues. There are frequent modifications of visa regulations so check the website or the nearest Thai embassy or consulate for application procedures and costs. The best online monitor is Thaivisa.

If you plan to stay in Thailand longer than 30 days, you should apply for the 60-day tourist visa from a Thai consulate or embassy before your trip. Recent changes to this visa now allow multiple entries within a six-month period. Contact the nearest Thai embassy or consulate to obtain application procedures and determine fees for tourist visas.

Visas and Customs in Thailand – Lonely Planet

Note: As fees and policies can change, we highly recommend that you contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent.

Customs and Immigration:

Immigration Card Information

Prat Rajapruek Resort & Spa
Nong Kwai, Hang Dong District, Chiang Mai 50230
Phone: +66 (53) 114 006

TIPPING

Tips for your minivan drivers, hotel porters, restaurant waiters are included in your trip price. Your local leader will provide more details when needed throughout the trip about tipping local guides but the advised rate is $2 – 5 USD per person per day.Tips for your Tour Leader should range from $5 – 10 USD per person per day. Tour Leader tips can be paid in USD to Thai Baht. “Per person per day” means each Wild Women in the group contributes this amount.

ACCOMMODATION DETAILS

Rooming Arrangements:

Our trip prices are based on a twin share (minimum of two people per room), so we’ll team you up with another solo wild woman to share with if you’re on your own, or of course, you can share with your travel partner.

Private Upgrade

You can get a single upgrade for all but 1 night of the trip. The rooms are double occupancy for the night at the Homestay. Single upgrades are subject to availability. Please email support@wildwomenexpeditions.com to inquire about a single room.

Electricity / Internet / WiFi / Cell Coverage

If you have an unlocked phone you can purchase a phone chip with wifi data in Thailand at the airport. If you do not have time to do this at the airport you can ask your local guide to help you purchase one.

Most hotels will have WiFi available. The hill tribe village and van will not have wifi.

Bathrooms

There will be Western flush toilets with toilet paper and there will be some squat toilets. Bring your own toilet paper, sanitary wipes, and hand sanitizer for bathrooms that may be of lower quality when you are on the road or in remote areas. You may also have to pay for bathrooms when not at your hotel so make sure you have small denominations of the local currency with you.

Potable Water

Drinking water is provided throughout the expedition. It is advised to not drink the tap water, even in major hotels.

If you would like to join Wild Women Expeditions in its commitment to reducing single-use plastic, you can travel prepared with your own water treatment system!

Lifestraw

GRAYL Canada | OnePress™ Global Protection

Travelers Against Plastic | Take the TAP pledge

Water-To-Go

Overnight Arrangements During Your Stay

Rachamankha Boutique Hotel
Sibsan Resort & Spa Maetaeng
Azalea Village Resort
Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort
Khao Mai Lanna
Karen Hill Tribe

You will stay at a local house of the Karen tribe, you’ll experience the original way of life of this hill tribe. Accommodations are very rustic, traditional and authentic. Shared accommodation will be in a single room bamboo hut. Washroom facilities are shared, outside bathrooms, with a scoop shower and an Asian squat toilet. This is pretty much camping – Thai style!

We will be sleeping on the floor but there are mattresses that are about 6 cm thick. Mosquito nets and clean sleeping bags and/ or sleeping sheets and blankets are provided. There is no internet and no power. Be sure to pack your headlamp!

Note: there is no electricity.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THAILAND

About

- Full Country Name: Kingdom of Thailand
- Capital City: Bangkok
- Language: The official language is Thai, or more precisely Siamese or Central Thai
- People: About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% Thai Chinese, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. Religion: The primary religion is Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of the population.
- Government: The country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King Rama IX.
- Major Industries: Thai rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rubber, jewelery, cars, computers and electrical appliances.
- Currency: Thai Baht
- People of Bhutan

Electricity

220 V; Plugs A & C. You will need a voltage converter, and plug adapter in order to use North American appliances. We recommend getting a universal adapter and converter kit. (See Packing List)

Animals & Illness

Travelers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including; dogs, monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats. Some infections found in some areas in Southeastern Asia, like avian influenza and rabies, can be shared between humans and animals.

We highly recommend that you obtain advice from a travel clinic prior to traveling, to ensure that you have all of the recommended vaccines necessary for the destination.

Climate & Weather:

Days are usually hot with balmy evenings, so visitors should pack light and cool clothing.The average temperature in Chiang Mai in October for a typical day ranges from a high of 81°F (27°C) and a low of 67°F (20°C).

MONEY MATTERS

Wild Women Expeditions recommends that each participant should bring enough cash in local currency or available credit/debit funds to cover their meals during travel to and from their destination. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, meals not included in the trip package, shopping, etc., and we also suggest you have access to emergency funds.

Currency Exchange Offices & Banks:

Almost all money exchange booths and banks will change Canadian dollars. We suggest not to change too much money at the airport in Bangkok as they don’t offer a good exchange rate. At the airport and other places in Chiang Mai they offer better rates. Current exchange rates are printed in the Bangkok Post and the Nation every day, or you can walk into any Thai bank and ask to see a daily rate sheet.

Please check online for current exchange rates. Wild Women Expeditions likes XE Currency Converter

We highly suggest you read this article: Where to Exchange Currency Without Paying Huge Fees for more information about this for your trip.

Automated Banking Machines (ATMs)

Automated banking machines (ABMs) are widely available and are the easiest ways to get Thai baht, however bank fees can be as high as 200 Thai Baht.

Credit Cards

Major credit cards (like Visa & Mastercard) are widely accepted in big cities and resort hotels but not in family-run guesthouses or restaurants.

Cash

The currency in Thailand is the baht (THB). There are 100 satangs in one baht; coins include 25-satang and 50-satang pieces and baht in 1B, 2B, 5B and 10B coins. Older coins have Thai numerals only, while newer coins have Thai and Arabic numerals. The 2B coin was introduced in 2007 and is confusingly similar in size and design to the 1B coin. The two satang coins are typically only issued at supermarkets where prices aren’t rounded up to the nearest baht, which is the convention elsewhere.

Paper currency is issued in the following denominations: 20B (green), 50B (blue), 100B (red), 500B (purple) and 1000B (beige). In the 1990s, the 10B bills were phased out in favour of the 10B coin but occasionally you might encounter a paper survivor.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Useful Websites:

GETTING FIT

Please be sure to provide complete, accurate, and up-to-date information about your health & fitness level and keep us updated if there are changes. Wild Women Expeditions trips travel to remote areas where limited or no sophisticated medical facilities exist.

A medical emergency situation is extremely unlikely; however, should it arise we need to be prepared with the necessary information to help you.

Important Note: If you choose not to disclose a condition, infirmity, injury, or ailment herein and are subsequently deemed to be unfit for expedition travel due in whole or in part to such condition, infirmity, injury or ailment, Wild Women Expeditions guides, and partners shall have the right to remove you from the trip with no refund or compensation payable. Any evacuation expenses incurred are payable by the evacuee via their medical travel insurance or personal expense. Generally, our expeditions are intended for travelers in reasonably good health for their safety, along with that of their fellow travelers.

Tips:

You don't have to be a professional athlete to enjoy your Wild Women expedition. Not by a long shot! You'll be surprised at what you can achieve with our experienced guides at your side and a little camaraderie.

That said, you’ll definitely enjoy yourself far more if you do some preparation so your body is conditioned and ready to enjoy and make the most of the outdoors.

Here are a few ideas to help you get ready:

Take every opportunity you can to be active.

You can improve your fitness a lot just by adopting some new habits; take the stairs at work, go for a walk at lunchtime, park your car away from work and walk. Aim for 30 minutes a day and keep a diary so you can look back on it and feel proud. These may sound trivial but they’re all building blocks!

Rev up your ticker!

Think ‘interval training’, which means doing short bursts of high intensity work with recovery time in between. Depending on how fit you are this can mean strolling with bursts of power walking, or jogging with sprints. Either way the aim is to get your heart rate up.

Join a local walking or running group.

This is a great way to get fit and you’ll also see new places, meet great people… and make them all jealous when they find out what you’re about to go on your travels.

Hill training.

The most spectacular views aren’t from the bottom of a valley – so the places we go on our trips aren’t flat. A little time training on hills and stairs is an investment that’ll pay off big-time when you’re on your trip. When it comes to hills there’s no hurry – get into a slow steady rhythm and you’ll be at the top before you know it.

Warm up, cool down and stretch.

If you’re doing a workout then make sure you start and finish gently and stretch any tight muscles – this will help you avoid any aches, pains and pulled muscles. If you’re a member of a gym try some yoga, tai chi or pilates classes to build up your flexibility, stability and balance.

Break in your hiking boots.

Blisters and sore feet are no fun at all! So make sure that while you’re getting yourself ready you’re doing the same for your boots. Start by just wearing them around the house, then down the road, and walking the dog. Then ideally do a couple of decent length weekend hikes to prepare them for what is to come.

Hydration.

When you suddenly ask your body to walk or be active, it needs a bit more fuel than it needs when, say, sitting at a desk all day! The main thing your body needs is water, so stay hydrated and practice sipping water often. Getting a water bottle or hydration bladder is a great way to make sure you have it on hand at all times. Make a habit out of taking a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

Nutrition.

Eating little and often will keep your body well fuelled for outdoor exercise, especially food like nuts, dried fruit and bread. The odd bit of chocolate and a few boiled lollies are good for keeping your blood sugar levels up while you’re hiking as well!

Have fun!

The most important point of all! You are about to embark on the trip of a lifetime. You’re going to meet some amazing people, see some wonderful places and create memories that will stay with you for life. The more prepared you are to tackle the various challenges, the more fun you will have. Also, with all the endorphins you create from all this training, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear! It’s a great way to boost your happy vibes.

GENERAL FAQ'S

For general Wild Women Expeditions FAQs please click [HERE].