A Journey Through Thailand’s Spectacular National Parks
Thailand’s national parks are packed with unbelievable natural beauty – and provide habitat for rare and beguiling wildlife. Over ten unforgettable days, you’ll traverse several vast and varied parks. Take guided drives, nature walks and nighttime treks through landscapes with grasslands, rainforest and limestone mountains. Keep an eye out for wildlife, including Asian elephants, as you go.
Highlights
- Observe Asian elephants in their natural habitat at Kui Buri
- Learn about the intricacies of each national park's wildlife on guided jungle treks
- Explore coves and karst formations at Thailand’s first coastal national park
- See the dramatic, 20-metre cascade of Heow Suwat Waterfall
- Learn about conservation efforts and heritage crafts in a rural village
- Go rafting past ancient rainforest in Khao Sok National Park
Our bespoke trips include
We design one-of-a-kind journeys incorporating luxury in all its forms. Our bespoke trips include:
- Luxury accommodation throughout
- Privately guided tours
- Private transfers
- Meticulously selected experiences
- Expertise and support from your Jacada Concierge
Itinerary in detail
Days 1–4
Wildlife spotting at Khao Yai National Park
Thailand’s oldest national park, Khao Yai is part of a vast UNESCO-protected forest that stretches to the border with Cambodia.
Hiking paths run through a landscape that encompasses limestone mountains, waterfalls and five distinct types of forest, each habitat for equally diverse wildlife. On guided walks and expert-led drives, you’ll visit during the day and after dark for the best chance of spotting Asian elephants and other wildlife.
Look for white-handed and pileated gibbons and four species of hornbill. Scour the ground for fighting giant stag beetles, found only here. And listen for the distinctive, coarse cry of muntjac, also known as barking deer.
The park also provides crucial habitat for endangered Indochinese tigers. Though rarely spotted, you can learn about conservation efforts from experts on the ground.
Make it mine
Night safari
Winery tour
Nong Phug She Tower
A guided night safari
Many of the park’s resident species only emerge at night, while others become more active at dusk. On this ranger-led tour, you’ll travel out on a truck equipped with a spotlight. You could see elephants and deer, along with more diminutive animals like small Indian civets, Javan porcupines and endemic lizards.
A wine tour and tasting at PB Valley
PB Valley is the largest winery in the Khao Yai Wine Region. Take a guided walk around the vineyard, surrounded by mountains, and see orchards growing passionfruit and dragon fruit. You’ll also taste a selection of wines from the estate, dedicated to growing grapes for chenin blanc, cabernet sauvignon and tempranillo.
A scenic jungle hike
Take a scenic guided hike to the heart of the park, where Nong Phug She Tower overlooks grasslands and Nong Phug She Pond. It was built for spotting wildlife such as deer and wild boar, and during the dry season, you’ll have the chance to spot elephants visiting the salt licks nearby. Afterwards, you’ll visit Heow Suwat Waterfall, whose 20-metre cascade featured in Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach in 2000.
Days 4–7
Observe wild elephants in Kui Buri National Park
Kui Buri National Park is considered among Thailand’s best places to see Asian elephants in the wild. Up to 300 of the majestic mammals roam this vast, mountainous park. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to observe them in their natural habitat, with guided drives taking you to spots where they’re frequently seen foraging bamboo, pineapples and forest plants.
The park, in southwestern Thailand, blends evergreen forests, open grasslands and the hills of the Tenasserim Mountain Range. It’s also known for its population of gaurs – native wild cattle also known as Indian bison – Malayan tapirs, golden jackals and elusive leopards and tigers.
Kui Buri also has more than 250 reported species of birds. Scour trunks and branches for brown fish owls, red-bearded bee-eaters and spectacled spiderhunters – each as fascinating as their names suggest.
Discover more
Village visit
Coastal park
Visit the Kui Buri community village
You’ll visit Kui Buri community village to meet the locals, who run initiatives such as guided safaris, and make and sell crafts. During this hands-on visit, you’ll learn how to make paper from pineapple, watch a rubber-tapping demonstration and learn how to prepare lunch from the villagers. Head back into the park for more elephant spotting to round out your experience.
A visit to Sam Roi Yod National Park
Thailand’s first coastal national park is known as ‘the mountain with 300 peaks’ thanks to its dramatic karst formations. The coastline is a tangle of beaches, coves, wetlands and mangrove forests. Spend time at Bang-Pu fishing village before a boat ride to Phraya Nakhon Cave. Enter its vast chamber to see stalagmites and an 1890-built royal pavilion.
Days 7–10
Ethereal landscapes in Khao Sok National Park
It’s hard to know where to look in Khao Sok National Park, in southern Thailand. Limestone mountains rise steeply over swathes of evergreen rainforest – believed to be the world’s oldest. Smaller, tree-clad karst formations pierce the surface of Cheow Larn Lake, whose water can appear emerald or deep turquoise depending on the light. The overall effect is almost overwhelmingly beautiful.
The park’s biodiverse landscapes provide habitat to equally fantastical fauna and flora, too. With options for jungle trekking and night safaris, you’ll have ample opportunities to see elephants, tapirs, great hornbills and gibbons. Rare resident animals include Malayan sun bears and lesser mouse deer, thought to be the smallest hoofed animal.
Plantlife here includes carnivorous pitcher plants (occasionally known to consume small mammals) and hundreds of orchid species. And you might see – and smell – rafflesias, the world’s largest flowers. Their potent scent has earned them the nickname ‘stinking corpse lilies’.
Where you could stay
Thanyamundra Organic Resort
Into the wild
Night safari
Jungle trek
Bamboo rafting
A night-time walking safari
After dark, Khao Sok comes alive with nocturnal wildlife, creating a wholly different experience to visiting during the day. On this trek through the rainforest, your knowledgeable guide will point out tree frogs, snakes and insects like enormous atlas moths, as well as more than 30 species of bats. If you’re lucky, you might see a flying squirrel soar overhead, or see a civet moving between the branches.
Guided jungle trekking
Explore the park’s diverse landscapes on foot, with a guided trek through the jungle. You might spot monkeys like macaques, gibbons and spectacled langurs along the route, while your guide will point out endemic insects and birds. You’ll stop for a picnic, prepared with local ingredients, and an optional river swim.
Gentle river rafting on the Sok River
The Sok River flows through the park and into Cheow Larn Lake. Accompanied by local expert guides, you’ll explore its incredible surroundings with a ride on a bamboo raft. Pass densely forested valleys and limestone peaks swirled i. Stop for coffee, brewed with water heated in bamboo stalks over an open fire.
Kirsty and Symmone did a wonderful job planning our 9-night journey through Northern Italy! Everything went flawlessly! Hotel and restaurant recommendations were on point. All tours were fun, unique, and informative. All guides were experts in their respective fields. Can’t wait to travel with Jacada again!
Why book with Jacada
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your personal interests, tastes and preferences, providing honest advice based on first-hand knowledge.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant Concierges are hand-picked for their ability to bring your destination to life with care and passion.
Positive Impact
We seek out unforgettable experiences that benefit both local communities and the environment.
