SE Asia Package

Southeast Asia Package

28 Days, Save $500

Travel to Thailand before your Laos Excursion & experience two countries on one unforgettable journey!

Experience Thailand, the gateway to SE Asia, before crossing over the border into Laos, the best-kept secret in SE Asia.  In Thailand, you will travel from the ancient temples and buzzing markets of Chiang Mai to the rolling green hills of Muang Khong to trek with Asian elephants, bamboo raft through the jungle, bungee jump 160-feet, and empower rural communities every step of the way!  Join GIVE’s SE Asia Package to expand your positive impact and experience everything this beautiful and fascinating region of the world has to offer.

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“GIVE has 100% changed my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. This summer I went on the Thailand and Laos joint package with original plans of only staying in Thailand. After a week, I was influenced so much by everything I had been learning and experiencing that I could not help myself but to extend my trip to add on the Laos package. BEST DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE HANDS DOWN. I never would have imagined that a trip of only just one month would teach me more than my whole life has taught me up until this day. From all the volunteer work, to the culturally immersive activities, and to just spending time with the village people, this trip has shown me what it truly means to be a global citizen and to enact positive change anywhere in the world. This trip has taught me so many lessons about family, economic status in different countries, social issues, and the world as a whole. I look at life and the world through a brand new set of eyes, eyes that now have shown me where my true priorities lie, eyes that have shown me what my potential is in this world, and eyes that have shown me how much love I have inside of me to give to others. This trip taught me the importance of being yourself, truly striving for what you believe in, and the power of friendship and like-minded ideas. I have not laughed more, cried more, and felt more love and appreciation than I have this past month, in my whole life. I highly recommend to everyone who reads this, please go on this adventure of a lifetime. You will thank yourself for it, your family will thank you for it, and this world will one day truly feel your passions that this trip will ignite.”

Rob Sosa, SE Asia Package 2017

Why Combine GIVE’s Thailand & Laos Excursions?

Aside from saving $500 and experiencing two unique countries in one incredible journey…

You have to see the elephants

No trip to Southeast Asia is complete without seeing the region’s most symbolic and iconic species, the Asian Elephant.  Spend 2 full days interacting with these incredible creatures in their natural habitat, while supporting critical elephant conservation initiatives.

Thailand is the gateway to Southeast Asia

These trips were designed to be experienced together. Thailand provides the perfect introduction to the culture, history, landscape and environment of this fascinating region of the world, while Laos (aka Thailand 2.0) elevates your experience to new heights.

Don’t miss the first half of the adventure

Nearly all of your fellow volunteers will arrive in Laos after spending two life-changing weeks together in Thailand. Don’t miss out on their inside jokes and epic stories from the Land of Smiles, spend the full 4 weeks with your GIVE family in Thailand and Laos.

Thailand Itinerary

Here’s a glimpse of all that awaits you in Thailand

Track elephants in the jungle | Take the ultimate leap of faith on a 160-foot bungee jump | Embark on a multi-day bamboo rafting journey | Teach English to local children | Plant the seeds of change on our permaculture project | Immerse yourself in unique hill-tribe cultures

Trip Overview | Volunteer Projects | Adventure

Day 1

Trip Commencement: Group arrives in Chiang Mai. After a warm welcome and orientation from your GIVE guides, the evening is free to explore the city, try out some amazing Thai cuisine and get to know your fellow volunteers!

Day 2

After breakfast, we’ll dive in to the details of the journey ahead, learn more about Thai culture and then take an introductory Thai language lesson! After the Thai lesson, we’ll travel to a Buddhist Temple to learn about the history of Chiang Mai and the Lanna Kingdom, the basic principles of Buddhism and some interesting facts about Thai culture.

In the afternoon, we’ll volunteer with Chiang Mai University’s Forest Restoration and Research Unit (FORRU), helping with anything from tree planting, seed germination, seedling potting & care, seed collection, weeding and fertilizing at one of their tree nurseries or reforestation plots. That evening, we’ll take a tuk-tuk taxi to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar to sample some world-famous Thai street food and scope out souvenirs!

Day 3

After breakfast, we’ll take a 4-hour drive north through dense jungles and limestone mountains towards our home for the next week – the hill-tribe villages of Muang Khong. After settling into your bungalows, we’ll meet as a group to discuss all the groundbreaking volunteer projects in store for the coming days.

Days 4-10

Volunteering in Muang Khong: After breakfast, we’ll begin work on our English education, sustainable agriculture and reforestation projects. Volunteer until lunchtime and then break for a couple hours before returning to the project site for the rest of the afternoon.  In the late afternoon, we’ll head out on a variety of adventure and cultural immersion activities before dinner: Thai cooking and language lessons, hiking to panoramic viewpoints, learning to make local handicrafts, trekking through limestone caves, helping farmers prepare their rice paddies, playing sports with locals and exploring nearby villages!

Day 11

Strap in for a 4×4 adventure through the jungle on our way to the Karen hill-tribe village of Ba Kao Lam, home to three elephants we’ll be interacting with the next day – Pooh Noi, Mae Boon Sri and Mae Boon Yeun. That afternoon we’ll learn how to build bamboo rafts with our local guides!

Day 12

Spend the morning interacting with the most revered creatures in SE Asia – Asian elephants.  Support this incredible species in Thailand as a responsible traveler, tracking the elephants through the jungle alongside their mahouts (elephant whisperers), bathing them in the river, feeding them healthy herbal supplements, and learning how your ethical elephant experience is directly supporting Asian elephant conservation. On day 12, we’ll embark on a bamboo-rafting journey down the Mae Tang River towards the remote Lahu Village of Pong Ngan. There we’ll celebrate one final night in the jungle, sharing a barbecue dinner with locals and learning traditional dances around the bonfire!

Day 13

Our bamboo-rafting journey culminates with the fastest rapids and best views yet.  Strap in and enjoy the ride or grab a pole and help steer us towards our final adventure in Thailand… A 160-foot BUNGEE JUMP! (Or drift karts and zorbing if heights aren’t your thing.) After that it’s back to Chiang Mai for one final night of reflection and celebration.

Day 14

Trip End: All good things must come to an end.  Soak up your last few hours in Thailand before heading home, OR add-on GIVE’s Laos Volunteer Program to round out your SE Asia experience!

Dates & Fees

What’s Included

  • All accommodations within SE Asia, which have access to basic amenities and security
  • All group transportation within SE Asia
  • All meals throughout your trip (country specific exceptions)
  • All of your epic adventure and cultural immersion activities
  • Funding for volunteer projects
  • Drinking water 24/7

What’s Not Included

  • Flights to and from Laos and all associated air taxes, ticket fees, and any country entry and exit taxes.
  • Medical and travelers insurance
  • Passport and visa (specific to your citizenship)
  • Vaccinations (specific to host country)

Ready to start your adventure?