Trekking is one of the most popular outdoor activities enjoyed by visitors of all ages. While trekking you can soothe your mind and spirit in the fresh air and stunning scenery of Thailand’s undiscovered wilds, and get a comprehensive aerobic workout at the same time. Treks can range from a single day’s light excursion to physically challenging adventures of a week or more.

• TAK
  Trails are found in Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary and the western portion of Thung Yai Naresuan, which together with the adjoining Huai Kha Kaeng Wildlife Sanctuary has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Campsites are provided but you must bring your own tent and camping gear. Permits are required for entry into the wildlife sanctuary. These can be obtained at the Umphang Eco tourism Club in Umphang. Pack light for a jungle trek, and bring insect repellent. Most who visit Mae Sot in Tak are determined to see the spectacular Ti Lo Su Waterfall. Tour operators usually offer mountain biking, elephant-back rides, or rafting for part of the long trek, but most of it is done on foot.
• PHITSANULOK-PHETCHABUN
  Both provinces are popular camping and trekking destinations because they contain several national parks between them, each featuring different landscape and flora and fauna. The rocky hills along the border between the two provinces were Communist hideaways in the 1970s. Nowadays an efficient road network links the area with the rest of the country, and nature-lovers flock there for the waterfalls, the fields of wildflowers and butterflies, and the spectacular landscape, which changes with the seasons. Best time to go is October-December for the wildflowers, although any time of the year is suitable for hiking and camping.

Each of the national parks in the area has its own distinct character. Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, 80 kilometres from Phitsanulok on the route to Lomsak, is marked by its open savanna, which blazes with colour during the wildflower season (July-October). Wild animals are often spotted feeding around these fields. Phu Hin Rong Kla, 125 kilometres from Phitsanulok, got its name from the strange-looking rock fields eroded by wind and rains. The park features many hiking trails, most of them leading to beautiful waterfalls.

Nam Nao National Park on the Lomsak-Chum Pae route is one of the top camping destinations in the cool season (November-February), with its picturesque pine forest, caves of stalactites and stalagmites, and dry, cool weather. It is a watershed area andthe source of several rivers in the North and Northeast.

LOEI
The province has long been a favourite destination for nature lovers, most of whom come to scale the famous mesa mountain Phu Kradueng. The other two of Loei’s triple lofty treats are Phu Luang, within whose range lies a wildlife reserve, and Phu Rua. Best time to go is November to April.
Hiking trails on the summit of Phu Kradueng lead through changing landscapes, from flower dotted meadows to pine forests to waterfalls. The mountain is part of a national park and a natural habitat for rare orchids, birds and wildlife including the tailed turtle, or Tao Pulu. Phu Luang, nicknamed “Emerald of the Northeast” is known for its biodiversity. A wide array of wild orchids, ferns and wildflowers make hiking along its trails a delight. Phu Rua, or Mount Boat, is marked by a landscape of sandstone cliffs and oddly shaped formations created by wind and rains. The hiking trails are relatively easy. From the peak, you have a view of the Mekong, a natural border between Thailand and Laos.

NAKHON RATCHASIMA
Khao Yai, or “Big Mountain”, sprawls over parts of Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachin Buri and Nakhon Nayok. It is the most popular national park in the country, attracting one million visitors a year with its scenic beauty and abundant plant and wildlife. Khao Yai has four vegetation zones, spanning elevation from 100 metres to more than 1,400 metres: evergreen rainforest, semi-evergreen, mixed deciduous and hill evergreen forest.
It is also home to a large array of birds and animals. Any time of the year is suitable for visiting. Fifty trails follow the migratory paths of wildlife to beautiful waterfalls. Commonly spotted animals include gibbons, langurs, deer, and monkeys. You can join a night time safari in which rangers shine spotlight onto night feeding herds, making them easier to spot.

KANCHANABURI
Home to a large ethnic population, including the Mon, Karen and Burmese, who have long settled in the border towns of Sangkhlaburi and Thong Pha Phum. Most tour operators in Kanchanaburi offer trips to these areas that combine culture and adventure in one easily accessible package. Some of the best hiking trails are in three national parks: Saiyok in Saiyok District and Erawan and Chaler Rattanakosin in Srisawat District.

SURAT THANI
Khao Sok in western Surat Thani and the adjoining Khlong Sean Wildlife Sanctuary provide a home for tigers, clouded leopards, Malaysian sun bears, elephants, gaur and many other rare species. The park has hiking trails leading to caves and waterfalls surrounded by virgin forest. Hiking is also popular on coconut grove- dotted Samui and Ang Thong Archipelago’s Mae Ko, which has a lake at its centre. A number of tour operators on Samui specialise in trekking on both Samui and the main islands of Ang Thong Archipelago.

NAKHON SI THAMMARAT
Most of the activities are centred on Khao Luang National Park, which contains the highest peak in the South, Khao Luang. The area owes a lot of its new found international fame to the people of Khiriwong village, who led the way in community-based eco-tourism. The hike to Khao Luang (1,835 metres above sea level) starts at Khiriwong village at the foot of the mountain and takes about two days.
The trail spans four vegetation zones and leads through the natural habitat of numerous species including, Malaysian black bear, tigers, elephants, leopards and 200 species of bird, plus turtles, lizards and insects. Khiriwong Village’s Eco-tourism Club offers biking tours of Suan Somrom, or fruit orchards that are grown in the forest alongside indigenous trees. This innovative and eco-friendly growing method is unique to the village. Local tour operators offer treks that comprise rafting down Khlong Klai, which forms the northern border of the park, and elephant riding through surrounding forest.

CHIANG MAI
The best trails are found in Doi Inthanon National Park where over 360 bird species, spectacular butterflies, wildlife, orchids and other distinct flora vie for the hiker’s attention. Within the national park, there are beautiful Siriphum and Chedi waterfalls. The Army Pack Division Headquarters on Chotana Road in Mae Rim District offers camping trips and horseback riding along with basic jungle survival skills training. Contact +66 5329 7478 ext 205.

Treks to suit your requirements are easily arranged through many private operators and government organisations. A trek can range from a light walk in the woods to a gruelling physical challenge. Assess your objectives and level of fitness before booking a trek that is right for you.

Safety and medical considerations are important if you are trekking in the wild, as a simple sprain can be a real problem if you are a long way from civilisation. Your trek organiser should have contingency plans and first aid for any unforeseen problems.

Proper equipment is necessary for trekking. Good shoes or boots are a must. Your trek organiser will probably provide backpacks, but make sure you have adequate warm and comfortable clothing, proof against insect bites, and a hat and UV block against the sun.

When exercising in tropical climates, it is recommended to drink up to five litres of water a day.

The Royal Thai Army has opened up its hitherto off-limits training camps to visitors, offering both sporting activities such as riding, golf, and sharp-shooting, and adventurous activities modelled on military basis training.

Activities including rock climbing, jungle trekking and survival courses are available at the units listed here.  All are supervised by qualified and experienced Army men. Participants must be physically fit. Fees vary but arrangements must be made in advance.

For more information, contact the Royal Thai Army’s Tourism Promotion Working Committee.

Tel: 0 2297 5715-8. Fax: 0 2682 8702.

• Aphai Borirak Camp

Sri Nakharin Sub-district, Phattalung
Tel: 0 7461 1641

Activities: Obstacle course modelled on Reserve Officers Training Course and comprising 12 stations. For groups of 100 or more.

• Army Pack Division Ban Don Kaew

Mae Rim District, Chiang MaiZ
Tel: 0 5329 7478

Activities: Hiking and camping for covered on foot and on mule and horseback. Food and lodgings (bungalow or tent) are provided for a small fee.

• Army Special Warfare

Training Centre Muang District, Lop Buri
Tel: 0 3641 2192

Activities: Military-style jungle trekking for groups of 30-60. Tower jump from 34 feet for groups of 30 or more. Parachute from balloon. Jungle survival demonstration, for groups of 30 or more. Pistol shooting course.

• Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy

Khao Cha-ngok, Nakhon Nayok
Tel: 0 3739 3010-4 ext 62960-1

Activities: Bike tour, inland canoeing, hiking and camping, rock and artificial cliff climbing. Food and accommodation (barracks type to air-conditioned suites) provided at reasonable rates.

• Ekathotsarot Camp

Muang District, Phitsanulok
Tel: 0 5524 5046-51 ext 3650

Activities: Tower jump from 34 feet.

• Ingkayuth Boriharn Camp

Nong Jik District, Pattani Tel: 0 7343 1434, 0 7343 1443, 0734 3339 ext 4311

Activities: Tower jump from 34 feet. For groups of 15 or more. Make reservation at least a day ahead.

• Khao Chon Kai Military Training Camp

Khao Chon Kai, Kanchanaburi
Tel: 0 3458 9237

Activities: Walk rally, tower jump, camping, jungle survival demonstration, for groups of 30 or more.

• Mengrai Maharaj Camp

Muang District, Chiang Rai Tel: 0 5374 4218

Activities: Tower jump from 34 feet. For groups of 100 or more.

• Navamindrajini Camp

Ban Suan, Muang District, Chon Buri
Tel: 0 3828 6881

Activities: Military-style jungle trekking. Pistol shooting course.

• Pratu Pha Special Warfare Training Camp

40 Moo 4, Ban Dong, Mae Moh District,
Lampang. Tel: 0 5322 5941-2 ext 3387

Activities: One-day and two-day military-style jungle trek. Hiking to a limestone cliff with the largest collection of prehistoric paintings ever discovered in Thailand, believed to be 3,000-5,000 years old.  Transfers to and from Lampang train station available.

• Sri Song Rak Camp

Muang District, Loei
Tel: 0 4281 1939-41 ext 2152

Activities: Tower jumping from 34 feet.

• Sichon Special Warfare Training Camp

Sichon District, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Tel: 0 531 2739

Activities: Soft adventure programme consisting of tower jumping, artificial cliff scaling, jungle survival training, firearm training, obstacle course, jungle trekking and camp fire.

Thailand has 96 national parks, 100 wildlife and non-hunting sanctuaries and 65 forest parks, which together make up a full 13 percent of land area. The park system, managed by the Royal Forestry Department, provides the visitor with easy access to the country’s nature reserves, from the mountain pine forests of the North to the southern rainforests to the spectacular coral and marine life off both coasts.

Some of the wildlife and non-hunting sanctuaries adjoin one another. Most of the parks are accessible by road, offer simple accommodation and charge a small admission fee. In the larger ones such as Khao Yai, rangers can be hired as guides for long treks. Wildlife sanctuaries are not tourism areas, however, so visitors must bring food and camping gear and observe the no disturbance rules set up to protect the animals.

• Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi

In the South, the narrow, peninsula province of Prachuab Khiri Khan and its neighbour Phetchaburi offer an attractive mountain and sea combination. Within their parameter, they contain the twin beach resorts of Hua Hin and Cha-am, and two large havens for wildlife, Sam Roi Yot and Kaeng Krachan National Parks. Sam Roi Yot (Three-Hundred Peaks) National Park has sandy beaches, caves and mangrove forests and provides a home for 300 species of birds. Kaeng Krachan is the largest national park. Its birdlife includes 250 species, among them the great hornbill and the grey peacock. Kaeng Krachan also offers abundant hiking delights — wildlife, birds, lush jungle — along the trail to Tho Tip Waterfall, which takes about three hours.

• Nakhon Ratchasima

Khao Yai is a major bird-watching hub, being home to rare species including all four species of hornbill: the great, wreathed, oriental pied and brown.

• Chiang Mai

This northern capital is an important bird-watching destination. Doi Inthanon, the highest peak in Thailand at 2,565 metres above sea level, forms the southernly end of the Himalayan range and provides a home for 364 species of birds, many of them not seen elsewhere in the country. The best time for bird-watching is from November to February.

Clubs like the Thailand Rock Climbing Federation

(Tel: 0 2373 8725, 0 2729 4773), and the Bangkok Rock Climbing Club (Tel: 0 2434 6100, 02435 5797) can furnish you with details of climb sites wherever you are travelling in the kingdom, including artificial practice walls in Bangkok.

Some of the best locations for rock climbing are in the central regions near Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani Province, or in the spectacular limestone mountains that run through Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

On the East Coast and easily accessible from Bangkok are sites in Chon Buri. The spectacular coastal cliffs of Railay Beach in Krabi are the climbing focus of the South, with further pitches to be found on some of the islands.

Climbing is a technical sport. You should not go alone, especially if you are a beginner. The discipline is safe if you use first-class equipment, go with an experienced guide and teacher who shows you how to practice safe climbing, and if you follow safety procedures. As well as safety issues related to climbing, make sure you protect yourself from the sun. It is easy to get burned if you are on an exposed rock for long periods. Sunblock is essential.

Jungle safaris
Exploiting a road network that reaches into valleys and penetrates deep into forests, four-wheel-drive cars have opened a fun, fascinating world of adventure. Rather than take days to reach a remote waterfall or village, it now takes just hours. The beneficiaries are the very young and the old, who now can explore every corner of the Kingdom with ease. But by bundling a range of activities into a single tour, a jungle safari by car also suits people on tight schedules.

1. In the North, jungle safaris are especially popular. With a vehicle to speed you along, all it takes is two days to explore jungle trails on elephant back, experience a night in a hilltribe village, and bamboo-raft down river. Journeys on whichever form of transport are short, saving you time and energy. Tour operators in Pai, Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai offer jungle safaris.
2. Also in the North, a stripped down version of a safari sees Land Rovers taking to dirt roads between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son (5 days/4 nights), as well as between Chiang Mai and Ken Thun in Myanmar (3 days/2 nights). Accommodation is in forest lodges or basic hotels. The south of Thailand has an abundance of natural treasures, from the sandy white beaches of Phuket to the perfect-for-snorkelling seas of Krabi to the pristine forests of Khao Soke National Park. Here too four-wheel-drive cars transport you from the five-star hotel lobby into a world of staggering natural beauty.
3. A typical safari in the South sets out from Phuket and takes in the island’s elephant camp, the Khao Soke National Park, and the beaches of Phang-nga Bay, Krabi. In 48 hours you will have ridden an elephant, canoed in rainforest and relaxed on the finest beaches in Asia.
4. At Khao Yai National Park in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, pick-ups transport nature lovers on a jungle safari like no other. Night is the best time to observe wildlife, and it’s then when the trucks head out. At salt licks you might spot any one of the hundreds of animals present in the park, even a tiger if you are lucky.

Off road driving
The Tourist Authority of Thailand runs car caravans to neighbouring countries. Consisting of groups of four-wheel drive cars, caravans set off from Bangkok heading into the Thai countryside, before crossing overland into Laos, Cambodia or China. Roads are challenging, frequently unsealed and forge through steep mountain passes.
This is true adventure — the rewards found in the beauty of landscapes crossed and cultures experienced.

Past caravans have driven to Siem Reap (the location for Angkor Wat) in Cambodia, and to Luang Prabang, a Unesco World Heritage site in Laos.

For details of future trips, contact TAT (+66 2694 1222 ext 1521) or co-organiser, Indochina Caravan (+66 2377 5370-2).