Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand: Environmental Conservation, Education & Elephant Trekking

There were a lot of highlights of this trip but the first thing that sticks out for me is all the connections I've made. I met some of the best people ever and made friends that honestly feel like family now! Other than that I loved learning about the culture and religion as well as the ways of the beautiful Thai people like the traditional bamboo rafting, visiting temples, meditating with a monk, basket and Karen weaving, partaking in the Baisi ceremony, and so much more! It felt incredible to be completely immersed in this amazing culture and welcomed by everyone with open arms, all the while having incredible guides that made the whole experience all the better! Of course I can't forget about all the laughs and the energy on the perm plot and the high fives and little but amazing steps of progress in the classrooms! One last thing that will stick with me is all of the small moments that one might not pay too much attention to like playing cards with my friends during the breaks, P'Nicky bringing us roti every night, the truck rides with the speakers, etc. Never forget about the small things in life!
Despite a hiccup during the trip that could have been avoided by HQ but that the guides handled nicely, this has been an unforgettable experience!
The main thing I'd say to someone that is considering to go on this trip is: don't hesitate! If you're thinking of going on this GIVE trip, do it! It was the best decision I've ever made and could only encourage other people to make that same decision! It has been amazing to see, now that I am home, how much this trip has truly changed me! It's something that cannot be put into words but must be experienced to be understood and that is the reason why I hope whoever is reading this, takes that leap of faith and just goes for it! If you go into this trip with simply an open mind, it will be the best experience ever, just trust it!

This trip was full of once in a lifetime experiences and opportunities you would never get if traveling on your own to thailand. the country’s as beautiful and the people were even more beautiful. The price for the trip itself was a little high but looking back, if i booked this trip not through GIVE i wouldn’t get the same experiences. because of GIVE i was able to be fully immersed into the thai culture and their traditions. i was able to live in their shoes for a short little bit. my views on life and how i want to live my life is forever impacted.

I think about this trip every single day. Perfect combination of cultural learning and immersion, volunteering, excursions, and vacation! I fell head over heels in love with Thailand and all of the people. I went completely alone not knowing anyone in my group and left with lifelong friends I still keep in touch with 4 years later. I couldn’t study abroad so looked into GIVE over winter break and recommend it to EVERYONE! Highlights included teaching in the school, 5am walks to look for elephants, ziplining through the trees, and celebrating New Years with the community.

There is not a day that goes by where I don't think about my GIVE trip! This was my first time traveling on my own, and my first time out of the country, so my parents and family were skeptical about letting me go. However, from day one GIVE was clear and informative of everything from expenses, to safety, and their mission. The guides provide materials to prepare volunteers for their trip well in advance and are supportive throughout the entire process. My favorite part of the entire experience was getting to meet the locals and other volunteers. I am so thankful to have been able to work, learn, laugh, and dance with some of the most incredible humans. Never did I imagine that a group of strangers would feel like a second family in such a short time!

This trip was one of the best two weeks that I have experienced. It completely blew away my expectations, between the people, the food, and the culture. Everything we did on this trip and were apart of in some way helped the local community. Our group helped in spreading our wealth & resources by visiting many different villages and getting the opportunity to learn about the different cultures and the things that they spend their time on (basket weaving, weaving clothes, etc.), while feeling totally apart of their community. As individuals, we learned the importance of voting with your dollar and supported many local villages around Chiang Mai. In our volunteer work, we were able to work in the schools in Muang Khong and teach the kids English, which was just as impactful on me as it was on them. Working on the permaculture sites also opened my eyes to how hard working and driven everyone is to be as self- sustainable as possible, and being so passionate about everything that they do, no matter how difficult it may be. We were also able to trek for elephants and hang out with them, while learning about responsible elephant tourism and the importance of it. This trip was a very positive experience and changed my outlook of what it means to me to be a global citizen.

This trip was truly an adventure of a lifetime! The guides were fun, informative, caring, and did their absolute best at making sure everyone was having a fun and fulfilling experience. The views and adventures were amazing! Caving and rafting down the river were a couple of my favorite experiences. Getting to interact with the locals, learn skills from them, and experience their culture first-hand is a very special aspect of this trip. Hearing a school teacher talk about his appreciation for GIVE's work in his community is something that really impacted me and I will remember forever. Being able to support such amazing communities in Northern Thailand was such a fulfilling and humbling experience that I would recommend to anyone!

Wow! Coolest and most different experience of my life. Very adventurous, culturally immersive, and on the move. Reach villages you would never get to traveling on your own. So many incredible aspects of the trip including teaching English to elementary school kids, assisting with permaculture on an organic farm, hiking, caving, interacting with elephants, completing crafts with women in the villages, etc. GIVE is an incredible organization that travels responsibility and does a great job explaining their intentions and the behind-the-scene details of everything on the itinerary. Everyone who goes on these trips has an adventurous and giving heart, which leaves everyone bound to bond. I learned so much about Thailand, myself, and the world on this trip and would go back in a heart beat. Would recommend to anyone and everyone!

I first heard about this program sitting in class by a random loud kid running in and talking about elephants. As someone who adores elephants I was immediately intrigued by the idea and make it my goal to go on this trip to pursue my dream of seeing elephants. I had heard good things from other students in my school who also attended this trip but at the time i didn't know that after two weeks my life would do a 180. With this trip I was able to fully emerge myself in Thai culture with the locals. Each local I met and talked now holds a special place in my heart. Apart from learning a new culture first hand, I've made friends that will last a lifetime as well as unforgettable memories. I honestly recommend to just jump right into this trip and don't look back. you wont regret it.