Northern Thailand is where the temples and the jungle sit twenty minutes apart. We'll spend our mornings in the walled old city, our evenings eating our way through the night markets, and our days out in the hills — with the elephants, on a coffee farm, and up to our knees in a rice paddy.
A chef takes you round the market and then teaches you to cook a full Thai meal from scratch. Buddhist monks at a temple university show you how to meditate, share lunch with you, and answer anything you care to ask. You feed elephants by hand and help wash them down in the river, roast your own coffee over a fire on a mountain farm, and plant rice alongside the family who farm it.
A dream trip to Thailand, specifically curated for high-functioning young adults with Autism, Anxiety & ADHD (diagnosed or not). We'll stay in the quiet corner of the old city so we can throw ourselves at everything Chiang Mai has, but also get plenty of time to decompress and chill.
Feed them by hand, walk with them through the hills, and help wash them down in the river
Pick your ingredients at the market with a chef, pound your own curry paste, then cook a full Thai meal and eat it
Sit down with Buddhist monks at a temple university, learn to meditate, share lunch and ask them anything you want
Plant rice in a real paddy on a working family farm, then feed the water buffalo by hand and wash them in the river
A mile of food carts, street musicians and handmade everything, running right through the middle of the old city
Pick coffee cherries on a mountain farm, roast the beans yourself over a fire, then brew and drink what you made
Trip price, per person
$6,250
Pay a deposit of $1,250 (20%) to secure your place, then the balance in 7 monthly payments of $714.28, with $714.32 as the final payment, finishing 60 days before departure.Adding the optional Stateside Hosted Departure Package (round-trip flights from LAX and full arrival support) brings the total to $9,050.
Arrival day. Chiang Mai's airport is ten minutes from our front door, so you'll be putting your bag down almost as soon as you land. We'll get everyone settled, then eat together at the house. Nothing else is asked of you today.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Your first morning starts at a Thai produce market with a chef, walking the aisles and learning what everything is — the herbs, the chilies, the six kinds of basil, the fruit you've never seen before. You'll pick out what you need for the day.
Then to the cooking school, where you'll pound your own curry paste in a stone mortar, cook a full Thai meal from scratch, and sit down and eat what you made. Most people leave able to cook two or three dishes properly for the rest of their lives.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Today we spend the day at Wat Suan Dok, a 650-year-old temple that is also home to a Buddhist university. The monks here run a program specifically for visitors who want to understand what they actually do and believe, and it's taught entirely in English.
The day runs from an introduction to Buddhism through sitting and walking meditation, a shared lunch, and an open discussion in the afternoon where you can ask the monks anything you like. People usually arrive expecting something solemn and leave having laughed a lot. You can participate as much or as little as you want — sitting quietly is a completely normal way to spend the day.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Out to a working family farm in the countryside. You'll change into traditional farmer's clothes and boots, cut grass and feed it to the water buffalo by hand, then help wash them down in the water. After that, into the paddy — learning to lift rice seedlings from the nursery bed, knock the mud off them the way it's been done for centuries, and plant them yourself. Late June is planting season, so this is the real thing rather than a demonstration.
Lunch is on the farm: green curry, a herbal drink and mango sticky rice. Back to the house mid-afternoon.
In the evening, the Wualai Saturday market — a long street of silver workshops, food carts and live music, ten minutes from the front door.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Nothing scheduled. The house has a pool, a games table and a garden, and a Thai massage runs about seven dollars an hour if you'd rather go and get one. Sleep in. Read. Play cards. Do your laundry.
Then in the evening, the Sunday Walking Street — Chiang Mai's biggest night of the week. It starts at the end of our road and runs a mile east through the old city: food carts, handmade everything, musicians on every corner. You can dip in for an hour or stay until it closes, and either way you're four minutes from your bed.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Up into the hills above Chiang Mai to a mountain coffee farm. Northern Thailand grows some of the best arabica in Asia and almost nobody outside the country knows it. You'll walk the farm and see how coffee actually grows — it's a fruit, and most people are surprised by that — then get your hands on the whole process.
You'll roast your own beans over a fire, learn to grind and brew properly, and drink what you made. Lunch is cooked on the farm from what's growing around it, and the air up there is cool and clean all day.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
There are more than thirty temples inside the old city walls and they're all different. The enormous half-collapsed brick one at the center, six hundred years old and struck by an earthquake in the 1500s. The tiny teak one beside it, dark and quiet and smelling of wood. The silver one down in Wualai, where the walls and floor are hammered metal. And the golden one at the end of our road, which is the one everyone photographs.
You pick. Your guides will tell you where they're heading and you're welcome to come along or go your own way, on your own time. The whole old city is about a square mile, and by day seven you'll know it. The rest of the day is yours — cafés, the covered day market, the mall over in Nimman, a massage, a swim back at the house.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
The last full day, and the best one. An hour into the hills to a sanctuary where the elephants live in a valley rather than a pen. You'll spend the morning cutting sugarcane and bananas and feeding them by hand — an elephant's trunk in your palm is a thing you don't forget — then walk with the herd down through the trees.
In the afternoon you'll help wash them in the river, which is less a chore than an enormous mud fight in which the elephants are winning.
Back to the house in the evening for our last dinner together, where everyone tells the same story sixteen different ways.
Our private villa, Old City Chiang Mai
Checkout is at 11am, but you can leave your bags at the house for the day. For those on our Stateside Hosted Departure Package we'll travel to the airport together and fly home as a group. For everyone else, the trip concludes at checkout and your guides will help you sort transport and last-minute plans.
N/A - Departure Day
What others are saying about WanderRock trips
"Guides are skilled in leading tours and promoting self-confidence while traveling. Kempf explains that these are groups "comprised of young adults that recognize and accept each other as true peers." He adds that "WanderRock creates unique spaces and life-enriching experiences for those that want to safely step into the unknown."'Read Full Article →
"Kempf and Raede, along with their team of trusted tour guides, have put careful thought into every aspect of each trip. Choosing simple and predictable accommodations means travelers have a safe place to recharge, for example. "The support is the curation," says Kempf."Read Full Article →
Our experienced team brings together decades of expertise in travel, education, and supporting neuro-diverse young adults. With backgrounds in education, international tour guiding, and personal experience navigating the world as neuro-diverse individuals, we build and run these trips ourselves.
Co-Founder / Head of Trip Development
Danny Raede was diagnosed at age 12 with what was then called Asperger's syndrome, as well as ADHD. He is the Executive Director of Offmap, a training and coaching organization for families on the autism spectrum, and co-founded WanderRock. Originally from Santa Barbara, California, Danny now lives in London. He has traveled to 19+ countries across five continents and enjoys making Neapolitan pizza in his spare time.
Co-Founder / Head of Curriculum Development
Ted has been designing programs for neuro-diverse young adults since 2008. With a Masters in Education and extensive travel experience, he brings both academic and practical expertise to our programs.
Lead WanderRock Guide
Eileen brings extensive experience living in Asia and working as a tour guide. She has traveled to 10+ countries and specializes in cultural immersion experiences.
Lead WanderRock Guide
As a neurodiverse individual himself, Shane brings a wealth of international experience, having traveled to dozens of countries across four continents. He specializes in creating authentic cultural experiences and meaningful connections.
Real experiences from recent WanderRock adventures
"This trip to Japan was a masterpiece of an itinerary which provided something that blew me away every single day. Thanks to all of you for caring about me as a person, putting your best foot forward to insure my happiness and giving me experiences unlike anything else that I had ever seen or done."
"The trip I took to Japan with WanderRock was one of the best experiences of my life, I was able to make so many new friends that have similar struggles to me which was so exciting. The guides were great enabling us to experience a new culture which might otherwise be overwhelming, and in a way that made us feel comfortable."
"All the guides were super helpful and friendly and always willing to answer any questions we had on the trip. It was my first time traveling abroad without my parents. My favorite part was Kinosaki I loved the onsens and it was so relaxing and therapeutic.
I also loved all the different foods, I got to try and experience for the first time. It definitely brought out my confidence in myself I know I can do anything I set my mind to. My biggest lesson I learned is that I need to listen to my body whether it be mentally or physically. I also learned that I can travel on my own. I just need to trust myself."
"With my trip with WanderRock to Japan I experienced a sense of inner peace and silence even with autism that I had never had before in my life. I learned to see what's in front of me rather than trying to prepare for the next cataclysmic event that was going to be stressful to me. In my opinion, I was given the right amount of freedom to make my own decisions and the right amount of rules and control to not feel overwhelmed.
Help or support was never far away from me on any of the other individuals traveling with me. I'm the kind of person that struggles making any plans without planning it to death. This was the freedom and safety I needed to truly experience and jump right in. The connections and opportunities I was able to be apart of on my trip in Japan was nothing less then stunning."
"I've always had low self-confidence, and never really held any belief in my capabilities. All of that changed after this trip. This trip gave me a peace of mind about myself I'd never known. I learned what I was capable of when put in an environment that fosters growth and learning, and found a place I felt like I belonged.
I found a new sense of confidence in myself that I don't know if I would've found without going on a trip with WanderRock. If you're on the fence about taking this trip, I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone for it. This trip changed my life for the better, and I'm sure it can change yours too if you let it."
The foundational principles that guide our approach to travel and personal growth
The combination of good stress (from visiting new places, trying new things and the physical act of travel) plus deep restorative rest (from things like meditation, nature, hot tubs, and hanging out with friends) equals growth.
Those who have had more experiences in their life have more contrast, and thus are able to have more perspective about the decisions they make in the world. It's a lot easier to navigate home life once you've had to navigate the challenges of life on the road.
There's only so much that can be done through reading and learning. To get the real knowledge, you need to get out there into the experience of it, experiencing the world with all 5 senses, exploring a foreign town, or meeting new people. There is no replacement for direct, lived experience.
The environments we spend the most time in tend to cause us to act in certain ways. A nice, quiet bedroom with a computer on a desk will promote time spent on that computer. A giant cliff with a waterfall and hiking trails will cause tendencies of hiking.
A transformative journey designed to build confidence, independence, and lifelong skills
Understanding who this trip is designed for will help ensure you have the best possible experience
You must maintain reliable communication during the trip with a working mobile phone that can connect to WiFi or cellular data in Thailand.
You should be able to keep pace with the group while walking and handle standing for extended periods during activities.
You should be able to handle changes in plans, adapt to new situations, and maintain stable behavior throughout the trip.
You must be able to handle basic daily tasks and self-care independently, without recurring prompting, monitoring or one-to-one assistance.
Independence is the point of this trip. Nobody can hand it to your son or daughter at the end of it. They get it by doing the thing themselves.
So we work with them, not with you. The itinerary, the hotel addresses and the documents all go to them. If something isn't working on the trip, they are heavily encouraged to tell a guide first, and we sort it out from there.
Our guides lead the itinerary, explain plans, coordinate logistics and provide occasional practical help. Guides serve the group as a whole. They do not provide recurring prompting or monitoring, personal or medical care, behavioral or crisis management, or one-to-one supervision. A traveler must not need support that requires a guide to leave the group or materially prevents a guide from supporting the group.
We are not chaperones. It's a group trip, so of course our guides lead the way to places and keep the day moving. What they don't do is shadow anybody constantly, and nobody gets checked in on through the night. In free time travelers go out on their own, eat where they want, and find their own way back.
We also don't take chaperones along. Parents, caregivers and support workers do not travel with the group. The group is the travelers and the guides.
Travel has risk in it. Trains get missed, weather turns, plans change, and a city is a city. That isn't a flaw in the trip, it's the reason the trip works. No one grows in a week where nothing can go wrong. What we do is keep the stakes sensible and stay close enough to help.
Travel crises are our day job. A missed connection, a lost passport, a cancelled flight, a stomach bug at two in the morning, luggage that went to Frankfurt without its owner. We deal with those constantly and we are good at it.
A mental health crisis is a different thing, and we mean crisis. A hard afternoon isn't one. Feeling overwhelmed isn't one, and neither is needing to skip a day and sleep. Those happen on every trip and we plan for them. We mean someone in real danger, or no longer able to keep themselves safe. We are not equipped for that and nobody on the team is qualified to manage it. If it happens, the trip ends for that traveler and they go home. We will do what we practically can to help with that.
You can call us whenever you want and we will always talk to you honestly. We won't send you updates, because a trip that somebody else is being briefed on stops belonging to the person taking it.
We run it this way because we think they can do it. A lot of them have never had the chance to find out.
If what you need is a guaranteed outcome, supervision or crisis support, this isn't the right trip yet.
There is a fuller version of all of this, with our contact details, at wanderrock.com/parents.
While we strive to make our trips accessible and enjoyable, there are some important requirements to ensure everyone's safety and comfort.
You must be able to:
While we take breaks and pace ourselves, this trip requires good mobility and stamina. Late June in Chiang Mai is hot and humid.
You must be:
While we provide support and understanding, we cannot provide crisis intervention, mental health counseling, or medication management during the trip. Our guides are not therapists or nurses and are not licensed, trained or equipped to handle mental health emergencies or severe medical situations.
You must be able to:
While we provide group support, we cannot offer constant one-on-one supervision or assistance with basic daily tasks. You must be able to function independently for routine activities.
Your guide is right there. If something isn't working, tell them. The food, the room, the pace, too much noise, anything at all. They'll sort it out, and they'd much rather know.
It has genuinely happened that a traveler texted home from dinner, their mom called our office, we called the guide, and the guide was sitting at the same table. Everyone laughed. Nobody minded. But it's a long way round for something that takes ten seconds.
Your parents can call us whenever they like and we're always happy to talk. It just tends to end up back in the same place: have a word with your guide.
Your trip includes everything you need for a comfortable and engaging experience in Thailand
Thai and Western breakfast made at the villa every morning
Lunch included on the cooking, monk, rice farm, coffee and elephant days
Welcome dinner, farewell dinner and one more at the villa
We provide 2 different options for starting your trip. You'll choose your arrival option during the application process.
Self-Guided Arrival
Fully Supported Journey
There are no non-stop flights from the US to Chiang Mai — every route connects at least once, usually in Taipei, Hong Kong or Tokyo. That connection is the part that worries people most, and it's exactly the part this package removes. It handles:
You'll be able to choose between these options when you proceed to the application.
Everything you need to know about this trip
Our trips are designed for young adults aged 18 to 32, though we may be a bit flexible on the upper age limit depending on the individual. The majority of our travelers are in their 20s and early 30s.
Your fellow travelers will be others interested in getting more life in their life. We carefully ensure everyone is a good fit for both the trip and the group, making sure travelers will get along, have a great time, and be able to handle the stressors of international travel.
No. While this trip is designed for young adults with Autism, ADHD and Anxiety, you do not need to have an official diagnosis to join us.
This trip runs with 12 to 16 travelers plus 2 WanderRock guides. It's a smaller group than some of our other trips because the house we stay in has a fixed number of rooms.
We rent an entire private villa inside the Old City walls for the whole trip, so the house is ours alone for eight nights. You'll share a room with at least one other traveler of the same gender. Every bedroom has its own bathroom and air conditioning, and there's a pool and a games room.
Your trip includes accommodations, in-country transportation, breakfast every day, five activity lunches, three group dinners, all planned activities, attraction tickets, and guide services. International flights are included if you choose the Stateside Hosted Departure Package, otherwise they are not included. Personal expenses are not included.
Yes, travel insurance is required for every traveler, and we verify it before departure.
Your policy must include:
Declare any pre-existing medical conditions when you buy the policy. Insurers routinely refuse medical claims for conditions you did not declare, and it is the most common reason a claim fails.
Coverage starts at around $40 for a straightforward policy and rises with age and declared conditions. You can start comparing plans at Squaremouth. We cannot advise you on which policy to buy.
You upload your policy document to your Traveler Portal before departure. We check that it is in your name, covers your travel dates, and meets the minimums above.
Expect to walk 3 to 5 miles per day at a moderate pace with breaks. The Old City is about a square mile and completely flat, so most days you're covering short distances rather than long ones. You should be comfortable being on your feet for several hours in heat and humidity.
Hot, humid and green. Late June is the start of Chiang Mai's rainy season, which usually means a hard hour of rain in the afternoon with sunshine on either side, rather than days of gray drizzle. Temperatures sit around 85 to 92°F (29 to 33°C). A lightweight packable raincoat is essential because we won't stop for weather.
Northern Thailand has dengue, which is carried by mosquitoes that bite during the day. Put repellent on in the morning with your sunscreen rather than waiting until bedtime. Bring DEET at 20 to 30% or picaridin at 20%. Malaria is not a concern anywhere we're going, and nobody needs a bed net. There is more detail in the trip notes below.
Thailand classifies many ADHD stimulants, including Adderall, Ritalin and Concerta, as controlled psychotropic substances. Bringing them in without the correct paperwork is a serious offense and can lead to jail time. If you take stimulant medication, contact us well before booking so we can walk you through what is required. Please do not assume it will be fine.
Northern Thai food is its own thing. It is milder and more herbal than what you get in Thai restaurants back home, with a lot of noodles, grilled meat and sticky rice. Western food is everywhere in Chiang Mai if you want a break. We can accommodate vegetarians easily. Please discuss severe allergies with us before booking, particularly peanuts, shellfish and fish sauce, which are hard to avoid entirely.
Yes. There's a full free day in the middle of the trip with nothing scheduled at all, a second day where you choose what you do, and most other days finish by mid-afternoon. This is your time to recharge, swim, do laundry, or explore on your own.
U.S. citizens don't need a visa for a trip this short. Thailand grants visa-exempt entry for tourism well beyond our nine days. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. Other nationalities should check their own requirements.
Our experienced guides are trained to work with neuro-diverse individuals and create an inclusive, supportive environment. We carefully screen all participants to ensure group compatibility and provide structured activities while allowing for personal space and downtime when needed.
No. This trip is designed for young adults to travel independently. Parents can travel with their child through one of our private trips, which can be built around a family's dates and needs.
Our guides lead the group, run the arrangements in your itinerary, and are with the group throughout. They are trip leaders rather than caregivers or support workers, and the trip includes plenty of unstructured time. Everyone traveling needs to manage their own daily tasks.
We have staff in California and London to provide around the clock coverage, and our guides are trained in first aid. Travel insurance is required for every traveler, and your insurer provides emergency medical coverage, evacuation and repatriation. Chiang Mai has several international-standard private hospitals, all within fifteen minutes of where we're staying.
Parents can contact our U.S. office for urgent matters and travelers have access to Wi-Fi for staying in touch with family. The villa has fast wifi throughout.
Please read these important trip notes as they contain details and guidance on important things like passports, border entry requirements & more. By booking this trip, you are signaling that you have read, understood and agreed to these notes.
A valid passport with an expiration date AT LEAST 6 months out from the END of the trip is required. Please make sure the name on your passport is your full legal name & matches the name on any airline tickets you book separately.
Please make a copy of your passport and other important documents, and bring 1 copy with you, leave 1 copy at home, and email yourself 1 copy.
United States Citizens do not require a Visa to travel to Thailand for a trip of this length. Ultimately, you are responsible for ensuring that you meet and comply with foreign entry requirements, health requirements and that you possess the appropriate travel documents. Contact us if you need assistance.
Due to conditions such as weather, transportation schedules, public holidays, availability or other factors, we may make changes to this itinerary before or during the trip. We will advise you of any such changes as soon as possible. On some activities the group may be split across two sessions or two days — this is normal.
You will have roommates on this trip. You will be sharing a room with at least 1 other person (sometimes more than 1). We'd recommend bringing earplugs & an eye mask in case they snore.
We'll do our best to make sure your roommates are the same sex as you and in 99% of times that will be the case, however sometimes due to logistics outside of our control, we cannot guarantee this. (On a past trip we arrived at a hotel in Paris, on the hottest day on record ever, to be told that all the rooms with 3 beds in them didn't have working AC. So we had to choose between different sleeping arrangements than planned... or no Air Conditioning.)
We stay in one place for the entire trip. We rent a private villa inside the walls of Chiang Mai's Old City and the whole house is ours for eight nights — nobody else is staying there.
The property is arranged as two buildings around a garden and pool: a social building with the kitchen, living space and games room, and a sleeping wing about twenty meters away across the garden, all behind one gate. Every bedroom is en-suite and air conditioned. Housekeeping is provided.
Los Angeles, CA: We'll stay in a standard, chain hotel such as a Hilton. (Only applies to those who have chosen the "Stateside Hosted Departure Package" option.)
Life on the road means that you may not get as much privacy as you are used to back home. You'll be sharing a room with at least 1 other traveler and will be expected to keep your sleeping area neat (ish). You'll also be expected to practice daily hygiene (brush teeth, shower, deodorant) so that you don't cause discomfort to your fellow travelers.
There is a full free day in the middle of this trip with nothing scheduled, a second day where you choose your own plans, and most other days finish by mid-afternoon. This is your time to do laundry, call home, swim, play games with your fellow travelers, explore the area, do some shopping or whatever else suits you.
Chiang Mai is a small city and everything in it is close. Activities outside the city are between forty minutes and an hour away by air-conditioned van. Around town we use songthaews — red shared pickup trucks with bench seats in the back — which are the normal way everyone gets around and cost about a dollar fifty a ride.
A WanderRock trip includes lodging, transportation & activities, but does not include all meals. You should bring a debit/credit card. ATMs are plentiful in Chiang Mai, though Thai ATMs charge a fixed fee of around 220 baht per withdrawal, so take out larger amounts less often. Many small vendors and street food stalls are cash only. Our guides will help you with any money-related needs during the trip.
We plan for every known contingency, but unexpected things can and do occur when traveling. If such emergencies occur, we'll do our best to resolve the situation. This may include re-routing part of our itinerary due to natural disaster or health concern, extending or shortening the length of our stay in certain locations or other remedies as the situation requires.
Whatever happens, you can be assured we'll keep everyone traveling with us (and family back at home) advised of the situation, and will communicate as much as possible. Please see "Problems & Emergency Contact Info" below for more details about personal issues such as Illness, Meltdowns or Injury.
We require all of our travelers to pack for carry-on only, which means no checked bags are allowed. You should plan on packing 7 days worth of clothes, as there will be plenty of laundry opportunities along our itinerary. You can use a carry-on suitcase or backpack, whichever is easier for you to manage. See the WanderRock Packing List for the complete checklist and packing instructions.
Bring a set of clothes that can get wet and muddy. We will be going into the water at times during the rice paddy and elephant activities.
Laundry is easy in Chiang Mai and cheap — there are wash-and-fold shops on almost every street doing a full bag for a few dollars, usually same day. Your guides will point you at the nearest ones.
Late June is the beginning of Chiang Mai's rainy season. In practice this usually means a heavy hour of rain in the afternoon and sunshine either side of it, rather than days of gray weather. Expect around 85-92°F (29-33°C), high humidity, and roughly four to five hours of sunshine a day. The countryside is at its greenest and the crowds are at their thinnest — this is exactly why we go now.
A lightweight, packable raincoat is essential. We aren't going to stop just because it is raining. Sunscreen and insect repellent are readily available to buy once we arrive.
This is the one health item worth reading properly. Northern Thailand has dengue fever, and cases peak during the rainy season from June to August. There is no vaccine available to travelers, so prevention is entirely about not getting bitten.
The important detail is timing. The mosquito that carries dengue bites during the day, heaviest in the early morning and late afternoon, which is the opposite of the malaria mosquito most people have in mind. So repellent goes on in the morning alongside your sunscreen, and gets topped up after swimming and again mid-afternoon. Use DEET at 20-30% or picaridin at 20%. Weaker products are not worth packing.
If you develop a fever during the trip or within two weeks of getting home, see a doctor and specifically mention that you have been in Thailand and that dengue is possible. Take paracetamol/acetaminophen only — never ibuprofen or aspirin, because of the bleeding risk if it does turn out to be dengue. Please make sure whoever is at home knows this too.
The house itself does a lot of the work: air-conditioned rooms with doors kept shut, housekeeping, and no standing water left around the garden. Nobody needs a bed net.
Malaria is not a concern in Chiang Mai or anywhere we are going, and no prophylaxis is recommended for this itinerary.
Please consult your doctor and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) website for guidance on specific vaccines you may need. Hepatitis A and typhoid are the ones usually recommended for Thailand. Rabies is present in Thailand and street dogs are common in Chiang Mai — do not approach or feed them, and tell a guide immediately if any animal bites or scratches you.
Beyond that, take the same sort of precautions you do at home. Wash your hands often, use hand sanitizer, and maintain proper hygiene.
Our WanderRock guides are here to help you have the best trip you possibly can. They come from many walks of life, from yoga instructors to outdoor adventure guides to people who have worked helping college kids be more independent, and bring their expertise with them to help guide you through the trip.
Unlike a tour guide, they are not deeply knowledgeable about specific touristic attractions & the history of an area, but are trained in things like first aid & CPR, conflict resolution, peacekeeping and basic outdoor survival. On this trip the specialist instruction — cooking, farming, meditation, coffee, elephants — comes from local experts who do it for a living.
We visit several working temples, including one that is a functioning Buddhist university. Shoulders and knees must be covered — bring at least one outfit that does this. Shoes come off before entering temple buildings. Never point your feet toward a Buddha image or a monk. Always ask before photographing a monk. Women should not touch monks or hand objects directly to them. Your guides will walk you through all of this before we go, and none of it is difficult once you know.
We expect all travelers to behave in a way that is respectful of the cultures, places & people that we are interacting with, and to be respectful of the other travelers and their preferences. Should issues arise, our guides are trained in conflict resolution and will do their best to diffuse and resolve the situation.
In extreme situations where a travelers behavior is a consistent and major disruption to the group, or in cases of concern for the health & safety of any of our travelers, our guides may, at their discretion, remove a traveler from the group, without a refund.
Abuse & Bullying: Everyone has the right to feel safe & accepted when on our trips. For that reason, verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying and sexual harassment focused on any person (whether thats a fellow traveler, guide or local person) will not be tolerated, and our trained guides will deal with those situations swiftly. Should a traveler be found to be in violation of this policy, they will be removed from the group.
Sex Tourism: Patronizing sex workers isn't tolerated on any WanderRock trip. Anyone who is found to be in violation of this policy will be removed from the group.
Drugs & Alcohol: Use or possession of illegal drugs (as determined by the laws of the country we are in) is not tolerated on any WanderRock trip. If you choose to drink alcohol, you must be at least the legal age to do so in that country, and we expect you to do so in a responsible manner.
Recklessness: We expect all of our travelers to maintain situational awareness and keep themselves safe. Any traveler who has consistently demonstrated an extreme lack of judgment when it comes to keeping themselves safe will be removed from the group.
Note that we are talking about "walks out into the middle of traffic repeatedly" type recklessness, not "forgets to lock the hotel room door".
International travel can be a stressful & amazingly exciting experience at the same time. There is no non-stop flight from the United States to Chiang Mai, so getting there involves at least one connection and around twenty hours of travel. All travelers need to make sure they are ready to handle the rigors of jet lag, long plane flights, and disruptions to their normal routine, and need to be healthy enough to go on the trip.
Flexibility is a key trait that will help you have a great time. You may have to let go of some preferences you have back home, as we may not be able to accommodate your requests, and may have to change our itinerary at the last moment due to unforeseen circumstances.
When traveling with us, you'll experience the vast array of food available in the world. Some of it will be extremely foreign, and some extremely familiar. Chiang Mai is a genuinely easy city for this — northern Thai food is milder than most people expect, and Western food is available everywhere if you want a break.
Vegetarians are easy to accommodate. If you have certain food allergies, we'll work to the best of our abilities to help you eat food that is safe for you, but can't make any guarantees for many reasons, including language barriers, lack of control of the supply, cultural differences, and lack of choices. Fish sauce and shrimp paste are in a great deal of Thai cooking, and peanuts are common. If having a certain type of food is a life or death situation for you, this probably isn't the trip for you.
Do not drink the tap water. Bottled and filtered water is everywhere, costs almost nothing, and there is a filtered supply at the villa. Ice in restaurants and cafés in Chiang Mai is commercially produced and safe. Street food is one of the best things about the city and our guides will show you which stalls to use.
Chiang Mai is a very safe city with little violent crime, but petty theft happens as it does anywhere, especially in crowded night markets. Be aware of your surroundings and keep bags closed and in front of you in busy areas. We recommend a lock for your bag.
The use of illegal drugs is not permitted on any WanderRock trip, and is grounds for immediate removal from the program without a refund. Thailand's drug laws are severe and penalties for possession are serious. Cannabis occupies an unusual legal position in Thailand and is visibly sold in parts of Chiang Mai — it remains completely prohibited on any WanderRock trip regardless of local law. If you choose to drink alcohol, we expect you to do so in a responsible manner and in line with the laws of the country we are currently in at the time.
Should problems arise, whether that be an illness, injury, emotional overwhelming event, or lost baggage, the WanderRock guides accompanying you on your trip are your first place to turn to for help. If, for some reason, you don't feel safe turning to them for help, call the WanderRock office at (628) 529-1318 for assistance.
Chiang Mai has several international-standard private hospitals with English-speaking staff, all within about fifteen minutes of where we are staying.
Please read this section carefully if you take stimulant medication. Thailand classifies methylphenidate and amphetamine-based medications — including Adderall, Ritalin, Concerta and Vyvanse — as controlled psychotropic substances. Bringing them into the country without the correct documentation is a serious criminal offense, not a paperwork problem.
If you take any of these, you must contact us well in advance of booking so we can talk you through exactly what is required, which typically includes a doctor's letter, original labeled packaging, quantities limited to the trip duration, and in some cases advance permission from the Thai FDA. Do not assume it will be fine at the border.
Most other common medications are legal and available in Thailand, and pharmacies in Chiang Mai are excellent. At the end of the day it is ultimately your responsibility to do due diligence and make sure you are complying with all relevant rules & regulations.
Have questions? We're here to help! Reach out to us through any of these channels:
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WanderRock Travel
2443 Fillmore St. #380-2362
San Francisco, CA 94115
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