Some of review on Over night in jungle trip
Great adventure
This trip was an amazing and challenging experience that I won't ever forget, and honestly was a great chance to hang out with and talk to Deaw, a local, about Thai culture and the jungle. Deaw and his team seem more than able and willing to accommodate varying "degrees of adventure" for different types of tourists from camps in the open grasslands area to deep in the jungle. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys the outdoors and understands that although they can make this an easy and pleasant adventure for you it is still not a stay at a 5-star hotel. It seems there have been some misunderstandings regarding that.
I know that I really appreciated others' sharing their stories before I booked this trip so I'll include a brief bit of my own below:
We had a hell of a time getting to Pakchong from the Bangkok bus station, but, even being late, Deaw was ready as soon as I called to pick us up and take us for lunch at a local place. We then headed into the jungle for a hike on a trail where Deaw's incredible eye for nature picked out snakes, birds, elephant marks, etc. where I would have never seen a thing. My friend and I honestly thought just this was awesome and as cool as it would get, but we then drove further into the park, packed up our huge backpacks, and waited a bit into the jungle at a riverbed for his park ranger friend "One". Out of nowhere a camouflaged guy on a dirt bike comes shooting out of the jungle, and we gained our extra person for the night.
One then took the Deaw, my friend, and I off the trail in an awesome, fast-paced, and honestly pretty challenging hike over several riverbeds, up hills, and past vines for several miles to their jungle camp in a race to beat the sunset. Somehow One needed no map to find the camp through the thick jungle, and when we got to there my friend and I were soaked with sweat, but Deaw and One were completely dry. Our camp wasn't anything special aside from being a pretty small clearing in the jungle with some good trees for hammocks. Everyone set up hammocks (with integral bug nets that ended up being not all that necessary as the campsite had little to no mosquitoes) and rain tarps before it got dark, with time for Deaw and One to start their famous jungle curry, which had an impressive amount of ingredients. We than sat around the fire and had some Thai Rum, dried fish, and pork curry. One did not speak english, but Deaw has learned enough english from his work with tourists to be great to talk to. It was interesting to talk to him about Thai Buddhism, growing up in Thailand, his thoughts on American culture, etc.
After a pretty decent night's sleep we woke up, had some coffee and noodles, and then hiked to the grassland where others have mentioned camping. The hike was beautiful in the morning and One took it easy on us, although we still managed to get a good sweat. From the grasslands One literally disappeared into the jungle to attend to a family emergency, while Deaw, my friend, and I then hiked past a tourist filled waterfall site to a "private" one through a bamboo-filled portion of the jungle. We cooled-off from the hike in the river and waterfall, then hiked back out to call it a day.
Overall, we sweat a ton and walked about 15 miles, which felt like a whole lot more through the jungle, but we left with surprisingly few scrapes and even fewer bug bites. I honestly had a blast doing this and hope many more people with an ounce of adventure in their bones will use this business to support Deaw and his friends.
Evan K USA.
Great jungle adventure
I went on the 2 days one night trip. As this was my first jungle experience I was very curious and somewhat uncertain about what to expect - Deaw's crew (Run, our guide, and the park ranger) made it an unforgettable experience. Go there, if you are willing to see and feel what the jungle is really like and if you are having a sense of adventure. Most of the time it's really not trekking paths but the group is making its own way through the wilderness (at least that was my impression). During our tour we encountered one other group at the very beginning and then it was just the 6 of us and nature:) diner prepared on a campfire, setting up hammocks, sleeping under the sky.
I felt that we did not see so much animals apart from gibbons and birds but this did not in any way 'milder' the intense experience. It's absolutely worth taking some more money as compared to other 2 or 3 day trips proposed in Khao Yai NP but with no other company you will be able to really stay in the jungle. Highly recommended!
Jaybee hh /Hamburg, Germany
A real jungle trek - not a safari tour
If you’re looking for a real walk/trek in the jungle – this is it. If you’re looking for a safari/zoo tour I wouldn’t recommend it.
Khao Yai and Beyond arrange the perfect trekking tours, if you want to experience the sound, smells and different habitats with a guide and a ranger in the jungle. There’s of course no guaranties for seeing any wild animals, and you should most of all book this tour, if you (as I) just want to walk for several hours in the fantastic jungle of Khao Yai.
But if that’s your goal, then this is the perfect tour to take! A beautiful trek through the different jungle habitats, following animal trails, walking through small rivers and dense vegetation (with the occasional thorny plants and leeches on the way). And sleeping in the jungle in hammocks is an experience in itself
On my tour we did see gibbons, macaques, deers, toucans, numerous butterflies, insects and the ever present leeches. We did also see lots of tracks from wild elephants.
The guides speak very well English, are professional and very friendly.
Rune fick
Absolutely stunning jungle tour.
We did the two days 1 night jungle trek. We arrived the night before we would go trekking and we could stay at Deaws place. Deaw came to pick us up, but because it was very busy and it took him quite long he arranged a taxi for us to meet him halfway. We could sleep in a hut at his place. it was simple, but fine. We had mosquito net, a thin mattress, a western toilet and a cold shower (well, at least a bit sunwarmed). So, not a lot of luxury but just fine for us. The trekking was absolute one of the best experiences of our lives. We went into the jungle with a ranger (mister Toto who was a real fun guy) and one of Deaws friends. They really took the time to show us things like jungle herbs, animals and interesting trees, mushrooms and flowers. For us the walking pace was just right, but it wouldn't be a problem if we wanted to slow down or take an extra break. We took some Thai food which was perfect. The first day we arrived at our camp near a viewpoint. From the camp that point was only a 5 minute walk. The view was the most beautiful piece of nature I've ever seen by far. We could look over the rainforest and see the clouds moving, the birds flying and the sun setting. Up there we didn't hear anything but the sound of the jungle, include gibbons, elephants and lots and lots of birds. We slept in a hammock with mosquito net and made a rain shelter. The fire was really cozy and we enjoyed the sound of rain and thunder in the evening. We really enjoyed nature and the guides obviously love the jungle. We saw some hornbills, gibbons, a turtle, lots of butterflies and different birds. For our safety the guides decided not to come too close to the elephants. We saw lots of traces like poop and footprints. The trek was quite challenging but we knew that, because it's not a safari, it's a jungle hike. As for Deaw and his friend, they were really helpful and kind and treated us as friends. Their business is not really commercial, it seems like a couple of guys doing what they love and giving tourists a great time. Of course you pay some money because they have to live, but the price is really good compared to the quality of the experience. AWESOME!
Pieter / Woudenberg, The Netherlands
The real jungle experience, tailor made!
We came two times with Khao Yai and Beyond for a trekking experience. 2 days just as a couple as "scout" to test the service and level of difficulty, then 3 days with my parents, 75 years old! The guides are really friendly and adapted the trek to our level. We could adjust the distance every day, everything was tailor made and my parents loved it. This experience does not look like any other one. Sleeping in the middle of the jungle with campfire, shower in the river, experiencing the cold nights in hammocks... and getting the chance to hear and see animals (for us gibbons and birds mainly) and their fingerprints. Even with the 2d/1n trek you have enough to experience the real jungle. The only weak point was the food: luckily we brought cereal bars with us, but not enough. The food is very basic, and also was too spicy for European taste. My family would have imagined more fancy food for the price of the trek. If you like adventure and true experience, I definitly recommend these guides, especially for a family with old and young people, you will never forget them!
Joelle/ Paris, France
Our Favourite Part of Thailand
We organised an overnight jungle trek through Deaw who was more than accommodating when things didn't go quite to plan for us prior to getting to Khao Yai. He met us when we arrived and explained things well. We would be going into the jungle with another guide and a ranger, both were fantastic and informative. They were able to point out different plant species and their uses, showed us signs indicating the presence of certain animals and taught us some Thai! They were very personable, happy and laughed a lot. This is a trip that does require fitness as the 'path' we took was one that was through the jungle as opposed to one walked often. Terrain varied from up hill to down hill, rarely flat but worth every minute. We camped by a waterfall and saw fireflies. It was very cold, even though the days were very hot, you DO require a warm sweater/jumper and a jacket - I had a down one as I usually live in -30 during the winter. Mine served me well but another in our group found it too cold to sleep. There were only 5 in the group (1 guide, 1 ranger, myself and partner and another young gentleman) which was a great size in terms of flexibility. We were given options about what we wanted to do on the second day. There is a variety of animals, the most common are monkeys, birds and invertebrates. Great for those interested in butterflies or dragonflies. We did see one male elephant on the trip and signs of others. Earlier others reported seeing Gibbons and Hornbills. We were returning to Ayutthaya and Deaw arranged for us to be taken there which was a great help. There is no cash machine at the park. There is an entrance fee. Deaw normally asks for this before coming to the park but due to our problems (not related to Khao Yai and Beyond) earlier, we paid it at the gate and he reduced the amount we had to pay accordingly. We had a fantastic time and have made plans to return later in the year.
Mactaters / Glasgow
Totally Recommend
We did the 2 day jungle trek. Mike and Laura's review tells it pretty much as we experienced it too. It was an amazing couple of days for a couple who have not done anything like this before. Our guide Rung was very experienced and took time to answer all our questions as well as stopping and explaining things.
Deaw made the organisation of it all easy, arranging us to be picked up from Pak Chong and accommodation prior to the trek. Afterwards he took us to our Khao Yai accommodation which was well off the beaten track. That was very much appreciated.
Tiger, the park ranger, camped with us overnight and led us out of the jungle the next day. His story about his name 'Tiger' wowed us - he was attacked by a tiger when he was still a young park ranger, 20 years ago.
Thank you Deaw, Rung and Tiger for making this journey so memorable.
Dee a / Auckland Region, New Zealand
Overnight @ substation
We spend two days with Deaw and Rung camping at the substation. Tracks were easy for only a couple of hours per day. They were very pleasant and took their time with our kids explaining them everything we saw on the way. Overall we spend a very good time with everybody tracking, cooking and the kids playing at the fire, swimming in the river and at dawn and dusk looking out for wildlife.
Holger/Gearmany
Amazing 2 day jungle trek
We did the 2 day 1 night moderate to difficult jungle trek. Overall, it was an awesome experience and we highly recommend it if you love hiking/camping.
On day 1, Deaw and Rung picked us up at our hotel and then took us to get our supplies (they provide a hiking backpack in which you will carry your hammock and sleeping bag, a tarp for overhead coverage at the camp, a small tarp for sitting on, water, some cutlery/dishes and some food - all provided by the company; and whatever else you need like toiletries, etc). Your guide carries most of the supplies needed for the journey so your pack is relatively light in comparison! Afterwards, we drove to the start of the trek. Along the way we stopped to see some monkeys, gibbons and hornbills. The trek starts along a main trail, but after about 15 minutes our guide Rung took us along the company's private path. After this, we didn't see another person until the end of the trek (except the park ranger Tiger).
Just prior to reaching the campsite, you will stop at a small river where it is nice to stick your feet in the water and cool down (there are other stops along the way for water and lunch). We reached our campsite around 3pm and were treated to an amazing 360 degree panoramic view of the jungle (great for watching the sunset and sunrise). Tiger, the park ranger, joined us for the evening and an awesome dinner cooked by Rung - vegetarian red curry with rice (one of the best we've had and he made it over a camp fire; we requested the vegetarian meal specifically but he would otherwise add meat). At night we slept in hammocks with mosquito nets over the tops.
On day 2, Rung made breakfast over the fire (egg fried rice) and brought coffee up for us to enjoy the 360 degree jungle viewpoint again. One of the best views we've had the pleasure of enjoying our morning coffees to. After the campsite was taken down and bags packed, Tiger led the way through the jungle using a compass and following "paths" made by animals. It was truly off the beaten path and in the middle of the wilderness - an awesome experience. Rung made an amazingly flavourful lunch incorporating the use of some ferns from the jungle.
We highly recommend the trek if you have a sense of adventure. If not, the company offers many other types of tours (half day; single day; animal sightings only, etc.). Both Rung, Deaw and Tiger are friendly, knowledgable and love what they do, so it makes it easy for you to have a great time.
Mike & Laura
Amazing experience
Me and my girlfriend wanted to see the Khao Yai Natural park in a different way. We booked the overnight jungle trek with Daew and we weren't disappointed at all. Daew is very calm guy and he is also very knowledgeable. He knows where to look and when to pause to listen to the sound of the nature. During our 2 days, we saw many different types of spiders, gibbons, makake, wild pigs, some small snakes and a huge Python and we almost saw wild elephants (we tracked them but finally, they got away !) This trekking is back to basic so it means you carry your own gears, no toilet, no fancy food. Daew is very friendly and he has good English skills. Overall very nice experience !
Bergiemark
Want to experience the real jungle?
We recently were shown the real jungle of Khao Yai by 'Khao Yai and beyond'. Our guide: Deaw, knows where to go. He's shown us places tourists hardly ever visit and we've seen an abundance of wildlife, ranging from giant spiders to crocodiles and poisonous snakes. Absolute highlights were camping out deep in the jungle, swimming in a cristal clear waterfall and (if you're up for the challenge), climbing across slippery rocks to reach the top of a waterfall. Throughout all this, don't bother trying to stay dry or clean, we found out that to get the most out of this experience, you have to embrace the rain and the dirt. Some people feel the rain, others just get wet. Be sure to just get wet. Highly recommended!
Williem / Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
