THAILAND-ONE DAY KAYAKING ITINERY

One Day Khong-Pai River Kayaking trip.

BAN NAM Khong to MAE HONG SON

High water trip only. July to October.

GET YOUR OWN GROUP TOGETHER AND WE WILL RUN WHEN IT SUITS YOU OR PHONE OR EMAIL US AND JOIN ONE OF OUR REGULAR TRIPS.

CLICK FOR SMALL GROUP PRICES

NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Cave Lodge Tours uses top quality imported boats and safety equipment.

Our vests are made by Hutchwilco in New Zealand and meet the latest E.U., Australian and New Zealand safety standards. Vests are in 3 adult sizes (not one size fits all). Boats are inflatable, open kayaks for one or two people by Incept of New Zealand and Canadian designed Zebecs.

These boats, like big rafts, have no closed deck, so if you fall out you are not entrapped or caught; essentially they are 1 and 2 person rafts.

We use kayaks rather than rafts, as they are much more fun than the bigger rafts, which can carry up to 8 or more people. Should you fall out there are always two guides to help you, unlike a large raft that has one guide to chase up to 10 paddlers. The rivers we paddle have low-grade rapids, perfect for our kayaks but not much fun in bigger boats.

This is not the Zambezi River with grade 5 freak-out sucking holes! Our rivers are fun white-water, suitable for novices and inexperienced paddlers.

ITINERARY

One Day : Depart the Cave Lodge at 8:30 a.m. for the Khong river (a tributary of the Pai). This river has lots of grade 1 & 2 rapids (very easy). At the ‘put in’ our guides give a safety and boat handling talk. Two people can ride with the guides in their boats if they wish and the others can paddle one or two person boats. Our guides are experts at assessing each person’s abilities, strengths and attitude, and with you, figure out the best combinations.

All trips have a minimum of 2 guides who watch how each boat is performing, give paddling tips, and if necessary, swap people around in boats.

After an hour of very easy paddling you reach the Lang River junction and have a snack break by this small side stream. From here to the beautiful Susa waterfalls it’s another hour of easy river with plenty of small rapids to hone your skills and for the guides to get you sorted. There’s time for swimming and exploring the falls before another easy 1 1/2 hour fun-run to the lunch spot on the bank of the Pai river.

After after a filling lunch and an hour to relax, it's back on the river, now the rapids start to get longer and are heaps of fun. By now you will have learnt all the skills needed to control your boat and the guides will also be keeping a close eye on everyone. On this section there are plenty of bigger grade two rapids and, as on the Khong River, you follow the lead boat and stop at the end of each rapid. Around 1.30 the trip reaches the largest rapid on the trip, a low grade 3. One boat at a time (depending on river levels) goes down with a guide waiting at the bottom. If you tip it will be at the bottom of this rapid and you’ll end up having a short swim in a long, deep, wide, pool. We find that the majority of paddlers (even the totally inexperienced) have by this point mastered the art and run these bigger rapids like pros! After this, there are still plenty of great fun rapids, long gorges and stunning wilderness. We break at a small waterfall, then its about an hour to the pick up spot near Mae Hong Son at approx 4 p.m. (depending on water levels).

At the ‘take-out’ you help bring the boats and equipment to the waiting pick up vehicle and are then either driven into Mae Hong Son or back to the Cave Lodge for a post trip party. Bags and valuables can be brought to the ‘take-out’ for people continuing to M.H.S. or Pai.

This trip will be cancelled in extreme high water.

We will not take people that we consider are not capable of handling a full days paddling.

Guides are trained by internationally accredited kayakers with 15 year’s experience on the world’s biggest rivers.

All safety equipment conforms to international standards.

Trip leaders are registered guides.

Guides speak English (and Thai).

What to take, what not to take.

Take:

A change of clothes for the end of the day, these will be left in the pick up vehicle.

River clothes: shorts & t-shirt or, if you sun burn easily, long pants and top (nothing that you wouldn’t be happy to swim in...just in case).

Suntan lotion.

Camera (no large cameras). A waterproof disposable is best (we DO NOT sell them at the lodge).

100 Baht, for drinks or snacks at the end of the trip.

All your gear will be stored at the lodge so do not bring passports or valuables on the trip- leave them in our safe.

Any personal medications, cigarettes etc.

Don’t Take:

Toilet paper and soap or basic first aid kits- we supply it all.

Jewellery and watches.

A grumpy friend with an attitude problem......

WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY.

1600 Baht

The best white water trip in Thailand, run with your safety and enjoyment as our top priorities. Aussie management with 25 years of Thai wilderness adventure experience.

Transport from Cave Lodge to the river and to the drop off points.

Lunch, snacks and drinking water.

Entry fees to the Pai Wildlife Sanctuary (200 Baht).

Insurance up to 100,000 Baht.

Experienced registered guides.

A great wilderness experience with Thailand’s only company that specializes in white-water kayaking.

FULLY GUIDED TRIPS

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