Kay2

As I tried to convey in my earlier post--one time we were hot and one time we were cold on our trips. The cold was a record cold, so unless you have the bad? luck we did one year, you should be OK even on overnights out of CM with proper clothing.

The year the temps were hotter, we walked in long sleeves and trousers, slept in an uninsulated elevated Lahu Outpost with no problems with the temps, just the buzzing of the mosquitoes outside the net and the noise from the wild hogs? passing underneath the structure. The trip was great!

Because we booked it as a private guided trip for 2, we deviated somewhat from the listed itineraries for our preferences. Seems the group plan included elephant ride and raft? The set group trek may have changed by now and as we did, you can arrange a private trip as you want, but you will meet up with others who are on the same route and going to overnight in same place.

I haven't been to parks on west side. We did go to Khao Yai and enjoyed the bird watching, hiking for gibbons, etc., but that is east of Bangkok.

Kathie

I haven't done the mahout training, but I know people who have done the 1 day and others who have done the three day. Both get good reviews. It just depend son how much time you want to devote to that. The homestay facilities are pretty basic.

rhkkmk

imo the heat of thailand is wayyyy more intense than the SE USA...

Kay2

My experience is that the heat of Thailand in July/August is wayyyy more intense than the SE USA, but the heat in December was more like the SE USA in June, not December. Hot, humid, and we sweated hill walking in Thailand in December just like we do walking in Georgia in June.