In the morning, meet your guides, collect your gear, and head about 45 minutes out of town into Mae On Valley. Crazy Horse Buttress is the local limestone climbing area, and is littered with cliffs and caves of every type. The staff will spend the morning teaching you the basics of rock climbing – amidst the lush bamboo forest you will learn all the skills taught in the Introduction to Rock Climbing course, including climbing technique, safe belaying practices, and how to have an amazing time scaling cliffs up to 25 meters tall. They always get a kick out of watching people of all abilities – athletic or not – challenge themselves on rock, conquering their fear of heights, and coming down with a huge smile after doing what they thought they would never do. There are around 180 routes to choose from so you will always find something suitable for your abilities.

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After eating a Thai boxed lunch from the local restaurant, you will trek up towards the summit of Crazy Horse and rappel down 55 meters into the vast cave chamber inside the mountain. Whether or not you have rappelled before, this exciting drop is something you will never forget. We love that this abseil is perceived as dangerous and exciting to everyone who sees it, but that it is actually incredibly safe under the supervision of experienced guides. This means big time adventure with no risk. A quick walk through this fantastic cave brings you outside and back to the truck.

In Thailand, the word Sa-ma-kee translates roughly to community and sharing. It is the idea that we must work together to achieve a larger goal. The town of of Mae Kompong seems to exemplify this. Rather than cut down the old-growth jungle in their mountain valley, they opted to preserve it and invite people to come up and stay in their village to live the quiet life. And quiet it is. Upon arriving, you may be tempted to get your cell phone out and call all your friends back home to brag about where you are, but you can’t because your cell phone probably won’t work up here. So you will have no choice but to stroll around the town and perhaps follow a path or two amongst the giant trees and winding vines.

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Mae Kompong has opted into the homestay model of tourism, where families have opened up their homes for visitors to stay in a private room. Choose the bungalow, lodge, or house of your liking with a range of accommodations from authentic Thai to more familiar western style. You will be cooked dinner and breakfast and experience a slice of village life. With temperatures 5-10 degrees Celsius (10-20 Fahrenheit) cooler than Chiang Mai, you may find yourself pulling up the blankets tight for a cozy night.

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Ever wonder what it feels like to be a ape high up in the canopy of the trees? Now you get to find out. The morning of the second day is spent with The Flight of the Gibbon, flying from tree to tree on ziplines with trained guides. The downhill tour takes you through platforms, cables, sky bridges, and drops for nearly 2 adventurous kilometers ending high up in one of the most spectacular stands of old growth trees in the Chiang Mai area. You will be surprised at how relaxed you will feel 35 meters from the ground, seeing things not meant for human eyes. The biodiversity will astound you about as much as the long zips from tree to tree.

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Close your eyes and picture a tropical waterfall plunging through seven tiers of vines and granite cliffs. Go ahead and do it. Feels good, doesn’t it? This is where you go after lunch for a little splashing and reflection before heading back into Chiang Mai, where you will be dropped off for the next stage of your vacation.