Khao Yai National Park is one of the last intact primary forests in Southeast Asia — a UNESCO World Heritage site with wild elephants, gibbons, hornbills and hundreds of species living in real conditions. Les Collines has been running private guided jungle treks here since 2005, from a small eco-lodge just outside the park gates.
Every trek is 100% private — your group only, your pace, your itinerary. No shared tours, no other participants. Our English-speaking naturalist team knows every trail, every call, every track.
Day trip from Bangkok · private wildlife tour · jungle trek Khao Yai · UNESCO National Park
Most Khao Yai tours run on a fixed timetable with strangers. Ours don't. Les Collines is a small English-speaking local agency based next to the park since 2005. We organise exclusively private wildlife tours and jungle treks — one group at a time, no shared departures, no compromise on pace or route.
Our guides are working naturalists: Cédric, Whisky, Rung and Noey read tracks, identify calls, and adjust the itinerary in real time based on what the forest is doing that day. This is not a commentary — it is active field reading.
✅ 100% private groups — no strangers on your trek, ever
✅ English-speaking naturalist guides with 20 years in Khao Yai
✅ Local team employed year-round — not outsourced on the day
✅ 2.5h from Bangkok — easy day trip or weekend getaway
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Most travellers associate the "Thai jungle" with Northern Thailand. But the forests around Chiang Mai have been under heavy human pressure for decades — fragmented habitats, reduced wildlife, areas that look wild but function quite differently. Khao Yai is a fundamentally different ecosystem.
Khao Yai is part of the Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. The status reflects a scientific reality: an ancient, still-functional forest hosting wild elephants, white-handed gibbons, great hornbills, leopards and sun bears in real conditions. Not a safari park. Not a reserve. A living forest.
At 2.5 hours by road from Bangkok, Khao Yai works as a day trip for those with one day to spare — or as a 2–4 night wildlife stay for those who want the full experience. Our eco-lodge sits just outside the park, which means early mornings in the forest before the few other visitors arrive, and evening safaris on tracks most tourists never reach.
The drive from central Bangkok to our eco-lodge takes about 2.5 hours on the motorway — no flight, no overnight travel required. Our Observation day trek is specifically designed for this format: you arrive in the morning, spend a full day in the forest with a private naturalist guide, and return to Bangkok in the evening.
That said, a single day only scratches the surface of what Khao Yai offers. Wild elephants are most active at dawn and dusk. Gibbons start calling before 6am. The night safari — available from the Adventure formula onward — reveals a completely different cast of animals. If your schedule allows a 2-night stay, the difference in what you see is significant.
| Criteria | 🌿 Khao Yai | Northern Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| Forest type | ✅ Primary UNESCO forest | ⚠️ Fragmented secondary forest |
| Large wildlife | ✅ Wild elephants | ❌ Captive camps |
| Tourist crowds | ✅ Lower (protected) | ⚠️ Higher (circuits) |
| Distance from Bangkok | ✅ ~2.5h by car | ❌ 9h+ (flight/train) |
| Private groups | ✅ Always private | ⚠️ Often mixed groups |
| Authenticity | ✅ Ancient jungle | ⚠️ More recent regeneration |
Les Collines is not a booking platform that hands you off to someone else on the day. Cédric, Whisky, Rung and Noey guide. Potjana organises. Nuj cooks. Nobody is replaced by an outside contractor when you arrive. What you book is what you get.
Every guide holds the professional jungle guiding card and operates under a named mission order for each trek. All activities are registered with Khao Yai National Park and provincial authorities. Questions? Check our FAQ.
On the ground in Khao Yai since 2005. In-depth knowledge of wildlife and trails.
Wildlife tracking, reading signs, ethical and respectful observation.
Families, seniors, children, PRM. Programs adjusted to your level and energy.
TAT licence, recommended by Le Routard, 257 verified guest reviews.
Guides and drivers employed year-round with fair salaries and ongoing training.
We only run private treks. No other participants. Your pace, your wishes.
Khao Yai reads differently at every hour of the day and in every season. Our programs adapt to your schedule, energy and what you want to take away:
Wild elephants, gibbons, great hornbills, sambar deer — each season, each hour of the day reveals something different in this UNESCO primary forest. Not guaranteed — real.
For those who want to combine or extend their trip:
Every program is built around your schedule and pace — no forced timings, no group bus. Contact us via our contact page or browse the FAQ before writing.
We don't promise elephants. We don't promise sunshine. They are wild animals in a tropical forest — and that is exactly what makes the experience real. What we do promise: careful preparation, expert field reading, and a discreet presence that doesn't get in the way.
Tell us what you're looking for.
A day trip, a week, a family with young kids, a couple wanting silence — we build from you, not from a fixed template.
Want to see the jungle in action first? Watch our field videos on Facebook →
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