Hike and Bike Northern Thailand Tour

Welcome to Thailand! Find your own transportation to the hotel to check in. You’ll have free time until the evening when you’ll meet your guide and group and have your first taste of Thai cuisine at a local restaurant. Your guide will give you a brief orientation on the adventure ahead. Afterwards, head to the hotel for a comfortable night’s sleep.

Once you’re finished breakfast, the group will head out on a tour of Bangkok’s ornate and fantastic temples. They are certainly a sight to behold—escape the buzzing city and enter into tranquil, holy complexes. Stop first at Wat Phra Kaew (wat is the Thai word for temple—you’ll see this frequently) and the impressive Grand Palace, both in the same compound. After you’ve explored the temples that house the great Emerald Buddha, you’ll move onto Wat Pho to see more than one thousand Buddha images where the great Buddha takes on several forms. In the afternoon, ride an e-scooter for an exhilarating ride through the narrow alleys in central Bangkok. The sights, sounds, and smells will infinitely stimulate your senses.

After breakfast, escape the bustling Bangkok and visit the city’s outskirts to glimpse rural life. Along the journey, view gorgeous canals among orchard and lotus farms—exact;y the kinds of landscapes you would imagine Thailand would have. Embark on a short boat ride and engage with local farmers to learn about their agricultural practices, then stop for a colourful lunch full of local produce. Return to Bangkok and visit and teak house museum, the Jim Thompson House, to discover the wonders of Thai silk production. In the evening, you’ll receive a transfer to the train station to depart on the overnight train towards northern Thailand.

The overnight train is scheduled to arrive at 7:15am in Chiang Mai, where your guide will meet you to transfer your group to a local restaurant for breakfast. Your first vistas of northern Thailand are sure to impress: lush vegetation all around, with mountains as a backdrop. After filling up on some food, take a walk through the old city, hitting all the must-see sites like Wat Chedi Luang from the 14th century and Wat Chiang Man, the former home of King Meng Rai, who elected Chiang Mai as the northern capital in 1290. Take a lunch break and head to the hotel for a free afternoon to rest and freshen up. Then, meet the group again for a delicious food tour of street stalls all over Chiang Mai. You’ll be whisked around the city by tuk-tuk, sampling delicacies along the way, filling up on the fantastic flavours of local dishes and drinks. Head back to the hotel with full stomachs and have a well-earned sleep.

Rise extra early to witness Tak Bat, a Buddhist ritual where civilians offer food to monks to receive their blessings. Continuing with the spiritual theme, you’ll depart for a short hike after breakfast on a route known as the Monk’s Trail. Walk past the tranquil Wat Pha Lad, engulfed in vegetation, and tread on towards Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, a temple clinging to the hill overlooking the city. Stop for a coffee and absorb the serenity. Doi Luang Chiang Dao awaits you after lunch—Thailand’s third-highest mountain with a remarkable cave system beneath. Make your way through these holy caves following a knowledgeable guide, and once the tour ends, receive a transfer to your hotel in Chiang Dao for a good night’s sleep.

Today will be a wonderful learning experience looking into the daily lives of the people who inhabit the rural area around Chiang Dao. This stunning mountainous area offers fertile soil and ideal agricultural conditions. Spend the day walking through the fields and forests, partaking in some lunch preparation, and assisting with other daily tasks. After a beautiful day witnessing how the locals live harmoniously with their surroundings, return to the hotel in Chiang Dao.

Enjoy a hearty meal in preparation for a challenging hike today. Receive a transfer to Phrao to start the journey into the mountain where the Akha community resides. The route will be challenging as it gains elevation the entire way, but you’ll have opportunities for rest along the way at a waterfall and a picnic lunch. The views at the end of this trek will take your breath away, and eventually, you will reach the village near the summit to spend the night in a homestay. Appreciate the dinner cooked for you by the locals, and as you digest, they will perform some traditional songs and dances. Undoubtedly, you’ll hit the hay hard tonight. You earned it!

What goes up, must come down. After local breakfast and hot coffee, set out on the return hike that leads downhill the entire way. Your driver will meet you at the base of the trail, and together your group will return to Chiang Mai. Stop along the route at the fantastic Bua Tong Waterfalls, where you can explore and even climb up the falls thanks to its grippy rockface. Settle into your hotel in Chiang Mai to freshen up and get some sleep.

Your final day of the tour includes a cycling tour of the countryside and a relaxing boat ride to return to the city. After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the Mae Sa area to the north. Ride along stunning, fragrant, lush green roads, stopping at orchid and bee farms, and seeing a plethora of ornate temples. Stop for a local lunch, then continue through rice paddies, fruit and flower plantations until reaching the Ping River. Leave your bikes and embark on a boat ride completing the tour loop ending in the city. Take the afternoon to wander the streets for the last time before joining your group and guide for a farewell dinner.

Gather for your final breakfast with the Experience Northern Thailand crew, and pack your bags. Make your own way to the next leg of your journey, whether that’s the airport to head home or to another city in Thailand.