Waterfalls and Forests of Doi Inthanon National Park

Price per person in THB
2 persons3 persons4 persons5 persons6 persons7 persons8 persons
  8,400  6,500  5,500  4,900  4,500  4,2004,000
Difficulty
65%

This is a private tour. Doi Inthanon is one of Thailand’s most famous national parks. The park boasts the greatest diversity of forest types and bird species found in any single park in the country and features some beautiful waterfalls, dramatic views, and extraordinary nature. Your visit supports the protection of this national park. Enjoy the trekking. Switch off your phone and enjoy a digital detox experience. Your overnight in the Karen village will support the local people. We consider this one of our Chiang Mai jungle trekking and forest bathing tours.

Total driving time:
Day one: two hours
Day two: two hours

From: 8,400.00 ฿

Map of Doi Inthanon
Waterfalls and forests of Doi Inthanon National Park

Day 1: Chiang Mai – Doi Inthanon – Karen Village

Doi Inthanon, the Roof of Thailand

This trip is a private tour. Your guide will meet you at the hotel at 0800. We will drive to Doi Inthanon National Park for your two-day Doi Inthanon trek. Doi Inthanon is 2,565 meters above sea level, the highest mountain in Thailand, and the mountain is the source of many rivers and a vital watershed area. Forest types include moist, evergreen, pine, and mixed deciduous forests. The park supports the most significant number of bird species of any site in Thailand, but you have to be a trained birdwatcher to see them. We have a page dedicated to the fantastic Doi Inthanon National Park. Along the way, we will stop at a local market to buy some supplies for our trekking, after which we will continue to the summit of Doi Inthanon.

The Wachirathan Waterfall

After entering the park, our first stop will be the impressive Wachirathan waterfall, the most famous waterfall. We will spend some time here until we continue to the mountain’s summit. We will briefly visit the shrine of King Inthawichayanon, the 7th ruler of Chiang Mai, and people named the mountain Doi Inthanon in honor of this king.

Not far from the shrine is the short Angka Nature Trail, which takes you through the kind of beautiful mossy forest that you will only find at this elevation. After this, we will descend and stop at the two pagodas erected in honor of the former King and Queen of Thailand. When the skies are clear, you have a great view from here. We will enjoy lunch will be at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will drive to the starting point of trekking. Our hike will take us to the Mae Wang trekking area.

Doi Inthanon Wachirathan Waterfall
The Wachirathan Waterfall in Doi Inthanon National Park

Trekking to a White Karen village

The trail will take us through dense forests, and your guide will explain Northern Thailand’s forest types. Our trek to a White Karen Village will take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. Most ethnic minority people living within the park’s boundaries are Karen. Once in the village, you can rest or help your guide prepare dinner. Amazingly, they can prepare a delicious meal on a wood fire.

After dinner, he will share his knowledge about the Karen people, and you can learn a couple of words in the Karen language: “Da Blu” means “hello,” for instance. On our website, we have extensive information about the Karen people. Please have a look if you are interested. In the village, you will see some people in traditional dress. Your guide will explain the clothing of the Karen people, and you can change it into their traditional dress if you wish.

We will spend the night in a village house. Don’t expect any luxury, but I will make it as comfortable as can be. For more information on the Green Trails village Homestays, please have a look here.

Day 2: Karen Village – bamboo rafting – Chiang Mai

Trekking through the forests of Mae Wang

Today is the second day of your Doi Inthanon trek. You will notice that life in the village starts very early. After breakfast, we will walk around the village. There are animals everywhere: dogs, pigs, and chickens. We will chat with a few local people. If we are lucky, we will see some women in action weaving. You can practice your Karen language with the local people. Then we will say goodbye to the village. We will hike downhill for almost one hour to a pretty waterfall, where we will spend some time relaxing, swimming, and enjoying nature. After this, we will continue down to the main road. The views are beautiful. There is enough time for taking pictures. After our relaxed morning hike, it is time for lunch. We will enjoy a simple Thai lunch in a local restaurant.

Bamboo rafting on the Wang River

After lunch, we will drive to a rafting camp for a 45 minutes bamboo raft adventure on the Mae Wang River. Bamboo rafts were, in the past, an essential means of transportation, and roads were abysmal and sometimes totally impassable in the rainy season. Enjoy a relaxed rafting trip. It is not a dangerous river, but we will ask you to wear a life jacket to be safe. After our bamboo raft trip, we will return to Chiang Mai, where you will arrive late afternoon. We hope you have enjoyed your Doi Inthanon Trek.

Highlights

Comfortable private transportation

Summit of Doi Inthanon

Angka Nature Trail

Hmong Royal Project Market

Village overnight

Karen Tribal Culture

Vachirathan Waterfall

Bamboo rafting on the Wang River

Trekking in the Mae Wang and Doi Inthanon National Parks

Inclusions

What is included?

English speaking guide
Private transportation by A/C vehicle
Accommodation in a local house
Two lunches, one dinner, and one breakfast
Entrance fees (300THB per person for the National Park)
Drinking water during meals
Coffee and tea
Bamboo rafting (about 45 minutes)
Limited medical insurance
Use of sheet bag or sleeping bag
Use of Mosquito net
Use of Backpack (on request)
Toilet paper & Soap
A flashlight is provided in the village

What is not included?

Other drinks except for water during meals
Personal expenses
Tips

Timeline

Day 1
08.00 – Departure from the hotel
08.30 – Shortstop at the local market
09.30 – Arrival at Doi Inthanon National Park
10.00 – Visit Wachirathan waterfall
11.00 – Visit the summit of Doi Inthanon
11.30 – Visit the two royal chedis
12.00 – Lunch at a local restaurant
12.30 – Drive to the start point of the trek
13.00 – Start hiking about three hours
16.00 – Arrive at Karen village where we stay overnight, relax at the village
17.00 – Help your guide cook dinner
18.00 – Dinner at the village before free at leisure

Day 2
09.00 – Visit and walk around the village
10.00 – Start hiking about two hours
11.00 – Stop and relax at the waterfall
12.00 – The trek ends and meets the driver
12.30 – Lunch at a local restaurant
13.30 – Start bamboo rafting
14.15 – The end of rafting and relax
14.30 – Drive back to Chiang Mai
16.00 – Drop off at the hotel

What to bring

During this trip, you will have to carry your luggage yourself, so it is essential to pack as lightly as possible. You can leave your big luggage in the storage room of the hotel. If you stay in a different hotel after the trip than the one before, you can leave your big luggage in our office for the duration of the trip. Porterage during the trip is available for 300THB per day.

Two or three short sleeve shirts for the daytime
A warm shirt with long sleeves for the evening (in the winter Nov – Feb, it can be a bit cold)
Comfortable shoes with good grip (especially in the rainy season from May until November)
Swimwear
A hat or cap
Light raincoat
Sunscreen
Flip flops for in the village
Sunglasses
Your toiletries
Personal medication
Fully charged batteries or even an extra battery or power bank for your camera or phone. Most villages have electricity, but it is not always available.
Some money for souvenirs, drinks, and tips. 1000-1500 Thai Baht per person in small notes (not bigger than 500 Thai Baht and plenty of 100 Thai Baht notes).