Into the Heart of Doi Inthanon: Elephants, Falls & Forest Trails (dry season)

Into the Heart of Doi Inthanon: Elephants, Falls & Forest Trails – two days

Day 1: Chiang Mai – Doi Inthanon – Karen Village

Meet the elephants of Doi Inthanon

This is a private tour. Please read this page for the best time for trekking. Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800 for your trip, Elephants, Waterfalls and Trails of Doi Inthanon. This two-day tour features the two most beautiful but very different trails of Doi Inthanon National Park: the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail and the Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail. Each of these trails take about two hours hiking, depending on your speed and the time we spend along the trail for taking pictures and enjoying nature.

Our first stop is Mae Wang, where we’ll visit the Junior Elephant Sanctuary. Here, you’ll get up close with these gentle giants, learning about their history, behavior, and conservation challenges. You’ll have the chance to prepare and feed them a healthy meal. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even join elephants in the water for a playful bath. Changing facilities are available for those who wish to take the plunge! We’ll then enjoy a delicious lunch at the camp before continuing our journey to the Doi Inthanon National Park.

The stunning Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail

Our next adventure is hiking the lovely Pha Dok Siew Nature Trail. The Karen people of the village of Ban Mae Klang Luang manage the trail and work as guides. This trail mostly goes down and ends in the village where we spend the night. We start hiking in the forest until we hear the thundering Pha Dok Siew Waterfall. Then we descend several steps of this impressive waterfall along bamboo stairs and bridges.

We take our time to take in the power and beauty of nature. We leave the waterfall behind and hike along an easy, mostly flat trail to Ban Mae Klang Luang, where the trail ends. The last part of the trail offers lovely views of the rice terraces and mountains. We will spend the night in a bungalow near the Karen village of Ban Mae Klang Luang. Dinner will be in Nok’s restaurant.

Day 2 Doi Inthanon – Chiang Mai

The lovely Angka and Kew Mae Pan Nature Trails

We will check out of our bungalow, enjoy a snack and drive to the start of the Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail, the most popular trail in the Doi Inthanon National Park. We will watch the sunrise before we start this fantastic nature trail. A local Hmong guide will accompany us. The Hmong people have been calling Doi Inthanon their home many years. They manage the trail and work as guides. The trail starts through the forest until we reach a viewpoint. From here, the trail continues along the ridge offering stunning views of the park and the lowland. Doi Inthanon is the “Roof of Thailand.” We return to the forest and hike back where we started

The highest mountain of Thailand

After we have finished the trail we will go for breakfast. After breakfast we will drive to the summit of Doi Inthanon, 2565 meters (8,415 feet) above sea level. Near the summit, we will hike the very short but beautiful Angka Nature Trail and briefly visit the shrine of the 7th ruler of Chiang Mai, King Inthawichayanon. The ashes of this king are contained in the shrine, and the park was named after him. The Angka Nature Trail is very short but worth the walk to see the forest at this elevation.

The Twin Royal Chedis and the Inthanon Agricultural Station

Next we will visit the Twin Royal Chedis. The Royal Thai Air Force constructed these pagodas in 1987 and 1992 to commemorate the 60th birthday of respectively King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. Beautiful flowers gardens surround the impressive pagodas from which you have a wonderful view. Next we will visit the market where the Hmong people sell products of the Royal Project. Before King Bhumibol Adulyadej started the Royal Project opium fields covered the slopes of parts of Doi Inthanon.  It is time for lunch at a local restaurant.

After this we will continue to the Inthanon Agricultural Cultural Station, the heart of the Royal Project on the mountain. We will visit the flower gardens, the greenhouses and learn about the project, that changed the lives of the highland people.

The thundering Vachirathan Waterfall

Our last stop today is at the Vachirathan Waterfall, one of the most impressive waterfalls of Doi Inthanon National Park. We take our time here to admire this splendid wonder of nature. After this it is time to return to Chiang Mai. We will drop you off at your hotel and hope you enjoyed our Elephants, Waterfalls and Trails of Doi Inthanon trip!