Doi Inthanon National Park Chiang Mai Tour – Thailand Highest Peak

The highest peak in Thailand, Doi Inthanon National Park, is a must experience for those visiting Chiang Mai.

If it’s not on your Thailand bucket list, then you better add it because this place is spectacular.

You will see the Twin Pagodas, Wachirathan Waterfall, beautiful gardens, and much more!

I know most people don’t think of mountains and forests when they imagine themselves in Thailand.

Most likely, images of beaches and toes in the sand are what come to mind for travelers on holiday in Thailand.

However, to miss such a spectacular location full of natural beauty in a tranquil and enchanted setting would be a shame.

With cooler temperatures and the greenest scenery you can imagine, a Doi Inthanon (“The Roof Of Thailand”) day trip is an easy getaway to get you refreshed and feeling rejuvenated.

At over 2,500 meters high, Chiang Mai’s highest mountain (actually the highest point in all of Thailand), Doi Inthanon is among the top marvelous places to see and experience in the Kingdom Of Thailand.

• How to get to Doi Inthanon National Park?
• What is the weather like there?
• How high is Doi Inthanon?
• Are there accommodations in at the park?

These are all the questions that went through my mind when I first set out to plan a trip to Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai.

After doing some initial research and trying to put together some time to spend there I realized that transportation would be a big issue for us.

With just a motorbike, the two-hour drive in the mountains would be a bit difficult.

Furthermore, I worried about making the trip there and not having enough time to explore before we had to head back and do the long drive home before dark.

We contemplated finding accommodations on or near the mountain, but we were unsure of where to stay and if we should book ahead or just get a place once we arrived.

The information online just didn’t give us the confidence that we would have decent accommodations if we chose to camp inside the park and guesthouses seemed a bit far outside the park.

Doi Inthanon National Park With Stay In Chiang Mai Tour

I’m sure that some savvy travelers can figure out all of the logistics and make the adventurous motorbike ride out to Doi Inthanon, but for us, this just didn’t feel right.

It was during the last week of our stay in Chiang Mai (and Thailand in general) that we finally had an opportunity to visit Doi Inthanon without worrying about the planning part.

Stay In Chiang Mai Tours provided us with a day trip tour to Doi Inthanon and it was just the thing we were looking for.

The tour started with our pickup (from where we were staying in Chiang Mai) at 8:30 in the morning.

There were about eight other people that had already been picked up by the van before us. The two-hour ride from the city was quite pleasant and comfortable in the air-conditioned van.

The beauty of the landscape that we drove by was a pleasantly relaxing display along the way.

Our tour included:

1. Two Pagodas (king and queen)
2. A walk through nature to the highest spot in the Kingdom of Thailand.
3. Lunch (Thai food set menu)
4. Visit Wachirathan Waterfall
5. Stop over at Karen hill tribe village
6. Short stop at a local market

The folks over at Stay In Chiang Mai Tour provided us with an English-speaking guide, tickets to the various sights, all transportation, delicious lunch, and insurance.

What To See And Do At Doi Inthanon National Park

If you’re a nature lover like us, Doi Inthanon National Park will not disappoint.

There are beautiful hiking trails like Giew Mae Pan Nature Trail, views from several spots along the road to the summit, manicured gardens, and bird watching along with the following:

• Doi Inthanon Summit: The highest peak in Thailand at an elevation of 2565 meters above sea level.
• Royal Twin Pagodas: Dedicated to the King and Queen’s 60th birthday anniversaries.
• Waterfalls: Mae Ya Waterfall, Mae Pan Waterfall, Mae Klang Waterfall, Pha Khun Na Waterfall, Wang Khwai Waterfall, Sirithan Waterfall, Siriphum Waterfall, and Wachirathan Waterfall.

What To Bring For Day Trip To Doi Inthanon

The weather at the park is generally humid and cold all year. Due to the high altitude, the average temperatures are between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius.

It was about that cold on the day we visited (55 degrees Fahrenheit) and extremely foggy/drizzly.

I would strongly suggest bringing the first two items listed below even if you think you may not need the rest.

1. Warm Jacket
2. Rain Poncho
3. Camera
4. Small Backpack
5. Comfortable Shoes
6. Insect Repellent
7. Bottle Of Water

The day trip to Doi Inthanon National Park was a nice way to end our stay in Thailand. We almost didn’t think that we would have a chance to visit due to logistical issues.

Fortunately, finding a tour that took care of all of that for us made it possible!

It seems that every time we attempted to see some views from a mountain in Northern Thailand we were blocked by fog (like the time we went to Phu Chi Fa in Chiang Rai).

Hopefully, next time we visit Thailand we will have a chance to go back and camp there for a couple of days.

Some Resources For Your Trip:

• Search hotel accommodations here.
• Get travel insurance from World Nomads.