Please take one of these suggested hikes or treks through Thailand's verdant hills, jungles, and woods to truly get a feel for the country and its people. You'll encounter traditional communities departing from some of the country's most beloved cities. Chiang Mai, in the north, and other popular destinations throughout Thailand are great places to meet locals and soak up the laid-back Thai lifestyle. From there, you can go on hiking or trekking adventures and immerse yourself in the serenity of nature. A vacation doesn't get any better than this!
But first, do you know the difference between hiking and trekking? It is crucial to know so you can choose a tour fitting to the experience you're after.
If you're a nature-loving traveller, you'll love hiking and trekking, although one is far more intensive than the other. Hiking entails a leisurely daylong or overnight excursion along designated hiking routes or other footpaths in a natural setting. In contrast, trekking involves a rigorous multi-day trip through an unspoiled natural landscape. It's something that one may do beyond the main hiking paths.
Most of the guided tours supply necessary equipment and lodging for multi-day treks. However, you should check first with the company as each one will provide different things. They will let you know what you should bring. For sure, you will need hiking shoes, a bathing suit, a towel (it can be a small one), bug repellent, sunscreen, and a toothbrush and toothpaste (for multi-day adventures).
Thailand offers an unforgettable feast for adventure travellers with its nostalgic misty peaks, old hidden temples, unearthly karst outcrops, and lush jungle thriving with wildlife.
There are many options, whether you wish to scale mountains, travel around gorgeous sandy islands, or reach Thailand's most stunning waterfalls. Additionally, the excellent transportation infrastructure makes it simple to reach most hiking trails, and there are many unique guided tours available.
Ready to go? Grab your sunscreen, insect repellent, and whatever else you may need (depending on the tour and length of the journey), and enjoy any one of these unforgettable tours through pristine Thai landscapes.
With a hike and a mountain bike descent in Doi Suthep National Park, this fantastic tour combines two fun outdoor activities. First, you get to hike to a mountain peak next to a Hmong settlement, then ride your bike at top speed toward Lake Huay Tueng Thao. This tour departing from Chiang Mai suits adrenaline junkies and nature enthusiasts. It includes transportation from and to the hotel, two meals, water, equipment, and a knowledgeable guide.
Visitors to Thailand can enjoy one of the country's most breathtaking vistas by hiking the short Kew Mae Pan Nature Trail. Located in Doi Inthanon National Park not far from Chiang Mai, the 2200-meter-high (7218-foot-high) Kew Mae Pan mountain is just a few hundred meters south of Doi Inthanon, Thailand's tallest peak at 2565-meters-high (8415ft).
The route is a short loop made up of boardwalks. It starts in the depths of a forest covered in moss and ferns, which comes alive with the blooming of crimson rhododendrons in January and March. Next, hikers can reach the Kew Mae Pan Viewpoint (also known as Station 9), which overlooks the entire reserve and is renowned for its stunning sunrise views, then continue past the Mae Pan waterfall and through the thawing thicket into a viridian grassland. It is required to have a guide, and this tour we've picked out counts.
They will drive you to Doi Inthanon National Park to spend the day hiking and more. Stopping at an authentic Hmong village market and a shrine honouring Chiang Mai's seventh monarch are just two of the highlights. You'll also travel to a summit and pay homage to the Stupa of Chiang Mai's former king, learn about the Karen hill tribe and visit the beautiful Wachirathan waterfall at this park. Lunch and round-trip transportation is provided.
Spend a day outdoors by visiting Khao Yai National Park, one of Thailand's oldest and biggest national parks. Khao Yai National Park, Thailand's first national park, was established in 1962 and is the premier location for a jungle adventure close to the capital city.
On this tour, you can enjoy the local wildlife and plants as you hike along the numerous nature trails and visit the magnificent Haew Suwat and Haew Narok waterfalls. Water is included but not food, so bring snacks. Someone will pick you up and drop you off from your hotel too.
Explore the dense jungles of Phuket with a guide and a small group. Start early in the day with a transfer from your accommodation to Khao Phra Teaw National Park (included), where you will hike amid bamboo, steep terrain, and waterfalls. In addition, you can learn about solitary gibbons, busy termites, and other inhabitants of the tropical rainforest on this educational hike.
Invigorate yourself with a dip in a natural forest pool before making the journey to Phuket's largest waterfall, Bang Pae. After an eventful morning of wildlife watching (keep an eye out for flying lemurs, wild boards, and gibbons), you'll finish your tour with a beautiful Thai meal at a local restaurant.
This full-day eco-adventure tour takes you away from Phuket's tourist traps and into the island's unspoiled mangroves, jungles, and beaches. Explore the rainforest of Khao Phra Taeo National Park by kayak, soak up the sun on white-sand beaches, or unwind at a beachfront spa. The 'four waters' you can soak in along the way are a waterfall, the ocean, and the spa's hot springs and chilly pools. They provide lunch and transportation.
On your way to see the Tiger Cave Temple, you'll stop at the emerald pool (Sa Morakot) and then a hot spring waterfall (Namtok Ron Khlong Thom).
Hikers who make the ascent up the 278-meter (912-foot) limestone outcrop that overlooks Krabi Town are rewarded with stunning vistas and entry into the Wat Tham Suea (Tiger Cave Temple). According to legend, tigers lived in the caverns adjacent to the temple, hence the name. The lush forest and the vast blue sea far below are no longer patrolled by any big prowling cats, but you'll probably see some monkeys and, indeed, see golden stupas and a giant seated Buddha.
Since this is a Buddhist temple, please dress respectfully by wearing pants or long skirts and blouses that cover your shoulders. You can bring the proper attire and just put it on before entering the temple.
Day oOne: Chiang Mai pick-up (8:30 am) and drive north to Chiang Dao. They'll stop at a local market to show you the products they'll use to create excellent Thai meals over the next three days. The hike begins in a lovely northern valley. After a briefing, you'll hike for an hour, introducing you to Northern Thailand's nature. Then, stop for lunch in a lovely apple orchard before walking uphill and changing vegetation. Next, you will traverse a vast tea plantation under towering mature trees and stay at a local valley-view homestay. After your guides make a delicious Thai dinner, you can relax and enjoy your new surroundings. The 4–5-hour journey on this day is primarily uphill.
Day two: Wake up to mountain music and have breakfast with fresh tea or coffee grown locally on the plantation. You'll face rainforest and crisscrossing routes on this day. You will travel mountain ridges under a dense jungle canopy, with occasional clearings affording stunning panoramic vistas of the lower valley. Refuel with a picnic lunch at midday on the route. More bamboo forests, shelter under big jungle trees, and a pleasant river crossing await in the afternoon. After the day's ascent, you'll spend the night in a little Lahu town. Your guide will cook Thai food again while you relax after a hard day! You will experience rural life tonight in a dormitory house. This day's hike is 5–6 hours on mountain trails with ascents and descents.
Day three: Enjoy breakfast on the mountain before your trip's final stretch - a three-hour descent to the Maetang River valley below. Break at the waterfall and share a riverside lunch. The trek ends with the guide dropping you off at your accommodation in Chiang Mai. The 3-hour journey on this day is primarily downhill.
This two-day tour is the finest way to see northern Thailand's highlights. It includes scenic bike rides through rural areas, jungle treks, bamboo rafting, encounters with friendly locals, and even the option of interacting with elephants at a nearby camp (additional charge). In addition, you will spend the night in a charming bungalow. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience genuine Thai ways.
Ban Mae Kampong village in Northern Thailand's forested mountains exemplifies traditional Thai culture with wooden homes and historical farming traditions. The town pioneers sustainable tourism with homestays, forest zip lines, and hiking through tea plantations. To experience pristine nature, Mae Kampong village is ideal. Villagers will welcome you and show you their unique lifestyle and environment.
Day one: Take a minivan from Chiang Mai to the local market to get ingredients for dinner. Start your trip through Ban Mae Kampong by crossing coffee and tea fields and cooling off at the 7-level waterfall, where you'll have a picnic. Then, enjoy a relaxing village massage in the afternoon while the guide cooks dinner with the homestay host. Share the home-cooked meal and spend the night in a homestay.
The following day at 7 o'clock, you and your host will go to the local temple to feed the monks. Then, the host will give you breakfast and show you how to make native hats, bamboo furniture, herbal goods, and fermented old tea leaves. Lastly, you'll visit the San Kamphaeng Hot Spring, which boils with 100°C water, before driving one hour back to Chiang Mai City.
Day one includes hiking through Khao Sok National Park and bamboo rafting down the river. You'll end the evening by visiting Panturat temple where you can see a mummy monk and feed monkeys before reaching where you'll spend the night - Treehouse! Lunch and dinner are included.
Day two involves:
There is also an option of Khao Sok lake tours, including overnight accommodation on floating bungalows!
On day three, you will return to where transportation takes you to your next destination or accommodation.
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