North Thailand Tours
The Northern Thailand Tour will make you fall in love with what is perhaps the most beautiful part of the country—the most adventurous, and the most fascinating from a natural and cultural perspective. Together we will discover Chiang Mai, also known as the “Rose of the North”, with its countless temples enclosed within the ancient city walls, and Chiang Rai, famous for its magnificent White Temple and the ideal starting point for some of the finest trekking routes in Northern Thailand.
We will journey to discover the timeless charm of the Golden Triangle, enjoy excursions far from the city clamor, experience jungle trekking in Thailand, visit historic temples and traditional Karen villages, refresh ourselves under rejuvenating waterfalls hidden deep in the forest, interact with elephants, cruise along the legendary Mekong River, and witness breathtaking landscapes and sunsets you will remember forever. Are you ready for the adventure? Read on for the full details of our itinerary designed to show you all the wonders of Northern Thailand in the most fun, adventurous, and unforgettable way…
💰 Private Tour Price List (Rates per Person)
| Group Type | Price in THB | Price in Euro (Approx. Exchange) |
|---|---|---|
| Private Tour (Based on 2 People) | 19,000 THB | ~ €500 |
| Groups from 3 to 9 People | 15,000 THB | ~ €395 |
| Groups of 10 People and above | 13,500 THB | ~ €355 |
👶 Child Policy and Family Discounts:
• From 1 to 8 years old: FREE (100% Discount)
• From 9 to 17 years old: Special 20% discount on the adult rate.
✅ Price Includes:
- Private minivan fully at your disposal with a professional driver.
- Official licensed English-speaking tour guide.
- 1 night in Chiang Mai: Raming Lodge Resort (Deluxe Room).
- 2 nights in Chiang Rai: Maryo Resort (Deluxe Room).
- Meal Plan: Daily buffet breakfast included at the hotel every morning.
- All entry tickets and official admission fees to the attractions included in the program.
- Elephant bathing experience at Baan Ruammit (30 minutes).
- Private boat rental for navigating the Mekong River toward Laos.
- Integrated travel accident medical insurance.
❌ Price Excludes:
- Domestic flights (can be booked upon request with the best connections).
- Main meals (lunches and dinners are left open to give you maximum culinary flexibility, unless otherwise specified).
- Tips, personal expenses, and anything not expressly mentioned in the itinerary.
Tour Itinerary: Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai (4 Days)
Four intensive days with a travel itinerary designed down to the finest detail to show you the true beauty of Northern Thailand. For many, this represents the most authentic side of Thailand, far removed from the metropolitan chaos of Bangkok and the crowded, highly commercial beach resorts. An signature private journey that is flexible, immersive, and exclusive.
🌅 Day 1: Chiang Mai, the “Rose of the North” and the Incredible Silver Temple
Also known as the “Rose of the North”, Chiang Mai is nestled in a verdant valley traversed by the Ping River, roughly 700 km from Bangkok. Renowned for its local cottage industries, hill tribe handicrafts, wood carvings, silverware, intricate lacquerware, fine ceramics, and traditional paper umbrellas, it stands as the cultural capital of Northern Thailand.
Guided tour of the temple on Mount Suthep, founded in 1386. From the temple’s mountain terrace, you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view over the entire city of Chiang Mai. The temple is deeply revered by Buddhists as its central golden pagoda enshrines holy relics of the Buddha. Fun fact: to reach the summit, travellers can climb the scenic 306 steps of the staircase flanked by majestic Naga (mythological guardian serpents) sculptures, or take a comfortable funicular lift which is fully included in your package.
Following the temple visit, the journey continues to the Orchid and Butterfly Farm, where you can admire countless exotic varieties of orchids and vibrant tropical butterflies. We will stop for lunch inside the orchid greenhouse, a unique botanical environment where rare floral species and spectacular hybrids thrive under the perfect northern microclimate.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, featuring the national orchid pollination research center. Inside this expansive conservation park, you can explore specialized glasshouses recreating diverse natural habitats, including an Amazonian rainforest dome, a Refuge of the Sahara desert, carnivorous plants exhibits, and complex displays of lotus flowers from all corners of the globe. *A breathtaking highlight inside the park is the spectacular Canopy Walkway, the longest in Thailand, which allows you to literally walk high above the treetops of the jungle canopy.*
Our final stop of the day is the famous silver temple, Wat Sri Suphan. This architectural masterpiece is completely clad in ornate silver alloy, and even its flooring features massive silver panels hand-carved with intricate celestial designs and constellations. This shrine represents the peak craftsmanship of the local silversmith community from the historic Wualai neighborhood, keeping alive metal-embossing techniques that date back centuries to the Lanna Kingdom. After the tour, transfer to your hotel.
☕ Your package includes accommodation in an air-conditioned room and a rich buffet breakfast for the following morning.
🌿 Day 2: Transfer to Chiang Rai – Natural Geysers, the White Temple, and Khun Khon Waterfalls
We leave Chiang Mai behind and head northeast toward the historic province of Chiang Rai.
Along the scenic route, we will stop at the natural Hot Springs. These geysers shoot scalding mineral water from deep underground, creating therapeutic thermal pools on the surface known for their beneficial properties. *During this rural break, it is a fun local tradition to buy small woven baskets of quail or chicken eggs to submerge directly into the bubbling water of the main geyser, watching them soft-boil to perfection in a matter of minutes!*
⏰ 11:30 AM – Arrival in Chiang Rai for a guided tour of the world-famous White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), the modern icon of the city. This incredible, dreamlike work of art, envisioned and hand-built by the visionary national artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, embodies Buddhist philosophy regarding overcoming earthly temptations and human desires to attain spiritual purity, masterfully symbolized by pristine white plasterwork and countless reflecting mirror mosaics.
⏰ 12:30 PM – Lunch at a local rotisserie featuring authentic roasted chicken and freshly prepared papaya salad (Som Tum). Dine inside a traditional bamboo bungalow in true countryside fashion. A genuine, unpretentious culinary experience to savor the authentic flavors of northern Thai cuisine (historically known as Lanna cuisine).
In the afternoon, we head into the wild to visit the Khun Khon Waterfalls, accompanied by an exciting 30-minute jungle trek. The falls can only be reached via a winding foot trail that snakes deep into the lush jungle canopy. The route is highly rewarding, featuring a slightly demanding final incline… but the destination is worth every step! The Khun Khon Waterfalls are among the highest and most powerful cascades in the province, nestled inside a protected forest park filled with giant bamboo groves and prehistoric tree ferns. Afterward, transfer to your hotel in Chiang Rai.
☕ Your package includes accommodation in an air-conditioned room and a rich buffet breakfast for the following morning.
🌏 Day 3: The Legendary Golden Triangle, Mekong River Cruise, and Border Crossing into Laos
Guided excursion to a traditional hill tribe village home to the Karen ethnic group (popularly known as the Long-Neck women). In the village, you can observe community members wearing their traditional heritage attire; the men work the fields during the day, while the women preserve historical weaving traditions, creating elaborate silk scarves on handlooms. Alongside the Karen people, other indigenous ethnic groups originally from China live harmoniously in the same village, including the Akha, Lahu, and Yao, providing an extraordinary anthropological perspective on geometric embroidery styles and tribal identity.
Next, we depart for the historic Golden Triangle. Upon reaching Chiang Saen, our first stop will be at the panoramic headland—a spectacular viewpoint from which you can admire the entire landscape of the Golden Triangle. This is the exact geographical confluence where the Ruak River flows into the massive Mekong River, marking the natural borders where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar (formerly Burma) meet, historically infamous for the international opium trade.
⏰ 12:00 PM – Stop for a scenic lunch overlooking the river.
After lunch, we will embark on an exciting 40-minute cruise along the Mekong River on a private long-tail boat. Navigating the international waters that separate the nations, we will make a fascinating stop to explore the characteristic Golden Triangle Island, a unique and privileged vantage point situated directly in the heart of the river’s course.
During our river journey, you will have the optional opportunity to extend the experience by visiting the bustling Don Xao Market, located on the Laotian riverbank. This is a colourful border market where you can find everything from local clothing and handicrafts to highly unconventional items, such as the infamous bottles of local whiskey infused with cobras or scorpions.
The visit to the Don Xao border market is entirely optional. For travellers who wish to take this extension and step onto Laotian soil, a daily border visa fee of 200 THB per person must be paid directly on-site (this fee is not included in the tour price). For custom clearance processing, your passport is temporarily securely held at the official Thai customs desk and safely returned upon your return by boat.
Upon returning from the river island, we will make a stop at the fascinating Monkey Cave. The temple nearby the cave entrance (Wat Tham Pla) serves as a natural sanctuary for numerous wild macaques that live on the steep limestone crags, coming down to the valley floor in search of wild fruits. Afterward, we return to the centre of Chiang Rai and transfer back to your hotel.
☕ Your package includes accommodation in an air-conditioned room and a rich buffet breakfast for the following morning.
🐘 Day 4: Safari at Baan Ruammit, the 9-Story Pagoda, and the Baan Dam Art Museum
Departure for the traditional village of Baan Ruammit, a magical location set along the scenic banks of the Kok River, the major waterway that snakes through Chiang Rai before flowing into the mighty Mekong. The road leading to the village offers unforgettable landscape views, characterized by emerald green rice paddies and authentic hill tribe hamlets keeping ancient customs alive.
🐘 A Magical Encounter: Elephant Bathing (30 Minutes)
We completely skip traditional riding saddles to experience a 100% ethical, non-intrusive, and thrilling close encounter with nature. For 30 unforgettable minutes, you will enjoy a moment of genuine connection and empathy: you will step directly into the cool waters of the Kok River alongside these majestic, peaceful gentle giants. You can play with them, help them cool down by splashing water, and gently brush their thick skin—a bathing ritual that elephants genuinely adore and which allows you to bond in total safety. Following this wonderful river adventure, you can pamper them further and feed the elephants, offering sugar cane and bananas directly from your hands.
Our trip continues to the spectacular pagoda complex of Wat Huay Pla Kang. We will visit the massive 9-story pagoda, constructed in an architectural fusion style blending Chinese and Thai Mahayana traditions. Each floor features exquisite, life-sized statues carved from precious cedar wood. From the topmost level, you can enjoy an unparalleled view over the entire valley of Chiang Rai. *Please note: the complex is most famous for the colossally grand white statue dominating the hilltop—often mistaken for Buddha, it actually portrays Guan Yin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Inside the statue, a panoramic elevator travels up to the top, allowing you to view the panoramic landscape directly through the deity’s eyes.*
⏰ 12:00 PM – Stop for lunch (at leisure).
Next, we explore Baan Dam. Baan Dam, more commonly referred to on international circuits as “The Black House“, is a highly idiosyncratic creation by the eccentric Thai national artist, Thawan Duchanee. Part art studio, part museum, and part private estate, Baan Dam consists of a fascinating mixture of traditional northern Thai structures blended with modern, surrealist, and avant-garde designs. The compound evokes a thought-provoking combination of dark, surreal, and whimsical moods, showcasing extensive art collections focusing on animal skins, bones, and horns that contrast sharply with the pristine white style of the White Temple seen on previous days. Departure for Chiang Rai central points and conclusion of our travel services.
For bookings, availability details, or changes regarding the Northern Thailand Tour…
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