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Chiang MaiNature & adventure

Our most recommended Chiang Mai Nature & adventure

Chiang Mai: Waterfall, Elephant Sanctuary and Bamboo Rafting

1. Chiang Mai: Waterfall, Elephant Sanctuary and Bamboo Rafting

Embark on a one-of-a-kind experience and visit an ethical rescued elephant facility in the jungle outside Chiang Mai. Cool off in a waterfall, savor a traditional Thai lunch, and become a caretaker for the day as you interact, feed, and observe the gentle giants in their natural environment.  Begin with a pickup from your hotel or accommodation in downtown Chiang Mai. Take a scenic drive southwest of Chiang Mai and see local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields along the way.  Journey to the Mae Wang Waterfalls, where you'll relax and take a dip in the water. Arrive at the Pon Elephant Thailand located deep in the jungle. You'll be welcomed to the sanctuary by a guide who will lead you through the experience. Get dressed into Karen hill tribe clothing like the ones elephant caretakers wear. Next, get a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Come and meet the friendly rescued elephants and feed them bananas. Walk up the hill with elephants through the forest and watch the elephants forage for food in the wilderness. Observe elephants interacting between families in their natural environment. Head down to the river and enjoy bathing with the elephants. Walk with the elephants back to the sanatorium and embrace the memories and have time to say goodbye to these marvelous creatures. Finish off with a scenic bamboo rafting trip along the Mae Wang River before you get dropped off at your hotel in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park & Elephant Sanctuary

2. Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park & Elephant Sanctuary

Discover the beauty of the Doi Inthanon National Park, see the Wachirathan Waterfall, and feed elephants at an elephant sanctuary. Choose from a tour with a centrally-located meeting point in Chiang Mai or a tour with convenient pickup and drop-off directly at your accommodation in Chiang Mai.  Hop aboard a comfortable van or bus and relax the drive to the southwest of Chiang Mai. Stop at one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. This waterfall is more than 80 meters high, creating a refreshing mist that nourishes the surrounding vegetation.  Continue your journey to admire the stunning Twin Royal Pagodas. Take in gorgeous panoramic views with a terraced flower garden and the summit of Doi Inthanon Mountain. Walk on an ancient fern forest trail and have a delicious lunch at at local restaurant. Drive through the mountains and hill tribe village to the Elephant Village. Once you arrive, put on a traditional Karen tribe t-shirt and get ready for your jungle adventure. Pickup some fruits to feed the elephants. Learn about Asian elephants and the village's background. Find out how to approach elephants and the correct ways to feed them. Go on a forest hike with the friendly elephants through the lush vegetation and breathtaking mountains. Observe elephants roaming and foraging for food freely in the wild.  Swim with the elephants at the hidden waterfall where you can take some amazing picture. Have free time for a cool shower, to dry off, and to change back into your own clothes. Leave the Elephant Village and travel about 1.5 hours back to Chiang Mai City. 

Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour

3. Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary & Waterfall Group Tour

Take a visit to the Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai. Start with a convenient pick-up from your hotel in the city center of Chiang Mai and take a drive to Pon Elephant Thailand. Learn how to make healthy snacks for elephants and see the rescued animals. Go for a swim at Mae Wang Waterfall. Relax as you are picked up from your city center accommodation in Chiang Mai. Sit back as you are driven southwest of the city on a scenic 1.5-hour drive. Encounter local farms, hill tribe villages, and rice fields. Receive a warm welcome when you arrive at the Pon Elephant Thailand. Put on your traditional Karen Hill tribe clothes to look like an elephant caretaker. Listen to a briefing on Asian elephants and the background of the sanctuary. Gain new knowledge as you are taught how to make healthy snacks for the elephants. Feed the rescued elephants as you walk up a hill in the deep jungle. Watch the elephants foraging for food and see elephant families interacting with one another. Bathe in the river with the elephants and walk them back to the sanctuary, where you will be taught how to make elephant medicine balls. Take a shower and pack up your belongings. Eat a traditional Thai lunch and fresh fruits. Leave Pon Elephant Thailand and stop at the Mae Wang waterfall for a quick swim before transferring back starting point after the tour.

From Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trip

4. From Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Day Trip

Get picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai city center for a day to explore one of Thailand’s original national parks and highest mountain, Doi Inthanon. This tour will feature picturesque landscapes, remote villages, and incredible viewpoints. After getting picked up from your hotel in Chiang Mai, head to your first stop, one of the largest and most beautiful waterfalls in the country, Wachirathan Waterfall. Over 80 meters high, the power of this waterfall creates a refreshing mist that feeds the surrounding vegetation. Next, stop at the stunning 50-meter cascade, Sirithan Waterfall, which is fed by the Mae Klong River.  Then, stop at the famous twin pagodas: the Napamatanee Don and Napaphon Bhumisiri. Built for the Royal King and Queen, they are located at the highest point in Thailand. Round out the tour with a visit to the Karen Tribe locale. Learn a bit about the hill tribes people’s culture and way of life in their village of Sobhad. The road trip to Doi Inthanon will have you spending a lot of time on the road. You can choose to upgrade your transportation to a premium and more spacious Alphard. This ensures bigger and more comfortable seats, less people in one van (maximum of 6 people), and free snacks, cool towels, and soft drinks.

Chiang Mai: Authentic Thai Cooking Class and Farm Visit

5. Chiang Mai: Authentic Thai Cooking Class and Farm Visit

Learn how to make authentic Thai dishes with this fun, small-group cooking class in Chiang Mai as you prepare classic dishes using ingredients from a local market. Choose between a half-day class during the morning or the evening and cook three or four dishes, or go for the full-day class to cook an extra two courses! Get picked up at your hotel in Chiang Mai, then meet up with the rest of your group and choose what you want to cook from the menu. Visit a local market and buy the necessary ingredients. The highlight of this trip is the organic farm tour. Our instructor will take you to walk through the farm to get to know Thai herbs and vegetables, pick some fresh vegetables and collect eggs for your dishes, feeding the chicken. Once you're done, head to the classroom and prepare your individual cooking stations for the lesson. Follow the instructions of your professional English-speaking guide as you cook a variety of authentic Thai dishes such as mango sticky rice, pad thai, and curry, and make curry paste with your own two hands! Enjoy the fruits of your labor by sharing a meal with your group. Exchange stories as you sample each others' cooking before you head back to your accommodation.

From Chiang Mai: Exploration of Chiang Rai's Famous Temples

6. From Chiang Mai: Exploration of Chiang Rai's Famous Temples

Immerse yourself in a fascinating journey from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, visiting its famous, colorfully distinct temples and taking a restful pause at a natural hot spring. This day-long adventure is a harmonious blend of spirituality, culture, and relaxation. The adventure begins with a convenient pick-up from your hotel, setting the stage for an exploration of Chiang Rai's most iconic landmarks. Our trip begins with a visit to Wat Rong Khun, more commonly known as the White Temple. Covered in white with shimmering mirrors, this temple looks like something out of a dream, its image reflecting in the calm pond nearby. The peace you feel at this place and the Buddhist lessons it embodies will touch you deeply, all shown through its stunning design. Next, we'll visit the Blue Temple, also known as Wat Rong Suea Ten. It's painted in deep blues and covered in detailed designs. This temple was built where an old temple used to stand, a place once thought to be home to roaming tigers. Next, we head to the exciting Red Temple. It's full of bright colors and intricate artwork, and it brings to life Thai spiritual stories and folk tales. Every part of the Red Temple has a story to tell, which makes it a highlight of our tour. Lastly, before we conclude our tour, we make a brief stop at a natural hot spring. Here, you'll have a chance to observe the steam rising from the mineral-rich water, adding a soothing and calming interlude to your journey. As our expedition concludes, we drop you back to your hotel in Chiang Mai, leaving you with treasured memories and a deeper understanding of Thailand's spiritual and cultural heritage.

Sticky Waterfall Climbing (Bua Tong Waterfalls), Chiang Mai

7. Sticky Waterfall Climbing (Bua Tong Waterfalls), Chiang Mai

Experience the Sticky Waterfall Climbing Chiang Mai well-known in local named Bua Tong Sticky waterfall or Namtok Bua Tong-Nam Phu Chet Si National Park Waterfalls. The unique waterfall and surrounding by the rain forest mountain view. Visitors can climb up this waterfall that sees fast running waters passing over limestone rocks. This is one of the most unique places waterfalls are not only impressive and gorgeous, but a special feature allows you to climb directly up the rocks into the oncoming cascading water. The Sticky Waterfalls get their name from a mineral deposit that is incredibly grippy. In fact, the rocks feel like a hardened sponge. Having enjoy lunch picnic before be transfer back to hotel.

Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary and Sticky Waterfall Tour

8. Chiang Mai: Elephant Sanctuary and Sticky Waterfall Tour

Begin your private experience with pickup from your hotel in Chiang Mai. From there, take a scenic journey to a private elephant estate where you will be their caretaker for half a day. Upon arrival, walk to the main base camp to get changed into an elephant caretaker outfit and prepare yourself for a day of fun. Hear about Asian elephants' long and fascinating history as you learn to cook healthy herbal treats for them to eat for a snack. Afterward, feed the handmade treats to them and walk along their side through the beautiful lush forest. Following that, your tour continues with elephant bathing in the river before you say farewell to your new friends and set off on the next part of your tour. Following the sanctuary, take some time out of your day to enjoy a delicious Thai lunch. Savor local dishes accompanied by rice, and finish off your meal with a selection of fresh tropical fruit. After lunch, continue to the Buatong Sticky Waterfall. Whilst there, enjoy some walking and climbing from down below the falls to all the way up to the very top. As the waterfall is constructed from natural limestone, you can walk and climb easily to the top, enjoying the clear water to cool down. As your tour concludes, depart from the waterfall to return back to Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai: Elephant Care at Elephant Retirement Park

9. Chiang Mai: Elephant Care at Elephant Retirement Park

Meet and feed elephants on this elephant sanctuary tour from Chiang Mai. Watch these majestic creatures up close and learn about them from specialists. Sit down to an authentic Thai lunch and stay hydrated with complimentary water. Start your journey in the morning with a hotel pickup from Chiang Mai city center. Take the 1-hour ride to the countryside of Mae Tang district. Get changed into the local clothes and be ready for the fun activities. The experienced guide will provide information about the elephants' behavior and how to provide proper care for them. Then, prepare food and healthy treats for the elephants and feed them afterward. After that, you and the elephants will walk to play in the mud and sand spa. During this time, you will have a chance to observe their behavior, in beautiful natural surroundings. After your time with the elephants, change your clothes, shower, and then enjoy a delicious traditional Thai buffet lunch, which is suitable for vegetarians. After lunch, relax on the 1-hour journey back to your hotel in Chiang Mai city center.

Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Visit and Guided Hike

10. Chiang Mai: Doi Inthanon National Park Visit and Guided Hike

Explore Doi Intanon National Park, home to Thailand’s highest peak, on this full-day tour from Chiang Mai. A member of the local Karen hill tribe will be your guide during the hike. Walk through the jungle and spot exotic birds and butterflies. Reach the hill tribe village after about 2 hours of hiking. Drive through Baan Khun Klaang, the largest karen community in the park, and then see the beautiful Wachirathan Waterfall. Take a break for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, drive to the summit of the mountain and explore the Ang-Kha Nature Trail. Continue to the twin pagodas built in honor of the King and Queen of Thailand. Admire the royal flower garden surrounding the site.

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What people are saying about Chiang Mai

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 785 reviews

Absolutely stunning strip! Would definitely recommend. It was so well planned. The taxi driver and tour guide were so lovely and friendly. They stopped enough times for snacks and toilet breaks. Our guide was super helpful sharing knowledge about the sites we were seeing and the culture of Thailand and its people. We really enjoyed this.

Fantastic day trip. You cannot interact more closely with elephants than this tour. Feeding them, washing them with mud and them going in the river with them to rinse them off. Bamboo rafting was a great experience, and then finished off with a swim at the waterfall! Highly recommend this trip!

Our host and guide was Jimmy. We had an awesome day. Fed the elephants, interacted with them, hiked with them and bathed them. Afterwards we had a good lunch of chicken pad thai with pineapple and watermelon. The day finished with spending some time at a small waterfall. Worth it.

Our guide Young and our driver Shachou were amazing! We had so much fun! Could not imagine a better day. Thank you Young for your excellent work as a guide, but most of all for being such a beautiful person!

The trip was great! The guide knew good English and the arrangement was great.