3 days in Chiang Mai itinerarySky High in Chiang Mai

4 stops · 13:00 to 18:30 · about 2.1 km between stops, in a straight line

Highlights: Wat Chiang Man and Wat Chedi Luang.

1. 1

   13:00about 60 min

   Arrive & Check In

   Settle into your accommodation in or near the old city — the moat road is a good anchor point for all three days' early starts. Drop your bags and let the ceiling fan do its work before heading out.

2. 2

   14:30about 60 minSight

   Wat Chiang Man

   Chiang Mai's first temple, built by King Mangrai in 1297, sits in the north-east corner of the old city and rewards a slow afternoon. Its oldest structure is a chedi with the front halves of fifteen brick-and-stucco elephants emerging from its base. The wihan keeps two revered images: Phra Sae Tang Khamani, a 10 cm Buddha carved from clear quartz crystal, and Phra Sila, a stone stele carved with a standing Buddha.

   

   About 800 m to the next stop

3. 3

   15:45about 60 minSight

   Wat Chedi Luang

   A short walk south brings you to Chiang Mai's most dramatic ruin, a 15th-century chedi that once stood over 80 metres tall before an earthquake took its crown. Wander the courtyard in the late-afternoon light when the warm stone turns the colour of tamarind.

   

   About 1.2 km to the next stop

4. 4

   18:30about 90 minDinner

   Dinner at Franco Thai

   Start the trip at one of the oldest French restaurants in Chiang Mai, run for years by a Franco-Thai couple at the end of a quiet lane. The cooking is home-style French: duck confit, steak-frites, fondue bourguignonne and crème brûlée, served on a shaded terrace among old Thai objects. A good place to carb-load ahead of tomorrow's mountain day.

6 stops · 05:30 to 18:30

Highlights: Doi Inthanon National Park — Summit & Twin Royal Chedis.

1. 1

   05:30about 150 min

   Early Drive to Doi Inthanon

   The summit is about 115 km from the city, a two to three hour drive via Chom Thong and Highway 1009, so set off early in a hired car or with a driver. Pack a light jacket; at 2,565 metres it is far cooler than the city.

2. 2

   08:00about 165 minSight

   Doi Inthanon National Park — Summit & Twin Royal Chedis

   Thailand's highest peak crowns a national park laced with cloud-forest trails, waterfalls and more than 380 bird species. Walk the Ang Ka Nature Trail boardwalk through mossy forest right at the summit, then descend a little to the twin royal chedis, Naphamethanidon and Naphapholphumisiri, built in honour of the King and Queen and surrounded by immaculate terraced gardens that burst with flowers even in cool-season mist. The park charges foreign adults 300 baht; the chedis charge their own small entry fee.

   
3. 3

   11:15about 45 min

   Wachirathan Waterfall

   Heading back down Highway 1009, turn off at km 21 for Wachirathan, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the park. The falls are a short walk from the road, and the spray carries on the breeze.

4. 4

   12:00about 45 min

   Lunch by the Waterfall

   Restaurants, cafes and food stalls cluster around the Wachirathan car park. Have a simple lunch here before the long drive back to the city.

5. 5

   13:00about 150 min

   Drive Back to Chiang Mai

   The road back down the mountain and north to the city takes two hours or more. Expect to be back in town by mid-afternoon, with time to rest before dinner.

6. 6

   18:30about 90 minDinner

   Dinner at Ratana's Kitchen

   Back in the city, Ratana's Kitchen on Tha Phae Road serves Thai and Western dishes at budget prices, a few blocks from Tha Phae Gate. After a full mountain day, a plate of northern Thai food is exactly what's needed.

6 stops · 08:00 to 20:30 · about 9.9 km between stops, in a straight line

Highlights: Morning at Elephant Nature Park, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep and Doi Suthep-Pui National Park.

1. 1

   08:00about 360 minSight

   Morning at Elephant Nature Park

   One of the most respected ethical elephant sanctuaries in Southeast Asia, the Elephant Nature Park is visited only on its own programmes. On the half-day morning visit, hotel pickup is between 7:30 and 8:00. The group reaches the park around 9:30 for a guided walk with the herd and down to the river (no riding), eats a vegan buffet lunch at noon, and is back in Chiang Mai around 2 pm.

   
2. 2

   14:00about 30 min

   Downtime Back in Town

   Lunch was already served at the sanctuary, and the drive back reaches the city around 2 pm. Take some time at the hotel before heading up the mountain.

3. 3

   15:00about 60 minSight

   Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

   Drive up to the temple that has watched over Chiang Mai since the late 14th century. Climb the naga-lined staircase (or take the tram), circle the gold-plated chedi, and take in the city spread across the valley below. Published closing times vary between sources, so go well before 17:00.

   

   About 750 m to the next stop

4. 4

   16:15about 45 minSight

   Doi Suthep-Pui National Park

   The park that wraps around the city's guardian mountain has forest trails close to the road. On the way back down, take a short walk on one of them for a quieter counterpoint to the busy temple terrace, and a good way to let the landscape speak for itself.

   

   About 8.5 km to the next stop

5. 5

   18:45about 90 minDinner

   Farewell Dinner at Rioja II

   A final dinner at Rioja II, where the wine list leans Spanish and the kitchen takes its time. A good spot to toast three days of peaks, pagodas and pachyderms before the journey home.

   About 550 m to the next stop

6. 6

   20:30about 60 minDrinks

   Last nightcap at Roots Rock Reggae

   Finish the trip at this old-city bar, where Thai bands play live reggae, rock and ska. It is loud, cheap and popular with backpackers, and it gets busiest after 10 pm, so an early drink here is the calmer option.