Best of Northern Thailand in 10 Days
- Chiang Rai
- Chiang Mai
- Pai
- Mae Hong Son
Explore a 10-day adventure in Thailand, discovering Bangkok's lively heart, Ayutthaya's history, and Chiang Mai's enchanting north. Journey further to find the beautiful sights of Chiang Rai, Pai's relaxed vibe, and Mae Hong Son's calm beauty. Dive into the cultures of diverse hill tribes, making the region rich in culture. Taste unique local foods from each tribe, each with its delicious dishes. Experience the traditions and history while enjoying the stunning northern scenery.
- Start your journey up north: Discover the captivating Golden Triangle, roam through the mystical hills of Doi Mae Salong, and immerse yourself in Chiang Mai, often called 'the Rose of the North.'
- Admire the stunning beauty of the well-known Wat Rong Khun, also dubbed the 'White Temple' in Chiang Rai.
- Visit the Karen village and see local women wearing brass rings around their necks-a fascinating sight.
- Learn about wildlife with an exciting trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary.
- Chiang Rai
- Chiang Mai
- Pai
- Mae Hong Son
Day 1 Chiang Rai – arrival
Arrival in Bangkok, where you will be warmly welcomed by a local guide from Kampá Tour at the airport. You'll then be transferred to your city center hotel, with rooms ready from 2 p.m. onwards.
Enjoy some free time to rest up or start exploring the vibrant Thai capital at your leisure. Your night will be spent comfortably at the hotel, marking a relaxing start to your 10-day Thailand adventure with Kampá Tour.
Day 2 Chiang Rai - Doi Tung - Mae Sai - Chiang Saen - Chiang Rai
After breakfast, the day kicks off with a visit to Doi Tung Palace, known as the 'King's Mother Garden.' This place is a palace nestled in a valley and boasts an extensive garden filled with a wide variety of colorful flowers. The palace, once the residence of Princess Srinagarindra, offers stunning views from its balcony, showcasing vibrant gardens and the picturesque mountainside.
Later, the journey heads to Mae Sai, a bustling spot where Thailand, Burma, and China converge. It's a vibrant trading area offering a plethora of products and goods for sale, reflecting the unique blend of cultures in the region.
In the afternoon, venture to the Golden Triangle, historically known for its past opium trade. Hop on a riverboat cruise along the Mae Khong River to soak in the breathtaking scenery that separates the three neighboring nations.
Finally, return to Chiang Rai, where you'll spend the night.
Day 3 Chiang Rai city Tour - Chiang Mai
Morning is dedicated to exploring Chiang Rai, starting with the renowned Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Phra Singha, one of the oldest Thai temples still inhabited by Buddhist monks to this day.
Your journey continues with a visit to Wat Rong Khun, the stunning White Temple, an architectural marvel of the city. This temple stands out with its radiant white color and the use of glass pieces embedded in the plaster, sparkling in the sunlight.
Afterwards, you'll depart for Chiang Mai, passing through scenic hills, valleys, and charming villages. On the way, there's a brief stop at the Mae Khachan hot spring for coffee, restroom facilities, and a chance to soak your feet in the springs.
Day 4 Chiang Mai city tour - Doi Suthep, Khantoke dinner
A day dedicated to exploring the rich heritage of Chiang Mai, a city founded in the 13th century, which reflects a blend of Lanna, Siamese, and Burmese cultures.
Begin with a walking tour of the old town, including stops at the ancient wall, the moat, and an old town gate. You'll have the opportunity to admire some of Chiang Mai's most exquisite temples, such as Wat Phra Singh, Wat Phan Tao, and Wat Chedi Luang.
Following this, wander along quaint streets lined with traditional houses and enjoy a rickshaw ride. Your exploration will lead you to the bustling Warorot Central Market.
In the afternoon, ascend Doi Suthep Hill, which offers splendid panoramic views of the city and the surrounding countryside. You can reach the summit by climbing 290 steps or taking a cable car. At the peak, there's a golden chedi that houses revered relics of the Buddha.
In the evening, enjoy a Khantoke dinner, a traditional Northern Thai meal served in a communal style. Typically, it includes a variety of dishes such as curries, stir-fries, and salads served on a pedestal tray (known as a Khantoke) placed on the floor. Guests sit around the Khantoke on floor mats, sharing the meal together. This dining experience isn't just about the food; it's also an opportunity to immerse yourself in Northern Thai cultural customs and hospitality. Often, traditional performances like folk dances or music entertain guests during the meal.
Day 5 Chiang Mai - Pai
Reception in Chiang Mai and departure for Pai in the north. On the way, explore Mae Malai Market, where you can sample local delicacies and exotic fruits. Next, visit Pong Deuid Waterfall, one of Chiang Mai province's most stunning hot springs. This spa is a hidden gem within a well-maintained park nestled in a picturesque valley. Downstream from the bubbling geysers, you'll find shallow rock pools perfect for swimming.
Afterward, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before reaching Pai. This small, hillside community offers a natural, clean, refreshing, and warm atmosphere. It's a melting pot of different ethnic groups from the plains and mountains, each with their unique religious beliefs and languages that have come together to create a distinctive cultural tradition. Depending on your arrival time, you can explore the secluded village of Pai and visit three other villages representing local ethnic groups, including Ban Bang Paek (Lisu tribe), known for their vibrant clothing and high-altitude settlements.
Day 6 Pai - Mae Hong Son
After breakfast, visit the local market, then depart for Mae Hong Son. Make a stop at the village of Baan Phang Paek, home to the Lisou community, a Sino-Tibetan ethnic minority.
Continue on the road towards Ban Tham Lod and visit the Tham Lod caves by bamboo raft. Cruise on the inland lake, and discover its limestone concretions and prehistoric coffins. From the entrance to the outlet of the cavity, a watercourse has eroded it for over a million years.
Continue along the road to Mae Hong Son with a visit to three temples near the picturesque Jong Kham Lake. Take a walk along the lakeside trail. Visit Wat Chong Kham, which is located next to Wat Chong Klang. It is the older of the two temples, founded in 1827 by the Shan people of Mae Hong Son. The Buddha, in Burmese style and standing at 5 meters tall, is seated there. Wat Chong Klang, constructed in the 1860s, features a Burmese-style chedi that can be easily seen from the lake's shores. Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu is the main attraction of Mae Hong Son, guarding the town like a sentinel. The best time to visit is during sunset between November and February when the surrounding mountains are shrouded in fog.
You'll spend the night in Mae Hong Son
Day 7 Mae Hong Son - visite
In the morning, we commence our journey by taking a boat along the Pai River. This scenic ride allows you to catch a glimpse of one of the most beautiful landscapes and the simple lifestyle along the Pai River. We'll also visit the village of the Long Neck Karen tribe, known for the women who wear brass rings on their necks.
Our journey continues to Su Tong Pae Bridge, the longest bamboo bridge in Thailand. Afterward, we'll proceed to our next destination, 'Baan Rak Thai Village.' This intriguing village is located on the border between Thailand and Myanmar and features a large lake nearby.
Our next stop takes us to the beautiful and tranquil atmosphere of the Shan village, also known as 'Baan Ruam Thai' or Pang Oung. This village is nestled in the rugged mountain range and is famous for its stunning reservoir or large lake, often referred to as the 'Switzerland of Thailand.' It is surrounded by pine forests and vibrant winter flowers, offering a cool climate year-round.
You'll spend the night in Mae Hong Son.
Day 8 Mae Hong Son - Chiang Mai
After breakfast, at approximately 7 am, you will visit the local market before departing for Chiang Mai via Mae Chaem.
You will arrive in Chiang Mai by the end of the day, where you will spend the night at the hotel.
Day 9 Chiang Mai - Elephant Nature Park
08:00 - 08:30: Begin your day with a warm welcome from your English-speaking guide at your hotel. Then, embark on a car journey, approximately one and a half hours south of Chiang Mai, meandering through hills, forests, and local agricultural areas.
10:30 a.m.: Arrive at the sanctuary. Meet your guide and take a 10-15 minute walk through the jungle to reach the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. Here, don traditional Karen clothing and participate in an introductory lesson about elephant anatomy, history, and behavior.
11:00 a.m.: It's time to meet the elephants. Interact with, feed, and play with these magnificent creatures in their natural environment while learning about their behavior and history. Capture memorable moments with the elephants through photos.
12:00 p.m.: Savor a delicious lunch featuring Thai dishes and fresh fruit.
1:00 p.m.: Engage in crafting herbal balloons, feed the elephants once more, and then embark on a leisurely walk with the elephants to the river. Here, you'll have the opportunity to bathe and brush the elephants.
2:00 p.m.: Join the elephants for a therapeutic mud spa and take a refreshing swim in the river, all while continuing to create lasting memories with these gentle giants.
3:00 p.m.: Bid farewell to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and embark on a 1.5-hour drive back to Chiang Mai.
5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: Return to your hotel or accommodation.
Spend the night at your hotel in Chiang Mai.
Day 10 Chiang Mai Departure
Depending on your flight schedule, you will return to Bangkok to prepare for your journey home.
This marks the conclusion of your unforgettable 10-day Thailand tour with Kampá Tour, filled with rich experiences and cherished memories.
More tour ideas
- Accommodation for the entire circuit, in hotels or with locals
- Travel according to the program by private car
- English-speaking guide for the visits mentioned in the program
- All activities mentioned in the program, including entrance fees to tourist sites
- Economy class domestic flights with airport taxes included
- Meals mentioned in the program
- Bottle of water during guided tours (2 x 500ml/traveler/day)
- Government taxes currently in force (VAT, etc.)
- International flights from your home
- Visa fees, payable directly at the airport customs (see VISA)
- Bank fees related to payment
- Personal insurance
- Personal beverages during meals: beer, Coca-Cola, fruit juice, etc.
- Other meals not specified in the program
- SIM card and mobile plans
- Tips, personal expenses, and other services not mentioned in the "Our Included Services" section
Our Happy Customers
Mr. Patrick and Mrs. Marie Perou
The rest of the journey went very well until Pu Long, largely thanks to Thien who quickly understood what we wanted to see (amazing hikes) and what we wanted to experience in our interactions with the minority ethnic groups. Thanks to our guide, we had many warm exchanges and shared beautiful emotions over tea, fruits, and bong gao in their humble homes. Unforgettable experiences in the villages of tiles, knives, incense, and weaving.
An opportunity for great happiness to experience the Than Minh festival proposed by Thien.
Thank you for the foot massage, which was a pure moment of relaxation... It made us want to book a full body massage upon our return from Pu Long.
We are truly delighted with our journey in the North, although we missed the good weather a bit.
A word also about our driver, who was extremely careful on the mountain roads and always provided valuable assistance with a smile for his passengers.
Looking forward to continuing towards Halong Bay tomorrow.
The adventure of traveling to Vietnam with the Kommer family
Xenia Kommer's Family Travel Diary
[29/3/24]: Tony and the driver are great! And everything we've seen and done too 😊
[1/4/24]: Hello! We are back from the boat in Halong Bay. It was very beautiful! I didn't tell you that we ate crickets last 😁 week In Tam Coc the boys played football with children from there 😉
[3/4/24]: Hello, we arrived safely in Hoi An today. Everything is great, the hotel is very nice. Yesterday the boys swam in the Hue😉 River
[5/4/24]: Hoi An diving, I don't do it but the boys love it 😃
The Alzarral family with their friends
To begin with, thank you for this wonderful trip that you organized for us. Thank you to Huan, Kien and Ms. Chau for conveying the love of their country to us. Bus drivers were also safe in this traffic.
After the discussion among all the participants in the trip, we send you these observations:
Guide: 5/5⭐
Drivers 5/5⭐
Bus:4/5⭐
Hotel: 4.9/5⭐ (slightly small breakfast room at the Sanouva Hotel in Saigon).
Choice of restaurant by guides: 5/5⭐
Transfer by plane: 5/5⭐
Choice of visits:5/5⭐
Organization of the agency: 5/5⭐
Thank you, Mrs. TRANG VU, for your warm welcome at the agency and for your willingness to organize our trip. We also thank Bao for his kindness and for the short documentary on YouTube. You can count on us to really appreciate your skills.
Thanks again for everything 😘😘
Mrs. Silvia and her husband
Greetings from Lima, guys! We just got home and we don't even feel tired! I still have the energy to keep going, haha!
Now, let's talk about the North. In February, from Hanoi to Ha Long, there is a lot of drizzle. I suggest other visitors always carry a fine raincoat when they go. Luckily, it didn't alter our plan much. We enjoyed the coffee with egg and the bun cha. Ms. Nhung knew all the perfect places to eat, without worrying about finding available places, and at good prices! I'll send you some great photos from Hanoi!
But, the most amazing thing was the experience on the Mekong! Just perfect. We loved Mr. Nguyen; He had an in-depth knowledge of the place, which made us enjoy it to the fullest. He also shared a lot of interesting things about the Vietnamese and their current and current culture, not just theory.
The hotels were ok, no complaints. This trip makes us think of Cambodia and Thailand with our friends in the future (still wishes)
I think that's enough for now. See y
Chantal & Daniel
Hello Mrs. Huyen and all her team,
We had dreamed it, we had prepared our trip with the guides, and now we are back, with the images still fresh in our minds.
Thank you and congratulations for this perfect organization, despite the fact that a flight was delayed a day at the last minute. We found our guides and drivers as planned, the guides were friendly, spoke perfect Spanish, the "busy" program was respected.
Recounting our journey could become a real novel, so we will talk about the main points. Now, worry before leaving because the guides said that we should avoid the Tet period, that for the lunar new year everything was closed, anyway what joy, flowers, decorations, events everywhere.
👉Hanoi, staying in the center, after a tour of the city, and a visit to Kampa Tour, a well-deserved siesta, we set off on foot (without a guide) through the narrow streets (thanks to the GPS to find the hotel).
👉The next day, visits to museums, great water puppet show.
👉Day 3:
The Le Boucher family
February 15-28, 2024 -
"Hello, the trip is going very well. Yesterday I grew rice. A symbol and a source of pride for me, I would even say one of the goals of this trip. Thank you"
"The work in the rice paddies is already well underway...we are lucky to see the peasants in full activity, it is really enriching to learn about your way of life. A 12km walk today was an intense moment. "
The Diego Family
January 2024
We're on the flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok. I'm writing these lines because I'm eager to share more details about the trip, in addition to praising the services (hotels, restaurants, etc.) that I mentioned during the call in Vietnam.
Visiting the Angkor Wat temple complex is worth it. When we entered, we felt like we were becoming tiny people. It was a very surprising experience. On the second day, when we arrived at the lakeside village of Kompong Khleang, the scenery isn't beautiful, but it showcases the culture of the people, which is very interesting. The tour guide in Cambodia is very good, has a good sense of humor, and is always willing to explain everything coherently. So we didn't respond to the message immediately.
The continuity between the visit to Cambodia and the conclusion of the trip in Vietnam is certainly very reasonable. The number of days for visiting is also appropriate. In addition to following our itinerary, we also made use of our free t
Mr. Sebastian Rodriguez and his friends
January 2024 - The trip went well. We had memorable experiences in Asia with your team, the guides, and even the driver. Everything went smoothly, from the weather to the services (meals, accommodations) you arranged for us. Here are more details:
The first week in Vietnam was very good. We loved the egg coffee. Vietnamese cuisine is very diverse, and it was great because we had time to try most of the typical dishes: pho, bun cha, cao lau, and banh mi. The Old Quarter of Hanoi has an ancient beauty, but it's still a bit noisy. The cyclo experience was very reasonable and helped us not get bored while going to Hoi An, also to the Old Quarter, but to explore it by bikes. Ha Long Bay is very beautiful. The cruise was excellent.
The next part of the trip was in Cambodia, where we had truly amazing moments in front of the ruins of Angkor Wat. The tour guide in Cambodia was very detailed in everything we wanted to know. A few days in Cambodia are enough.
The end of the trip was in
Mrs and Mr SCHAMP
Dec 23, 2023 - We came back enchanted from our trip to Vietnam as a couple. Vietnam is a magnificent and endearing country.
The inhabitants are very welcoming and kind. As soon as we got back, we were already looking forward to going back. This was our first trip to Asia. Thanks to Kampá Tour and above all to its highly competent team, and in particular Madame Thom Doan, we set off with great confidence, and we haven't regretted it. The organization is impeccable, the hotels are top-quality and the activities varied (visits, trekking, kayaking, cycling, etc.).
The program was heavy, but we were able to split the tour into 17 days instead of 15, to take advantage of each region.
What a pleasure it was to be accompanied in each region by a guide who spoke perfect French and knew the country very well. We were able to travel with complete peace of mind, letting ourselves be guided and driven without worrying about a thing.
The family of Mr. GEIGER
Dec 6, 2023 - What a superb trip! Complete satisfaction! Discovery of the NORTH and CENTRAL VIETNAM. A very well-organized journey by VIETNAM DISCOVERY; competence and kindness of our guide LUNA; We were warmly welcomed at the agency (beautiful structure) by Mrs. THOM DOAN. The circuit and hotel services were fully in line with the program. We return with lots of beautiful memories and stunning images in our minds. Landscapes, temples, rice fields, Hmong villages, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An. We wholeheartedly recommend. BERNARD
[See more]Mrs Gisele Denaes and friends
28 Octobre 2023 - Hello, we had good feedback. All my friends were satisfied with your services. I will come back to you if we decide to go back.
Thanks again. I hope to see you soon.
Gisele Denaes.
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Hello, yes, the return trip went well. We appreciated the beauty of your country, its authenticity and the kindness of the inhabitants.
Thank you for your warm welcome. Our guide Duc and the driver were excellent, very professional and very kind.
Sincerely Agnès and Gilbert STRAUCH.
The Patricia Ait family
November 13, 2023 - Our trip was simply extraordinary and wonderful. It was a lesson in life. It would not have been possible without Mrs. Duong Lan, our Vietnam découverte correspondent, who was always available and very attentive, and who proposed a personalized tour according to our needs, guiding us in our choices.
The hotels were chosen with great care, and we really appreciated the home-stay accommodations, which gave us the chance to share special moments with the families.
Our driver, Phong, young and careful, was wonderful and very kind. Our guide, Hiep, "a walking encyclopedia of Vietnam", knew northern Vietnam and its history inside out. He was very committed, a good listener and had great human qualities to match his skills.
Recognition by travel guides
Most frequently asked questions
1. What are the hotels offered for this trip? Can I choose the hotels myself?
The suggested hotels will be specified in the detailed itinerary. We include well-located hotels in the quote that have been well-received by our clients. You can also suggest hotels of your preference to have services to your liking; rest assured, we can offer customized services and tours.
2. Do you offer diving or snorkeling excursions for free days on the islands?
3. What is the level of the proposed hikes?
4. Are international flights included in your travel packages?
5. Can we go hiking during the trip?
6. Do you have fun activities for children?
7. What are the must-visit sites in Thailand?
- Tour: Best of Northern Thailand in 10 Days
- Duration: 10 days 9 nights
- Type: The Essentials
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