Top Chiang Mai Day Trips

Visit an elephant sanctuary, relax at Bua Tong waterfall, and take part in river rafting—all in a single day without the hassle of planning transportation and logistics. Start the day with hotel pickup from Chiang Mai accommodations, followed by a day full of activities—with entrance fees included, as well as lunch along the way for the ultimate stress-free adventure.

Getting to Doi Inthanon, the tallest mountain in Thailand, from Chiang Mai can be a hassle, and so can navigating the national park once you are there. This tour takes care of the details so you can experience a variety of what Northern Thailand has to offer. In addition to the mountain, your guide will take you to a waterfall, a hill tribe village, and more.

If you’re short on time in Chiang Mai but want to experience all the area has to offer, this convenient tour lets you enjoy three distinct experiences. Observe elephants up close in their natural habitat at the Living Green Elephant Sanctuary, visit Doi Inthanon National Park, home to the highest mountain in Thailand, and hike along the Pha Dok Saew trail to see a gorgeous waterfall.

With this full-day tour from Chiang Mai, you can check off Chiang Rai’s top landmarks with ease. Save hours of research time, and benefit from having a full itinerary organized for you. As you ride between sites in an air-conditioned vehicle, enjoy stops at the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun), the Baan Dam Museum, the Blue Temple (Wat Rong Seur Ten), and The Black House.

Immerse yourself in nature and culture in northern Thailand on this full-day small-group tour to Doi Inthanon National Park. Hike the park’s trails, see lush waterfalls and the tallest point in Thailand, and visit the King and Queen Pagodas. Afterwards, visit the Hmong and Karen hill tribe village at Baan Klang Luang. Entrance fees extra, though lunch is included.

Chiang Rai is famed for its temples, including the spectacular White Temple. The city is roughly a 3.5-hour drive from Chiang Mai so a day trip by public transportation is tricky, but this bus tour makes it easy. An official guide ensures you don’t miss a single detail of the temples. Plus, enjoy a soak in some hot springs and visit a “longneck” village (entrance at your own expense).

Beat the crowds and see a spectacular sunrise from one of Chiang Mai’s highest points during an early-morning tour to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. This unique tour offers you the chance to experience an alms-giving ceremony in the early morning and explore the famous temple without daytime crowds. Plus, a former-monk guide provides insight into Thai culture and the Buddhist religion.

Hike in Doi Inthanon National Park (entrance extra), visit a waterfall and the highest point in Thailand, stop at a Karen village and a Hmong Market, and see the Twin (King and Queen) Pagodas with this small-group tour from Chiang Mai. You'll explore with a local guide, making stops to take in views, dine on an included lunch of Thai fare. Private tour and longer hike option available.

Ideal for those short on time in Chiang Mai, this experience packs three adventures into one well-organized day. Ride an ATV through the countryside, stop for a picnic at a scenic waterfall, then drift along the river on a bamboo raft. With transportation and a delicious lunch included, it’s a smooth and time-saving way to experience multiple outdoor highlights in Chiang Mai.

Visit the magnificent temples of Chiang Rai on a full-day, private-tour from Chiang Mai to a series of iconic Buddhist sites. Enjoy the flexibility of a private driver/guide throughout the day as you visit Wat Sang Kaew Photiyarn, Wat Rong Khun, Wat Huai Pla Kung, and more, with a break for lunch in a local restaurant. This 13-hour temple tour from Chiang Mai includes pickup and drop-off at city hotels, lunch, and entrance fees, and it’s a fun, personal way to explore the sites of northern Thailand.

Head out to Doi Inthanon National Park for a 2-hour trekking tour with a professional guide by your side. You'll hike the fantastic nature trail around 2 hours. You'll also stop by the Phra Maha Dhatu Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri Pagodas, at the top of Thailand's highest peak. You'll visit a Karen village and a Hmong market. Lunch and round-trip hotel transfers are included.

Cuisine can tell you a lot about a place. Take this food-focused tour and taste first-hand how the region’s plant life and history have shaped its food. Your tour takes you to 15 different tucked-away restaurants and street-stalls that few travellers make the time to try on their first visit to Chiang Mai. Treat your taste buds to a night tour of Chiang Mai on this private trip.  Make sure you come hungry.

There’s so much to see and do in Chiang Rai that it can sometimes be tricky as a visitor to make a shortlist. Save time scrolling through reviews and let someone else plan the itinerary for you with this full-day tour. Check off multiple temples—including the Red, White, and Blue Temples—visit the Long Neck Village, and also have time to relax in a hot spring—a perfect blend of architecture, culture, and nature.

Begin your journey at the sacred Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, where a revered Buddha relic is enshrined in a golden pagoda. Continue with a cultural visit to a traditional Hmong village in the nearby hills. End the trip in peace at Wat Pha Lat, a serene temple tucked into the lush forest of Doi Suthep.

Get ready for an unforgettable day as you meet gentle elephants and climb the amazing Sticky Waterfall on a full-day tour from Chiang Mai. Begin at an elephant sanctuary where five elephants, including a playful baby, enjoy a life of freedom. Feed them bananas and bamboo, walk beside them in the jungle, and join in the fun of a mud bath and river splash. With no riding, no chains, and no performances, this sanctuary offers a rare, hands-on connection in a cruelty-free setting. The journey continues at the famous Sticky Waterfall, a limestone cascade where you can climb directly up the flowing water without slipping. Surrounded by lush jungle, it is a refreshing and unforgettable highlight, making this tour the perfect combination of culture, adventure, and nature in one day.

Have a three-adventure day when you join this group tour from Chiang Mai. You’ll get to spend time at the elephant sanctuary, go for a jungle trek, and raft on the rapids and smooth waters through the rainforest. You’ll keep costs down by booking this group tour, but still have plenty of attention from your guides, and plenty of opportunities for fun.

Rather than a fixed itinerary of places that don’t interest you, this private Chiang Rai adventure gives you the freedom to customize the itinerary. The guide can recommend highlights—such as temples and the Golden Triangle—and then you can choose how long you spend at each place, or if you want to skip stops. You can also benefit from guide insights to get you up to speed on local landmarks.

Once the sun sets, Chiang Mai takes on a completely different character. See the city magically illuminated on an evening tour that reveals two of Chiang Mai’s most-popular temples—Wat Umong and Wat Phra That Doi Suthep—at night. Visiting the temples at night means that you’ll benefit from cooler temperatures and less crowds.

Visit several of Chiang Mai’s most famous temples on this half-day small group tour, where you’ll have air-conditioned transport and a guide the entire tour, so you won’t need to organize those yourself. You’ll be with a small group, which will keep costs down, but you’ll still have an intimate experinece at Wat Umong, Wat Pha Lat, and more.

This small-group tour is a convenient way to tick off three examples of magnificent architecture in a day without having to look up public transport schedules. Zip around the city in an air-conditioned van or car and see Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and Wat Pha Lat temples—with admission included to save you time waiting in ticket lines. Upgrade to a private tour that also includes a visit to the Chiang Mai Night Market.

This small-group tour offers a unique opportunity to feed, walk with, and learn about Thailand’s majestic elephants at an ethical elephant sanctuary — ensuring their well-being with no riding and no chains. Afterwards, gear up for an exhilarating white water rafting adventure on the scenic Mae Taeng River, perfect for both beginners and experienced rafters. Between adventures, enjoy a delicious Thai meal at a local family-run restaurant, supporting the community, with vegetarian options available. This day is the perfect blend of wildlife encounter, outdoor excitement, and sustainable tourism in Chiang Mai. Ethical elephant interaction: feed, walk, and learn — no riding, no chains Thrilling white water rafting on the Mae Taeng River Lunch at a local family-run restaurant — vegetarian options available Small-group experience with convenient round-trip transport from Chiang Mai

Check out some spectacular Northern Thai temple culture on this private day tour, where you’ll visit several places that you might not fit in if you didn’t have a guide and driver. You’ll have round-trip transfers from your hotel, then visit the Sticky Waterfall, Bai Orchid and Butterfly Farm, Wat Banden, and much more.

Don’t just eat the incredible food in Thailand; with this hands-on half-day experience—you can visit an organic farm and learn how to make local dishes from scratch. Discover expert tips on how to grow herbs and vegetables, and then take part in a cooking class where you can make a variety of dishes—such as curry paste, curry, stir-fry, soup, and spring rolls.