Mount Doi Inthanon National Park Sunrise and Hiking

Excellent tour. Sunrise was beautiful. Joe was fabulous. Highly recommend. Had a great time. ………………………….

We had a wonderful day with our local guide! We were picked up at 4 on the dot and made our way up to Doi Inthanon to see the sunrise. It was quite foggy up the mountain and we enjoyed refreshing and chilled temperatures. Definitely bring warm clothes but also lighter ones for the enjoyable hike later in the day. We ended the day with a delicious lunch at a wonderful and calm location and we’re even taken to a silk factory in Chiang Mai on the way back. Our guide was so nice, chilled, flexible and we chatted lots about Thai culture and customs. Getting up early was worth it, we beat the crowds everywhere and could even see some local wildlife. Definitely recommend!

We are a family of 3 with a 10 year old daughter whose up for most adventures. We woke up at 3am to ensure we were at the lobby of our hotel by 4am. Our guide Joe was already there and we were in the car promptly at 4am. The drive up Doi Inthanon is almost two hours. Probably best to catch a snooze. Joe is happy to engage you in conversation though if you are wide awake. It gets pretty cold and wet up there during the rainy season so definitely take a sweater and a rain poncho. As soon as we got to the sunrise spot, we realised that it was too misty to actually catch the sun rising. But what made up for it was the fact that we were literally walking amongst the clouds and it was magical. Right after that, we drove higher up until we got out of the car to do a short 10 minute trek to the highest point on Doi Inthanon, also the highest point in Thailand. Doi Inthanon is part of the himalayan range of mountains. We did a beautiful hike there within the cloud forest up at that altitude. Probably about 45 mins long. Everything is just so mystical and stunning and Joe is quick to point out all the exotic and indigenous flora and fauna. After this we drove slightly lower to the twin pagodas. Before we ascended the stairs to see the pagodas and the beautiful gardens and view that surrounded them, we stopped for a quick breakfast that Joe had packed for us. Fresh fruits and some buns along with juice. The pagodas were a good visit too. So far we were the first tourists everywhere and it seemed like the entire experience was made for us. There were no other locals or tourists there that early in the morning. After the pagodas we started our main hike. What a magic experience this was. The landscapes we navigated in just this one hike. Beautiful waterfalls and streams surrounded by dense forest. After about an hour of hiking we descended low enough to enter the lush valleys with rice paddies and coffee plantations as far as the eyes could see. This was an unforgettable experience. We crossed the paddies and coffee fields and ended the hike at one of the Karen Hill Tribe villages where we were served freshly brewed coffee from the local plantations. After this we went to a local restaurant for lunch followed by a visit to an epic waterfall for pictures. TIP: Although the hike is mainly descending down to lower altitudes, the route is muddy, slippery and wet during the rainy season. Finally, we wholeheartedly recommend Joe. He is an excellent guide.