- About 7 to 8 hours
- pickup 9:00
- Light walking
Mae Kampong Village, Hot Springs & Muang On Cave
A mountain village of wooden houses east of Chiang Mai, a soak at San Kamphaeng hot springs, and a limestone cave with a reclining Buddha.
Price on request
Mae Rim Valley — Botanic Garden & Mae Sa Waterfall
An easy day in the Mae Sa valley north of the city, with the glasshouses and canopy walk of the Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, the ten tiers of Mae Sa waterfall, and an orchid farm on the way back.
- Duration
- About 7 hours
- Pickup
- 9:00
- Back
- around 16:00
- Walking
- Light
- Group
- 2 to 9 people
The Mae Sa valley is where Chiang Mai families go for a day out. Everything is close together along one road, so we spend the day out of the van rather than in it.
The botanic garden and the waterfall are the two stops I would not skip. If you have half a day, we can do just those two and be back by two.
Highlights
- The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, the largest in Thailand, with its glasshouses and a walkway through the tree canopy
- Mae Sa waterfall, ten tiers of pools in the forest, with places to swim
- An orchid and butterfly farm, where the orchids are grown for export
- Lunch at a restaurant in the valley
The day
A typical day. We can move, skip or add stops.
9:00
Pickup at your hotel
The Mae Sa valley starts about 20 minutes north of the city, so this is the day with the least driving.
Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden
The garden covers a whole hillside above the valley and we drive between the sections. The glasshouses hold orchids, cacti, carnivorous plants and a rainforest under glass. The canopy walkway runs 400 metres through the treetops, with the valley below.
Lunch
Lunch at a restaurant in the valley. There are a few with gardens by the river.
Mae Sa waterfall
The waterfall falls in ten steps through the forest, with a path along the side. The lower pools are good for a swim. Most visitors walk up to the fifth or sixth tier and come back.
Orchid farm
A short stop at one of the valley's orchid farms on the way back. You walk through the growing houses, and there is a small butterfly garden.
16:00
Back at your hotel
I drop you at your hotel around four, in time for a swim or the night market.
Along the way
Included
- Private air-conditioned van with me as your driver
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Chiang Mai
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Bottled water
Not included
- Entrance fees at the botanic garden, the waterfall and the orchid farm
- Lunch
Bring
- Swimwear and a towel for the waterfall
- Shoes with grip for the waterfall path
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
Good to know
This is the easiest day on the list for young children and for anyone who prefers short drives.
The valley has many other attractions, from ziplines to cooking schools. If you want to add one, tell me and I will fit it in.
Other days out
- About 7 to 8 hours
- pickup 9:00
- Light walking
Pha Chor Canyon, Bamboo Rafting & Wat Doi Kham
A canyon of eroded rock pillars south of the city, a bamboo raft on the Mae Wang river, a café by the fish ponds, and a hilltop temple on the way home.
Price on request
- Full day
- Flexible, set by your sanctuary booking
- Light walking
Elephants, Bamboo Rafting & Sticky Waterfall
A morning with elephants at a sanctuary that does not offer riding, a bamboo raft down the Mae Wang river, and a limestone waterfall you can walk up barefoot.
Price on request