Northern Thailand

Day 1: Arrival Chiang Mai - Ride along Ping River, loop back, 24 mi. (38 km)
Day 2: Chiang Mai - Wat Ban Den - Chiang Dao, 30 mi. (48 km)
Day 3: Chiang Dao - Fang, 55 mi. (89 km)
Day 4: Fang - Tha Ton, 38 mi. (61 km)
Day 5: Bike and Boat to Chiang Rai, 41 mi. (66 km)
Day 6: Doi Mae Salong Ascent, 29 mi. (46 km)
Day 7: Doi Mae Salong Descent, 23 mi. (37 km)
Day 8: Phu Chaisai - Golden Triangle - Chiang Saen, 48 mi. (78 km)
Day 9: Chian Sean loop - Chiang Mai, 22 mi. (35 km) 
Day 10: Doi Suthep Downhill, 12 mi. (19 km)
  
This cycling adventure goes beyond the beaten track and the rides are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. The tour will not be changed unless for safety or to improve it.

Day 1: Arrival Chiang Mai, 24 mi. (38 km)
Welcome to Chiang Mai, the "Rose of the North"! We will meet you at the hotel in the afternoon before a transfer to Wiang Kum Kan, an archeological site featuring the ruins of a 13th-century city. The place is ideal to get comfortable on your bikes as it is surrounded by peaceful countryside. From here, you'll ride 15 km south along the Ping River, crossing a bridge, and then looping back north passing orchards and quiet roads. To avoid the busy traffic, get in the support van for a quick transfer back to the hotel. Enjoy the welcome dinner in the evening. (D)

Accommodation:  Aruntara Riverside Boutique Hotel
Elevation gain/loss: +50m/-51m

Day 2: Chiang Mai - Wat Ban Den - Chiang Dao, 30 mi. (48 km)
Today begins with a 1.5-hour transfer to a small temple near Mae Kuang Da, where you will set up your bikes and hit the trails. The first part of the ride covers 15 km of single-track, gravel, and sandy paths leading through a dense forest, part of which is home to teak trees - one of the world's most prized timbers, and protected from logging in Thailand. Emerging from the forest, you reach the Bua Tong Waterfall. Continue for another 15 km ride along well-paved roads to Mae Ngat Reservoir for lunch, while overlooking the calm waters of this man-made lake. The final section of this ride takes you on a mix of paved and dirt roads along small villages, rice paddies, and fruit orchards. Today's ride ends in Wat Ban Den, a sprawling temple complex renowned for its colorful architecture and large sculptures of mythical creatures. You will then be transferred around 1 hour to your hotel in Chiang Dao District. Enjoy the view of the towing Chiang Dao Mountain - Thailand's third-highest peak. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Marisa Resort & Spa
Elevation gain/loss: +313/-484m

Day 3: Chiang Dao - Fang, 55 mi. (89 km)
A 12 km ride to the sacred Chiang Dao Caves is today's first order of business. Stroll through its narrow chambers housing an electric mix of stalagmites, stalactites, Buddha, and other religious relics. Then you wind your way across the valley floor, dotted with farms and framed by rugged limestone massifs. To the east lie the mountains of Sri Lanna National Park, where you'll tackle some climbing as you rise along the hillside contours. The route varies between paved country roads and hard-packed dirt trails, winding through farms and forests and a scenic ride through northern Thailand’s rural landscape. In 70 km, you will join a quiet provincial road leading you down into the Fang Valley. By around 90 km, you can finally call it a day, skip the busy highway, and transfer to your hotel in the town of Fang. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Sleeping Tree Hotel
Elevation gain/loss: +1070m/-945m

Day 4: Fang - Tha Ton, 38 mi. (61 km)
Today you ride far north of Thailand, where the mountains form a natural border with Myanmar. Set off from Fang, following paved country lanes past vast rice paddies and village temples scattered along the route. In 40 km, you will reach the Kok River, the area's lifeblood. Follow its eastern banks and arrive at the market town of Tha Thon. Around 55 km, you will reach your riverside hotel. For adventure seekers, there's the option to tackle a steep, winding mountain up to the hilltop Tha Thon temple, offering sweeping views over the valley and stretching into Myanmar. After soaking into the vistas, descend back to your hotel with peaceful gardens and a refreshing pool waiting for you to plunge in. The rest of the afternoon is all yours to relax!  (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Maekok River Village Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +576m/-591m 

Day 5: Bike and Boat to Chiang Rai, 41 mi. (66 km)
It's going to be a little unique today! You'll hitch a ride on a long-tail boat with your bikes to a scenic riverside area. The first 20 km will be along a mix of dirt roads and unevenly paved, occasionally cratered, rural lanes. Get ready to cross a suspension bridge as well! Eventually, the roads become smoother and you will spill out onto plains surrounding the city of Chiang Rai. Instead of heading straight into town, take a detour to visit the eccentric White Temple. After that, head to your hotel in Chiang Rai, and head out for a stroll through the lively Night Bazaar in the evening - where you can shop for local products. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: La Luna Hotel and Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +533m/-574m

Day 6: Doi Mae Salong Ascent, 29 mi. (46 km)
After breakfast, you cycle 14 km along dirt roads flanked by ride paddies to Chiang Rai's spectacular white temple, Wat Rong Khun. Be sure to have your sunglasses on as you will take in the splendor of one of Thailand's most famous edifices. Following lunch, there is a transfer to the foot of Doi Mae Salong to conquer the first big mountain climb in the late afternoon. It is 18 km up and down through magnificent scenery to Mae Salong. Almost entirely populated by descendants of Chiang Kai Chek’s Chinese Nationalist Kuomintang Army, the village has the look and feel of China’s Yunnan province rather than Thailand. The night is spent at the simple resort, Mae Salong Flower Hills, with a swimming pool that has outstanding views across the tea plantations. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Mae Salong Flower Hills
Elevation gain/loss: +1506m/-849m 

Day 7: Doi Mae Salong Descent, 23 mi. (37 km)
From the summit of Doi Mae Salong, time to go back down. Your ride features a stunning descent into the valleys, where you follow a secondary road down the mountain. Maintain a slow and safe pace as you navigate some uneven surfaces while soaking in views of the forests, hill tribes, and terraced agricultural fields etched into the hillsides. Although the ride trends downhill, there are still undulations and short climbs to keep your legs moving. By the 18 km mark, you are back on lower grounds and head on to your next stop, the popular Choui Fong Tea plantation. A final 5 km, including an uphill burst towards the end, leads you to our nature-based mountain resort for the night. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Phu Chaisai Mountain Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +447m/-1042m

Day 8: Phu Chaisai - Golden Triangle - Chiang Saen, 48 mi. (78 km)
You will depart your hotel and start a 4 km ride to a forest temple where local monks collect alms on horseback in the mornings. Continue the ride to rural roads bordered by rice paddies and fruit orchards. This section is flat, however, a little climbing in the jungle-clad mountains awaits you! At 15 km, ascension begins as you approach another iconic climb in northern Thailand, the Do Tung Mountain. After 30 km, you'll reach the top of the pass, which straddles the border with Myanmar. From there, enjoy a thrilling descent with panoramic views of the mountains and deep jungles of Myanmar. At 50 km, you'll descend to the fertile rice fields of eastern Chiang Rai, reaching the Golden Triangle, where Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos meet at the Mekong River. The ride ends here, and transfer a short distance to your riverside hotel Chiang Sean.(B,L,D)

Accommodation: Siam Triangle Hotel
Elevation gain/loss: +1463m/-1587m 

Day 9: Chiang Saen loop - Chiang Mai, 22 mi. (35 km)
This morning, you'll embark on a scenic loop into the countryside of the Golden Triangle. Once infamous for the illicit opium trade, this region has evolved into a peaceful agricultural landscape and a bustling cross-border trade hub. Set off from your hotel and begin a 10 km ride along the main road's shoulder, which follows the Mekong River. You'll then veer inland and ride on quiet, rural roads back to your hotel in Chiang Sean. The final few kilometers will take you along the remnants of fortification walls of the ancient town that once stood here. After lunch, hop in the van for a transfer back to where this adventure began - Chiang Mai. Travel time will take around 4.5 hours.(B,L,D)

Accommodation: The Rim Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +243m/-243m

Day 10: Doi Suthep Downhill, 12 mi. (19 km)
Saving the best for last, you'll spend most of your final morning in one of Thailand's most exhilarating downhill mountain biking trails! You'll start with a drive up to Wat Doi Suthep, the most sacred temple in northern Thailand, perched on a mountain overlooking Chiang Mai. Go ahead and explore the temple! After that, continue further up the mountain to Doi Poi, where you saddle up and begin your descent. Winding down for nearly 20 km, the trail takes you through the thickly forested slopes of Doi Suthep-Pui National Park and highland farms cultivated by hill tribe villagers. The ride concludes at the Huay Tueng Thao Reservoir. A celebratory farewell lunch follows before transferring you to your post-tour hotel or the airport. (B,L)

Elevation gain/loss: +1,699 m/-1,652 m

Please note that due to safety reasons, e-bikes are not permitted on the downhill trail. If you have hired an e-bike then we will replace it with a regular mountain bike for this ride.

This tour ends in Chiang Mai. Perhaps you would like to extend your stay in Thailand or the region. Chiang Mai Airport is an international airport with regular flights to Singapore, Hong Kong, Mandalay, Luang Prabang, and many other regional destinations. 

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You will stay in carefully chosen accommodations that are the best available for the location and offer a good mix, from home stays to luxurious lodges. On each day’s itinerary, you will find the preferred accommodation listed. If for any reason, a change is necessary due to availability or other circumstance, the alternative will always be of the same standard or better.