Doi Suthep Temples & Hiking Tour
Chiang Mai
+3
Hike to Wat Pha Lat, the hidden forest temple on Doi Suthep. This secret temple is a beautiful haven of peace, in a garden with beautiful statues.
Then visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the Buddhist temple draped in gold. Overlooking the city from its mountain throne, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is one of northern Thailand's most sacred temples, and a beautiful example of northern Thai architecture. From the temple you can enjoy a panoramic view over the city.
Pick up from hotels in the center of Chiang Mai by a typical ‘songtaew’ or ‘rot sii daeng’ (a converted pick-up truck with two rows of back benches).
The songtaew drops us at the starting point of the Monk’s Trail where we begin our hike to Wat Pha Lat.
Wat Pha Lat is the jungle temple of Chiang Mai and it is also the finishing point of the popular Monk's Trail, an ancient pilgrimage route.
This hike is along a trail that for many years has been used by monks to ascend Doi Suthep (Suthep Mountain) enroute to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple. It takes between 30 and 45 minutes to hike the Monk's Trail to Wat Pha Lat.
Wat Pha Lat, the secret jungle temple, was built in 1355 and with its old stone buildings, intricate carvings and statues, and plenty of breathtaking places to meditate, it’s clear why people claim Wat Pha Lat is a hidden gem in Chiang Mai.
From Wat Pha Lat we continue by songtaew to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, considered to be one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in Thailand and a must-see for anyone visiting Chiang Mai. The temple can be reached via the so-called ‘dragon staircase’, a staircase with more than 300 steps flanked by a ‘Naga’: a mythical serpent with seven heads. Instead of walking to the top, you can also take the cable car (fee not included).
Once you are at the temple grounds you will see statues, pagodas, shrines, bells and Buddhist drawings inside. The original chedi (also called stupa or pagoda, a conical structure in which sacred relics are kept) covered with copper is the most sacred part of the temple. You will learn more about the history of this temple and the meaning of the paintings on the wall, depicting the life of Buddha.
Overlooking Chiang Mai from its lofty perch, 1053 meters above sea level, the temple is best visited on days free of cloud or heat haze; the view of the city, and the Ping valley beyond, is breathtaking.
Afterwards the ‘songtaew’ will bring you back to your hotel or the meeting point in the city.
After you made the booking, our team will send a confirmation by email with further instructions. If you do not receive any email in your Inbox, please check your junk/spam folder.
After you made the booking, our team will send a confirmation by email with further instructions. If you do not receive any email in your Inbox, please check your junk/spam folder.
Our team of experienced travel experts have ventured around Southeast Asia and have decades of first-hand travel experiences to share. Contact us now to have all your tour-related questions answered!
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157 Comments
5
Wonderful day trip to temples outside Chiang Mai
Amazing day trip, great guide and driver. Picked us up right at our hotel, took us around to two of the most spectacular temples outside the city. Highly recommend!
5
Sunrise at Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep
Our tour was amazing and our guide was super helpful and friendly. She knows a lot about the story of the temples and in the end we did a little trail. It was a really nice morning and we recommend this tour a lot.
5
A good day out
The whole experience was great Mali was a great host and was very knowledgable. Be ready for beautiful views! Bring an extra bottle of water!
5
Amazing tour
We had an amazing day tour with our guide Tik who provided insightful comments throughout our visit to the Doi Suthep temple. We took the Wat Pha Lat hike downhill in the early afternoon and it was enjoyable, overall about 2.5 km walking trek. Would highly recommend doing this tour and if Tik is your guide he will also pick out amazing photo spots for your memories.
4.5
Wonderful tour in chiangmai
Quite comfort to trip in temple.
And our tour guide Malee is very professional to introduce each spots history. Really recommend this tour