Step into the wild heart of Thailand, where cascading waterfalls, jungle trails, and the calls of roaming elephants await in Khao Yai National Park.
Khao Yai National Park, Thailand’s oldest and most popular national park, is an extraordinary destination for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. Spanning 2,158 sq km and located approximately three hours from Bangkok, it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Its mountainous terrain, dense forests, and stunning landscapes make it one of the best places in Thailand to experience the country’s rich flora and fauna.
The park is home to a wide variety of animals, including elephants, monkeys, bears, deer, and squirrels, as well as snakes, spiders, rodents, and countless insects. Birdwatchers will also delight in the more than 400 species of birds that inhabit the park.
We take one of the trekking trails in the park for a hike through the nature while enjoying the beautiful mountainous landscape. During this jungle hike you learn more about the flora and fauna of this beautiful wilderness. Even if you're not lucky with wildlife encounters, the massive strangler fig trees make it all worthwhile.
Khao Yai is also famous for its waterfalls. Haew Suwat is popular for its cinematic fame as the filming location for Leonardo DiCaprio’s waterfall dive in The Beach (2000). Haew Narok, the highest waterfall in the park, cascades over three tiers, with the final drop plunging 80 meters into a deep pool. Visitors can enjoy a safe hillside viewpoint for incredible photos, particularly spectacular during the rainy season.
One of the park’s highlights is the chance to see Asian elephants in the wild. Many visitors are lucky enough to spot them grazing peacefully in their natural habitat, though sightings cannot be guaranteed.
With its rich biodiversity, dramatic landscapes, and unforgettable wildlife experiences, Khao Yai National Park offers a perfect escape into Thailand’s wild heart, making it a must-visit for anyone seeking adventure and natural beauty.
Important notes:
- Please note that during the dry season the water flow at Haew Suwat and Haew Narok waterfalls may be lower than usual.
- For your comfort and safety, we recommend wearing hiking-appropriate clothing: lightweight but covering (to protect against insects and leeches), along with sturdy walking shoes.
- Khao Yai is a vast national park with many wild animals, reptiles, insects, and birds. Remember, this is not a zoo; the animals roam freely in their natural habitat, and spotting them can be challenging due to the dense vegetation.
- This tour also includes sections of hiking, so please ensure you are fit for this level of physical activity before booking.
Pick up/Meeting point:
We provide hotel pick-up only from accommodations located on/near Khao San Road and on Siam Square.
If you are not an actual guest at one of the hotels in our pick-up area, the designated meeting point will be our office on Chao Khamrop Road in Chinatown. Our office in Chinatown is just a short 5-minute walk from Wat Mangkon MRT (metro) station.
For the exact location of our WanderSiam office on Google Maps, please click HERE.
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155 Comments
5
Beautiful day in national park
Wonderful tour and very sweet English talking guide Surina and driver Beer 100% worth to try and see those waterfalls!!!
5
Amazing Experience
Absolutely fabulous day. Surina made it a fun and unforgettable experience. She was cheerful, helpful and very informative. Her happiness and excitement were contagious and the other people taking part were awesome.
4
Mixed Feelings
Surina, the tour guide, is absolutely amazing! She was the highlight and most memorable thing about the tour. But that also means the tour itself is mehhh.
You may or may not see wilderness but that is expected! We did see a wild elephant on the road but driver didn’t stop! Maybe there’s a rule against it? I don’t know. But would’ve been nice to have stopped at safe distance to be able to take pictures and admire the beauty of this beautiful animal. If we cannot do anything for safety reasons then what is even the purpose of this tour? Taking picture from tiny Van windows?
Speaking of van it was quite uncomfortable compared any other van I’ve been. If you have tall legs be prepared to be in 6+hrs of pain.
The hike itself was wonderful. I admired the good dense forest. But for US $70 + $11 ish for entry pass I’m not quite sure. I usually go to Shenandoah so if you haven’t been to any such national park maybe it’s worth visiting? Idk.
4.5
Good
I would recommend it to people who already traveled around Thailand and still want to explore a bit more, especially to people who are keen on outdoor activities. One day in Khao Yai seems a bit short, but if you only have a short time then this trip saves lots of your planning energy.
5
Lots of wildlife
This tour was lovely. We saw monkeys and elephants. The tour is a full day and is quite a drive from bangkok. Lovely to visit thailands oldest park