Active Chiang Mai Temple Tour

Explore Chiang Mai Temples biking and hiking

Start your Active Chiang Mai Temple Tour

Your guide and driver will meet you at the hotel at 0800 for your Active Chiang Mai Temple Tour. We will drive to the start of our bicycle ride. The bicycle is the best way to explore the temples in the old, walled city of Chiang Mai. We use good city bikes. We will visit Wat Chedi Luang, the temple of the big stupa, first. Next up is the wooden temple Wat Phantao. Then we will pedal our way through small alleys to Wat Chiang Man, one of the oldest temples of Chiang Mai. Your guide will answer all your questions about Theravada Buddhism, the religion of Thailand. We will continue to Wat Phra Singh, the temple of the Lion Buddha. Finally, we will visit two smaller, less-visited temples: Wat Phuak Hong and Wat Phuak Taem. Then we will return to the start of the ride and drop our bicycles off.

Hike the Naga staircase of Wat Phra That Doi Kham

We will drive to Wat Phra That Doi Kham. Before they constructed a road to this temple, monks had to walk through the forest to the temple. At the base of the small hill, we will first have a look at the shire of Pu Sae and Ya Sae, the guardian spirits of Chiang Mai. The legend of the giants Pu Sae and Ya Sae predates the arrival of the Thai people. We will pay homage to Pu Sae and Ya Sae in a short ceremony. There are two shrines for buffaloes next to the shrine of the guardian spirits. Your guide will explain the legend and the buffaloes. Then we will hike up the trail to the temple through the forest. We will take our time. The last stretch to the temple is a beautiful Naga staircase.

Wat Phra That Doi Kham is situated on the slopes of Doi Suthep, the mountain that dominates Chiang Mai. For the people of Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep is a sacred mountain. Few tourists visit this temple, which is very popular with Thai Buddhists. The 17 meter high sitting Buddha statue is visible from afar. Also visible from a distance is the standing Buddha image. Wat Phra That Doi Kham is a very active and interesting temple.

The Monk’s Trail to Wat Palad

After our lunch, we will drive the short distance to the beginning of the Monk’s Trail.  It is a nice and relaxing walk through the forest. We follow the Monk’s Trail to Wat Pha Lat, a small temple on the slopes of Doi Suthep. Wat Pha Lat is also known as the forest temple of Doi Suthep. The centuries-old sitting Buddha statues in the Ho Phra Chao Rim Nam are of particular interest. The Chiang Mai chapter of the Fine Arts Department restored this building in 2019. After Wat Pha Lat, we will drive up to Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the jewel in the crown.

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is the most famous temple in North Thailand. Almost everyone who visits Chiang Mai will travel up the mountain to visit this temple. The beautiful Naga staircase of Wat Doi Suthep has more than 300 steps. We will hike up to the temple to enjoy the serene atmosphere and the fantastic views of Chiang Mai. The temple dates back to the 14th century. Until the monk Kruba Srivichai constructed the road to the temple in 1935, pilgrims walked to the temple. After this, we return to Chiang Mai and drop you off at the hotel. We hope you enjoyed our Active Chiang Mai Temple Tour.