The Songkran Water Festival Tour

Day 1 –Wednesday, April 12, 2023

The Wat Doi Suthep, the temple on the mountain

Our guide and driver will meet you at the airport. This is the start of your Songkran Water festival Tour. The nationwide Songkran is one of the most popular festivals in Chiang Mai. Be prepared to get wet. Our van will have two towels per person for you to dry yourself. Drive to Doi Suthep/Doi Pui national park by car. Visit Wat Pra That Doi Suthep, the most famous temple of Chiang Mai. Along the way, stop at the Kruba Srivichai shrine. His followers constructed the road up to Wat Doi Suthep. The road was opened in 1935.

Wat Pha Lat, the forest temple

Walk up the 300 steps to the temple. Views from the temple over Chiang Mai are spectacular. Your guide will explain the history of this temple. After this, we will drive down the mountain and stop at Wat Pha Lat, a splendid forest temple. From here, you have the option to hike down a tranquil and beautiful trail with lovely views. At the foot of the mountain, our car will be waiting for you. Return to Chiang Mai to check into your hotel for the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Your guide will advise you about one of our favorite restaurants. Return to the hotel.

Day 2 – Thursday, April 13, 2023

The Buddhist temples of Chiang Mai

Your guide will meet you at the hotel. Today transportation will be local: we will use songtaews and samlors (traditional bicycle taxis) to take us around the city. This morning we will visit Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phantao, and Wat Lok Molee. Admire the sandcastles. Prepare to get wet.

Chiang Mai’s markets

Continue to the Warorot Market and Tonlamyai markets where we will wander around until the start of the big Songkran Parade in which thousands of people will participate. Usually, this parade starts at the Nawarat Bridge at noon. The parade takes several hours. There are music bands, colorfully dressed dancers, and floats with Buddha images. Bystanders gently pour water over the Buddha images and the participants. It’s a spectacle not to be missed. After the parade, we can arrange your transfer back to the hotel, or you can join the water-throwing mayhem along the moat and transfer back to the hotel on your own.

Day 3 – Friday, April 14, 2023

Meet the elephants of “The Chang”

Your Chiang Mai Songkran Tour continues today with a lovely elephant experience. Your guide will pick you up from the hotel at 0745. Drive to the Thai Elephant Care Center, now known as The Chang. After arrival, you will get a briefing about Asian elephants. You will also get safety instructions. Although in captivity, elephants are still wild animals, and you have to be careful in their presence. You will change into a traditional Thai farmer’s tunic which is very comfortable. Then you will meet our elderly elephants and get close to them.

Elephant bathing is fun

You will learn to make dried grass which you will later feed to the elephants. You will also visit the elephant cemetery and the place where the elephants rest at night time. Elephants love herb balls, and you will learn how to make them. Feed them to the elephants, which is great fun. Then you will bathe with an elephant. Elephants love to bathe, and it is a lot of fun to share this with an elephant. Feed bananas to our elephants. Say farewell to your elephant friends. Have lunch in a local restaurant. Return to Chiang Mai. The afternoon is free at leisure.

Day 4 – Saturday, April 15, 2023

Chiang Mai – departure
Meals: none
Free morning.
Checkout time is noon. It’s the end of your Songkran Water festival Tour.
Take a taxi on your own to the airport for your onward flight.

End of the program
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At this moment this tour is on request. It will go on sale soon. If you are interested please send us an email: info@chiangmai-alacarte.com