Arrival in Chiang Mai. You will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.
Overnight in Chiang Mai

Breakfast at your hotel and travel to a local farmhouse in Mae Rim on the outskirts of Chiang Mai where you will take a leisurely stroll around the grounds. Then board a long-tail boat and enjoy a 30 minute cruise along the rural Mae Ping River. Along the river banks you will see traditional wooden houses and modern residences. Arrive at a boat landing and walk for about 10 minutes from the landing to Waroros fresh food Market for a visit, experiencing the Northern Thai way of life. From the market you take a trishaw ride along Tapae Road past City Walls and along Rajdamnern Road to Wat Phra Singh. Lunch at a local restaurant. Drive to the mountain temple of Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, the most famous landmark of Chiang Mai. Climb the Naga staircase to visit the exquisite golden pagoda. The sound of temple bells fills the air and the view overlooking the city makes an irresistible photo opportunity. Afterwards drive up the mountain by “songtaew” onto a rough dirt road to the Chang Khien Coffee Research Project where you can enjoy a cup of the local ‘arabica’ surrounded by fabulous gardens of flowers. Continue to the white Hmong village of Chang Khien where the 800 inhabitants still wear their traditional hill tribe clothes and practice a culture that dates back 500 years.
Overnight in Chiang Mai

Breakfast at your hotel. Depart by minivan(s) for Mae Kampong village in Mae On district, driving through the picturesque countryside of Chiang Mai. The village is nestled 1,300 meters above sea level and has a cool climate all year long. En route a stop is made at a local market to select ingredients for today’s dinner. Continue to Mae Kampong village where you are met upon arrival by villagers. Start a stroll through the community forest, passing tea and coffee fields to a refreshing waterfall where picnic lunch will be served. In the afternoon, return to the village to relax with a traditional Thai massage. End of the afternoon, join your host family to prepare the dinner.

A hot breakfast will be served while the morning mist is being swept away from the valley by the cool mountain breeze. Head towards Chiang Rai and Wat Rong Khun, the surprising ''White Temple'' for a visit. Lunch at a local restaurant. Continue driving up to Doi Mae Salong, to the Santi Kiri KMT Yunnan Chinese Refugee settlement. The town of Mae Salong was founded in the 1960s by former Kuomintang (anti-Communist) soldiers who had been expelled from Burma. There you can see their tea & coffee plantations, and also the co-op store where home made wines and other locally grown products are sold.

Breakfast at your hotel.

Depart for the Doi Tung region, 2000 meters/6500 feet above sea-level. En-route visit hilltribe villages. In the past, the forest area around Doi Tung was destroyed by shifting cultivation. In 1987, the Doi Tung Development Project was established according to the King Mother's initiative in order to protect the region, eradicate the cultivation of opium, and encourage farmers to use sustainable agricultural practices. Visit Mae Fah Luang Gardens, with flowering plants and beautiful gardens.

Then, drive on to Wat Phrathad Doi Tung, a sacred hilltop shrine, regarded as the holiest sanctuary by the residents of Chiang Rai and nearby provinces. Lunch at a local restaurant. Depart for Mae Sai, the bustling trading town at the farther-most northern border between Thailand and Burma. Drive on to the Golden Triangle area, where the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos meet.

Next, visit Chiang Saen on the steep banks of Mae Khong River, opposite of Laos where you will see some magnificent ancient ruins and temples. Then embark on a long-tailed boat trip along the mighty Mae Khong River.

Overnight in Chiang Rai
Transfer distance / duration: 160 km / 3 hours

Breakfast at your hotel.
Transfer to Chiang Rai airport for your onward flight