Short answer
On our Chiang Mai day the Doi Inthanon part follows the elephant sanctuary: a drive up Thailand's highest mountain, 2,565 metres, to the King and Queen pagodas and the summit area, then a guided forest hike to a waterfall and a hill village. The whole day is from $40 per person. The park fee, 300 baht per adult and 150 per child, and the pagoda entrance are paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise. Bring a light jacket: the park measured 9°C at the summit on the morning of 20 October 2026.
What is Doi Inthanon, and how far is it from Chiang Mai?
Doi Inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand, and the Department of National Parks gives its height as 2,565 metres above sea level. The mountain stands in a national park of about 482 square kilometres in Chiang Mai Province, which the department says was declared the sixth national park in Thailand on 2 October 1972. The summit was once called Doi Ang Ka, and Wikipedia says it was renamed to honour Inthawichayanon, a Grand Prince of Chiang Mai who worried about the northern forests.
From the city it is a long drive. On our tour Doi Inthanon is about 100 km south-west of Chiang Mai, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand described the same trip in 2021 as around 90 minutes from the city. The road runs all the way to the top, according to the Thai National Parks guide, which puts the summit at km 48 of road 1009. On our day the mountain comes after the elephants and lunch.
What does the Doi Inthanon part of our day cover?
After lunch at the sanctuary you drive into Doi Inthanon National Park to the King and Queen pagodas and the summit area. The day then ends with a guided hike on a forest trail, through forest and rice fields, to a waterfall and a hill village, before the drive back to your hotel. The whole day lasts 10 to 12 hours, and the order of the stops can change with the weather.
We keep the detail of the route and the hours in separate articles: the travel guide follows the day stop by stop, and the tour schedule gives times, packing and seasons. Our programme describes the hike as a few hours on a forest trail at an easy to moderate pace. It does not name the waterfall or the village, so ask us which trail your date uses.
The King and Queen pagodas
The two pagodas are Naphamethinidon and Naphaphonphumisiri, two chedis that stand side by side on the main road near the top. Wikipedia and the Thai National Parks guide agree that Naphamethinidon was built in 1987 for the 60th birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Naphaphonphumisiri in 1992 for the 60th birthday of Queen Sirikit. The guide places them about 5 km south of the summit and describes a viewpoint over the west side of the park, a popular place to watch the sunset.
The pagodas are not run by the park. The same guide says the entrance is 100 baht per person, and the page gives no date for that line, so it is a guide price and not an official tariff. On our tour the pagoda entrance is paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise, so ask us for the current figure when we confirm your total.
The waterfall
Doi Inthanon has several waterfalls, and the best known is Wachirathan, which tumbles down a granite escarpment on the way up to the summit. Sources disagree about its size: Wikipedia gives it a combined height of 80 metres across several drops, while the Thai National Parks guide says about 40 metres and warns that its size is often exaggerated. The guide still calls it one of the most impressive falls in the park and the most popular, because it is so easy to reach, with restaurants and shops around the car park.
Water flows all year, and the guide says the falls are strongest in the rainy season. Most falls in the park are in rocky areas, so swimming is limited. The waterfall on our tour is reached on foot on a guided forest hike, with rice fields on the way, and not from a car park. Our programme does not say which waterfall it is, so if a particular fall matters to you, tell us when you book.
What you pay: the park fee and the pagodas
The park fee is set by the Department of National Parks. Its announcement of 2 June 2022, with new rates from 7 June 2022, puts Doi Inthanon in the group of nine parks where foreign visitors pay 300 baht per adult and 150 baht per child, against 60 and 30 baht for Thai citizens. The Tourism Authority of Thailand gave the same foreign rates in 2021, and Chiang Mai CityLife wrote in April 2022 that they would stay the same.
On our tour the park fee and the pagoda entrance are paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise. For an adult who pays both, the figures above come to 400 baht. The park is busy: on 19 October 2026 the department counted 2,735 visitors, 948 of them foreign, and 800 vehicles, and it expected numbers to keep rising at weekends.
How cold is it at the top, and what should you wear?
Much colder than Chiang Mai. At 07:00 on 20 October 2026 the park measured 9°C at the summit, 12°C at Kio Mae Pan and 16°C at park headquarters. Wikipedia gives the average January temperature at the summit as 6°C, says it can fall below freezing in winter, and records a low of −5°C on 21 December 2017. Our tour page says the top is much cooler than the city, so bring a light jacket, and in December to February a warmer layer is sensible.
The rest of the day asks for different clothes. For the river bath at the sanctuary wear clothes you can get wet and muddy and bring a change, then wear walking shoes for the waterfall hike, and add sunscreen and water. Layers work best: swim-ready clothes at the start, dry clothes and a jacket for the mountain. The Thai National Parks guide puts the rainy season at May to October and Wikipedia at April to November, so a light rain jacket is worth packing then.
When to go, and who this day is not for
The Thai National Parks guide says the weather is cooler from November to February and the rains peak between July and September. It also lists the Siamese sakura bloom in late January and early February, and warns that the park becomes extremely crowded during long holidays such as New Year and Songkran, with weekends busier than weekdays. Send us your dates and we will check the pickup and the season for your day.
This is a combined day. If you want only the mountain, a tour that starts with the elephants is not the most direct way to see it, and 10 to 12 hours with a lot of driving may be more than you want. The elephant half also includes close contact with the animals: our guide to ethical elephant sanctuaries explains what animal-welfare groups say about that, so read it if it matters to you.
Practical checklist
- Bring baht for the park fee (300 per adult, 150 per child) and the pagoda ticket.
- Pack a light jacket for the summit and a change of clothes for the elephant bath.
- Wear shoes with grip for the waterfall hike.
- Take sunscreen and water for a day of 10 to 12 hours.
- Tell us before you book if anyone in your group has trouble walking.
Questions and answers
How high is Doi Inthanon?
2,565 metres above sea level, the highest point in Thailand, according to the Department of National Parks. The road reaches the top, so you do not need to climb the mountain.
How much is the Doi Inthanon national park fee for foreigners?
300 baht per adult and 150 baht per child, under the Department of National Parks rates in force from 7 June 2022. On our tour it is paid on the day unless your quote says otherwise.
Is the summit cold?
Yes. The park measured 9°C at the summit at 07:00 on 20 October 2026, and Wikipedia gives an average of 6°C in January. Bring a light jacket: it is much cooler than Chiang Mai.
How long is the drive from Chiang Mai to Doi Inthanon?
On our tour, about 100 km south-west of the city, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road. The Tourism Authority of Thailand described the drive as around 90 minutes in 2021.
Can I do the Doi Inthanon part without the elephants?
Our listed tour combines both in one day, from $40 per person, and we have no mountain-only price to quote. If you want something different, ask us on WhatsApp.