In the morning, we pick you up from your pre-tour hotel in Chiang Mai City and transfer around 1.5 hours to Bua Tong Waterfall. Known as the “sticky waterfall” due to its unique grippy limestone surface, this natural wonder invites you to climb its cascades and take in the lush surroundings while we prepare the bikes. From here, we begin our ride on smooth roads winding through the serene forests bordering Sri Lanna National Park. A swift descent leads us into a landscape of vast farmlands framed by mountain backdrops. At 17 km we reach the Mae Ngat Reservoir and stop to enjoy stunning views over the calm waters of the lake. The second half of today’s ride takes us on a mix of gravel, dirt, and concrete roads through longan orchards and rice fields in the district of Mae Taeng. At 30 km we reach Wat Ban Den, a sprawling temple complex renowned for its large sculptures of creatures from northern Thai mythology. From here it is just a few minutes drive to our rural retreat for the night.
Phusanfah Resort 
Lunch, Dinner
Ride 31km
+187m
-353mGet ready for an unforgettable, up-close encounter with elephants. A 30-minute transfer brings us to Elephant Nature Park, Thailand’s pioneering elephant sanctuary. Nestled within the beautiful Mae Taeng Valley, the park is home to several herds of rescued elephants who roam freely. Here, there is no riding, bathing or feeding - you'll simply observe them from a respectful distance, learning insights into the natural behaviors and individual stories of these gentle giants. The visit concludes with a vegan lunch buffet and we then jump back in the vehicle for a 1.5-hour transfer to yet another beautiful valley near Chiang Mai. The afternoon is spent at a highland eco-lodge committed to the preservation of Hmong culture, a distinct ethnic group historically known for their semi-nomadic lifestyle across mainland Southeast Asia's vast mountains. Situated at nearly 1,000 metres ASL, you can spend the afternoon relaxing amidst the cool mountain air and, in the evening, feast on a delicious BBQ dinner accompanied by a traditional Hmong dance performance.
Hmong Hilltribe LodgeBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerBy vehicle, we descend from the mountains back into the plains of the Ping River, the lifeflood of the Chiang Mai Valley. After around an hour, we arrive at our cycling start point and enjoy a leisurely morning ride along village lanes and farmer paths crisscrossing a vast patchwork of rice paddies, making it clear why locally this region is known as "Lanna" — "The Land of a Million Rice Fields." We saddle off at the unique Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park, which offers a fascinating look into an unconventional craft: making paper from elephant dung fibers! Here, you can roll up your sleeves and learn all about this sustainable way of making paper which does not require the cutting of any trees. After this fun, insightful experience and lunch, we transfer around 45 minutes south, settling in for the night at a delightful boutique hotel located on the outskirts of Chiang Mai.
Amata Lanna VillageBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 23km+69m-69mThe day begins with a brief transfer to Wiang Kum Kam, an archaeological site showcasing the remains of an ancient city predating the foundation of Chiang Mai. The crumbling facades of the temple ruins make for a mysterious backdrop as we begin our final ride in the fertile plains of the Ping River. Much of the route is covered by longan trees with their distinct wide canopies, a major industry of the area. We saddle off in the community of Hang Dong where we are welcomed into a local family home which has been standing for over 150 years! This is the venue for a hands-on cooking demonstration, learning how to prepare some northern Thai classics with ingredients taken straight from the garden. After feasting on our own creations, the tour ends with a transfer to your post-tour hotel in Chiang Mai City or the airport. Please let us know if you require assistance with post-tour hotel bookings.
Breakfast, Lunch
Ride 25km+42m-44mDisclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.
DestinationsThailand
Tour MeetsChiang Mai
Fly in toChiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Group Sizen/a
Water bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)Airport drop offHotel pick upHotel drop offAccommodationBike and helmetSnacks and drinksAccident insurance
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upVisa feesAlcoholTips
We ride a total of 78 km over 3 cycling days. This tour is ideal for families that want to expose the young ones to bicycle touring while packing in a whole lot of Chiang Mai’s cultural and natural highlights. The riding takes place on mixed surface roads through flat and rolling terrain amidst scenic rural areas far away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We include vehicle transfer at the beginning and end of each ride, allowing us to avoid busy main roads, keep the distances manageable, and focus on the most enjoyable routes.
Beyond fabulous cycling, tour highlights include visiting an ethical elephant sanctuary, spending the night at a highland ecolodge, seeing beautiful temples, and taking part in hands-on workshops focused on sustainable paper making and northern Thai cookery. For many, the most memorable moments are encounters with Thailand’s incredibly welcoming locals, always eager to wave hello and cheer us on!
The trip is fully supported, and your guide’s expert knowledge of the area and terrain means that you always know what is coming up in terms of distance and difficulty. This makes a tremendous difference, as does the constant supply of water and refreshments along the way.
Suitability: This trip is designed and suitable for families with children of any age. We have included many activities for an action-packed holiday. The tour is suitable for anyone with minimal biking experience and wants to discover northern Thailand’s rich history and culture by bicycle.
Biking Conditions: Our routes contain a mix of paved and unpaved roads. Paved surfaces are either asphalt or concrete with conditions ranging from very smooth to bumpy and cratered. Unpaved surfaces are predominantly farmer trails which range from hard-packed soil to loose but still grippy gravel. Although much of the route is on quiet countryside roads with minimal traffic, we will regularly share the roads with cars, motorbikes, and buses. Depending on the time of year you book this tour, different weather conditions will be encountered which can affect the riding conditions. While Thailand has wet and dry seasons, rainfall can occur throughout the year. We generally ride rain or shine, but based on the guide’s discretion or your comfort level, modifications to the planned route can be made. We do not suggest booking this tour between mid-February and mid-April when northern Thailand experiences its annual burning season and smoke from agricultural field clearings causes smog. While we avoid this period entirely, the exact start date varies each year, and some early burnings may occur in February, impacting air quality on parts of the route.
Hotels: Accommodations on this tour are character-filled, well-regarded hotels at the 3 to 4 star level. Expect clean, spacious rooms with air-conditioning, professional service, and swimming pools. Room configurations are based on double or twin rooms, with the option to add one or two extra beds where available. Connecting rooms are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. If your family's preferred room configuration isn't available at a listed hotel, we may need to switch to an alternative property (surcharges might apply). For larger groups or in cases of limited availability, we may utilize more than one accommodation or switch to an alternative property from the one originally listed in the itinerary.
In the morning, we pick you up from your pre-tour hotel in Chiang Mai City and transfer around 1.5 hours to Bua Tong Waterfall. Known as the “sticky waterfall” due to its unique grippy limestone surface, this natural wonder invites you to climb its cascades and take in the lush surroundings while we prepare the bikes. From here, we begin our ride on smooth roads winding through the serene forests bordering Sri Lanna National Park. A swift descent leads us into a landscape of vast farmlands framed by mountain backdrops. At 17 km we reach the Mae Ngat Reservoir and stop to enjoy stunning views over the calm waters of the lake. The second half of today’s ride takes us on a mix of gravel, dirt, and concrete roads through longan orchards and rice fields in the district of Mae Taeng. At 30 km we reach Wat Ban Den, a sprawling temple complex renowned for its large sculptures of creatures from northern Thai mythology. From here it is just a few minutes drive to our rural retreat for the night.
Phusanfah Resort Lunch, DinnerRide 31km+187m-353mGet ready for an unforgettable, up-close encounter with elephants. A 30-minute transfer brings us to Elephant Nature Park, Thailand’s pioneering elephant sanctuary. Nestled within the beautiful Mae Taeng Valley, the park is home to several herds of rescued elephants who roam freely. Here, there is no riding, bathing or feeding - you'll simply observe them from a respectful distance, learning insights into the natural behaviors and individual stories of these gentle giants. The visit concludes with a vegan lunch buffet and we then jump back in the vehicle for a 1.5-hour transfer to yet another beautiful valley near Chiang Mai. The afternoon is spent at a highland eco-lodge committed to the preservation of Hmong culture, a distinct ethnic group historically known for their semi-nomadic lifestyle across mainland Southeast Asia's vast mountains. Situated at nearly 1,000 metres ASL, you can spend the afternoon relaxing amidst the cool mountain air and, in the evening, feast on a delicious BBQ dinner accompanied by a traditional Hmong dance performance.
Hmong Hilltribe LodgeBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerBy vehicle, we descend from the mountains back into the plains of the Ping River, the lifeflood of the Chiang Mai Valley. After around an hour, we arrive at our cycling start point and enjoy a leisurely morning ride along village lanes and farmer paths crisscrossing a vast patchwork of rice paddies, making it clear why locally this region is known as "Lanna" — "The Land of a Million Rice Fields." We saddle off at the unique Elephant Poo Poo Paper Park, which offers a fascinating look into an unconventional craft: making paper from elephant dung fibers! Here, you can roll up your sleeves and learn all about this sustainable way of making paper which does not require the cutting of any trees. After this fun, insightful experience and lunch, we transfer around 45 minutes south, settling in for the night at a delightful boutique hotel located on the outskirts of Chiang Mai.
Amata Lanna VillageBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerRide 23km+69m-69mThe day begins with a brief transfer to Wiang Kum Kam, an archaeological site showcasing the remains of an ancient city predating the foundation of Chiang Mai. The crumbling facades of the temple ruins make for a mysterious backdrop as we begin our final ride in the fertile plains of the Ping River. Much of the route is covered by longan trees with their distinct wide canopies, a major industry of the area. We saddle off in the community of Hang Dong where we are welcomed into a local family home which has been standing for over 150 years! This is the venue for a hands-on cooking demonstration, learning how to prepare some northern Thai classics with ingredients taken straight from the garden. After feasting on our own creations, the tour ends with a transfer to your post-tour hotel in Chiang Mai City or the airport. Please let us know if you require assistance with post-tour hotel bookings.
Breakfast, LunchRide 25km+42m-44mDisclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.
Bike hire is included in the tour. Child bikes are available. We provide high-quality hybrid bikes from Trek or other well-known brands. Child carriers (typically for ages 1-4) and trailers (typically for ages 5-11) are also available but limited in supply and weight limits apply - please let us know as early as possible if you'll require a carrier or a trailer and we will do our best to secure one for you. E-bikes are available for hire but only for adults.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
Important Update: As of May 01, 2025 all non-Thai nationals entering Thailand by air, land, or sea must complete the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) online before arrival. Please fill out the details on the official website here within three (3) days before your arrival in Thailand. This is a free process - beware of fake websites that charge a fee. If you are already travelling within the three days before your planned arrival in Thailand, then we suggest completing the form while you are at a hotel with reliable Wi-Fi. It only takes a few minutes.
We recommend that you visit a travel medical doctor and ask about the following vaccinations: typhoid, polio, tetanus and hepatitis A. A certificate for Yellow Fever is required when arriving from an infected area within six days.
Thailand generally has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. The North and Central region have a tropical climate with fairly high humidity. Northeast Thailand has a humid hot and dry weather alternatively with medium rain while the coastal areas of the east is humid and hot with intermittent rain. The South of Thailand has a tropical climate with fairly high humidity.
There are three seasons: from March to June it is hot and dry, with temperatures between 27˚C/80 F and 40˚C/104 F, with night temperatures in the 20s. The rainy season is from July to October, but temperatures are slightly lower, because of the effect of the rain. During this time it will not rain continuously, but in sharp bursts, and the sun can come out quickly. The cooler season is from October to February, with average temperatures between 20˚C/68 F and 30˚C/86 F.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Most meals are local and feature noodles, rice, curries, and soups. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit, and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. Beer is freely available everywhere but is NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we cannot match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra dollars, perhaps US$20 per day, for incidentals.
The Thai currency is the baht. ATMs, which are abundant, are the easiest ways to get Thai baht. Have a supply of US dollars in cash on hand, just in case your card doesn’t work. Banks or the rarer private moneychangers offer the best foreign-exchange rates. Credit cards are accepted in big cities and resort hotels but you’ll need baht for family-run guesthouses or restaurants.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
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