The River of Kings Ride through Thailand exposes you to the kingdom’s ancient history and colourful culture. From Chiang Mai, the capital of north Thailand, we cycle through the Chao Phraya River valley where Thai civilisation began and visit the ancient cities of Lampang, Sukhothai, Khampeng Phet, and Ayutthaya. The route follows quiet backroads where you will be amazed at how little traffic is encountered.
Recently we completed the 'River of Kings Ride' which was our fifth tour with SpiceRoads. It was an awesome way to discover the variety of highlights available as we rode From Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Our guide and driver were courteous and supportive. The River of Kings Ride is the longest tour we've done with SpiceRoads. The number of days that it is spread over ensured that we could explore the variety of activities in a timely manner. It was an exciting experience for my husband and I. Well done!
Our third tour with you was an excellent one for people our age (between 71 and 74). We are impressed by the professionalism of the guide and the driver and both of them were very sympathetic.
Tours in: ThailandThailand - Chiang Mai
DestinationsThailand
Tour MeetsChiang Mai
Fly in toChiang Mai International Airport (CNX)
Group Size2-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)AccommodationSnacks and drinks
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upAirport drop offVisa feesAlcoholTips
The scenery is ever changing as it starts in the mountainous north, then continues through the emerald paddy fields of the central rice belt and then to the rugged jungles of Kanchanaburi before arriving in the vibrant metropolis of Bangkok.
We ride 530 km in 11 days of riding, but this tour is mainly on road, so the distances are not too strenuous. We designed the route for those who wish to see the rural Thai countryside and the rich history of Thailand, all while enjoying an active holiday.
We have a few climbs on the first two days as we cross the hills surrounding Chiang Mai. The central part of Thailand is flat, and after the third day, we do not see many more hills of significance.
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 cold drinks and fresh fruit.
Suitability: You can expect a fairly gentle ride each day with none of the distances being overly long. There are a few small hills and some dirt trails, but these can be tackled by anyone with even a moderate amount of fitness. The emphasis on this tour is Thailand’s history, culture, and scenery, all off the beaten track.
Biking Conditions: This trip is mainly on tarmac roads with a few days where we will have hard packed dirt trails – no off-road experience required. An air-conditioned bus travels behind the group to support us, and participants can cycle as much or as little as they like and still enjoy the same views as the rest of the group.
Arrive in Chiang Mai and transfer to the hotel. Check-in and have leisure time. In the evening, we enjoy a delicious welcome dinner at a restaurant overlooking the Ping River.
Aruntara Riverside Boutique Hotel
DinnerAfter breakfast, we explore the ancient and modern city of Chiang Mai, including its old city walls, gates and moat, markets, residential areas, and Tapae, Chiang Mai´s main street. We continue our tour with a drive up Doi Suthep to Wat Phra Thad Doi Suthep (AD 1384), the most sacred temple in Northern Thailand. Inside the cloister of the temple, you will see one of the most sacred stupas in all of Thailand. A panoramic view of the city can be seen from here at 3,500 ft above sea level. Then visit Wat Jed Yord (AD 1455), featuring a seven-spired stupa and Wat Suan Dok, where the ashes of Chiang Mai´s royal family are interred. Dinner is your choice tonight; our guides have a list of recommendations.
Aruntara Riverside Boutique HotelBreakfast, LunchWe ride south of Chiang Mai following a scenic route along the Ping River and eventually arrive at the ancient city of Lamphun in time for lunch. Afterwards, we visit Wat Phra That Hariphunchai, built around 1044 AD, and one of the finest examples of ancient Lanna temple architecture, before transferring to Lampang. Dinner is at a delightful riverside restaurant.
Wianglakor HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km
+316m
-206mAfter our short transfer into the hills of Maerang, we ride on small country roads over small quaint bridges and through small local villages. You’ll also be able to get off your bike and stroll through the many colourful markets found on today’s tour. Stopping at one of the many temples we pass is also encouraged, and you might be intrigued by the town of Ban Nasan, noted for its bamboo products. We have a few hills to climb before we reach the Mysterious Rock Garden, and then it’s downhill all the way into the historic town of Phrae. Transfer to Uttaradit.
Seeharaj HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 47km+498m-486mWe really head off the beaten track today, as we ride on some of the most secluded and beautiful roads in Thailand with a canopy of palm trees providing some natural protection from the hot Thai sun. We pass lush green paddy fields and many villages as we head towards the first capital of Thailand, Sukhothai. The 13th-century reign is generally viewed as the “golden age” of Siam due to the fact that its influence spread as far west as Burma, east as far as Cambodia, and south down into Malaysia. Ride to Sri Satchanali Historical Park. Transfer to hotel. We have dinner at the excellent Dream Café, surrounded by artefacts and antiques.
Ruean Thai HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 82km+200m-197mA day to enjoy the original capital of Thailand by taking a ride around the historic park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are more than 193 ruins surrounded by three moats and bridged by four gateways. Bikes are the best way to enjoy this ancient city, and you won’t want to forget your camera to capture some of the stunning Buddha statues. Or simply have a day off the bike and enjoy the town of Sukhothai.
Ruean Thai HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 25km+78m-78mKhampeng Phet, also known as the “Diamond Walled City,” was a military fortress used to help defend Sukhothai from invading armies. The moss and flower covered ruins give it a quality not seen in its more popular and restored neighbour of Sukhothai. We have plenty of time to visit the sites by foot or by bicycle. The ride to Khampeng Phet is on pleasant country roads with plenty of activity going on all around to keep your attention.
Chakungrao RiverviewBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 89km+319m-288mTransfer in the morning before enjoying a leisurely ride along scenic roads to Uthai Thani. You’ll quickly understand why Thailand is the top exporter of rice when you see the many paddies on your route today. Look out for water buffaloes wallowing in a puddle and for ducks taking a dip in a rice field. Arrive in Uthai Thani in time for lunch on a charming restored rice barge while you cruise on the Sakaekrang River. Relax as the river banks offer up glimpses into traditional Thai-style of living – from men fishing to women doing laundry to children playing.
Uthai River Lake ResortBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 49km+190m-196mAfter breakfast, it's time to get on the bike for a ride on Thepho Island, named after a fish abundant in the area. This forested island is noted for its attractive lush greenery and is where the Chao Phraya and Sakaekrung Rivers meet. We cross the river several times by ferry, passing by orchards and rice fields, and ride along the shady banks of the Chao Phraya River, finally arriving in Chai Nat in time for lunch. In the afternoon, we transfer to Wat Pa Mok, where we visit a reclining Buddha before arriving in Ayutthaya. If you still have the energy, enjoy a late afternoon ride around the historic park.
Pludhaya Resort & SpaBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 59km+284m-289mWe ride south to Bang Pa-In to visit the Summer Palace of King Rama V, or King Chulalongkorn, who regularly spent his summers there. The structures represent a variety of architectural styles, from very old Chinese handicrafts to 19th-century European ornaments and furniture. All of them set in a large park around ponds and waterways. After a local lunch, transfer by van to Kanchanaburi, stopping to visit the Bridge over the River Kwai. Arrive at your jungle resort in the evening.
River Kwai Resotel ResortBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 27km+49m-46mWe follow the River Kwai, riding through jungle, between farmer’s fields, along a mixture of jeep trails, tarmac, and quiet backroads to the town of Kanchanaburi. We stop for lunch at a local restaurant on the way.
Royal River KwaiBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km+286m-315mIn the morning, we depart by bus to Damnoen Saduak and visit the famous floating market. We then start our bicycle ride following canal paths and small backroads where you’ll see temples and fruit orchards varying from lychees to pomelos and guavas to coconuts ripe for picking.
Amphawa River ViewBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 32km+135m-134mWe transfer to Bangkok and then take a ride in the green part of Bangkok called Bang Kra Jao, where you'll feel surprisingly removed from the bustling city just on the other side of the river. Our farewell dinner will be a river cruise on a converted rice barge on the Chao Praya River – what better way to end The River of Kings tour.
Majestic Grande HotelBreakfast, DinnerRide 20kmFree time until your airport transfer for your onward flight.
BreakfastDisclaimer: 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.
Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.
If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain or hybrid bike in good mechanical order.
We also have E-Bikes available for hire, but they are limited in number & size - please send an email to us to check on availability.
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.
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.
The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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I enjoyed every minute of the tour: scenery, food, the culture, the people, everything! Our guide Korn and driver Kik were wonderful and played an integral part in making the tour such an enjoyable experience. This was my fifth tour with SpiceRoads, and as usual, I found myself wondering which tour to do next before this one even ended. Also, the fellow riders in the group were great people and a joy to share the experience with.