Thailand Doi Inthanon Summit Trek

Overview

Doi Inthanon is Thailand's rooftop: 2,565m of mountain rising from the Chiang Mai plain, its summit wrapped in a mossy cloud forest that feels borrowed from the Himalaya. Birders come from across the world for the dawn shift on the Ang Ka boardwalk, where green-tailed sunbirds of the endemic summit race flare iridescent through the rhododendrons and ashy-throated warblers work the moss - two of the four-hundred-plus species recorded in the park. Below the summit, the twin royal chedis stand in flower gardens with a view across the whole range, and the Kew Mae Pan trail (open November to May, local guide required) walks the escarpment rim above a sea of cloud. Cold is the surprise: summit dawns in December and January hover near freezing - Thailand's only regular frost - so bring a real fleece for the pre-dawn birding and shed layers by mid-morning. Wachirathan and Sirithan waterfalls punctuate the road up, and Karen and Hmong villages inside the park sell some of Thailand's best coffee. November to March is the dry, clear window. Around £400 covers four days from Chiang Mai with a birding guide, park fees and simple lodging near the summit road.

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Prefilled for 1 November 2026 — the next best-season window. Search on partner sites — opens in a new tab.