10 Chiang Dao Tours from Chiang Mai Between the Moat and the Mountains

1.No.1 Full-Day Chiang Mai Caving & Jungle Kayaking: Chiang Dao

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 206 reviews · from $81Our pick

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao for a guided cave walk, a riverside Thai lunch, and about two hours of kayaking on the Mae Ping River. Guides such as Jane, Golf, and Tony lead the day, with instruction for beginners, headlamps for the cave, and support on the river. Expect some tight cave passages and a long drive.

“Our guides Jeni and A were humorous and entertaining. There is a small bit of crawling in the cave so you do need good mobility for this activity. It was an interesting walk looking at Buddhist statues, bats and natural formations in the cave. The kayaking was easy as the river is very calm. Do note that you'll get wet during the kayaking so be ready with a change of clothes. Lunch was very basic: stir fried noodles with chicken and fruits. The drive to the cave and back is about 90 minutes to 120 minutes long. Not the most comfortable ride as it's very similar to riding in a…”

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2.Chiang Dao Cave & 5 Hill Tribe villages

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 181 reviews · from $52Top rated

Leave Chiang Mai for Ban Huai I-Ko, where Akha, Meo, Lisu, Karen and Palong communities offer a glimpse of northern Thai life. A village guide and licensed English-speaking guide help explain local customs, then a cave guide leads you through Chiang Dao Cave by lantern, including two tight crawl-through passages. The day also includes Bai Orchid and Butterfly Farm.

“Fun day trip north of Chiang Mai. Chiang Do Cave is a must visit, and this holy site has much cultural signifacance for the area. Nom is a very knowledgeable about all the history of the hill tribes, You will enjoy taking a trip away from the busy roads, and going into the countryside to see there way of life.”

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3.Chiang Dao Cave Trekking Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 126 reviews · 8 hours · from $106

Spend eight hours traveling from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao Cave and Bua Thong Sticky Waterfall, with an English-speaking guide and a group of up to nine. See Buddha images and limestone formations, then decide whether to pay extra for a local lantern guide into the cave’s darker section. Lunch is not included, and you’ll want cash, swimwear and a change of clothes.

“Had a great trip to several sites (cave in Chiang dao, sticky waterfall) with our driver and guide. Our guide banana was very informative, he gave us context of the area, a bit of local history as well as a trip through a local market showing us lots about Thai culture. The cave in chaing dao is impressive especially if like myself you’ve never done a cave tour. There are some low tunnels that could be a bit hard to get through if you’re not very mobile but crawling through a tight space and coming out into a giant open space is pretty cool. Lots of interesting formations in the…”

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4.Kayak the Jungle Rivers of Chiang Dao Valley!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $74

Head north from Chiang Mai for a guided kayak outing in the Chiang Dao area. You’ll get paddling instruction, then follow creeks and bamboo-lined waterways in a single or double kayak, with wildlife spotting and lunch by the river. Pickup, water, and a support vehicle are included. The group is capped at eight; ask ahead whether a cave visit is part of your date’s plan.

“Had a fantastic jungle kayak adventure with guide Aidan today - a wonderful mix of drifting along and navigating some rapids! I was new to using a one-person kayak but Aidan took the time to explain what to do both before we got in the wRead more”

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5.Chiang Dao Cave & 5 Hill Tribe Villages

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · 8 hours · from $51Best value

Spend eight hours visiting Akha, Meo, Lisu, Palong, and Karen villages, then see Chiang Dao Cave and Temple, an orchid farm, and a butterfly farm. An English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport are included. Guides such as Tik, Maki, Maggie, and Tikky have led past trips. The cave has two narrow passages that require crawling.

“My trip was fantastic I had enjoyed a lot, Mr Tikky explained everything very nicely. I am giving rating to Mr. Tikky my tour guide and driver 10/10 . highly recommended this tour and Mr. Tikky.”

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6.Chiang Mai Day Tour: Chiang Dao Cave and Hill Tribes

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 40 reviews · from $52

Travel from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao Cave with licensed English-speaking and local guides, then visit Akha, Meo, Lisu, Karen, and Palong communities at Ban Huai I-Ko. The day also includes an orchid and butterfly farm. Cave admission and Old City pickup are included; the farm ticket and meals are not. Guide Emy, also spelled Amy, is noted for explaining local plants and herbs.

“With Amy, or Emy, our guide, trip was very educational! She explained the herbs and leaves we saw along the hiking trail, their medicinal and nutritional values and importance. We learned about fruits and varieties , they are the same fruits but of different kind. Made us smell the herbs and their uses, etc. She never got tired talking interesting facts!”

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7.3-Day Chiang Dao Mountain Trek

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 36 reviews · from $256

Leave Chiang Mai for a three-day, two-night trek in the Chiang Dao mountains, with a local guide, village homestays, and meals cooked along the way. Expect bamboo forest, steep ridge trails, and a long second day. Guides include Tan and Sap, and the final descent reaches the Maetang River valley.

“Great experience. Moderate hike & Mr. Tan is an absolute gem of a guide & master of the jungle. We had a very diverse group (2) mid-20 yr olds & (2) early 60 yr olds and Mr.Tan led the group / read the group to perfection. Great knowledge source & fabulous sense of humor. Have nothing but high praise & recommendations for taking the 3 day 2 night hike with Mr. Tan.”

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8.Chiang Dao Cave Trekking Small Group Tour – Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · from $90

Leave Chiang Mai at 8 am for Chiang Dao’s limestone caverns, where Buddha shrines share space with stalactites and stalagmites. An English-speaking guide leads the day, with an optional lantern-lit route through darker, tighter passages. After a market stop, climb Buatong Sticky Waterfall. Transport, cave entry, bottled water, insurance, and hotel pickup and drop-off are included.

“It was an excellent join-in tour although I was the only one joining that day! That made it a very personal experience. The Caves are really nice and I actually recommend doing the full tour including the inner-caves (try joining a group of folks already there if you are not a group already). The Sticky waterfall was good as well, it's a wonderful wonder of nature. The guide Chaowit was amazing too - friendly and with excellent English! Highly recommended”

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9.Private tour Chiang Dao cave ,Temples,Sticky waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $123

Start from Chiang Mai at 8:30 am for a private, eight- to nine-hour day of temples, a limestone cave, lunch, and Bua Thong’s climbable Sticky Waterfall. Your guide and driver are included, as are entrance fees and lunch. Past tours have been led by Don and Jim, but your assigned guide may differ.

“Don is an excellent guide, this was a great tour! Pick up was on time at our hotel and tour exceeded our expectations. Lunch stop was also fantastic. Eight in our party and everyone agreed. It’s a good mix of activities for adults and children/teens.”

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10.Kayak the Jungle River of Chiang Dao Valley!

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 1 day · from $64

Spend a day kayaking the Ping River near Chiang Dao, beneath the Chiang Dao mountain range and past jungle growth and farmland. Guides including Aidan help beginners build confidence, while a support vehicle carries valuables and can assist. The group is limited to 10, and lunch is included.

“Great guides. Chatty and informative. A wonderful experience on the river Ping. Just about the right length of time. The simple food was at the end. Maybe would have been better ½ way through. Had to get out of the river twice to get kayaks past the 2 weirs. Luckily the guides did the boat dragging as I would have found it hard. The getting out was not easy especially the second place which was muddy and sharp stones. I hurt my foot.”

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