Nonthern Thailand Cycling Tour  - On this 830 kilometre ride you’ll cycle on paved roads in good condition through farming villages, up and over lush green mountains and on winding roads along the Mekong River. Our cycling starts in the former Lanna Kingdom of Chiang Rai. We will be alternating between hilly and flat days, but we always start off with a gentle ride before we start climbing. After a loop through some of the best scenery of northern Thailand, we finish in the adventure capital of Chiang Mai. 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.

Day 1

We meet in the afternoon in Chiang Rai for a warm up ride through rice paddy fields and follow the Mae Lao River to the distinctive White Temple created by a local artist. After a visit we’ll head back to the hotel so we can refresh before an outing to the night bazaar and dinner.

Day 2

Today we will be heading up to the hills of Wawee, but we’ll have a nice fast flat stretch of 40 km to warm up our legs before the real work begins. We stop for a scenic rest stop with panoramic views before a fast 10 km descent. The remainder of the ride will be undulating on quiet roads in good condition. We end at Mae Salak, a small town that has an excellent resort complete with pool.

We have a gentle start to the day as we won’t be pushing the pedals very hard until kilometre 15. Then it’s time to climb, but we only gain about 350 m over 10 km. During our cycle we’ll pass hilltribe farmers working their fields, be greeted by children and possibly a water buffalo or two.

Day 4

Today is a semi rest day as we’ll have a fast flat ride in the morning along the Mekong River, that also forms the border with Laos, on a quiet, smooth road. We arrive Chiang Khong in the afternoon then it’s free time for you to sit on your balcony overlooking the river, explore the local market or take a wander through the bicycle museum.

We ride out of Chiang Khong and head south to Pu Chi Fah for a stunning viewpoint. We warm up for 40 km on a leisurely level route and then it’s time go up, up, up.Our total ascent for the day will be over 2,000 m, but we’ll finish atop an amazing cliff formation like no other in the region.

Day 6

We start with an exhilarating descent down the mountain and then the ride flattens out as we cycle through a wide and fertile valley. We end our ride in Phayao Lake with time to chill in this laid-back town.

This morning is free and after lunch we’ll get on our bikes and ride up and over into the next valley by crossing a mountain range. As the light turns golden we’ll ride through the foothills of the forested mountains to our bungalows.

Day 8

Today’s ride has a refreshing end in a waterfall, but before we get there we have our work cut out for us! We’ll be cycling up to 1,400 m, and though the climbs will be tough, they won’t be unrelenting. After a dip in the waterfall we transfer an hour to Chiang Mai and our centrally located hotel.

From Chiang Mai we ride a loop around Doi Suthep, the mountain that overlooks the old city. We have lunch at the village of Samoeng and as we come around the mountain we have one tough rise, but once over the top it’s downhill to the fertile foothills south of Chiang Mai.

Day 10

Today is yours to relax and rest after nine days of great riding.We can help with arrangements if you’d like to extend your stay in Thailand or organize transfers to the airport for onward flights.