Guide · Weather

Doi Inthanon temperature, rain and the best months

The Doi Inthanon temperature can sit near freezing at dawn while Chiang Mai bakes below. Here is what the park service says about the mountain and how the seasons play out.

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Editorial team, trekkingtourchiangmai.comUpdated October 27, 2026Read time: 6 min18 sources

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Quick answer, the weather

01Coldest: 0 to 4 °C on frosty December and January days.¹
02Mid-park average: Around 20 °C, and 15 to 17 °C in December and January.²
03Rain: 2,000 to 2,100 mm a year on the mountain.³
04Ridge trail closed: Kew Mae Pan, 1 June to 31 October.⁴
05Best time: The cool, dry winter months, if you dress for the cold.

Why the city figures are not the mountain

The monthly table and chart further down use the Chiang Mai station's normals from the World Meteorological Organization, the nearest long record with full temperatures. That station sits in the city, far below the park, which climbs from 400 to 2,565 meters.⁵ Read the city numbers as the warm floor of your day, not as what you will feel at the summit.

The park service's own description shows how big the gap is. It gives a tropical climate below 1,000 meters, a subtropical one from 1,000 to 2,000 meters and a temperate climate above 2,000 meters.⁶ In the central part of the park the average temperature is around 20 degrees Celsius through the year.² In Chiang Mai, even January's average daily high is 30 °C.⁷

Rain shows the same split. Chiang Mai city receives 1,139.2 mm of rain in a normal year, while the park service gives the mountain 2,000 to 2,100 millimeters.⁸ ³ Above 1,800 meters, low clouds keep the forest foggy for most of the year.⁹ Expect the mountain to be cooler, wetter and cloudier than any city forecast suggests.

The year on the mountain

Season by season on Doi Inthanon

December to February

Winter

Cold, dry, frost possible; cherry blossom in January and February.¹⁰ ¹ ¹¹
March to May

Summer

Hot in the valleys; watch for haze and check air quality.¹⁰ ¹²
1 June

Ridge trail closes

Kew Mae Pan and Lan Sadet close for the season.⁴
June to November

Rainy season

The southwest monsoon, full waterfalls, muddy trails.¹⁰
After 31 October

Ridge trail reopens

Kew Mae Pan's closure ends with October.⁴

Winter: December to February

The park service describes winter on the mountain as December to February, when the northeast monsoon brings cold, dry air.¹⁰ In the central part of the park the average temperature drops to 15 to 17 degrees Celsius in December and January.² On frosty days in those months it can fall to 0 to 4 degrees, enough for frost to form.¹

At the summit it is harsher still: the park service describes strong wind and very cold weather, with 0 to 4 degrees Celsius on the coldest days.¹³ Down in Chiang Mai, December's average daily low is 16.9 °C and its high 29.2 °C, with only about 1 day of rain.⁷ Clear, dry days are the reward, and the cooler months bring the morning sea of mist that TAT names at the summit and the Kiew Mae Pan Viewpoint.¹⁴

TAT also lists Thai cherry blossoms at Doi Inthanon in January and February.¹¹ This is the classic best time to visit Doi Inthanon: dry trails, clear views and the ridge trail open. The price is the cold, and busier roads and viewpoints.

Month by month

Darkness and rain in Chiang Mai through the year

Hours without sunDays with precipitationSeason

Bars give the mid-month hours of darkness, our own sums, and the rainy days (1 mm and up) counted in the WMO normals for City of Chiang Mai, 1991 to 2020; the trails above are wetter and cooler.⁷

Month by month

Chiang Mai temperatures and rain, with the mountain's seasons

Month	Daylight (h)	Darkness (h)	High / low	Wet days	On Doi Inthanon
Jan	11.1	12.9	30 / 16 °C	1	Winter
Feb	11.5	12.5	33 / 17 °C	1	Winter
Mar	12	12	35 / 20 °C	2	Summer
Apr	12.6	11.4	37 / 23 °C	5	Summer
May	13	11	35 / 24 °C	12	Summer
Jun	13.3	10.7	33 / 25 °C	12	Rainy season
Jul	13.2	10.8	32 / 24 °C	14	Rainy season
Aug	12.8	11.2	32 / 24 °C	17	Rainy season
Sep	12.3	11.7	32 / 24 °C	15	Rainy season
Oct	11.7	12.3	32 / 23 °C	9	Rainy season
Nov	11.3	12.7	31 / 20 °C	3	Rainy season
Dec	11	13	29 / 17 °C	1	Winter

The mean highs and lows, and how many days bring 1 mm of rain or more, are WMO normals for the city station of Chiang Mai, 1991 to 2020, far below the mountain; we work out the mid-month day length ourselves.⁷ Season according to Department of National Parks, Thailand.¹⁰

Three seasons

Winter, summer and the rains

Clearest views

Winter

December to February

Mountain: 15 to 17 °C mid-park
Coldest: 0 to 4 °C
Ridge trail: Open

Plan your day

Hot and hazy

Summer

March to May

City high: 36.7 °C in April
Air: Watch for haze
Ridge trail: Open to May

Plan your day

Fullest falls

Rainy season

June to November

City rain: 223 mm in August
Trails: Muddy, some closed
Ridge trail: Closed to October

Plan your day

Decision helper

Which month suits your plan?

Start from what you most want to see or do.

I want the sea of mist I want to walk Kew Mae Pan I want the waterfalls at full power I hate the cold I have sensitive lungs

November to February

TAT names the summit and Kiew Mae Pan Viewpoint for it in the cooler months.¹⁴

November to May

TAT lists it as closed from 1 June to 31 October.⁴

Late rainy season

The rains run June to November; check trail closures in high water.¹⁰ ¹⁵

Avoid December and January

Frosty days can reach 0 to 4 degrees Celsius.¹

Avoid the hazy months

TAT advises watching air quality and wearing an N95 mask in haze.¹² ¹⁶

At elevations of 1,800 meters and higher, a cool, wet climate prevails. This is because the low clouds cause the forest to be clouded and foggy for the majority of the year.

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandSource 9

Summer: March to May

The park service calls March to May summer.¹⁰ In Chiang Mai this is the hottest stretch, with April's average daily high at 36.7 °C.⁷ On the mountain the heat is softer, and the upper slopes stay cooler than the valleys, but the views can suffer.

Haze is the main concern in these months. TAT has advised visitors to northern Thailand to watch air quality index reports and, during haze, to wear an N95-rated mask outdoors; it says the haze is blamed mostly on forest fires, open scrub burning and vehicle emissions.¹² ¹⁶ One high mountain day trek warns that air quality may be low from haze in the hot season.

If you travel in these months, check the air quality before each hike, carry a mask and choose shaded forest trails over open ridges on bad days. Kew Mae Pan is still open until the end of May, the last weeks before its seasonal closure.⁴ By May the rains are returning to Chiang Mai, with about 12 rainy days in the month.⁷

Checklist

What to wear and bring, by season

Every month

A warm layer for the summit
A rain shell
Closed shoes with grip
Sunscreen for clear spells

By season

Hat and gloves for winter sunrises
An N95 mask in the hazy months¹⁶
Spare socks in the rains
Check trail closures June to October

Cost calculator

Price a Doi Inthanon day in your month

Choose a Doi Inthanon day and party size for a total.

Eco-friendly day9 hrsfrom $39 Kew Mae Pan day, Nov to May11 hrsfrom $59 Pha Dok Siew trek day1 dayfrom $35

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Starting prices come from GetYourGuide, converted with European Central Bank rates; booking reveals the exact figure.

Video

A cool day on the highest mountain in Thailand

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The rainy season: June to November

From June to November the southwest monsoon brings moisture and rain clouds, in the park service's description.¹⁰ In Chiang Mai, August is the wettest month, with 223 mm of rain on about 17 days.⁷ On the mountain, with roughly double the city's annual rain, the trails turn muddy and the cloud can sit low for days.³ ⁸

Two things change for walkers. Kew Mae Pan and Lan Sadet Waterfall are closed from 1 June to 31 October in TAT's lists of seasonal closures.⁴ And trail waterfalls can close at short notice: in August 2019 the park shut the Pha Dok Siew trail and waterfalls temporarily for safety, reopening once the water level returned to normal.¹⁵

The rains have their own rewards. The waterfalls are at full volume, the rice terraces turn bright green and there are fewer visitors on the roads. The CDC warns that leptospirosis risk is higher after floods or heavy rainfall, so avoid wading in floodwater and cover cuts.¹⁷ Bring a rain shell and shoes you do not mind soaking.

Best time to visit Doi Inthanon

There is no single right answer, but the trade-offs are clear. If you want the ridge trail, open views and the sea of mist, come in the cool, dry months from November to February, and accept the cold and the crowds.¹⁴ ⁴ Kew Mae Pan reopens after the closure that runs to 31 October in TAT's lists.⁴

If waterfalls are your priority, the end of the rainy season gives full falls and fewer people; the Pha Dok Siew trail is the one guided days use while Kew Mae Pan is closed. If you can only come in March or April, plan around the haze, start early and check air quality each morning.¹²

Whatever the month, time of day matters as much as the season. Mornings are often clearest on the high ground, and cloud tends to build over the summit as the day goes on. Leave Chiang Mai early, go to the top first, and work down the mountain as the day warms.

Reading a forecast for the mountain

A city forecast tells you little about the summit, so read it as a starting point and adjust. If Chiang Mai expects a warm, clear day, the high ground will still be several layers cooler, and fog can hide the views even when the valley is sunny. The park service describes the area above 1,800 meters as cool, wet and foggy for most of the year.⁹

Rain in the city forecast usually means a wetter day on the mountain, which receives far more rain than Chiang Mai in a normal year.³ ⁸ In the rainy months, watch for heavy downpours the day before a trail walk; the park has closed waterfall trails when the water rose.¹⁵

Two quick checks before you leave save most disappointments: the air quality index in the hot season, and the status of the trail you want in the rainy season. If either looks bad, switch to a sheltered plan, such as the summit boardwalk and the falls along the road, and keep the ridge walk for another day.

What to wear to Doi Inthanon

Dress in layers. Start with a T-shirt for the valley, carry a fleece or light down jacket for the summit and a rain shell for the cloud forest; above 2,000 meters the park service describes a temperate climate, and the upper highlands are wet and cold all year.⁶ ¹⁸ In December and January add a warm hat and gloves for a sunrise visit.

Footwear matters for the boardwalks and trails. Closed shoes with grip handle wet wood and rock far better than sandals, and the twin pagodas have a dress code that one listing describes as casual or better, with no flip-flops and no tank tops. Bring sleeves and trousers or a skirt to the knee for the temples.

Tour listings say the same thing in their own words. One trail day warns that temperatures drop at higher altitudes and recommends a light jacket or long sleeves. An elephant and Doi Inthanon day asks guests to bring a warm jacket or sweater for the mountain. Pack sunscreen too: the sun is strong when the cloud breaks.

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