This page's pickTemple & forest hike
Trek to Wat Pha Lat, then the chedi
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- 4 hrs
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Guide · Doi Suthep
How to get to Doi Suthep on foot: the monk's trail
How to get to Doi Suthep without a car: walk the old forest path from the edge of the city to a hidden temple at Wat Pha Lat, then on up the mountain to the golden chedi.
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Editorial team, trekkingtourchiangmai.comUpdated October 27, 2026Read time: 6 min38 sources
Quick answer, the hike
- 01Start
- The foot of Doi Suthep, six kilometers from Chiang Mai city.1
- 02Halfway
- Wat Pha Lat, built in the mid-14th century as a resting place.2
- 03At the top
- Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, at 1,056 metres.3
- 04Guided hike
- A 4-hour trip with the forest trek, from $24.
- 05Wear
- Walking shoes, and shoulders and knees covered for the temples.
A mountain at the edge of the city
Doi Suthep is the mountain you see from almost anywhere in Chiang Mai. The park service notes that the city is only six kilometers from its foot and about 16 kilometers by road from the summit.1 It was once called Doi Oi Chang and takes its present name from the hermit Wasuthep, who meditated on the hill.4
The mountain is protected as Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, created by royal decree in 1981 as Thailand's 24th national park and extended in 1982 to about 261 square kilometers.56 The land climbs from 330 to 1,685 meters, and the highest point is the summit of Doi Pui.7 Doi Suthep itself reaches 1,601 meters at San Ku.8
That closeness is what makes the walk special. Within minutes of the last houses you are in forest, on a path that people have climbed for centuries to reach the temple above. You can be back in the city for lunch, which makes this a hike that fits into a single morning.
The 4-hour hike, as listed
Forest, Wat Pha Lat and the golden chedi
-
Pickup
Songthaew from your hotel
Pickups begin up to 45 minutes before the start.
-
The trail
Through the forest
A short trek up to the temple in the trees.
-
Halfway
Wat Pha Lat
Old stone buildings, carvings and city views.9
-
Up the mountain
Doi Suthep temple
The golden chedi and the view over the city.10
-
Back
Return to the city
The listing gives the trip 4 hours.
Wat Pha Lat, the temple on the way up
The trail's first goal is Wat Pha Lat. TAT describes it as a secluded temple hidden in the jungle on the road to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, built in the mid-14th century as a resting place for people making their way to the Doi Suthep temple.2 In the 1930s it became a meditation site for monks.2
Its name translates as the Monastery at the Sloping Rock, and TAT notes its old stone buildings, carvings and statues and its own views over the city.9 A stream runs over the rock beside the temple, and the buildings sit among trees and moss. It is a working monastery, not a museum: monks live and meditate here.
Walk through quietly. Cover shoulders and knees, keep your voice low, and do not climb on statues or step over the rope lines. You can stop here, sit by the water and turn back; if you have the legs for it, the path carries on uphill towards the main temple.
Two mountains
Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon compared
| Feature | Doi Suthep | Doi Inthanon |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point | 1,685 m, Doi Pui | 2,565 m |
| From the city | Half hour drive | About 90 minutes |
| National park since | 1981 | 1972 |
| Park area | About 261 km² | 482 km² |
| Rain a year | 1,350 to 2,500 mm | 2,000 to 2,100 mm |
| Coldest | 4 to 5 °C lows | 0 to 4 °C frost days |
Figures from the park service's pages for each park and from TAT.71231351461516171819
Three ways up
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The 4-hour trip
A forest trek to Wat Pha Lat, then the main temple by songthaew.
The summit hiking day
1.5 hours on the Monk's Trail plus 2.5 hours towards Doi Pui.
The sunrise trip
Up by songthaew at 5:00, then walk down from Wat Pha Lat.
A temple tour by van
One sunrise tour reaches Wat Pha Lat and Doi Suthep by van.
A combined day
One listing pairs a 40-minute Wat Pha Lat hike with an elephant camp.
Built in the mid 14 th century, this was originally a resting place for people making their way to the Doi Suthep temple and then in the 1930s it became a meditation site for monks.
On up to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep
Above Wat Pha Lat the route continues to Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, which TAT places at an elevation of 1,056 metres, an easy half hour drive from downtown.3 The temple dates back to the late 14th century.20
From the car park, a staircase of over 300 steps or a funicular climbs to the terrace, where the 24-metre golden chedi stands.10 Even after the hike, the stairs are worth doing on foot. On a clear day the terrace looks out over Chiang Mai and the plain beyond.
Higher still, the road continues towards Doi Pui. TAT notes that Doi Pui Viewpoint, reached from Doi Pui Hmong Village on top of the mountain, offers views of the Chiang Mai landscape and fine sunsets.21 One 7-hour hiking day goes on from the temple through the national park towards Doi Pui, with 2.5 hours of walking in the forest.
Map
From the old city to the roof of Thailand
First the hills around Chiang Mai where the treks and hikes go, then Doi Inthanon with its summit, pagodas, trails and falls.
1Chiang Mai old city3Doi Suthep temple5Thailand's highest summit6Mae Wang7Mae Kampong
8Summit stupa9Twin pagodas and Kew Mae Pan11Pha Dok Siew12Mae Klang Luang13Siriphum Waterfall14Wachirathan Waterfall15Mae Klang Waterfall16Mae Ya Waterfall17Mae Pan Waterfall
- 1Chiang Mai old city
Start of the site tour: the meeting point is Baan Meesuk in the old town, with pickup available.
In Google Maps ↗ - 3Doi Suthep temple
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep stands at 1,056 metres, an easy half hour drive from downtown.3
- 5Thailand's highest summit
The top of Doi Inthanon, at 2,565 meters.12
In Google Maps ↗ - 6Mae Wang
Mae Wang District is one of the districts Doi Inthanon National Park covers.15
In Google Maps ↗ - 7Mae Kampong
Ban Mae Kampong, a village in Mae On District, won the PATA Gold Award 2010 in the culture category.22
In Google Maps ↗ - 8Summit stupa
The stupa of King Inthawichayanon stands at the summit, linked to the visitor center by an elevated walkway.2324
In Google Maps ↗ - 9Twin pagodas and Kew Mae Pan
The Great Holy Relics Pagodas near the top; TAT lists give the nearby Kio Mae Pan Nature Trail as closed from 1 June to 31 October.252627
In Google Maps ↗ - 11Pha Dok Siew
Pha Dok Siao Waterfall has 10 tiers and lies about 1 kilometer on foot from the park headquarters.2829
In Google Maps ↗ - 12Mae Klang Luang
Ban Mae Klang Luang, a hill tribe village on several Doi Inthanon day trips.
In Google Maps ↗ - 13Siriphum Waterfall
Twin falls reached on foot through the flower plots of the Inthanon Royal Project.30
In Google Maps ↗ - 14Wachirathan Waterfall
About 70 to 80 meters high, at milestone 20 of Highway 1009.3132
In Google Maps ↗ - 15Mae Klang Waterfall
Flows all year into large pools; rainy-season currents make swimming perilous.33
In Google Maps ↗ - 16Mae Ya Waterfall
Thirty tiers and approximately 260 meters in height.34
In Google Maps ↗ - 17Mae Pan Waterfall
Four tiers and over 100 meters tall, about 400 meters on foot from the ranger station.35
In Google Maps ↗
Checklist
Before you set off up the mountain
01
Wear and carry
- Proper walking shoes
- Shoulders and knees covered
- Water for the climb
- A layer for an early start
02
On the way
- Watch for slippery roots and snakes
- Keep quiet at Wat Pha Lat
- Funicular or over 300 steps to the chedi10
- Start early, before the heat
Cost calculator
Price a guided Doi Suthep morning
Set how many of you are walking, then pick a trip for the total.
People
Total from$48
each from $24
Check availabilityfree cancellationStarting prices come from GetYourGuide, converted with European Central Bank rates; booking reveals the exact figure.
Video
Walking the monk's trail up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
The video loads only when you tap play.
Hiking with a guide
You can walk alone, but a guided trip removes the logistics. The most reviewed hike is a 4-hour trip by songthaew with a short forest trek to Wat Pha Lat and a visit to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep with its view over the city. It has 855 reviews averaging 4.65 and starts from $24.
Its listing allows for different abilities: anyone who cannot do the hike up can ride up in the songthaew instead. On its sunrise programme, which starts at 5:00, guests visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep first and then walk the Monk's Trail down from Wat Pha Lat rather than up. Hotel pickups begin up to 45 minutes before the start.
Not every Doi Suthep tour walks. One evening trip to Wat Pha Lat and the main temple states plainly that it does not walk the Monk's Trail, and a sunrise tour with 1,496 reviews reaches Wat Pha Lat by van. If the walk is the point, check that the listing names a hike, as the 4-hour trip and the 7-hour summit hiking day do.
Walking it on your own
The trail is popular with independent walkers, and with a little preparation it is easy to do without a guide. Start from the western edge of the city, where the forest meets the last houses; ask your accommodation for the current trailhead, as access points change. Allow time to rest in the heat and carry more water than you think you need.
The path is a forest climb with roots, steps and loose earth rather than a paved walk. In places the way is marked, elsewhere you follow the most worn line, and you may meet monks and local walkers on it. Keep to the trail, step aside for anyone in robes, and do not shortcut the bends; erosion is the main damage a busy path suffers.
Coming back, you can walk down the same path or take a shared songthaew from the road back to the city. The guided 4-hour trip uses a songthaew as well, and its sunrise version walks down rather than up, which is easier on tired legs. Walking down still needs care on wet rock.
Doi Inthanon or Doi Suthep?
Doi Inthanon or Doi Suthep is a common choice for a short stay, and they are very different days. Doi Suthep is close: the temple is half an hour's drive from downtown, and the forest starts at the edge of the city.31 Doi Inthanon is around 90 minutes away and much higher, reaching 2,565 meters at Thailand's highest summit.1312
Choose Doi Suthep for a half-day walk, temples and a city view, with time left for the afternoon. Choose Doi Inthanon for a full day of waterfalls, a summit in cloud forest and a ridge or waterfall trail. If you have time for both, walk Doi Suthep first as a warm-up; it tells you how your legs cope with heat and steep forest paths.
Both are national parks, and the same habits apply: carry water, keep to the path and take your rubbish back down. The park service lists nature trails, trekking, waterfalls, bird and wildlife watching and camping among Doi Suthep-Pui's activities, so the mountain rewards a second visit.36
Safety, weather and etiquette on the trail
The forest path is short but not trivial. The park service warns that on its nature trail the humidity can make walkways slippery, and that venomous animals such as snakes live in the forest.37 The 4-hour guided hike asks for proper walking shoes. Watch your footing on roots and wet rock, especially coming down.
Weather follows the same seasons as the rest of the north: the park service gives Doi Suthep-Pui a summer from March to May, rain from June to November and winter from December to February.38 It averages 139 rainy days a year.16 Between December and February the lowest average temperature on the high ground falls to 4 to 5 degrees Celsius, so an early start needs a layer.18
Dress for the temples from the start: shoulders and knees covered is the rule on the guided hike, and on tours that visit both temples. Carry a light scarf or shirt you can pull on at the gate. Start early to avoid the midday heat and to find Wat Pha Lat at its quietest.
Your trek
Two days, one village night, one raft.
All meals, a group of 12 at most, and free cancellation until 24 hours before.
You ask,we answer.
How high is Doi Suthep?
1,601 meters at San Ku. Doi Suthep reaches 1,601 meters; nearby Doi Pui is the park's highest point at 1,685 meters.8
How far is Doi Suthep from Chiang Mai?
Very close. The city is six kilometers from the foot of the mountain and about 16 kilometers by road from the summit.1
What is Wat Pha Lat?
A forest temple on the way up. Built in the mid-14th century as a resting place for people walking to Doi Suthep; a meditation site since the 1930s.2
Do I have to walk all the way to the top?
No. On the guided hike, anyone who cannot walk up can ride up in the songthaew.
How many steps lead to the golden chedi?
Over 300, or take the funicular. A staircase of over 300 steps or a funicular climbs from the car park to the temple.10
Is there a dress code?
Yes, at both temples. Shoulders and knees must be covered at the temples, the guided hike says.
Can I hike down instead of up?
Yes, on the sunrise trip. The sunrise programme starts at 5:00, visits the main temple first and walks the Monk's Trail down.
Sources
What this text is based on
- 1Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 2Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 3Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 4Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 5Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 6Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 7Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 8Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 9Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 10Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 11Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 12Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 13Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Doi Inthanon National Park and its 'sea of mist' reopens to visitors (11 November 2021)↩
- 14Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 15Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 16Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 17Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 18Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 19Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon National Park↩
- 20Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 21Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Exploring Chiang Mai's many natural and man-made wonders (May 2021)↩
- 22Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Thailand reaffirms its commitment to promoting responsible tourism (February 2016)↩
- 23Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 24Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Inthanon Summit - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 25Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)TAT advises tourists to Northern Thailand to take precautions amid air quality concerns (25 March 2019)↩
- 26Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Opening/closed status of Thailand's national parks (July 2023)↩
- 27Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT Newsroom)Thailand's national park system starts annual seasonal closure of attractions (April 2018)↩
- 28Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandPha Dok Siao Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 29Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandPha Dok Siao Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 30Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandSiriphum Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 31Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandWachirathan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 32Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandWachirathan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 33Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Klang Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 34Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Ya Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 35Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandMae Pan Waterfall - Doi Inthanon National Park↩
- 36Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 37Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandRue Si Cave - Doi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
- 38Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), ThailandDoi Suthep-Pui National Park↩
