Doi Suthep & Bua Tong Waterfall Private Chiang Mai Tour

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/18

Duration7h–8h

GroupUp to 9

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Climb to a mountain temple, then swim in a waterfall that sticks to your feet

A private full-day tour of Chiang Mai visits Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, the city's most important temple perched at 1,100 meters, where you climb 306 steps (or ride the funicular), receive a holy blessing and participate in a wrist tying ceremony with a local guide. The afternoon moves to Bua Tong waterfall, where the limestone is sticky enough to climb and the water is clear enough to swim in; lunch is included, and the itinerary bends to your preferences. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included; the day runs about 7 to 8 hours.

7h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit temple and waterfall in Chiang Mai

Pick up from hotel at 8:00 am
Drive to Doi Suthep - Pui National Park
Climb 306 steps or take funicular to temple
Receive holy blessing and wrist tying ceremony
Enjoy panoramic view of Chiang Mai city
Have lunch
Visit Bua Tong "sticky" waterfall
Swim or climb limestone at waterfall
Stop at orchid farm on return
Drive back to Chiang Mai city
Arrive at hotel around 5:00 pm

The Experience

Hotel pickup starts at 8 a.m., and the drive winds up mountain roads into Doi Suthep-Pui National Park. At the temple, you choose: walk up 306 steps or take the funicular to reach the golden pagoda sitting at 1,100 meters above the city. A Buddhist monk offers a holy blessing and ties a blessed thread around your wrist—a ceremony most visitors come to Chiang Mai to experience. The balcony opens onto a panoramic view of the city below.

Lunch happens before the drive to Bua Tong waterfall, where the limestone genuinely is sticky. The mineral content in the rock creates friction instead of slipperiness, so you can climb the face of the waterfall without sliding back. The water stays clear and cool; most people swim, though you can also sit in the pools and watch the water move around you. An orchid farm is a possible stop on the way back to town, depending on what you want to see.

The tour ends around 5 p.m. at your hotel. A private guide drives throughout, which means the pace stays yours—if you want longer at the temple or more time in the water, the itinerary shifts. Children from age 4 are welcome.

What’s included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Chiang Mai.
private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
lunch.
bottled water.
a local guide throughout the day.
entry to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and Bua Tong waterfall.
the flexibility to adjust the itinerary to your preferences.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Pon Elephant Thailand

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a private guide who can slow down at the temple or linger in the water without watching a group schedule. The fixed pickup time and included lunch mean you're not arranging transport or meals around other people's plans—just showing up at your hotel at 8 a.m.