A Journey to Doi Luang Chiang Dao: Personal Reflections

Last year, I embarked on a memorable adventure to Doi Luang Chiang Dao. Inspired by the comprehensive information found on the website http://www.paiduaykan.com/province/north/chiangmai/doichiangdao.html, I set out to explore this majestic mountain. While the website provides a thorough overview, I would like to share my personal experiences and insights that go beyond the information readily available online.



All journeys begin with a phone call to book a reservation to enter the park. Whether you can enter or not depends on this step, as the park limits the number of visitors to 150 per day. Initially, I called the "Wildlife Conservation Office, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, Chatuchak District, Bangkok", but the officer told me to contact the "Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary Office, Chiang Dao District, Chiang Mai Province" directly. I was very lucky to book a reservation just in time, as the officer told me that it was almost full. I was incredibly lucky.



After successfully booking your entrance to the national park, the next step is to contact a guide. Park officials informed me that a guide is required to accompany you on your ascent to Doi. I called several guides recommended in Pantip reviews, but they were all fully booked. Finally, I came across "Mr. Sompong Sae Lee (Tum, the Tambon Administrative Organization)."

"089-9518823" is available on the date we are going, so we can join your trip.



Sister Tum arranged 2 types of trips, which are:

1. **Logistics and Transportation:** We must bring all our own supplies, including cooking equipment, tents, bedding, and most importantly, water. We will also need to cook for the porters throughout the journey.

2. Package service >> We only prepare clothes, and the rest will be handled by P'Tum.

Initially, we were inclined towards option 1 until we learned that "we would have to cook for the porters throughout the trip." Given our confidence in our own cooking (we can easily cook for ourselves, but cooking for others might be a different story), we毫不犹豫地选择了第二种方案。 555



I took a 999 bus from Bangkok, route Bangkok-Ban Tha Ton, departing at 6:30 PM and arriving at the Chiang Dao stop (Chiang Dao Inn Hotel) around 5:45 AM. I called Mr. Tum to pick me up. I stood in front of the hotel for about 15 minutes before Mr. Tum's car arrived. He took me to have breakfast at the fresh market nearby.



We were then taken to prepare for the ascent at the starting point, Den Hin Chat. This trip included three groups of companions: my group of five and two other groups of two people each, totaling nine people.



From the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary office, Ms. Tum drove to the starting point of the hike, Den Ya Khat. It took about 1 hour on a very challenging route, with steep slopes, potholes, and curves. It was tiring just to sit in the car.


The Doi Luang Chiang Dao hiking trail has two access points: the Den Ya Khat path and the Pang Wua path.

The Den Hin Ngad Trail offers a smoother and easier path compared to the Pang Wua Trail. However, it comes at the cost of a longer distance, approximately 2 km longer, and a challenging road leading to the trailhead.



Image



Before the ascent, P'Tum distributed rice and snacks to each person, along with two bottles of water. The trail leading up to the campsite is a natural path (without wooden stairs, concrete, or steel poles) and is narrow throughout.



Doi Luang Chiang Dao is a hiking trail with no restrooms. Therefore, if you come across a piece of tissue paper on the ground while hiking, do not touch it. It is a landmark for animal manure left by tourists. 555+



After a few breaks, we arrived at the campsite around 3 pm. We asked for the campsite of the village headman, Mr. Tum, which was chosen by Mr. Tum himself. The location was quite good because it was surrounded by trees, making it less windy at night than other spots. However, it was still cold.



The chef on P' Tum's trip cooked such delicious food that I really wanted to take him back to Bangkok with me.


After a break, our guide, Ru, took us to watch the sunset at the highest peak of Doi Luang Chiang Dao, the third highest mountain in Thailand at 2,225 meters above sea level.



The next day, I went to watch the sunrise at the top of Kiew Lom. However, the day I went, the fog was so thick that I couldn't see the sun. It wasn't until almost 10:30 AM that the sun finally came out. It was a real shame. T^T As a result, I had to go and take photos of the sunrise at the highest peak the next day instead.



On the way back, we descended via Pang Wua, which was 2 km shorter than the Den Ya Khad route but significantly steeper and more slippery, making it difficult to take photos. Upon reaching the bottom, P' Tum picked us up and took us to his girlfriend's hot spring. The spring was fed by a hot spring in the middle of the mountain, and the water had a distinct sulfur smell. P' Tum offered us a free soak, but we had to return to Bangkok and didn't have the opportunity to enjoy it.



Is there anything else I can help you with?

To illustrate the beauty of nature, I will rely on the power of imagery.



Link to YouTube video


Thank you for the beautiful pictures, Bambypix, and to all the trip participants.

Thank you for the video from Bamby Production.



Blogger: sirawichv.blogspot.com

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