In the backyard of {Khao Luang} in Sukhothai Province.

"When will we get to go? We've been here for years, and it's been postponed several times already."

Words from our colleagues at the office >.<

We've been living in Sukhothai for about 3 years. We've been planning to climb it several times, but it's just behind our house. Finally, we're going to climb it! We're ready to climb {Khao Luang} together on October 6, 2018. It's the end of the rainy season, and the weather is good, even though there's a slight risk of rain. Personally, this is my second time climbing a mountain. The first was Phu Soi Dao, which was like climbing with a dog. Let's see how Khao Luang will be.

The cave is located in Ramkhamhaeng National Park, Kiri Mas District, Sukhothai Province. We met in front of Kiri Mas Hospital for breakfast around 7:30 AM. We each had a sticky rice with pork. Today, there were some clouds. We wondered if it would rain. My brother said it wouldn't rain. It's almost winter, so it's like this.

Upon arriving at the park by car, we ascended the mountain around 8:30 AM. Before embarking on our journey, we paid our respects at the shrine of the revered grandmother to ensure a smooth journey.

The hike was approximately 3.7 kilometers with water available at intervals. The trail was much easier than before (I had climbed it 10 years ago) and tents, equipment, basins, pots, gas stoves, pans, dried food were provided, but the price increased with altitude. Porter services were also available, but we carried our own belongings, mostly food such as rice, canned fish, drinking water, candy, sausages, Chinese cabbage, and 10 eggs. Yes, we brought eggs. My friend said he would make an omelet on the mountain. We shared the load, but I couldn't handle it from the first 500 meters. My friends took all the items from me and I continued with only a small camera and my own weight of 65 kilograms.

The surrounding atmosphere is a bit green, with roadside flowers and various mushrooms looking lovely and fresh in the first few hundred meters.

The path was extremely steep, especially for those who don't exercise regularly. We only practiced walking and jogging for two weeks before attempting the climb, and this is the result.

The journey continued, albeit with frequent pauses. The path was bustling with individuals practicing their hill ascents, demonstrating impressive agility and speed. A delightful detour was made for sticky rice with pork wrapped in banana leaves, arguably the most delicious one encountered thus far. After refreshing the face and eyes, a chocolate treat was enjoyed before resuming the trek.

We climbed to the viewpoint, which means we were almost halfway there. Looking down, the park office looked tiny. We had climbed quite high. We had some motivation for about 10 minutes. My brother said, "Let's continue..." He walked quickly ahead. I just arrived. Wait for me!

We continued our ascent, stopping at various points along the way. My guide informed me that we were nearing our destination if we encountered the Nang Nak chimney. (He had been saying this for almost the entire journey, with a chuckle.) Legend has it that Phra Aphai Mani, the king of this region, emerged from his meditation retreat at Khao Luang and fell in love with the daughter of the Naga serpent, who disguised herself as a beautiful woman and emerged from the "Nang Nak chimney." We took a brief rest near the clearing before the chimney, as the incline was quite steep. Our hike was a mix of walking and complaining, with a few steps thrown in for good measure. A remarkable young child, approximately 3-4 years old, joined us on the climb, demonstrating exceptional resilience.

Just beyond the chimney, we reached the campsite. Let's not waste any time on this steep climb, the final bend before the clearing.

After a grueling climb, I finally reached the summit. I lay down on the grass, basking in the warm sun and cool breeze. It was around 2 pm, and the trek had taken me approximately 5 hours.

We then went to choose a tent (forgot to take a full picture, hungry). The staff suggested choosing a tent with a roof because it might rain tonight, and we didn't bring a tarp to cover the tent. Then we cooked dinner. Today's menu includes stir-fried cabbage, fried pork balls, meatballs, fried sausages, and spicy pork balls. It's more satisfying to eat on the mountain than in the city. We borrowed all the equipment from the office. The wild chefs worked hard together, while the chef like me finished cutting and ran to take a shower. >.< The bathroom is good, and it's so refreshing. After taking a shower, I came back just in time to eat.

After a hearty meal around 5:30 PM, we set off to conquer the remaining peaks. Khao Luang boasts four peaks: Yot Phra Khao Chedi, Yot Khao Phra Mae Ya, Yot Phu Ka, and Yot Khao Narai. While it's possible to walk around all four in a circle, we opted for just two due to fatigue. We chose Yot Phra Khao Chedi for sunset viewing, as our guide suggested it offered the best view. Following the path towards the restrooms, we encountered a downhill trail leading past a small stream with a gentle flow. As we entered the forested area, the air grew cooler. We carried walking sticks, jackets, and flashlights in anticipation of our return journey.

From the top of Chedi Mountain, we can see the peaks of Phu Ga Mountain and Phra Mae Ya Mountain (from left to right).

Including Khao Narai, which we will climb together tomorrow morning. We stayed up to watch the stars on the top of Chedi Hill, overlooking the entire Khiri Mat district. The stars were so beautiful, we couldn't capture them on camera, but they will remain in our memories forever. The sky was filled with stars, the air was fresh with a cool breeze, and the atmosphere was peaceful and far from the noise of the city. We escaped the hustle and bustle to watch the sunset and the stars. We stayed there for a while, with groups of teenagers and adults coming and going. Some had already circled all four hills and came back to tell us that the other side was also beautiful and worth exploring. But... maybe next time, haha. It started to get cold and the wind picked up, so we had to walk back to our tents. The way down was quite slippery from the dew and it was very dark. We felt the ground twice, and it was recommended to step on the ground with leaves. It didn't take long to reach the tents. We gathered in front of the tents for a while, but soon went to sleep. Good night, Khao Luang.

On the morning of October 7, 2008, we climbed Khao Narai to watch the sunrise and the sea of mist. The path was slippery as usual, so we had to be careful. Unfortunately, there were many clouds today, so we didn't see the sea of mist. However, the air was still cool and refreshing. The sun began to rise around 6:30 am, and more people started to come up to join us.

The sun has risen and is already setting. Today was quite shy. We climbed and played for a while, took some pictures, and then it was time to descend from Mount Narayana. We went down around 7:30 am, made breakfast, showered, and went home.

This is the path we climbed at 4:30 AM. It was dark and extremely slippery. My legs were shaking on the way down. I wasn't afraid when I was climbing up because I couldn't see, but when I started to descend, I was terrified.

Back at the tent, we cooked up a feast. We had canned fish, eggs, a large head of lettuce, sausages, and fermented pork. This resulted in a variety of dishes: canned fish salad, fermented pork salad, stir-fried canned fish, eggs fried with everything, stir-fried lettuce, and shredded pork. We also had slightly drier rice than the previous day. We enjoyed the delicious meal prepared by our gang of wilderness chefs. After finishing our coffee, we descended the mountain around 9:00 AM.

Climbing Khao Luang: A Challenging but Rewarding Experience

Descending from the mountain, we packed away our cameras, anticipating a difficult descent. The steep terrain proved challenging for us as novice hikers. As we witnessed experienced hikers effortlessly running down the slopes, we attempted to follow suit. However, our lack of leg strength led to an inevitable fall. We learned the importance of a slow and steady descent.

Our descent took approximately one hour longer than the experienced hikers. Exhausted, we hired porters to carry us down the remaining distance. During the ascent, our companions generously carried our belongings, including all our accumulated waste. It is important to note that all waste must be carried down from the mountain.

Upon reaching the base, we hitched a ride with fellow hikers to the transportation hub. We bid farewell to Khao Luang, vowing to return when better prepared, both physically and mentally. Our goal is to conquer all four peaks of the mountain.

Observations:

• Park rangers are friendly and meticulously track the number of hikers ascending and descending.
• All waste must be carried down from the mountain.
• Essential supplies, including dried food, fish sauce, and cooking utensils, are available for purchase at the summit.
• During our climb, porter fees were 25 baht per kilogram.
• Drinking water and rest stops are available throughout the trail.
• Electricity is available until 10 pm.
• The total cost per person, including equipment rentals and food, was approximately 400 baht.

Final Thoughts:

We are grateful to our companions who assisted us throughout the journey. Khao Luang offers a beautiful and challenging experience, with stunning views and a plethora of stars. We are proud of our accomplishment and look forward to returning for a more comprehensive exploration of the mountain's peaks.

The climb was physically demanding and left us with sore legs, but the overall experience was incredibly rewarding and enjoyable. We eagerly anticipate our next adventure!