Embark on a journey to Doi Nok in Phayao, where the first whispers of winter's chill caress the air.

Trip from November 2nd to 5th, 2018. A total of 10 people traveled on this trip.

"Doi Nok flirting with each other"

Nok Mountain, the highest point, reaches 1,694 meters above sea level.

We will take you to experience the first cold air of the year at Doi Nok (on the Lampang side).

Doi Nok, a mountain with a unique identity, is a tall, pointed rock mountain with a rounded tip. It resembles a large "cow's hump" standing tall and piercing the sky. The villagers therefore call it "Doi Nok". On the ridge of Doi Nok, there is a shrine of Luang Pho Tan Jai. The villagers say that people like to make vows and prayers there, and they see results immediately.

The mountain trail is a steep ascent with no flat sections, and some sections have a 90-degree incline.

Good heavens! Walking like that will surely give you a stiff neck.

** **

The route starts from "Ban Pong Tham" Village, Moo 3, Wang Thong Subdistrict, Wang Nua District, Lampang Province. According to information from Ban Pong Tham Village, "This is the closest route to conquer the top of Doi Nok." (But no one said that this way is the steepest.)

The original route was to hike up from the Doi Luang side in Phayao Province (approximately 16 km).

Contact for mountain climbing reservation

Village Headman of Ban Pong Tham, Lamphang (Sen), phone number: 086-080-2452

Sister Tang from Phayao 086-136-8389

Expenses

- The cost of a taxi is 800 baht per leg, with a capacity of 10 people. The round trip fare is 1600 baht.

• Porters earn 500 baht per day and can carry 15 kilograms.

• Admission fee: 100 Baht per person.

Travel from Bangkok (Mo Chit - Chiang Mai Transport - Arcade) with Siam First VIP Tour for 629 Baht.

Departs 8:00 PM - 6:15 AM. The bus is good, the blanket is thick, there is free rice and water, you can stretch your legs all the way, and the air conditioning is cold.

06:15 AM: Arrive at Chiang Mai Transportation Center. A friend will pick me up from there. We will travel by private car to Wang Nua District, Lampang Province, specifically to Ban Pong Tham. Our destination is the house of Mr. Saneh.

The porters then weighed their loads, adjusted them, and continued walking for another 3-4 kilometers.

The journey takes one hour. The scenery along the way includes banana groves, rice fields, cornfields, and occasional streams. By the time you've finished admiring the view, you'll have reached the starting point of your hike.

Doi Luang National Park, spanning across three provinces: Chiang Rai, Lampang, and Phayao. Doi Nok is a mountain range marking the border between Phayao and Lampang provinces. Its eastern side borders Phayao, while the western side borders Lampang.

Do you see that distant peak, friends? That is the destination of our dreams.

Along the way, there were many passion fruit trees. The porter named Ai Ri picked a lot of them for us to eat.

This job is a real pain in the ass. It's so frustrating.

The air was very cool as we passed through the banana grove.

Upon reaching the starting point, we stopped for lunch. We began our trek at 12:15 PM. The initial section of the trail traversed a bamboo forest.

The trail gradually ascends and continues for a considerable distance. The water from the waterfall is safe to drink along the way, and there are rest stops every 800-900 meters.

First stop: "Pang Noi Zen"

Stop 2: "San Ta Jan"

The third rest stop, "Kiew Hang Kang," is named after the "Kang tree" (local name).

The fourth rest stop is a **rocky clearing** of moderate size. There is a natural spring, and bamboo pipes have been installed to provide a mountain spring water supply for us to refill our bottles with cool, refreshing water.

Visitors can descend to the stream to collect water, which is clean and clear as it originates from the mountains. Swimming in the waterfall above is prohibited, as the water flows down to provide for the villagers' needs. A monthly fee of 20 baht is charged for this service.

Friends who want to bathe can come up and bathe on land.

During the late rainy season and early winter, we will see some trees changing color along the way.

The red mushrooms are edible and can be used in curry dishes. The hawker lady said they are delicious.

Walking for a while, you will arrive.

The fourth rest stop provides a fire for resting. There are two bathrooms and a water tap installed by the villagers.

Refreshed and ready to continue.

The path ahead is challenging, especially for those with large bodies. The steep cliffs on both sides make it difficult to pass.

Some sections are too difficult to walk on two legs.

We have reached the camping spot.

On the peak of Doi Nok, the golden statue of "Luang Pho Tan Jai" stands majestically. Visitors often come to pay respects and seek blessings.

Oh, so beautiful! What a strange-looking mountain, with its unique prominence, height, and steepness. If you come to Doi Nok Phayao and don't climb to the top, you haven't really been here.

We've set up the tent and cooked dinner. This evening, we'll hike to the top of Doi Nok to watch the sunset. It's about 1 kilometer from the campsite.

The weather is very cool. Don't forget to bring a flashlight with you on the way back as it will get dark very quickly.

The steep climb...but seeing the sunset view in the evening, I can only say that I am no longer tired.

One tiring day has passed. Thank you, P'Lukhab, P'Bud, and P'Ree, for sharing the food and the "moo kata" party. The pork could have been cut smaller, though. I wonder where it will end up, all the way to Sukhothai.

Thank you, Chang Dao, for tonight's performance.

The next morning, we ascended Doi Nok once more to witness the first light of dawn before continuing our trek to Doi Luang.

This morning, it is 14 degrees.

The fresh air and the sea of mist... I don't need anything else, my lord.

Panoramic view of Kwan Phayao

Very enjoyable.

After descending from Doi Nok, we took in the view from the campsite once more.

After breakfast, we packed our belongings and prepared to continue our journey to Doi Luang. Our hosts, Pi But and Pi Ree, generously provided us with additional bamboo shoot curry.

My friends also shared boiled mung beans with brown sugar. Everyone here is so kind, I love it!

Doi Luang National Park was designated as the 61st national park of Thailand.

The highest peak is Doi Luang, which stands at 1,694 meters above sea level. The park encompasses five distinct forest types: mixed deciduous, pine, dry evergreen, moist evergreen, and dipterocarp. These forests serve as the headwaters for the Wang River and Kwan Phayao.

A 45-minute walk covering a distance of 3-4 kilometers.

On the way down

On the way back, unable to bear the hunger, we went to sit and cook instant noodles by the river again before getting on the itaek to return to the elder's house.

Participants can shower at the village headman's house, which has three bathrooms.

There is a delicious noodle shop in front of the village headman's house. A bowl costs 30 baht and they give you a lot of food. + The smoothie shop next door sells smoothies for 20 baht each, which is cheap and delicious. (I forgot to take a picture because I was so hungry) ^ ^!!

Thank you to all 10 friends who shared smiles and laughter on this trip.

On the Doi Nok trip, we teased each other.

Thank you to our talented photographers: New, Faeng, Petch, Mork, and Mint.

Cost Summary (10 people)

1. Roundtrip bus fare (Siam First) VIP Mochit - Chiang Mai Arcade = 629 Baht/person

2. Return bus fare (Busarakam Tour) Chiang Mai Arcade - Mo Chit = 609 Baht/person

3. Food expenses for all meals = 110 Baht/person

4. The round-trip taxi fare is 800 baht, so the total cost is 1600 baht. Divided by 10 people, each person pays 160 baht.

5. Porter fees for 2 people at 500 baht/day each = 2000 baht/8 = 250 baht/person (2 people did not use porters, so the cost is divided among 8 people).

6. Entrance fee per person = 100 Baht/person

Total damage cost 1858 Baht