Chiang Dao Caves & Jungle Kayak: Northern Thai Adventure

209 Ratings

Chiang Mai

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Embark on a thrilling Chiang Dao jungle tour where you’ll go kayaking through undisturbed wilderness, explore the majestic Chiang Dao Cave, and indulge in scenic drives. Book now!

Duration: 8 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Chiang Mai Mountain Biking & Kayaks - At Base Camp, the safety briefing is conducted, kayak choices are confirmed, life jackets are fitted, and preparations are made for an exciting day.
Chiang Dao Cave - Cave Exploration:
- Guided Walk: Join a 1-hour guided tour through the cave.
Marvel at Caverns: Explore vast chambers and admire the…

Chiang Mai Mountain Biking & Kayaks - At Base Camp, the safety briefing is conducted, kayak choices are confirmed, life jackets are fitted, and preparations are made for an exciting day.
Chiang Dao Cave - Cave Exploration:
- Guided Walk: Join a 1-hour guided tour through the cave.
- Marvel at Caverns: Explore vast chambers and admire the intricate ceiling formations.
- Historical Insights: Discover the cave’s history, first found by a Burmese monk 300 years ago.
- Ancient Shrines: Encounter ancient shrines scattered throughout the cave.
- Natural Wonders: Observe hanging bats and other natural features.
- Conclusion: Exit the cave, concluding the captivating journey through its illuminated areas.
  This unforgettable exploration of the Chiang Dao Cave System will leave you eager for more, with its mix of natural beauty and historical intrigue.
Chiang Dao - After visiting the cave, enjoy a hearty meal and some relaxation time to prepare for the kayaking trip.
Chiang Dao - Mae Ping River Kayaking Adventure

In the afternoon, set off on a kayaking adventure along the Mae Ping River. This creek-like river meanders through bamboo jungles and temperate forests, offering an intimate view of Northern Thailand’s wilderness. Paddle through tranquil forest landscapes, away from the usual paths, and embrace the river’s natural rhythm. The untouched woods, overgrown banks with fallen trees, and shaded areas create a unique environment as you navigate.

Abundant birdlife, jumping fish, and mysterious forest sounds accompany the journey. Spot eagles, kingfishers, birds of paradise, swallows, parakeets, and graceful egrets seeking refuge in these lush woods.

This kayaking trip, a true gem in nature exploration north of Chiang Mai, concludes with a return to Chiang Mai around 5:30 pm, leaving you with unforgettable memories of the Northern Thai wilderness.
Mae Taeng - Enjoy a final glimpse of the Northern Thai jungle as the drive through the mountain range leads into the Chiang Mai valley on the way home.

What's Included

Certified First Aid and CPR instructors
Be the captain of your own boat
Head lamps and local Cave Guide
10-minute Cave to River shuttle by Van or Truck
Water for hydration packs and bottled water
Vegetarian and Vegan lunch options at Cave side Restaurant
Google Earth Orientation and Kayak Briefing at Pro-shop
Support Truck with secure…

What's Not Included

Pro-Shop: Find sunscreen, repellent, water shoes and other outdoor gear available for purchase.
Insurance/River fees, Chiang Dao

Additional Information

Discover the wonders of Chiang Dao Caves and enjoy kayaking through the Northern Thai jungle!
Join this highly sought-after adventure in Chiang Mai. Start by exploring the complex Chiang Dao Cave system with an expert local guide. Spend an hour in the side passages with vast caverns, then move to the main, well-lit chambers featuring Buddhist statues and…

Location

Chiang Mai Mountain Biking & Kayaks

92/ 1-2 Sridonchai Road

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.7

(209 Ratings)

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Mary_f

Feb 16, 2026

A fun adventure! - Super fun day of caving and kayaking! The Chiang Dao cave, with its myriad shrines and amazing caverns, is definitely a must-see. And the kayaking portion was tons of fun! The river was very gentle and shallow, so suitable for beginners. There were just enough challenges to keep it interesting - I’ll confess I wasn’t the best at steering so I did fall in twice (wear something you don’t mind getting wet!). But again the water was super shallow so I just stood up and got back in. And the guide was great about helping me out of those situations. FYI the drive from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao takes about 2 hours in the back of a truck, so be mentally prepared for that, and don’t make any evening plans. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for an adventure!

Review provided by Viator

David02131

Feb 11, 2026

Nice day away from the Chiang Mai - Interesting visit to a cave, and (at least right now, in the dry season) pretty easy but enjoyable kayak trip. The guides were excellent. The only negative was the long amount of time spent driving from and back to Chiang Mai in the back of a Hilux - fun ride, but longer than we'd have preferred.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Mrsgodd

Feb 1, 2026

Fab day out - We had a brilliant day out exploring the Chiang Dao caves and then kayaking on the Ping River. An unforgettable experience! Thank you Mr Jane (Jennifer Lopez ;-) )

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Matthew_a

Jan 26, 2026

Fun Adventures - Awesome day trip. Great for anyone looking for fun adventures. The cave was incredible. Even before we got in the site outside is beautiful and colorful. The cave was so fun. I've been into caves in the US and they are smaller and narrow; here it was huge and so open. There are some tight and narrow spaces you have to crawl through but that's expected with any cave. The kayaking was a great way to end the day. It was a fun route, the guides will help if you spin or get stuck. We had lunch after the cave too. Overall great day trip and would recommend to anyone looking for an outdoor adventure day in Chiang Mai.

Review provided by Viator

Seasiaporters

Jan 23, 2026

Entertaining, informative & value for money! - This tour far exceeded our expectations. The guides were highly informative, entertaining, and kept us updated on the day's events. The cave was really quite impressive with a couple of crawl through spaces that even those with claustrophobia can handle easily. It is well lit in several parts and in others you have guides with lanterns and torches to light it up well. The kayaking was perfect part relaxing and entertaining with enough back eddies and obstacles to keep us laughing even though the river was quite low (January - no rain). Our ages range from 20-56, all work in tourism, & all rated this experience 5/5.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

V7166wymanuelaw

Jan 19, 2026

This excursion is highly recommended. - It was a super great day in fantastically beautiful scenery with a visit to a very impressive cave. I had some respect for the kayak trip in the One. But our guide said it would be much more fun to ride alone and I can only confirm that in retrospect, even for me as a beginner. The group was accompanied by 2 guides, who also gave many tips on the way, so that everyone quickly gained safety. Super great and individual care. The supply of drinks and lunch were good. Then we started to visit the cave. This experience should not be missed. A very impressive experience.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Lpe88

Jan 7, 2026

Perfect trip - Highly recommended trip with experienced guides . The kayak trip is very beautiful and the caves was also a great experience

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L1549simarcinp

Dec 31, 2025

Well-Planned Adventure with Excellent Guides - Well-planned day with excellent pacing throughout. The timing of each activity felt thoughtful and unhurried. Both guides were attentive, friendly, and highly professional; clearly experienced, genuinely enjoying their work, and communicating confidently in good English.

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Yelyzaveta

Jan 10, 2026

Caving top, kayaking flop - Out of the full day the thing we loved was the cave - amazing guide and the cave itself. We could go in the areas of the cave where was no lighting, just the guides with lanterns and us with headlights. Also special thanks to the nicest drivers. The kayaking (the first part) was a complete disappointment from the start. The guide - Aidan - a very arrogant man that has only one right opinion - his. He spoiled our mood by making us demand a double kayak. Yes, we did not want single one - what is the problem? My husband had to threaten that we cancel the booking right away if he does not stop being pushy. He thought it will be no fun. Please, let me decide myself what is fun or not fun for me! Also, they try to hide costs. They wanted additional 300 baht. Out of that 200 is river fee (that was stated in the tour, however without exact amount) and 100 added just like that for the insurance that you don't even need. And they would not even ask us if we want it if I did not check myself what tgese costs are and what for they need my passport number. Also, for such a price per person, I would expect phone water protection case for free - we had that always on comparable tours. Here they want 150 baht per case. As for kayaking itself - it was very boring. We had to stop boats literally every 50 meters to wait for people who could not manage with their boats... They could also create two groups - experienced and first timers. The scenery was also not especially amazing... We have done far better around with other tour companies. So overall, unfortunately we cannot recommend this experience as a whole because of kayaking disaster.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Azizsaddique_a

Jan 22, 2026

Unprofessional group - The day of the trip, my wife got her periods and we asked to reschedule, they called and told me it was fine and there would be an additional 500THB fee, which we agreed to, now on the day of the reschedule no one on their side picked up the call, if you have any issues or emergencies this is not the tour group you wanna go with, very unprofessional,

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $78

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult