4 DAY NORTHERN MOUNTAIN BIKING DISCOVERY TOUR

(Guaranteed Monday departures with English-speaking guide on every Monday, from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai, including all meals)

ITINERARY: (Minimum 2 persons) An adventurous four-day mountain-bike discovery, from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. Cycling mostly on rural back roads (concrete or dirt road), discovering rural villages and ethnic hilltribes of Northern Thailand. A scenic area with plenty of exciting trails and sights. Meet with local people by spending a night with a hilltribe family.

Monday (around 30 to 45 kilometers cycling)
Day 1 Chiang Mai-Chiang Dao (L/D)
Around 8:00 am, pick-up passengers from various Chiang Mai hotels and drive north by covered pickup to Chiang-Dao region. Stop at elephant camp in jungle. Watch elephants bathing and demonstrate their skills. Explore Chiang-Dao caves, followed by lunch in local restaurant. Then we start our bike ride through rural back roads first, continuing on off-road trails, across a pristine landscape leading to small hilltribe villages. Visit Lahu, Lisu and Akha villages, and discover the Palaung people from Myanmar (only a few settlements in northern Thailand). Finish cycling at Palaung village where we spend the night as guests of the village headman's family. Excellent Thai dinner served by your guide.

Tuesday (around 30 to 60 kilometers cycling)
Day 2 Chiang Dao-Thatorn (B/L/D)
Intense and fantastic cycle tour through nature! However, the route is not too difficult and the escort vehicle is always nearby. After breakfast, an exciting offroad ride (26 kilometers). Lunch stop to visit Buddhist forestry temple and caves. Afternoon cycling around 25 kilometers, mostly off road, until car transfer to Ban Thaton for overnight stay on banks of Maekok river, near Burmese border. Night and dinner at typical northern lodge.

Wednesday (around 45 to 60 kilometers cycling)
Day 3 Thatorn-Chiang Rai (B/L)
Early morning, after breakfast, we cycle through the Maekok river valley, past rice fields and plantations. Then we follow an exciting riverside trail. Next we ride a local longtail boat downriver. We continue cycling to a Karen village on the riverbanks. We proceed by bike or transfer by car to our Chiang Rai hotel. Evening and dinner free.

Thursday (cycle between 15 to 40 kilometers)
Day 4 Chiang Rai (B/L)
Cycling itinerary will be decided on the spot by the group (depending on season). Usual itinerary is morning cycling along exciting new local trails. Cycling up mountains to waterfall with descent by another route. Lunch and relax at waterfall. Shower at waterfall or car transfer back to the hotel to relax by swimming pool and shower. At 5:30 pm, transfer by car to Chiang Rai airport.

End-of-day options:

Accommodations:

General Information:
Northern Thailand has a cool climate during the winter. Its mountainous regions form the Pre-Himalayan Mountain range, with summits to 2,500 meters and a large variety of ethnic villages and peoples amid beautiful jungle. Many little-used dirt roads and trails make this area a biker's paradise.

Climate: Best (coolest) months are November to February. September and October can be muddy. Challenging and fun to ride! March to June can be hot and dry-around 40°C during the day, with occasional refreshing rainstorms. July and August are the rainy season with no regular bike trips. We might have to slightly modify the itinerary and cycle more on paved roads, with longer boat transfers on the scenic Maekok river. Cycling can be fun, since it generally never rains all day long. Mostly strong cloudbursts-then more sun!

Material: We provide well-maintained, high-quality Shimano mountain bikes. We carry a range of different bikes, mostly 21 speed Shimano STXs with front suspensions. Spare parts and tools are brought by our escort vehicle. We carry bikes to fit individuals from 130 cm to 195 cm (4" to 6,5"). Frame sizes 16" to 20."

Food and accommodations: Depending on program, we stay in selected hotels, usually comfortable northern Thai style (please refer to your programs). Sometimes we stay with a family in a hilltribe village. Food is eaten at local restaurants or hotels. Nutrition is important when cycling. Main meals include rice. There is always enough food and we eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Drinking water, fruits and snacks are always available in our escort vehicle. Other drinks are not included in price, but widely available at local restaurants and shops along the way.
What to bring? Recommended personal equipment: Gloves, sunglasses. A pair of mountain-biking shoes, or running/cross-country shoes (hard soles reduce foot fatigue). Bicycle shorts and gear (if you do not have padded cycling shorts, we recommend light cotton shorts with elastic belts). We require participants to wear helmets. We can fit your SPD shoes and pedals on our bikes if you bring them.
Clothing: Long-sleeve sweater or jogging suit, windbreaker. T-shirts, packed in a soft bag we take in the escort vehicle. Pullover for winter season, and light nylon rain breaker (K-way type) for rainy season. A small backpack would be useful for small personal items, like cameras. For most trips, large suitcases can be deposited in Chiang Mai (hotel or our office).
Helmets, gloves and a wide range of equipment can be purchased in Chiang Mai.
Anyone in a good physical condition can join our regular cycling trips. Experienced bicycle riders will best enjoy them. If you feel tired, you can always rest in the escort vehicle. You don't have to carry your belongings, so the trip is more fun! On request and subject to space availability, noncycling accompanying persons are welcome to join trip in our escort vehicle.

PACKAGE TOUR RATES - UK£

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