Chiang Mai to the Mekong by Gravel Bike

Northern Thailand is the country’s premier gravel biking destination. On this 11-day tour from Chiang Mai to the banks of the mighty Mekong River, we layer our tires with grit on the region's fabulous dirt and gravel trails before shaking it off with fast-paced zips on smooth, paved roads. We satisfy the craving for the burn on leg-testing climbs before relishing the thrill of wrist-clenching descents. We discover lush valleys and highlands filled with rice paddies, mango orchards, tea plantations, coffee farms, and teak trees while exploring a rich multi-cultural heritage shaped by Thai and hilltribe traditions.

Meeting in the city of Chiang Mai, the cultural capital of the north, the tour is divided into four main stages:

Stage 1: Valleys of the North. The first five days involve hopping across three broad valleys - Chiang Mai, Chiang Dao, and Fang – for some fabulous backcountry cycling. Highlights include long stretches of gravel tracks through rice fields and fruit farms, ascents and descents through wild greenery, and views over some of Thailand’s tallest mountains.

Stage 2: The Highlands. After a night at a riverside hotel in the town of Tha Ton, we coil our way up a well-paved road to the mountaintop village of Mae Salong, renowned for its oolong tea and Chinese heritage.

Stage 3: Chiang Rai. On Day 7, we rise and fall with the contours of hills covered in cornfields and follow the Mae Kok River to reach the iconic White Temple. We have a rest day in Chiang Rai, a charming city with plenty on offer to fill a relaxed day.

Stage 4: The Mekong. We ride through the backwaters of Chiang Rai Province to the famed Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos converge at the confluence of the Mekong River, which we follow south to end the tour in the sleepy border town of Chiang Khong.

Join us on this trailblazing gravel bike tour in northern Thailand!