The 15 Kayak Trips in Chiang Mai That Earn Their Price

1.No.1 Full-Day Chiang Mai Caving & Jungle Kayaking: Chiang Dao

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 206 reviews · from $81Our pick

Spend seven to eight hours with Chiang Mai Mountain Biking & Kayaks, exploring Chiang Dao Cave with a local guide, eating lunch beside the cave, and paddling the Mae Ping River. Guides such as Jane, Golf, and Tony provide instruction, headlamps, water, and river support for beginners.

“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,”

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2.Ping River Night Kayaking into City Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 144 reviews · 2 hours · from $50

Start with hotel pickup around 5:45 to 6 PM, then paddle from Wat Taa-Luk toward Nawarat Bridge with an English, German, or Thai guide. Expect an easy 6 km trip, gentle current, wildlife, riverside music, and glowing Chiang Mai views. Guides such as Jo Jo, AJ, Aidon, and A have earned warm praise.

“A great, casual trip down a beautiful river. We saw lots of bats and ducks, and even an owl up close. The kids really enjoyed it because the current was very gentle and easy for them to navigate. The tour begins in a natural forested area and then continues into the city where you can see the beautiful city lights on the water.”

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3.Kayak the Jungle Rivers of Chiang Dao Valley!

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 89 reviews · from $74Top rated

Set out from Chiang Mai at 8:30 a.m. for a guided kayak trip near Chiang Dao. You’ll learn on hard-shell kayaks, paddle through forest creeks, watch for birds and fish, and stop for riverside lunch. Aidan is one guide named in past bookings. Pickup and support transport are included.

“Great day! We were given some useful tips & advise on using the kayak. The kayaking was really straightforward, pretty gentle all the way. The guides were extremely helpful & made you feel relaxed & safe. Saw some beautiful birds along the way.”

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4.Kayak Under the Stars – 6 km to the Heart of the City

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 53 reviews · from $48

Paddle 6 km along the Ping River from dusk into night with professional guides, safety lights, life jackets, and support from a following truck. Expect calm water, dark tree-lined stretches, glowing bridges, riverside restaurants, and a small group of up to 15 people. Pickup is available.

“Honestly none of it. Was awful. They were rude, disrespectful, and borderline misogynistic. The experience itself was way too long and they were also late in picking us up”

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5.Chiang Mai Biking & River Kayak : Gentle Thrills in a Lush Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 45 reviews · from $81

You’ll leave Chiang Mai at 8:30 a.m. for Wat Ban Den, a relaxed bike ride through villages and rice fields, and a kayak trip through the Mae Taeng Forest Reserve. Choose a single or double kayak, stop for fruit and snacks, and finish with lunch. Guide A is noted for local stories and calm support.

“Tryed to give an detailed review but they only give you 300 characters so here is the skinny. Unorganized, shoddy Eqipment , tour guide that was 20 min. ahead of us most of the time. Only highlight was the Tempels at the beginning. Supposed river was more like a lake with no current. Yeah to bad....”

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6.No.1 Chiang Mai: Leisure River Kayaking: Mae Taeng forest Reserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · from $74

You’ll learn to steer a single or double kayak on the gentle Mae Ping River with professional guides, then paddle through the Mae Taeng Forest Reserve. Expect water buffalo, birds, fishermen, mountain views, lunch, transport, and a support truck. Guide Twee is among the named team members.

“If you are looking for a serene trip to experience north Thailand nature, this is the tour to go! Kayaking was really beautiful and great view of mountains, definitely recommend in December. Also the Chiang Dao is the perfect cherry on top. Shoutout to Twee and the tour guides 🔥”

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7.15 km Leisure River Kayaking at Mae Ngat forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 24 reviews · 1 day · from $62

You’ll paddle a single or double hard-shell kayak from Chur Lare Bridge through the Mae Taeng forest, with safety training, support-vehicle backup, lunch, and time for a swim. Hotel pickup, water, and English, German, or Thai instruction are included. The route may be shortened in some conditions.

“This is the second time I've used this company and it was great both times. Everything is super organized. Our guide was so kind and helpful and we had a blast. Pick up is prompt from you hotel. You have to do a quick check in at the office. Then you drive in a van to the starting spot and learn how to kayak! We opted for the longer kayaking as we had already done the caves. It was just me, my partner and the guide for this part. Our guide was so patient and friendly. We stopped off for a delicious lunch before heading back to Chiang Mai. Thank…”

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8.10KM Inflatable Kayaking Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · from $97

Set out from Chiang Mai in an air-conditioned vehicle for a 10 km inflatable-kayak run on the Mae Taeng River. Share a two-person kayak, handle whitewater rapids with a guide team nearby, then enjoy lunch, coffee, and tea. The full outing takes about seven hours.

“Every second and every minute was full of joy. It was such a great pleasure. I’m looking forward to the next time! I’m grateful for all the joyful moments we spent together.”

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9.Jungle Kayak Adventure with Rapids & Elephants

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 22 reviews · from $81

You’ll leave Chiang Mai at 8:30 am for the Mae Wang Valley, where professional guides teach safety before you paddle through jungle scenery and Class I and II rapids. Look for elephants, birds, and butterflies, then enjoy a riverside lunch. Advanced kayakers can take on tougher rapids downstream.

“Just a great day White water Kayaking, in a very scenic place, with lovely people, But be prepared for lots of horse fly attacks”

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10.Inflatable Kayaking and ATV Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $191

Leave Chiang Mai around 8:00 am for a guided day of ATV riding and inflatable kayaking. You will cover about 40 km by ATV, mixing roads with jungle tracks, then paddle a scenic river with trained local guides. Tin is one guide praised for his humor and friendly support.

“I did the ATV tour and 10km rafting. both tours were extremely well organised. safety first and more than enough instructors available. enjoyed a good lunch in between. And at the end you can shower in a clean shower.”

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11.10KM Inflatable Kayaking and 3HR Trekking Adventure

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $113

Spend a full day outside Chiang Mai with guides such as Tin, Jhada, and P’Sak. Trek 3.2 km through jungle to a 10-meter waterfall, swim, eat lunch, then paddle an inflatable kayak down the Mae Taeng River. Pickup, safety gear, towels, and showers are included.

“fantastic tour, they were very good, both the trekking to reach the waterfalls and the part with the inflatable kayak they were exciting.”

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12.Kayak the Jungle River of Chiang Dao Valley!

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 8 reviews · 1 day · from $64

Paddle the Ping River and jungle creeks near Chiang Dao with English-speaking guides, including Aidan, who can coach beginners through the route. Expect flooded forest, bamboo, farm scenery, two kayak portages, lunch, transport, and a small group of up to 10 people.

“Great guides. Chatty and informative. A wonderful experience on the river Ping. Just about the right length of time. The simple food was at the end. Maybe would have been better ½ way through. Had to get out of the river twice to get kayaks past the 2 weirs. Luckily the guides did the boat dragging as I would have found it hard. The getting out was not easy especially the second place which was muddy and sharp stones. I hurt my foot.”

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13.Explore Kayaking Through Mae Ping River on Sunset

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $17Best value

Join a small group of up to eight for a gentle 5 to 6-kilometer paddle on Chiang Mai’s Mae Ping River. A guide such as Tono leads you past Warorot Market, bridges, birds, local fishing, and riverside restaurants as daylight fades.

“The guide is really helpful and friendly and the river is flat and easy to navigate. It’s fun to paddle past the locals out fishing, and when it gets dark the riverside restaurants look really cool all lit up. I definitely recommend this easy, chill paddle up and down the Ping River.”

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14.No1. Chiang Mai City Hiking, Biking & Kayaking Triathalon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · from $100

Start with a guided trek near Monthathan Waterfalls and Wat Pha Lat, then ride 12 kilometers to Huay Tueng Thao for lunch and swimming. Finish with a guided kayak trip from Wat Tha Luk to central Chiang Mai. Bikes, kayaks, safety gear, transport, and insurance are included.

“Did a little bit of everything in one day. The guides were great and the scenery along the way was nice. I would recommend it if you are up to the task.”

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15.No.1 Chiang Mai: Stand Up Paddle Board through Mae Taeng Forest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $71

You’ll paddle or kayak the calm Mae Ping River through Mae Taeng Forest Reserve on a four-hour trip from Chiang Mai. A guide such as Aidan provides instruction, safety gear, and river tips. Hotel transfers, bottled water, equipment, and lunch at a mango plantation restaurant are included.

“We went there with a friend and the tour guide was amazing! Everything was arranged specially for us, we had a private tour to accomodate our schedule. It was my first time paddling and it was easier than expected, didn't fall once! Bring sunscreen and put it on every 1 hour !”

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